Pokemon: Trait Master

[Rock Willpower (Red): You possess an unyielding will as solid as rock. When your Pokémon is on the brink of defeat and you command it to 'Hold on!', there is a 50% chance it will recover 5% of its HP through sheer determination.] 

Dropped loot—wait, no, I mean, a new trait just dropped! 

Ash stared blankly at the red-tier trait that had appeared after defeating Onix. 

For a moment, he was caught off guard. 

And then it hit him—this was a Red-tier trait! 

Not just any Red trait, but a rule-based trait! 

Ash had gotten Red-tier traits before, 

but those were mostly trash-tier ones— 

Some increased Speed under specific conditions, 

others boosted move power only in high-altitude battles… 

While they sounded decent, their conditional requirements were far too restrictive. 

So Ash had mostly fed those traits as EXP to level up others. 

But now, after defeating a Advanced Low-tier Onix, 

he had acquired a rule-based Red trait! 

To put it simply— 

Whenever a Pokémon's HP hits zero, this trait triggers a roll. 

If the 50% chance lands successfully— 

The Pokémon revives on the spot, regaining 5% of its HP! 

In battles, this was practically a god-tier skill! 

If attached to a tank-like Pokémon, 

this would be an absolute nightmare for opponents. 

Imagine going through hell just to bring down an enemy Pokémon's HP, 

only for it to suddenly revive as if nothing happened! 

With good luck, this trait could easily rival a Gold-tier one! 

At the moment, Ash didn't have a perfect Pokémon to equip this trait on… 

But if he thought about future captures— 

Snorlax would be a perfect fit for this ability! 

Of course, that was something to consider later. 

For now, Ash stored the trait in his inventory, 

just as Brock recalled his fainted Onix. 

---

"This battle is yours. Here—this is the Boulder Badge. Take it." 

Brock pulled out a badge resembling a gray gemstone and handed it to Ash. 

Ash accepted it, pinning it to the inside lining of his jacket. 

First Gym Badge! 

"Thank you for the match, Brock!" 

"Pika-Pikachu!" 

Ash and Pikachu clasped their hands together in a respectful bow, 

leaving Brock slightly puzzled. 

What was that gesture supposed to mean? 

But judging by Ash's words, 

it seemed to be a sign of respect. 

"Ash, you must be a Veteran Trainer, right?" 

"The way you timed your attacks and utilized moves went way beyond my expectations!" 

Hearing this, Misty and Serena walked over. 

Misty immediately chimed in— 

"Ash has only been traveling for less than two weeks!" 

"…Two weeks?!" 

Brock's eyes widened in shock. 

How is it possible to reach this level in just two weeks?! 

After a moment of deep thought, 

Brock suddenly recalled something— 

"Oh! I remember now—there were a few other Trainers from Pallet Town who came to challenge me recently." 

"One of them, a guy named Gary Oak, was really strong too!" 

"Looks like Pallet Town is full of hidden talents!" 

Brock sighed in admiration. 

Despite Pewter Gym being known as a rookie's first challenge, 

he was still a Gym Leader. 

Even if he wasn't using his full strength, he wasn't the kind of opponent a beginner could easily beat. 

And yet, in just a few days, he had been defeated four times in a row— 

all by Trainers from Pallet Town! 

Truly, Pallet Town was full of hidden masters! 

---

"Hey, hey! Who was stronger—Gary or Ash?" Misty asked curiously. 

"Hmm… I'd say Ash." 

"While Gary is really strong, 

I think Ash is on another level." 

Brock gave it some thought before answering. 

And honestly, that was putting it mildly. 

If he had to be brutally honest— 

Gary and Ash weren't even comparable! 

Both had used Water-type Pokémon against him. 

Gary's victory took some effort. 

But Ash's Froakie? 

It one-shot his Geodude with ease! 

And then— 

Ash had used a Flying-type Pidgeotto 

to completely toy with his Onix, despite the type disadvantage! 

Brock could tell that both of their Pokémon were around the same level. 

This wasn't a Pokémon strength difference— 

it was purely the Trainer's skill! 

People could make excuses about Ash's early "sneak attack" tactics, 

but in the end… 

Ash completely dominated him. 

"…By the way, Ash." 

"I have to ask…" 

"How the heck does your Pidgeotto know Water Gun?!" 

Brock finally voiced the question that had been haunting him since the battle. 

If he had to name one thing that completely threw off his strategy, 

it wasn't Aura Fusion. 

It wasn't even Ash's tactical decisions. 

It was the very first Water Gun that had shattered his understanding of reality! 

A Flying-type Pidgeotto using Water Gun?! 

If someone had told him this, 

he would've laughed in their face and called them a lunatic! 

It's impossible! 

But it had just happened right in front of him. 

So now, he needed to know. 

How did Pidgeotto learn Water Gun?! 

If Pidgeotto could learn Water Gun, 

then could his Onix learn Solar Beam?! 

On the sidelines, Misty and Serena perked up, 

both eager to hear Ash's answer. 

Especially Misty. 

She had wanted to ask this question ages ago, 

but since Ash was busy battling and then talking to Brock, 

she had been waiting for the right moment. 

Now was finally the time! 

Ash, still in high spirits from his victory, 

didn't mind revealing a little about Pidgeotto's secret. 

"Well… it's simple, really." 

"My Pidgeotto is just naturally gifted." 

"He can learn any move, even ones other Pokémon can't normally learn." 

Brock: … 

Misty: … 

The two fell into silence. 

Did he seriously just say that?! 

"Can learn any move"? 

Does he really expect us to believe that?! 

Misty's thoughts: 

Oh, come on! Are you serious?! 

What kind of Pidgeotto is that ridiculous?! 

Brock's thoughts: 

Are you kidding me? A Pidgeotto with no move restrictions? 

Does this mean my Onix can start learning Ice Beam now?! 

They both assumed Ash was just brushing them off with a random excuse, 

since there was no way he'd reveal the real secret behind Pidgeotto's move. 

It made sense. 

After all, a Trainer who could make a Flying-type Pokémon learn a Water-type move 

would never easily reveal their method to others. 

But Serena… 

Serena knew that Ash never lied. 

He was either telling the truth or simply not saying anything at all. 

So if Ash said that Pidgeotto could learn any move… 

Did that mean he really could?!