After learning about Ash entering the World Coronation Series all his Pokémon had been training had and non-stop except for Snorlax. Everyone was training hard but was on his phone looking about the rankings and how many people were still entering the numbers just kept going up "whoa more trainers are entering after me too there's so many of them" just then Professor Oak came by "well how's training going" Ash replies "we've made progress however I need to know a way to really boost up my rankings to at least get into the Great Class" Oak then gives Ash some advice "well whoever you battle first is important you beat them because that determines how strong you are as a trainer, the higher rankings means you're more experienced" Ash responds "right but who do I battle" Professor Oak thinks to himself then has an idea "your Rotom-Phone is able to track other participants so that you can issue a battle, so maybe look for one here in Kanto who has a pretty high ranking as it is" Ash gets right on that and starts typing into his phone for any participants in Kanto. Soon enough the phone loads up someone for Ash to battle "got it I'll battle this trainer" Ash shows Professor Oak the trainer who happens to be ranked 2109th place, Oak then realises who this is "I believe that's the substitute Vermillion City Gymleader" Ash then remembers the Gymleader there "I think I remember that guy I think Lt Surge was his name" Oak aggress but corrects him "true however I've heard he's on a training Journey so this would be Visquez who's running thing's while he's gone, but are you sure you want to take on such a powerful trainer like that" Ash's immediate response was "YEAH I'M TOTOALLY PYSCHED".
Our hero is taking on the World Coronation Series challenge in order to battle Leon and to become the strongest Trainer he can be. In this world there are Pokémon Gyms in almost every area and waiting at these Gyms are Gymleaders, experts in their fields. Trainers challenge the Gyms through Pokémon battles hoping to win a coveted Gym badge, however in the World Coronation Series no matter level of success a trainer, Gymleader, Elite Four member or even Champion has attended throughout their career they all start out competing against each other as members of the Normal Class.
Meanwhile at the Vermillion City Gym Visquez herself and her Raichu were in a battle against a trainer and his Hypno, she the tells them "you two are strong I'll grant you that, but you lack a certain something that would allow you to overcome us, now what is that tell me" she says assertively but the trainer becomes a little confused "uh…uhm...I think" she then tells him what he lacks and makes a speech "it's heart that beats the enemy within, a Gym battle is something that both you and your Pokémon train hard for, Proof of the strength you have developed while battling, a strength you demonstrate to Gymleaders and where is the proof that you have defeated us, It's the Gym Badge however I would like to shoe some respect for your strength so I will bury you with our strongest attack". Raichu charges in with a Volt Tackle and strikes Hypno down so hard the debris go everywhere and even brake through sections of the windows, when the dust cleared Hypno was brought down. The referee announces the winner "Hypno is unable to battle which mean the winner is Visquez the acting Gymleader" the trainer isn't happy but still respects the Gymleader beating him "thank you for the battle" in which Visquez compliments him "now go and train some more, you've got a knack for battling" the trainer takes his Hypno and leaves.
A while later the crew cleaned up the battlefield for loose shards of glass while Visquez trains by a weight and Raichu does the same but uses his tail to lift the weight. One of the Crewmembers compliments Visquez's work for the day "very well done acting Gymleader that makes the last challenger of the day" Visquez puts her weight down and compliments Raichu "you battled very well I can always count on you" Raichu is still fired up and continues to lift the weight even harder "you're still up for battling, I'd like to see a trainer really challenge me for a Word Coronation Series Win". Another crew member comes by and checks Visquez's WOC rank while chewing bumblegum "acting Gymleader your rank is 2109 and it hasn't budged" just then Visquez's Rotom-Phone starts alerting her so she checks it "oh what's this, there's a trainer close by". Just then Ash arrives at the Gym and exclaims "I CHALLENGE YOU" then the doors slide open and Ash is greeted by Visquez and both their both their phones say, "a battle has been issued" in which Visquez's response is "by you alright" then phones then ask, "do wish to accept or reject it" Ash's immediate answer was "oh you know I accept it, I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet and I's like to challenge you to a battle" Visquez recognises that name and accepts "okay I accept your challenge" the phones then announce "an official battle has been registered", one of the crew members states "now about this trainer" in which Visquez says "I didn't think it would be Ash Ketchum", Raichu then gets fired up.
Soon enough they head to the battle and Visquez already knew about him and tells him "I've wanted to meet you and your Pikachu, Lt Surge spoke of you he described a young man and his Pikachu who once brilliantly battled and defeated him and his partner Raichu, he said the young team was Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town". Pikachu notices Raichu doing press ups and getting pumped up for a fight in which Visquez introduces him "this Raichu is my compatriot who was personally trained by Lt Surge" Ash then announces, "well this is my first World Coronation Series battle so no matter what I don't intend on losing" and Visquez's response was "well then I consider it an honour to be a part of such a tremendous battle". Just then a Rotom-Drone flies down into the gym and starts speaking "welcome welcome welocome you have been approved for an official Pokémon World Coronation Series Norma Class battle, the challengers today are Visquez from the Vermillion Gym versus Ash from Pallet Town" Visquez thanks the Rotom-Drone "thanks Rotom-Drone that'll be enough" Ash became amazed by it "whoa is that a Rotom-Drone I've never seen one before", the Rotom-Drone then creates a hologram scoreboard showing Ash and Visquez and two icons for the Pokémon they can use for the match "for today's battle each of you can choose two Pokémon, now I shall explain the official rules switching out Pokémon is permitted any time by either side, when both Pokémon from side are unable to battle that side loses, the opposing Trainer will then become the winner, the World Coronation Series has acknowledge me as an official referee and as such I will oversee the battle" they take their starting positions however Ash notices all the round shaped dents in the walls but the Rotom-Drone speaks again "will both trainers please bring out their Pokémon 3…2…1…go".
They both send in Pikachu and Raichu to battle so Raichu strikes with a Thunderbolt and Ash counters with Thunderbolt as well, the electricity is so strong from both Pokémon that sparks and lighting bolts fly everywhere but both remain unfazed. Raich then charges with a Volt Tackle so Pikachu uses Iron Tail however it digs it in place into the ground, both Visquez and her crew noticed this was the same tactic Lt Surge had told them about so Pikachu then ran Raichu's powers into the ground but Raichu pushed harder and sent Pikachu flying. Raichu then grabs Pikachu by its tail in mid-air and started swinging him around and then tossed him but Pikachu used Iron Tail and then spinned around to bounce off the wall and back at Raichu but he tried to counter it with Reflect leaving Raichu unharmed and Pikachu almost exhausted. Visuez then comments "I should've expected that from him, Raichu would've taken a great deal of damage had it not gotten Reflect up in time" Ash then remarks "you can turn any tight spot into a good thing, that's how we learned to battle together". Ash then decides to switch it up now "don't overdo it buddy return" Pikachu runs back to Ash and he tussles his head, Ash then brings out his second Pokémon "Bulbasaur I choose you".
Bulbasaur comes onto the battlefield ready to fight in which it then uses Solar Beam while Raichu uses Thunderbolt, Bulbasaur manages to doge the attack and Solar Beam gets a direct hit. He then uses Vine Whip but Raichu attempts to block it with his tail but fails and gets hit, but Raichu still stands and attacks with Volt Tackle but Bulbasaur uses Leech Seed and bombards Raichu into the wall and knocking him out. The Rotom-Drone then comes in closer stating "Raichu is unable to battle" then on the scoreboard one of Visquez Pokémon icons turns grey showing she has one Pokémon left, everyone becomes surprised Ash managed to beat Raichu and Ash congratulates Bulbasaur "you did it Bulbasaur". After Visquez puts Raichu back in its poke-ball she then states "I happen to have a plan that'll stop those cute moves, go our Squad's greatest secret weapon" she throws another poke-ball revealing it to be an Electrode. Electrode starts using Magnet Rise which surprises Ash, Pikachu and Bulbasaur by causing chucks of the battlefield to rise up out of the ground while being lifted up by jolts of electricity, Ash becomes baffled by this but Visquez explains "we're an Electric Type Gym so a lot of challengers come at us with Ground or Grass Type moves, so to deal with that we've trained Electrode to use Magnet Rise, controlling the battlefield Electrode truly has no equal". Bulbasaur becomes a little intimidated by this and then Electrode starts bouncing off all the ground chunks and then hitting Bulbasaur from all sides leaving Bulbasaur no where to run, Ash then realises all the dents in the walls were because of Electrode who now struck Bulbasaur from above. As Electrode was about to make another attack Bulbasaur used uses Solar Beam which knocks him back and dose so damage and also Bulbasaur was better able to see to see Electrode's movements in which he fires another Solar Beam, but Electrode was to fast and then attacks with Discharge which lands a direct hit and knocks him out. The Rotom-Drone then comes in closer stating "Bulbasaur is unable to battle" then on the scoreboard one of Ash's Pokémon icons turns grey showing they both only have Pokémon left. The flying chunks start to descend back onto the floor so as Ash returns Gengar to it's poke-ball Ash sends in Pikachu "it's all you now buddy".
Pikachu joins the battle again but immediately Electrode attacks using Rollout, Pikachu manages to doge the first few attacks but eventually gets hit and then Electrode starts flinging him around like a beach ball. Electrode continues to knock around Pikachu however the little guy then uses Iron Tail and jumps on top of Electrode and starts running on its back as it rolls while hitting his tail against it's body causing him to stop, Pikachu then runs the other way causing Electrode to spin backwards and then striking with Iron Tail. While flailing in Mid-Air Electrode uses it's special ability Aftermath and explodes but Pikachu protects himself using Electro Web, however the explosion was so strong that every window broken open and smoke came fuming out of the Gym everywhere. When the smoke cleared it showed Pikachu had protected himself with a cage of Electricity and also revealed that Electrode had been knocked out. The Rotom-Drone then comes in closer stating "Electrode is unable to battle" then on the scoreboard it shows Ash as the winner "which means the victory goes to Ash from Pallet Town" Ash and Pikachu victoriously cheers "oh yeah all right yeah".
Visquez goes up to Electrode and still thanks it for the battle "you really gave it everything you could, that aftermath was proof of just how hard you pushed yourself" Electrode gets up and accepts her words. Visquez then honourably shakes Ash's hand "I accept defeat" and Ash thanks her in which she also states, "I'll report this to Lt Surge, I'm sure he'll want another match with you since you've gotten stronger" Ash replies "and I'd love another match with him Lt Surge is awesome", the Rotom-Drone then flies to them and announces "there has been a change in the World Coronation Series rankings effective immediately". Ash's phones chimes in alerting him, he checks it and it shows him that his rankings went high up all the way to 3763rd place "hey since Visquez was already high up in the rankings my rank just went way up", however this also puts Visquez's ranking lower and then she worries "oh no what do I tell surge" then her crew shows up acting sad saying "courage Visquez Courage".
Ash's first battle in the World Coronation Series is a win but the road to a showdown with Leon has just begun, as the Journey Continues.