Julian arrives at Pewter City with a Chimchar that has learned Flame Wheel and Fire Spin, a Bulbasaur that can execute razor leaves with surgical precision, and a Magikarp that is ready to evolve at any moment. He challenges Brock with a strategy that uses Bulbasaur's speed and vine whip to counter Geodude's rollout, slamming the rock type into the ground until it faints. The victory triggers Bulbasaur's evolution into Ivysaur, and Julian immediately scans the new stats, noting the jump in special attack and defense. He then faces Onix with a combination of leech seed and energy ball, draining the giant snake's stamina before delivering the finishing blow. The Boulder Badge is his, and the system rewards him with an ultra ball and twenty thousand poke dollars. Julian is already thinking three steps ahead, planning his route through Mt. Moon to Cerulean City, where he intends to challenge the water type gym and perhaps seduce the local Officer Jenny. The battle is clean, efficient, and brutal, a hallmark of his style. He does not waste moves or energy, and his Pokemon respond to his telepathic commands as if they share a single mind. The crowd is silent, then erupts. Julian is no ordinary trainer.

While exploring Cinnabar Island's volcano, Julian discovers a young Heatran guarding a magma rock that is causing the island's temperature to spike. The battle is brutal. Heatran's magma storm catches Chimchar and sends it crashing into a wall, but the pain triggers the Blaze ability. Chimchar's flame on its tail grows three times larger, and Julian shouts for control, demanding that Chimchar not lose itself to rage. The Pokemon listens, and in that moment of discipline, it evolves into Monferno. The new form is faster, stronger, and has unlocked Iron Fist as a hidden ability. Julian commands a focus punch uppercut that sends Heatran flying, then a focus blast that finishes the fight. He catches the legendary Pokemon with a single Pokeball and immediately teaches it to control its power using the magma rock as a training aid. The volcano's temperature drops back to normal, and Julian has added a fire steel type to his roster that will become one of his most devastating assets. The battle is a turning point, proving that Julian's bond with his Pokemon can override even the most primal instincts.

Julian infiltrates the Viridian Gym knowing it is a Team Rocket front, and he sends Gengar ahead to scout. Gengar's pranks cause chaos, freeing captured Pokemon and humiliating Giovanni by shaving a bald strip into his hair. When Julian finally faces Giovanni, he uses Kabutops to demolish Nidoking and Aggron in seconds, then sends Infernape to face Mewtwo. The battle between Gengar and Mewtwo shatters the gym, releasing a psychic blast that knocks Giovanni unconscious and frees Mewtwo from its control helmet. Mewtwo goes berserk, but Julian's Gengar matches it blow for blow, using Shadow Claw and Sucker Punch to wear down the legendary clone. Mew, who has been following Julian since the mysterious forest, seals the gym with a barrier to contain the destruction. Mewtwo finally flees, and Julian claims the Earth Badge from a terrified Giovanni. The gym is a ruin, the news declares Julian a legendary trainer, and he has earned the right to challenge the Elite Four.

Julian sweeps through the Indigo League preliminaries using only Venusaur and Pidgeot, never losing a single Pokemon. In the finals, he faces Assunta and uses Infernape in a blaze of glory, melting the ice battlefield and defeating her entire team with one move each. The crowd erupts as he is crowned champion, but Julian has no interest in the title. He forfeits the position immediately, telling Charles Goodshow that he wants to travel, not rule. He uses his fame to launch a Pokemon food company with Professor Oak and billionaire Jimi Brown, securing his financial future. He then challenges the Elite Four one by one, defeating Lorelei with Electivire, Bruno with Infernape's overwhelming speed, Agatha with Gengar's dimension trap, and finally Lance with a mega evolved Gyarados that towers over Dragonite. The battle with Lance is the climax, a clash of titans that leaves the stadium in ruins. Julian wins, becomes champion, and immediately steps down, setting his sights on Hoenn. He has conquered Kanto in less than a year, and now he will do it again with a new team.