The growth speed of Aura Power was the real cheat.
Not just compared to ordinary psychics—even when placed side by side with Ash's Viridian Power, Aura's training efficiency was downright outrageous.
As time went on, the gap between the two might not remain what it was now.
Viridian Power, for all its explosive growth, depended heavily on external conditions—patients, clinics, time investment. As its level increased, the experience required for each level would rise sharply. The online clinic would eventually hit its limits.
And once Ash turned ten and set out on his journey, the situation would change even more.
The Stone Bridge and Dashiwan Valley clinics outside Pallet Town would shut down. The online clinic, without a fixed schedule due to constant travel, would become unstable in operation.
At that point, Viridian Power's growth would inevitably slow.
Meanwhile, Aura Power—with the boost from the Dream Law Imprint of Mew—would continue to rise steadily, day after day, just through meditation.
When that time came…
Which power would be stronger, and which would fall behind—
That was no longer certain.
—
After two hours of meditation, the result was exactly as expected.
Aura Power rose from LV.22 to LV.23.
Ash opened his eyes slowly.
"Only a little over two months since awakening… Viridian Power might be high-level, but Aura Power still needs time," he thought.
Viridian Power was like a job with low base salary but massive commissions—its growth depended on how well he operated his "system."
Aura Power, on the other hand, was like a steady salary. It grew with time, consistency, and accumulation.
Right now, it simply hadn't reached its explosive phase yet.
Still, Aura Power had one advantage Viridian Power didn't—
It could directly enhance his personal combat strength.
Because of that, Ash valued it just as much.
The only issue was time.
Between training Pokémon, managing the clinic, studying, and learning from Giovanni, his schedule was already packed. He didn't yet have the luxury to deeply explore Aura techniques.
But he had a plan.
Once Aura Power reached around LV.30–36, and once his Pokémon—especially Pikachu—were fully stable in strength…
He would begin systematic development of Aura combat applications.
"For now… I just need to wait a little longer."
—
Ash stretched his slightly numb legs and glanced at the back of his hand, where the Dream Law Imprint slowly faded from view.
Across the room, Pikachu, Greninja, and the others were still gathered around the laptop, completely immersed in their game with Rotom.
He didn't disturb them.
Instead, he lay back on the bed and took out his phone.
There was still some time before sleep.
Perfect for talking to the people who mattered.
—
Compared to the others, Clarissa Joy—was someone he saw every day.
But Serena was far away in Kalos, thousands of kilometers from Kanto.
Since the summer camp ended, they had been apart for over two months.
Both of them were busy, so most days they could only exchange messages, voice notes, or occasional video calls at night.
Soon, Serena replied.
"Congrats on your clinic finally opening! I watched the livestream today—you worked so hard!"
A playful emoji followed.
Ash couldn't help but smile.
"You don't have to push yourself so hard, Serena. You're already doing great," he replied gently.
"Not enough," she answered immediately. "We promised—when we turn ten, I'll go to Kanto and travel with you."
Her tone turned more serious.
"My dream is to become a Pokémon Performer, but Kanto doesn't have Showcase competitions—only Coordinator contests like the Grand Festivals. So I've decided to study Coordinator skills as well."
"After all, the Performer path evolved from Coordinators. Learning both will help me improve faster."
Ash nodded, even though she couldn't see him.
She was right.
Coordinator training focused more on Pokémon performance, while Performers required both the trainer and Pokémon to shine together.
There was a large overlap between the two.
Learning both simultaneously would not only reduce difficulty—but also reinforce each other.
"You're thinking ahead," Ash replied. "That's a good plan. But don't pressure yourself too much—you still have time. You can grow while traveling too."
There was a brief pause.
Then Serena sent another message.
"Oh right—Daisy said she wants to give you a Pokémon egg from her Clefable as a gift."
Ash smiled slightly.
"I know. But that Pokémon has strong talent for performance—it's more suited for a Coordinator or Performer."
"So… I want to give it to you."
"…What?"
Even through the screen, he could almost imagine her startled expression.
"The egg has already hatched. Once it passes the early growth stage, I'll have it sent to the Pokémon Center in Vaniville Town. Just go pick it up when it arrives."
For a moment, Serena didn't reply.
Then—
"This is too precious… I…"
She wanted to refuse.
But the words wouldn't come out.
Because she understood exactly how valuable it was.
Not just a rare Pokémon—
But one with innate talent for performance.
For someone chasing the dream of becoming the world's top Performer…
It was irresistible.
And more than that—
It was something he had chosen for her.
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