On the Arena:
A Divine Bird exploding with Blue flames slammed ruthlessly into Fearow! Fearow's eyes bulged as it took the heavy impact, plummeting like a meteor.
BOOM!
A massive crater was carved into the sturdy arena. When the dust settled, Fearow was unable to move. Above, Pidgeot soared majestically! After evolving, the balance of power between the two rivals had shifted instantly.
Pidgeot's speed now exceeded the detection range of Fearow's Keen Eye. A combo of Gust, Air Slash, and Brave Bird—taking down a Fearow was only logical!
The subsequent battles followed a similar pattern. Ash rotated through Froakie, Bulbasaur, and Tauros. Froakie fought hard but fell to the opponent's Feraligatr.
Bulbasaur then stepped in and took down the giant alligator. In a classic "reverse-type" match, Ash's Tauros traded a double knockout with the opponent's Hitmonchan.
The opponent's fifth was a Magmar. Froakie, benefiting from a type advantage and its first-ever "Aura Resonance" with Ash, defeated an opponent far above its level! Despite being only a few days old, with "cheat-like" resonance, defeating a Gym-level Magmar became possible. Finally, against a Poliwrath, Ash sent out his resting Pikachu to clean up the mess.
Ash won with an overwhelming advantage! The Indigo League Finals would be a showdown between two Pallet Town boys: Gary vs. Ash!
After the match:
Ash and his opponent shook hands. Back in the waiting room, Gary looked up with a deep, dramatic expression. "So... it's finally come down to the two of us! Ash, enjoy the feeling of defeat tomorrow!"
Ash: "...Gary, did Blue possess you?"
Gary: "..." Was I that obvious? "Anyway... see you at the finals."
"...We're literally going to see each other in Professor Oak's backyard in like an hour," Ash pointed out.
Gary: "???" Can you not ruin the mood for once?!
Late Afternoon, Commercial Street:
Ash and Misty were searching for Cynthia. She hadn't shown up for the ranking, and Diantha suggested she might be in "trouble." Hearing this, Ash rushed out, and Misty followed, sensing something suspicious. They eventually found the Sinnoh Champion in front of a stall.
Cynthia was indeed in trouble: Decision Paralysis!
"Hmm~ it's so hard to choose. Vanilla looks good, but White Peach is nice too... oh, and this new Pikachu flavor... which one should I pick?"
The two shopkeepers were sweating buckets. They were thrilled a Champion was at their stall, but she had been standing there for thirty minutes!
"Miss Cynthia!"
Ash's shout broke her trance. "Oh? Ash? Misty? What are you doing here?"
"We came to find you! Diantha said you were in trouble... is this the trouble?"
Cynthia's face turned solemn. Ash and Misty followed suit. Was it something deeper? A secret mission? "You're right... I'm suffering. I can't decide which flavor is best!"
Ash and Misty nearly faceplanted. So the "Ice Queen" Champion was actually a prankster?
"Miss Cynthia, the ranking is starting. Everyone is waiting."
"One second, one second!" Cynthia turned back to the freezer. Ash and Misty leaned in to see what was so special. The two shopkeepers quickly pulled their hats low, hiding their eyes.
Pikachu tilted its head. These two feel... familiar.
"Pika-pi?"
The shopkeepers tensed, but Ash shouted, "Hey! They have Pikachu ice cream! I'll take four! One for everyone!"
Ash handed over the money. "Miss Cynthia, let's just get the Pikachu one for now!"
Cynthia giggled, licked her cone, and walked away with them. Behind them, the shopkeepers collapsed.
"That was close! Our disguise even fooled a Champion! Hahaha! My acting skills are top-tier!" Jessie bragged.
"But she said she's coming back tomorrow!" James noted.
"Perfect! We'll stock up and make a fortune on the final day, then use the money to capture that brat's Pikachu!"
Yes, the stall belonged to the Team Rocket Trio. They had turned into master entrepreneurs, selling "Pikachu & Charizard" merch and "Lucario Cookies." They were making enough to start a corporation, all to fund their mission of capturing Pikachu.
Professor Oak's Backyard:
When the trio returned, they found four new guests. A man and woman in glasses, a ten-year-old girl, and a woman holding a baby.
"Professor... Cerise?" Ash asked. He recognized him from the footage, though he looked younger now.
"Haha, yes! I'm Cerise. This is my wife Talia, my daughter Chloe, and our baby son Parker!"
Chloe, the girl who looked to be Ash's age, hid shyly behind her parents. Professor Oak had invited them over to watch the ranking together.
Professor Cerise was secretly hoping to let his daughter get to know Ash, given how much Ash "helped" her in the future footage.
Misty's eyes narrowed, her "detective" senses on high alert. Ash, oblivious, gave Chloe a bright wave. "Hey! Nice to meet you, Chloe! Let's go on an adventure sometime!"
"Pika-pikachu!" Pikachu greeted his potential future "co-trainer."
Chloe blushed and bowed stiffly. "T-thank you, Ash!"
Ash was confused. Why is she bowing? I haven't done anything yet.
Cerise explained. Thanks to the footage, Chloe no longer disliked Pokémon; she even felt a strange kinship with them. Plus, she had received a Shiny Feebas Egg and a Prism Scale because of Ash's ranking presence.
Misty and Lorelei were green with envy. A Shiny Feebas?! That was the dream for any Water-type enthusiast.
As the group chatted, 5:00 PM arrived. The giant screen flickered to life.
[Ranking: Ash and the Legendary Pokémon (Part III)]
[Subtitle: Hoopa and the Clash of Ages—A World Crisis, The War of the Gods!]
[Note: No betting mode this time. Q&A mode will be active. Please be prepared.]
The footage begins!
A massive golden ring appeared on the screen. From within the ring, a colossal monster emerged!
It had a topknot-like crest, long black horns, and six floating arms detached from its body, hovering near six circular holes on its torso. There was a black void in its chest, two legs, and a long tail.
The world watched in silence. What was this terrifying entity?
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