Ash's survival instincts told him that pretending to have temporary amnesia was the only safe play here. Otherwise... he might find himself facing the wrath of a thoroughly embarrassed teenage girl.
Pikachu, being a seasoned professional in the drama department, played along flawlessly.
Hearing their solemn vows, Chloe finally let go of Ash's shirt and stepped back. Her delicate face was still flushed, with a few stray teardrops clinging to her eyelashes—an image of pure, vulnerable grace that made the hearts of everyone watching the screen skip a collective beat.
When is a girl at her most beautiful? There was no definitive answer to that age-old question. But there was no denying that a strong-willed girl showing her vulnerable side was incredibly endearing. In an instant, a massive wave of viewers globally converted from casual onlookers into hardcore Ash x Chloe shippers!
...
On the global forum boards—
[Viewer A: Please! You two just need to get married already!]
[Viewer B: Ahhhh! My heart can't take this massive dose of sweetness!]
[Viewer C: Are they trying to give us all cavities? Because it's working! This is adorable!!]
[Viewer D: So sweet! Absolutely precious!]
[Viewer E: Even if Ash is completely dense in the romance department, his natural instincts to protect and comfort her are flawless. What a beautiful dynamic! It's a literal crime if they don't end up together!]
[Viewer F: Actually... I still think the Ash x May ship has a solid chance.]
[Viewer G: Don't count out Ash x Dawn just yet...]
At this exact moment, the collective spirit of the Ash x Chloe shipping fanbase soared to unprecedented heights! Professor Cerise looked ready to brag to the entire world via the chat board, but before he could type out a single letter, Chloe forcefully yanked him away from the screen.
She could read her father like an open book and knew exactly what kind of embarrassing nonsense he was about to post. Think about it—he's probably ready to declare himself a future father-in-law!
If she let him post that on the global board after everyone just saw her crying her eyes out in Ash's arms, she would never be able to show her face in public again.
Meanwhile, in the present world, Ash leaned over and whispered quietly to his partner, "Man, being a mentor is tough work, Pikachu. When I saw Chloe start crying like that, I seriously thought the sky was falling."
"Girls are so incredibly complicated..."
Pikachu: [Deadpan stare]
Seriously, what is wrong with this kid's brain wiring? Any ordinary guy would be absolutely over the moon to have a beautiful girl find comfort in his arms, turning a bittersweet moment into a total romantic victory.
And here he was, calling it a 'complicated hassle'? It was enough to make a Squirtle withdraw entirely into its shell out of pure exasperation!
Speaking of which, a wild Squirtle nearby suddenly surged, looking left and right with a thoroughly confused expression. Why did it feel like someone was mocking my shell just now?
...
In the Footage—
Following a brief intermission to grab lunch at the local Pokémon Center and take a much-needed rest, the second half of the day officially commenced—it was time for the Super Ball Arena! The morning had belonged to Chloe, but the afternoon was entirely Ash's stage.
Currently, Ash's global ranking hovered somewhere in the early 600s. He was highly anticipating whether this specific tournament could provide the massive point boost needed to break into the top 200.
The higher you climbed in the World Coronation Series, the more grueling it became to advance. Defeating opponents ranked significantly lower than yourself yielded practically zero point progression. To move up, you had to hunt the apex predators of the tier.
Before long, Ash and Chloe arrived at the grand Lumiose Arena—the legendary battlefield that had hosted the Lumiose Conference.
The sheer architectural scale and electric momentum of the stadium were breathtaking. Even from outside the main gates, the deafening roars of the crowd inside vibrated through the pavement.
Ash proudly displayed his active Super Ball rank certification to the gatekeepers, smoothly guiding Chloe inside. After finalizing his registration in the main lobby, he sat down to await the automated matchmaking brackets.
"...Oh my goodness! Even with Shalour Gym Leader Korrina pushing her Mega Lucario to its absolute limits, she simply cannot find an opening against Alain!
" the television commentator's voice boomed from a monitor in the lobby. "Alain is showcasing a truly terrifying level of dominance today!
With this spectacular victory over Korrina, Alain officially smashes his way into the top 300 of the Super Ball tier!
Who will step up to challenge him next?
Can anyone halt this unstoppable winning streak?! Let's wait and see!"
Turning toward the screen, Ash and Chloe saw poor Korrina acting as the background prop for yet another trainer's highlight reel.
Back when she first broke into the Super Ball tier, she had been defeated by Ash's Swellow. Now, at the Super Ball Tournament, she was getting overwhelmed by Alain's Mega Charizard X. It was a tough run of luck!
"How is that possible? Korrina didn't even seem to have a chance to counterattack..." Chloe murmured, well aware of how formidable the Shalour Gym Leader actually was.
When Korrina had battled Ash, her Mega Lucario had put up a ferocious, back-and-forth fight. But against Alain, it looked like a completely one-sided blowout.
The gap between their raw power levels was immense. In other words... Alain's Charizard possessed a level of strength that easily rivaled a regional Champion. It was no wonder a past version of Ash had suffered a string of defeats against him.
But looking at the Ash standing beside her now... he was incredibly powerful too! He definitely wouldn't back down!
Right on cue, a slightly dejected Korrina walked through the corridor doors. Ash and Chloe immediately jogged over to meet her. Sensing their presence, Korrina looked up, a bright, if slightly tired, smile forcing its way onto her face as she greeted her friends.
"Haha! Ash, Chloe, Pikachu! You guys actually made it! Er... did you happen to catch that match just now? Man, how embarrassing, losing right as you guys walk in."
Compared to Chloe, Korrina was a seasoned veteran who had tasted defeat many times before, but a loss still stung. She was clearly putting on a brave face.
"Don't worry about it! I'll make sure to get revenge for you when my turn comes!" Ash declared, pumping his fist.
"Heehee~ Listen to you, talking about avenging me when you haven't even managed to beat Alain a single time yourself!" Hearing his classic, brash confidence, the heavy gloom weighing on Korrina's shoulders finally began to lift.
True to form, a little lighthearted banter from her favorite guy was the perfect remedy. "You better win this whole thing, Ash!"
With that, Korrina unbuckled a sleek pouch from her waist, pulling out a stylized black glove. Fixed firmly onto the back of the brace was a pristine stone radiating a brilliant, multi-colored light—a genuine Key Stone!
"Wow! Thank you so much, Korrina!" Ash gasped in pure delight, eagerly sliding the glove onto his hand. With this Key Stone finally secured, his Charizard was fully equipped to trigger Mega Evolution!
Though they hadn't run a single practice trial with it yet, theory suggested their bond was more than deep enough to bypass any evolutionary hurdles.
"Will competitor Ash and competitor Kobayashi please report to the main battlefield immediately. Failure to appear within three minutes will result in an automatic forfeit and a bracket reset."
The stadium intercom flared to life. It was finally Ash's turn to take the stage, though his opening opponent wasn't Alain.
It made sense—Alain's rank was safely within the top 300, creating too large a tier gap for the automated system to pair them up in an early round unless a manual challenge request was submitted.
As Ash walked toward the staging tunnel, he crossed paths with Alain, who was just exiting the arena floor. Hearing the familiar name blast over the speakers, Alain glanced up at the massive stadium monitors, his eyes widening slightly as he confirmed the familiar face on the screen. It really was the Ash he knew!
"Alain!" Ash called out, a massive grin breaking across his face.
"Ash?! You're competing in the Super Ball bracket too?"
"Yeah! Hey, once I wrap up this match, how about we register for a manual challenge?"
Alain's eyes flared with a sudden, intense battle spark. "Oh, I wouldn't miss it for the world! It's been far too long since our last battle!"
Even though Ash had never secured a victory against him in the past, he was, without a doubt, the single opponent capable of pushing Alain's tactical limits to the absolute edge.
Every single one of their past clashes had been decided by a literal hair's breadth, often coming down to raw endurance and a bit of battlefield luck. And as any true master knew... luck was simply another facet of a trainer's strength!
The opening match between Ash and the challenger named Kobayashi concluded almost as quickly as it began. Pikachu stepped onto the field and executed a flawless, lightning-fast sweep.
Even for a seasoned Super Ball level trainer, facing Ash's current ace was an entirely unfair matchup. At this stage, standard Gym Leader level strategies—and even entry-level Elite Four tactics—were simply completely outclassed by Pikachu's sheer output.
With the victory secured, Ash's global ranking jumped up to 502. Without losing a single beat, Ash and Alain immediately submitted a formal joint application for a manual challenge.
The system slotted their highly anticipated rematch as the third event of the afternoon block, giving Alain just enough time to fully heal his roster at the medical station. He wanted to face Ash at the absolute peak of his condition!
Standing in the prep room, Ash adjusted the black glove Korrina had gifted him, making sure it fit snugly. The Key Stone gleamed brilliantly under the stadium lights.
"Pikachu, we are absolutely not losing to him this time!"
"Pika! Pikachu!"
"Hehe, let's show Alain exactly how much our Charizard has grown!"
"Pika!"
Before long, Alain emerged from the medical wing, his roster fully restored and bursting with energy as he strode out into the roaring stadium. The preceding two matches had flown by in a flash, and finally, the main event was here.
"...Dear spectators and fans across the globe, we have an absolute blockbuster of a match lined up for you next!" the arena announcer's voice boomed across the packed stands, sending a physical wave of electricity through the crowd.
"The two competitors entering the arena floor, Alain and Ash, share an incredible history!
One is the reigning Champion of the Lumiose Conference, and the other is the legendary Runner-Up of that very same tournament! Both possess an extraordinary level of power! In their past encounters, competitor Ash fell just short of a victory.
Will he finally secure his long-awaited revenge today?! Let's turn our eyes to the field and find out!"