Watching the two boys sighing in synchronization on the screen, countless spectators viewing the simulation couldn't help but burst into laughter.
...
Global Forum Chat Board
[Caitlin]: Haha! Ash, you actually have the nerve to say that a girl's mind is difficult to decipher? You haven't even attempted a single guess!
[Lance]: Exactly! Even I am starting to find this painful to watch! Ash, have you ever actually tried to speculate on what goes through a girl's mind?
[Flint]: Little girls are always completely innocent, but once they grow up, things change entirely!
[Ash]: I did guess! Misty's mind is incredibly difficult to decipher! Half the time I have absolutely no idea what she's thinking! Sometimes she's just giggling out of nowhere, and other times she throws a massive tantrum for no reason at all!
Clap!
Misty slammed her hand heavily onto Ash's shoulder in the real world, a dangerous, sweet smile plastered across her face.
"Who exactly did you say giggles out of nowhere? And who throws a tantrum for no reason?"
"Hmm? Can we please make this perfectly clear, Ash? When exactly do I just giggle? And when have I ever thrown a tantrum?"
An unnamed, visible aura of fury began to burn around Misty's form. Even though Ash possessed the legendary physical durability of a Pallet Town native, his neck instinctively shrank back as he felt the sheer heat of Misty's rising temper.
"Uh... that... I must have misremembered! I completely misremembered..."
"Pi... Pika-Pikachu..."
Pikachu rushed forward, frantically tugging at Misty's sleeve while pointing subtly toward the other people gathered around the laboratory courtyard.
His gestures practically screamed that they were surrounded by an audience, implying that if they wanted to flirt or fight, they should really wait until they got back behind closed doors.
"Hmph! You had better give me a proper explanation when we get back!"
Aware of the numerous eyes locked onto them, Misty finally relented, releasing her grip on Ash as a faint, rosy blush dusted her cheeks. She would settle this account with him thoroughly in private!
Honestly, Ash truly had no filter when he spoke! Although the fact that he had actually attempted to guess her thoughts made her secretly quite happy, guessing was one thing—blatantly airing it out in public was entirely another!
Chloe watched the bright, animated bickering unfold. While it looked like a heated argument on the surface, it carried the undeniable warmth of long-standing intimacy. A trace of wistfulness flashed through Chloe's eyes.
In the real world, her interactions with Ash had barely even begun; she could only watch her counterpart's journey unfold within the screen.
In the Footage—
After giving the two boys a playful scolding, Bonnie quickly steered the conversation back to her private chat with Chloe.
"So, like I was saying, there was this trainer girl who challenged Ash to a battle, declaring that if he lost, he had to take her out on a date, right?"
"Uh-huh." Compared to the younger Bonnie, Chloe now looked like the curious child, completely invested in learning how Ash had handled the situation.
"And back then, Ash agreed to the terms without a single moment of hesitation!"
"Eh?!" Chloe instantly clamped her hands over her mouth, desperately trying to keep her gasp of surprise from echoing.
Her pupils dilated as absolute shock washed over her features. That dense Ash... actually accepted a romantic date invitation right out of the gate?
Generally speaking, in that type of scenario, a guy would deliberately throw the match to gracefully secure the date! Otherwise, why would he agree so readily? Anyone else would have viewed that battle as a direct path to a romantic outing!
"Hehe, Chloe, can you guess what Ash shouted right after agreeing?"
"I... I really can't imagine..."
"He pointed right at her and yelled: 'Bring it on! I'm going all out, and there's absolutely no way I'm losing to you! Hahaha!'"
Hearing the punchline, Chloe froze in sheer bewilderment for a fraction of a second before bursting into a radiant laugh. That kind of response was just so undeniably Ash!
Observing the two girls covering their mouths as they shook with continuous laughter, Ash and Clemont turned their heads, exchanging completely blank stares. What on earth were they laughing about?
...
Global Forum Chat Board
[Caitlin]: 666
[Lance]: An absolutely legendary display of staying single. 6.
[Lorelei]: Don't just give him a single 6, this level of dense behavior deserves a whole row of 6s!
[Flint]: Wow, just wow. You live long enough, and you really do see everything! This is the first time in my entire life I've ever heard someone treat a date challenge like a championship final!
[Anabel]: Hehe, that is uniquely Ash. Only Ash would ever provide an answer like that to a girl, right?
[Volkner]: A literal battle maniac. The title of Super Block of Wood is thoroughly well-deserved!
[Marshal]: That is absolutely ruthless! The poor girl must have suffered an immense psychological blow after hearing that.
[Diantha]: Hehe, during that specific period of his journey, unless his opponent was performing at the literal Elite Four tier, Ash fundamentally wasn't going to lose a standard battle, right?
[Volkner]: I'm honestly curious about who that girl was. Had she known Ash for a long time, or did they just meet? If it was a short encounter, it means Ash's passive charm is terrifyingly high~
Backyard of the Oak Research Laboratory:
Ash scratched his head in complete confusion, leaning over to whisper to Brock. "Hey Brock, what exactly is everyone discussing? Did I do something wrong back then?"
"Of course not! When faced with a Pokémon battle, a trainer must always give it their absolute all! How could anyone ever throw a match just to go shopping on a date? That would be completely disrespectful to the spirit of battling and to the opponent, right?"
Brock stared at him, completely speechless for a long moment before letting out a weary breath. "Ah... yeah, Ash. You did the right thing.
It's just that everyone else is far too superficial!" Brock realized it was completely impossible to explain the concept of romance to him, so he simply chose to validate Ash's battle logic directly.
Misty stood off to the side, whistling casually without any intention of explaining the joke. Let this block of wood remain a block of wood for now; as long as she kept staying by his side, whenever he finally understood romance, the person right next to him would naturally hold the absolute priority!
Her current advantage in the real world was completely limitless. If she ever left his side, it would just open the door for May, Dawn, Serena, and the rest to swoop in! She had to maintain her position.
In the image—
The four friends conversed in the Lumiose Gym for hours, eventually deciding to simply stay the night. During their catch-up, Clemont learned that Ash's primary objective in Kalos was to venture into the deep wilderness to reunite with a long-lost partner—Greninja!
Greninja was an incredibly dear friend to both Clemont and Bonnie as well. Clemont immediately expressed his desire to join the excursion, suggesting that they make it a group trip alongside Bonnie.
As for the daily administrative operations of the Lumiose Gym, the fully optimized and rebuilt Clembot was more than capable of handling everything perfectly.
Ash readily accepted the proposal; the more companions joined the journey, the livelier and more enjoyable it would naturally be! Just like that, the original two-person traveling pair expanded back into a classic four-person group.
Although the female companion from his original Kalos journey had changed, one constant remained: the girl currently walking beside him held a deep affection and admiration for him.
Early the next morning, the four set out toward the dense forests of Kalos. Along the path, Clemont pulled out a mechanical device that resembled an advanced, high-tech compass, presenting it proudly to Ash.
"Behold! This is my absolute latest innovation, the Clemont Pokémon Finder!"
"Big brother's naming sense is still completely uncool..." Bonnie chimed in from the side, unable to resist her standard critique.
Clemont, having long grown completely immune to his sister's commentary, completely ignored the remark and continued explaining the functions to the group.
"This machine is capable of tracking the general directional frequency of a Pokémon based on its biological material, like fur or skin cells! As long as the target enters a ten-kilometer radius, the sensors will instantly lock onto their position!"
"Whoa!! The power of science is amazing!" Ash gasped, his eyes shining with pure excitement as he stared at the compass. No young boy could ever resist the allure of high-tech gadgets, and Ash was certainly no exception!
"Heh~" Clemont proudly pushed up his glasses, basking in the praise. However, in the very next second, Chloe's innocent inquiry completely shattered his pride.
"Um... Ash, do you actually happen to have a sample of Greninja's biological material or skin cells on you?"
Clemont froze, his expression going completely blank. Ah! I completely overlooked that massive detail! Ash and Greninja had been separated for months; how on earth could Ash be carrying a physical sample of Greninja's cells? Without it, his brilliant machine was entirely useless!
"Haha, it's perfectly fine, Clemont! I forgot to mention that after wrapping up my journey in the Alola region, I managed to fully awaken my Aura abilities.
Even if Greninja and I are separated by hundreds of miles, our hearts and wavelengths remain permanently linked!" Ash comforted, patting Clemont's shoulder reassuringly.
His eyes drifted toward the deep forest canopy extending to the north. Through his specialized vision, he could distinctly perceive a powerful, familiar blue Aura signature constantly moving through the wilderness. Without a doubt, that belonged to Greninja!
"What?? Aura? I've definitely read about that capability before! Isn't that the signature spiritual power utilized by the Aura Pokémon, Lucario?" Clemont gasped, his eyes wide with fascination.
"A few other specific species can tap into it, but a human actively wielding functional Aura... this is the first time I've ever witnessed it!"
This time, it was Clemont's turn to look at Ash as if he were an absolute anomaly. He had always known Ash's physical capabilities and battle instincts completely defied human standards, but he hadn't expected him to become even more extraordinary.
In the past, his physical durability allowed him to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Pokémon; now that he possessed active Aura control, he might actually start launching Pokémon moves himself! That was just so typically Ash!
"Hehe, it's pretty awesome! Let's move out, I can clearly feel that Greninja is waiting for us in this direction!" Ash pointed directly north, taking the lead as the group advanced into the deep woods.
...
Global Forum Chat Board
[Lance]: It's finally happening! Is Diantha's absolute nightmare, Ash's Greninja, about to make its grand appearance?!
[Diantha]: What on earth are you talking about, Lance? What do you mean by 'nightmare'? I didn't lose that battle back then, alright?! It was officially a draw!
[Wikstrom]: Haha! You were practically on the verge of losing, Diantha! Being pushed to the absolute brink by a Greninja that had only unlocked its evolution a month prior... If it weren't for Ash collapsing from pure physical exhaustion at the absolute climax, your Mega Gardevoir would have been cleanly knocked out!
[Diantha]: Wikstrom, it seems your skin is getting a bit itchy lately, isn't it? Have you completely forgotten the lesson from our last official match?
[Wikstrom]: ...
Gulp! Wikstrom instantly shut his mouth. That woman was completely unreasonable, resorting to direct competitive threats whenever she was teased! But the reality was, he genuinely couldn't defeat her in a battle.
The last time they clashed, his team had been thoroughly dismantled, and his Scizor had been swiftly dealt with.
The baseline gap between them was already immense, and now that Diantha possessed Mega Evolution, she was absolutely someone he couldn't afford to provoke!
[Blaine]: I wonder if we will get to witness the Battle Bond evolution of Greninja once again. The sheer, shocking grandeur of that unique transformation back then still rings incredibly clear in my memory!
[Siebold]: A miraculous evolutionary path that completely transcends the standard parameters of Mega Evolution... I truly wish to witness it again! But setting that aside, if Bond Phenomenon Greninja possessed that level of overwhelming capability, how did Ash end up losing to Alain in the finals?
[Volkner]: Furthermore, I am deeply curious as to why Greninja had to leave Ash's side in the first place? It has been residing in the Kalosian wilderness ever since; is there an absolute duty it is forced to fulfill?
[Lance]: We just need to keep watching. I feel like—
[Diantha]: Stop right there, Lance! Do not finish that sentence! The moment you express a 'feeling', an absolute wave of bad luck washes over the subject!
[Lance]: ...
In the Footage—
After clearing the outer boundaries of Lumiose City, Ash directly called out Dragonite and Charizard, planning to have the two flying types transport the group straight into the heart of the Kalos forest.
The specific wilderness region where Greninja resided was incredibly distant; traveling purely on foot would easily consume two to three days of continuous trekking.
As an official research fellow for the Cerise Laboratory, Ash routinely received time-sensitive fieldwork assignments, meaning he couldn't afford to spend days traveling leisurely. Furthermore, Chloe still had her academic commitments to balance back home.
Seeing Ash command a Charizard and a Dragonite simultaneously, Clemont and Bonnie were visibly taken aback. However, reflecting on the fact that Ash hailed from the Kanto region—a native habitat for both species—the presence of Charizard felt entirely natural.
However, encountering a fully trained Dragonite was exceptionally rare! Even within Kanto, Dragonite remained an elusive, pseudo-legendary lineage.
It was glaringly obvious that Ash had gone through some incredible adventures during their time apart!
Upon learning that Ash had utilized his standard Charizard to completely overwhelm Alain's ultimate ace, Clemont couldn't help but let out a profound sigh of nostalgia.
"Back when Greninja was on the roster, we just couldn't seem to overcome that specific Charizard... We held a brilliant opportunity during the finals of the Lumiose Conference, but it was such a pity..."
Riding comfortably on Charizard's back, Ash offered a calm, tranquil smile. "It was simply a matter of our skills falling short at the time; there's absolutely nothing to feel regretful about.
I can only conclude that my synchronization with Greninja hadn't reached perfection yet, which led to our stamina giving out at the final hurdle. But... next time we clash, we will absolutely secure the win!"
"Haha, well said! In that case, Bonnie and I will take the seats on Dragonite! Ash, you and Chloe can ride together on Charizard!" Clemont suggested practically, pulling Bonnie along as they secured themselves onto Dragonite's broad back.
Ash was a bit puzzled by the arrangement but didn't think twice about it, pulling Chloe up onto the saddle behind him on Charizard, instructing her to hold onto his waist tightly as they prepared for takeoff!
Pressed firmly against Ash's back as the fire dragon ascended, Chloe felt her cheeks burning with an intense heat. Ash's old companions were truly incredible!
Chloe mentally awarded Clemont a ninety-nine out of a hundred for this spectacular assist, withholding the final point only out of fear that he might become too proud.
Nothing disruptive occurred during the flight, and being able to hold onto Ash like this brought Chloe a profound sense of emotional satisfaction.
Before long, the two flying types executed a swift descent into a dense, sprawling jungle canopy. Suddenly, Ash's Aura senses flared, his gaze locking onto the forest floor directly beneath them.
"Charizard, Dragonite, land right down there!"
"Roar!"
The two powerful dragons cut through the wind, landing heavily amidst the thick foliage. The moment their feet touched the earth, the group was instantly confronted by a deeply unsettling, grotesque sight.
Before them stood an anomalous structure resembling a twisted tree, but its branches were thrashing and swaying rhythmically as if possessed.
Dark, viscous layers of sludge clung to the bark, radiating a deeply polluted, corrupt energy that filled the surrounding atmosphere with a sense of pure malice.
This entity was none other than—
The residual negative energy roots left behind from the Kalos Crisis!