Theo's hand had already gone slightly numb from Ash's firm grip, but his attention at this moment was completely elsewhere.
His gaze was locked tightly onto the yellow electric mouse sitting on Ash's shoulder, while in his mind he was frantically urging the system.
Hurry. Quickly bring up Pikachu's panel.
As a transmigrator, he had long been filled with curiosity about Ash's Pikachu.
This little electric mouse had created far too many miracles.
It could go head to head with legendary Pokémon, yet it could also be pushed into desperate situations by ordinary ones. It was clearly the most common kind of Pikachu, yet it possessed a combat ceiling far beyond its peers.
What exactly made it so special?
The system panel had already begun displaying Pikachu's information, but suddenly it glitched like a malfunctioning screen, turning completely black.
Then, in an extremely rare occurrence, the system lagged. After a moment, fragmented lines of information slowly began to appear again.
[Pokémon: Pikachu? Partner Pikachu? Bond Pikachu? Hatake Kakachū? (Unique)]
Type: Electric
Category: Mouse Pokémon
Ability: Static, Fifty-Fifty (All beings are equal. Against the strong, it becomes strong. Against the weak, it becomes weak.)
Moves: Thunderbolt, Iron Tail, Thunder, Electro Ball, Electroweb, Agility, Slam, Volt Tackle, Double-Edge, Quick Attack…
Theo stared at Pikachu's panel, completely stunned.
Aside from legendary Pokémon, this was the first time he had ever seen something that caused his system's scan to lag.
Hatake Kakachū…
Theo could not help but complain inwardly about his own system.
So you can even make jokes now. Did you learn that from Volcarona or something?
But upon thinking about it again, the system's analysis did not seem wrong at all.
Ash's Pikachu's performance in battle truly lived up to that nickname.
It could fight evenly against legendary Pokémon, yet occasionally lose unexpectedly against ordinary ones, perfectly embodying the concept of equality among all beings.
This "Fifty-Fifty" ability was almost too accurate.
Just as Theo had not yet finished examining Pikachu's move list, another panel suddenly popped up at the edge of his vision.
He paused slightly.
There were clearly no other Pokémon beside Pikachu, so why had another panel appeared?
With confusion, Theo shifted his gaze to the newly displayed information. The next second, he was once again plunged into deep shock.
[Pokémon: Ash from Pallet Town]
Type: Normal / Fighting
Category: Humanoid Pokémon
Ability: Superhuman Body, Opportunist King, Bicycle Terminator]
Moves: Aura Sphere, Encourage, Bullet Seed, Dragon Dance, Mega Punch, Attract, Bounce, Rock Climb, Protect, Superpower…
Theo stared at this absurd yet strangely fitting panel, his thoughts thrown into chaos.
Absurd… yet somehow perfectly accurate.
Ability: Superhuman Body. Well, considering he could take attacks from legendary Pokémon with his bare hands and even smash crystalline structures with a punch, there was nothing wrong with that.
Opportunist King. From his initial Pikachu to all sorts of powerful companions, Ash did seem to "accidentally" acquire or befriend all kinds of bizarre yet strong Pokémon. That also made sense.
Bicycle Terminator. Misty's bike, May's bike, and perhaps even Dawn's in the future… this ability was spot on as well.
But when it came to the move list, Theo found himself somewhat bewildered.
Aura Sphere probably corresponded to the Aura power within Ash. That was understandable.
Mega Punch… Ash had once smashed solid crystal rock with a single punch, so that worked too.
As for the rest of the moves, when Theo thought about it carefully, every single one could actually be traced back to something Ash had done.
Bounce referred to his countless leaps from cliffs or high places, falling from great heights yet always landing safely.
Protect was his ability to repeatedly endure Pokémon attacks without injury.
Superpower was reflected in his ability to casually lift heavy Larvitar or even hold up Cosmoem with one hand, an almost inhuman display of strength.
Attract… well, even the legendary Pokémon Latias, disguised as a girl, had once been charmed by him.
Scene after scene, every detail matched events that had occurred in the anime.
It was ridiculous, yet there was no real way to call it wrong.
Looking at Ash's panel, Theo's heart began to race faster and faster. A completely outrageous thought suddenly surfaced without warning.
…Could I capture Ash directly?
Theo unconsciously tightened his grip on the hand he had just been shaking, his gaze darting back and forth between Pikachu and Ash, burning with intensity.
Nearby, May, Brock, and Max watched Theo's behavior, noticing how he was still holding on and staring with such an intense expression. Their expressions gradually became strange, and the way they looked at him carried an indescribable oddness.
Even Ash began to feel uncomfortable. He gently pulled his hand back and looked at Theo with confusion.
"Um… Theo, what is going on? Why are you staring at me and Pikachu like that?"
Only then did Theo suddenly snap back to his senses. Realizing how impolite he had been while focusing on the panel, he quickly composed himself and apologized.
"Sorry, sorry, Ash. I got a bit distracted just now.
I met Professor Oak before, and he mentioned you. He said you are the most talented trainer he has ever seen, and that when I go to Kanto in the future, he would introduce us.
I did not expect to meet you so soon, so I got a little carried away."
"Hehe, so that is how it is!"
The moment Ash heard praise about himself, he immediately forgot Theo's earlier odd behavior. He placed his hands on his hips and laughed heartily, completely straightforward and carefree.
"Professor Oak really should say things like that to my face. I mean, I know I am strong, but hearing it like this still makes me a little embarrassed. Right, Pikachu?"
"Pika, pika!"
Pikachu mimicked Ash, placing its tiny paws on its hips and raising its head proudly, its smug expression exactly the same as Ash's.
May, Brock, and Max all covered their faces at the same time, looking as though they wanted to pretend they did not know these two at all.
"Alright, alright, stop being so full of yourself."
Brock sighed helplessly and patted Ash on the shoulder.
"We should board the ship. If we wait any longer, there will be too many people, and lining up for ticket checks will be troublesome."
"Oh, right!"
Ash immediately dropped his laughter and grabbed Theo's arm, pulling him toward the gangway.
"Theo, come on, hurry! I will take you to see the Pokémon battle area on the ship.
When I first boarded, I got a bit seasick and stayed in my room for quite a while. When I went to eat, I heard people saying there is a battle area on the top deck, but I have not gone yet.
Since I ran into you, let us have a battle in a bit!"
"Huh? Right now?"
Theo stumbled slightly as he was pulled along.
"Of course! It is rare to meet an opponent who is evenly matched with me. How can we wait?"
Ash's eyes sparkled brightly, his entire demeanor that of a complete battle enthusiast.
(End of Chapter)