"Dad… are you serious? That Rare Candy Ash has—it really has a 50% chance of helping a Pokémon break through to the next level?" Masaki Oak asked, utterly shocked after learning the truth.
Anyone hearing about such an item would react the same way—even Masaki, the calm and composed head of the Oak family, was now so stunned that he could barely speak properly.
"Of course I'm serious," Professor Oak replied. "Ash even sent me one. I plan to study it, figure out why it has such an effect. According to him, it took countless trials—and a bit of luck—to create. Now that I've got this one, he's only got four left."
Professor Oak sighed deeply. In reality, each prominent family in the Pokémon world possessed only a handful of Champion-level Pokémon—certainly no more than ten total, and even then, not all Champions had full teams at that level. Many only had three or four; some even just one.
Hearing this confirmation from his father, Masaki Oak's face twitched. Ash was now the true rising star of the Oak family. Though born at the same time as Gary and technically the same age, Ash's maturity made Masaki subconsciously treat him like a brother figure.
And now that Ash had achieved Champion-level strength, the entire Oak family stood to gain. Even though Ash's relationship with the Dragon Clan was… complicated, the benefits were already flowing in. As a skilled pharmacologist, Ash had already created items that made even the most powerful families tread carefully around him.
After all, being a pharmacist wasn't rare—but a pharmacist who could create something as powerful as a Full Restore Capsule? That was something else entirely. Just the annual income from such a formula could support two or three families on the Oak clan's scale.
Moreover, Ash was the son of Lance—the Dragon Master. This wasn't a secret among the elite. Many still believed that Ash and the Dragon Clan might reconcile, which made them cautious. After all, should Ash side with the Dragons, they'd become nearly untouchable.
Not to mention, the Dragon Clan wasn't weak to begin with. The Kanto region's iconic Dragonite—a symbol of power—had always served as the Dragon family's face in battle, and their presence was one of the core reasons for the clan's rapid development.
Masaki Oak licked his lips, trying to sound casual. "Dad, when you're done analyzing that Rare Candy… can I have it?"
The request was hardly surprising. Despite being a Champion trainer in his youth, Masaki had suffered great losses.
His starter Pokémon—a powerful Dragonite—had once taken a near-fatal hit during a mission involving Team Rocket. Though it was saved, its strength dropped from Champion to just below that level. Since then, it had never fully recovered.
That Dragonite had been his closest companion. And now, with his peers advancing, the thought of his own partner falling behind was agonizing. While he still had three Champion-level Pokémon, one was his weakened Dragonite. He also had four at the Elite Four tier and two near-Champion level.
But in over three decades of being a Trainer, Masaki had only ever raised three Champions. That was how hard the climb truly was.
Professor Oak knew the story well and sighed. "Alright. Once my research is done, I'll send it to you. Let's hope it works."
Receiving his father's approval, Masaki's spirits immediately lifted. Even if the Rare Candy only had a general 50% success rate, it still meant hope. And for his Dragonite, that meant everything.
Dragon Clan Estate
"Master, this is everything we've learned."
At the Dragon Clan's ancestral home, Skye Draconis—Ash's grandfather—listened quietly as his steward gave the full report.
Ash had awakened Aura powers and was already stronger than him. His progress was astounding.
"Also, the patriarch of the Oak family sent you a fax. Here it is."
As Skye took the paper, his eyes widened—and he jumped from his chair.
"What?!"
His reaction mirrored Professor Oak's earlier shock almost identically.
"Get the plane ready. I'm flying to Pallet Town!"
After reading through Ash's strength report and the effects of the Rare Candies, Skye Draconis couldn't sit still any longer. He had to see this for himself.
He already knew Ash had given one of those candies to Garan during the Gym battle. Back then, Garan had considered using it on his Steelix, but ultimately decided against it. Instead, he stored it carefully for future generations.
Rare Candy had no expiration date. It could be preserved indefinitely. That made it more than a potion—it was a legacy item. Something that could be passed down as an heirloom.
Garan believed that as long as Brock was by Ash's side, there was no need to worry—for now. But once the era of Ash and Brock passed, no one could predict the future. Perhaps this Rare Candy would one day become a treasured heirloom, exchanged for a crucial opportunity in the generations to come.
On the way to Bill's Lighthouse...
Brock was leading the way as usual, eyes scanning the map with practiced ease. Meanwhile, Ash was clearly growing irritated, his expression darkening with visible frustration.
"I swear... How long are you going to keep following us?" Ash finally snapped, turning around with veins bulging on his forehead. "Isn't this getting a bit old?!"
Behind them, Giselle panted lightly, trying to keep up. "I already told you," she said stubbornly between breaths, "until you accept my apology, I'm not leaving!"
As a girl who had grown up in comfort, Giselle had never endured this kind of physical strain before. Following Ash and Brock through the rugged terrain of Kanto was exhausting—but she refused to back down.
Ash groaned inwardly. She just won't quit...
Seeing that Giselle was dead set on sticking to them like glue, Ash finally gave in with a sigh.
"Fine, have it your way. Go back and tell my uncle this—we'll make sure the medicine shipments to Sinnoh are delivered on schedule. Happy now? Just leave us alone already! You're driving me crazy!"
...
TN:
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