Two weeks remained before the Indigo League Conference.
At this moment, Ash was on the beach behind the Masaki Research Institute in Pallet Town—an area known for its calm sea breeze and golden sands. In his arms rested a newly hatched, green-and-white Pokémon—Ralts.
From the moment it hatched, Ralts had completely captivated Sabrina with its charm.
Unfortunately for her, the little Pokémon didn't seem too fond of her and instead clung to Ash all day, refusing to leave his arms.
Ralts' body was white, as though it wore a tiny dress, with short green hair and a red crest on its head. Even before evolving into Gardevoir, its elegance was unmistakable.
"Ralts, can you come down for a bit? I'm about to start training,"
Ash said with a helpless smile. He had been happy when Ralts first grew attached to him, but now its constant clinginess was starting to wear on him.
"Raa~" Ralts whimpered softly, tightening its grip around his neck, clearly unwilling to let go.
"Pika~pi." Pikachu sighed and shook his head, looking amused by his trainer's predicament.
"Pfft!"
Nearby, Cynthia and Suzie struggled to stifle their laughter. Both had to cover their mouths, afraid Ash would notice them giggling.
Sabrina, however, wasn't laughing. Ever since Ralts had shown such affection for Ash while ignoring her, she had been quietly jealous—something that didn't escape Pikachu's sharp eyes.
Thankfully, after some gentle persuasion from Ash, Ralts finally agreed to spend some time in Sabrina's arms. The moment it did, Sabrina's usual cold expression melted into a rare smile—soft and radiant like sunlight breaking through clouds.
"Dragonite, today's training is for you. Give it everything you've got," Ash called out, handing Ralts to Sabrina.
Dragonite, who had been lounging lazily on the warm sand, perked up immediately. Around them, Ash's other Pokémon rested under the sun—relaxed but alert.
Many trainers trained frantically before the Conference, but Ash understood that rest was just as important. Training too close to a major battle only exhausted both mind and body. A light spar every few days was enough to stay sharp.
"Rawrr!" Dragonite roared, its blood boiling at the thought of another battle. Having recently sparred with powerhouses like Gyarados, Suicune, and Metagross, it knew its trainer's strength was nothing to underestimate.
Seeing Ash preparing for a match against Dragonite, all the Pokémon gathered to watch—except for Alakazam, who continued to meditate quietly in the shade.
With a sudden roar, Dragonite unleashed a stream of blazing fire. The fiery pillar tore across the beach toward Ash—but before the flames struck, Ash vanished.
BOOM!
The Fire Blast scorched the sand black where he had stood just moments ago.
"Behind you," came Ash's calm voice.
In the blink of an eye, he appeared behind Dragonite and launched a lightning-fast uppercut. The attack was so swift that even though Dragonite sensed it coming, its body couldn't react in time—it could only raise an arm to block.
THUD!
Ash's fist collided with Dragonite's arm, sending the massive dragon sliding backward several meters through the sand. The force alone showed how much physical power Ash had built up through his Aura-enhanced training.
"Rooaaar!!"
Excited, Dragonite's aura flared. Its entire body glowed with blue energy as it soared high into the sky, before diving downward in a spiral—Dragon Rush.
Ash smirked. "So you're serious now."
In an instant, he stomped the ground, vanishing in a blur—using high-speed movement powered by Aura.
Sonic booms cracked through the air as he narrowly evaded Dragonite's dive, sand exploding around him. But Dragonite didn't stop; it continued its assault, maintaining Dragon Rush far longer than most could.
"Incredible…" Cynthia whispered in awe.
"It's sustaining Dragon Rush continuously. The energy consumption for that must be enormous."
Ash's breathing quickened slightly as he kept dodging.
"You're really pushing it, huh? Fine then—let's end this!"
Focusing his Aura, Ash's eyes glowed a deep crimson. His energy surged, forming a massive, translucent spectral warrior behind him—an Aura Guardian construct resembling an ancient knight.
"Let's go—Yasaka Magatama!"
The spectral warrior thrust its hand forward, summoning three rotating spheres of fiery-red Aura energy that shot toward Dragonite like spinning blades.
"Rooaaar!!"
Dragonite roared defiantly, refusing to back down. It charged forward, Dragon Rush colliding head-on with Ash's Yasaka Magatama.
The beach exploded with light and sound as the two forces met, shockwaves rolling across the coastline.
When the dust settled, both Ash and Dragonite stood their ground—breathing hard, eyes locked, grinning.
The battle had only just begun.
BOOM!!!
The two powerful attacks collided with an earth-shaking roar. The shockwave rippled outward, the ground trembling violently as if heralding a coming tsunami. When the dust finally cleared, Dragonite stood tall before everyone — barely a scratch on its body.
Inside the glowing armor of Susanoo, Ash remained unscathed as well, his expression calm and focused.
"Their power is unbelievable," Cynthia murmured, eyes locked on the battlefield.
"Especially Ash. His strength can even rival a Dragonite with power close to that of a Legendary Pokémon. He might be the first human capable of matching a Legendary in direct combat."
Her tone carried both admiration and envy. After all, who wouldn't dream of that level of power?
Although she was already the Champion, Cynthia knew her victories were the result of teamwork with her Pokémon. Trainers and Pokémon strengthened each other — a bond of mutual growth. Pokémon lent their power to their trainers, and trainers, in turn, guided them toward their full potential.
...
TN:
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