"If the relationship between Pryce and the long-haired pig is really as Granny Sima said, then I refuse to believe that the long-haired pig would abandon him and leave."
Ash Ketchum spoke with absolute conviction, even he himself did not understand where that confidence came from.
Perhaps it was because of his bond with Pikachu. Ash believed that if he were ever seriously injured, Pikachu would never leave him behind.
"Ash, forget it. Pryce thought the same way back then, but after waiting day after day, the long-haired pig never returned," Sima said with a sigh.
"Grandma Sima, where did Pryce live back then? I want to see it," Ash replied firmly. He wanted to go there personally, not only to resolve the misunderstanding between Pryce and the long-haired pig, but also to reaffirm the bond between himself and Pikachu.
"Did you pass by that snow-covered mountain when you entered Mahogany Town? Pryce used to live there. After the long-haired pig disappeared, he never went back."
After thinking for a moment, Sima pointed in a direction.
Near Mahogany Town stood a strange snow mountain. No matter the season, spring, summer, autumn, or winter, it remained buried under thick snow, locked in an eternal winter. Even now, in autumn, the mountain was still covered in ice and snow. No one knew why, but since it did not affect daily life, people simply ignored it.
"Nazi, Pikachu and I will go there first. You stay here and rest. Once I find the answer, I'll come back," Ash said to Sabrina.
The moment he finished speaking, he used a high-speed movement technique, vanishing into the sky and heading straight toward the mountain Sima pointed out.
"Ash!!!"
Sabrina did not even have time to respond before he disappeared. She pressed her hand to her forehead, clearly troubled.
"Forget it. Even if he goes, he probably won't find any answers. Let's go eat first, you must be hungry too," Sima said, then walked toward the living room of the Gym.
Meanwhile, Pryce stood inside a room, looking at a photograph of himself with the long-haired pig. After a moment, he quietly put it away.
"Boom!"
Ash landed heavily on the snow-covered ground, sending snowflakes scattering into the air.
"This should be the place," he said as he looked at the dilapidated wooden cabin in front of him. Judging by its condition, it had likely stood there for more than twenty years.
"Pika!" Pikachu nodded and began looking around.
"There are cliffs everywhere here. If my guess is correct, then something must have happened to the long-haired pig."
Ash looked across the endless white snowfield, then brought his hands together. The Chakra in his body surged instantly.
In a burst of white smoke, thousands of shadow clones appeared.
"Everyone, search the area. We have to find it," Ash ordered.
Under his command, the shadow clones spread out in all directions across the snowy mountain, searching for any trace left behind.
Pokémon have their own thoughts. This was common knowledge. Aside from a small number of exceptions, most Pokémon would follow their trainer's commands, even if those commands were unreasonable.
This was their pure nature.
As long as you treated them sincerely, they would return that sincerity without hesitation.
Ash firmly believed in this. It was also one of the main reasons he chose to become a trainer.
Compared to dealing with people, he preferred being with Pokémon. There were no schemes, no worries, only simple joy. That was what he truly loved.
Half an hour later, Ash dispelled all the shadow clones.
A flood of memories poured into his mind at once. Fortunately, his mental strength was strong enough to withstand it.
"Nothing… Did I guess wrong?"
After reviewing the memories, Ash found no trace of the long-haired pig, and disappointment flashed across his face.
But then, one memory stood out.
One of the shadow clones had discovered a cliff.
That alone was not unusual.
What shocked Ash was what the clone had seen just before it disappeared.
"Was that really the long-haired pig?"
Thinking about what the shadow clone had seen, Ash Ketchum immediately rushed toward that location with Pikachu. The snow still held the faint footprints left behind by the clone.
When they reached the edge of the cliff, Ash did not hesitate and jumped straight down.
His body descended rapidly, but he landed safely at the bottom. With his abilities and tools, the fall posed no threat to him at all.
"This is incredible… I didn't expect something like this beneath the cliff."
After landing, Ash and Pikachu looked around, both stunned by the sight before them.
The entire area was filled with shimmering ice crystals, sparkling like gemstones. It looked like a hidden world of crystal buried beneath the snow.
But what truly shocked them was not the scenery itself.
Inside the ice were herbs, perfectly preserved.
Most of them were rare medicinal plants, the kind Ash had never even encountered before in this world.
"I didn't expect so many rare and precious herbs to exist here. If I can obtain their seeds, I could cultivate more of them."
As someone skilled in medicinal knowledge, Ash instantly recognized their value.
For a moment, excitement filled his eyes.
Then he suddenly paused.
"Right… I almost forgot why I came here."
His expression sharpened as he recalled the memory from the shadow clone.
Turning his gaze in the direction the clone had been looking before it disappeared, Ash focused.
Whatever the clone had seen… it should be right there.