Sunlight filtered through the leaves onto the forest path, where Ash, Xiao You, and Brock were walking along the winding mountain road.
Pikachu, full of energy, ran ahead, occasionally turning back to urge its companions on.
"Pikachu, don't run so fast!" Ash called out with a smile, "Celadon City is still far away, we don't need to rush."
"Pika Pika!" Pikachu stopped, and once Ash caught up, it jumped onto his shoulder.
Xiao You wiped the sweat from her forehead: "This forest is really big, we've been walking for almost three hours."
"According to the map, after crossing this forest, we still need to climb a mountain to reach Celadon City," Brock said, carefully studying the map.
Just then, a fierce fighting sound and the Roar of Pokémon came from ahead.
The three exchanged glances and quickened their pace towards the sound.
In an open clearing, a teenager in a red jacket was directing a Primeape in training.
The Primeape's muscles were tense as it repeatedly punched a rock in front of it, but after each attack, it looked very frustrated.
"Encore, Primeape! Focus your rage!" the teenager encouraged, clenching his fist.
Primeape let out a low growl and punched the rock again, but still didn't achieve the effect the teenager expected.
"What are they doing?" Xiao You asked curiously.
Ash observed for a moment: "It looks like they're practicing some kind of move... Let's go take a look."
As the three approached the training ground, the teenager noticed their arrival and temporarily stopped training.
"Hello," the teenager said, wiping his sweat, "I'm Shota, and this is my partner Primeape."
"Hello, I'm Ash, and this is Pikachu," Ash introduced friendly, "These are my friends Xiao You and Brock.
We just saw you training Primeape, are you practicing a special move?"
Shota sighed: "Yes, I'm trying to teach Primeape to learn Rage Fist, which is key to its evolution into Annihilape."
"Rage Fist?" Brock pondered, stroking his chin, "I remember that's a Ghost-type move, and it indeed allows Primeape to evolve into Annihilape."
Primeape walked over to Shota, looking a bit dejected: "I've tried many times, but I just can't find that feeling of rage..."
Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulder and walked in front of Primeape: "Don't be discouraged, learning new moves always takes time."
Shota looked at Pikachu in surprise: "Your Pikachu can talk?"
Ash smiled and nodded: "Yes, I can communicate with all Pokémon without barriers.
Your Primeape just said it couldn't find the feeling of rage."
"I see..." Shota suddenly understood, "No wonder my training hasn't been going smoothly.
Primeape's personality is actually quite gentle, so it's not easy to make it truly angry."
Xiao You squatted down, looking Primeape in the eye: "Why do you want to learn Rage Fist?"
Primeape's eyes became firm: "Primeape (I want to become stronger so I can protect Shota better.
We've encountered many powerful opponents)..."
Shota touched Primeape's head, moved: "We heard that as long as Primeape uses Rage Fist twenty times, it can evolve, but we've been training for a week and haven't even managed one successful Rage Fist."
Ash thought for a moment, then his eyes lit up: "Maybe we can help!
I have a few Pokémon that might be helpful for training Rage Fist."
With that, Ash took two Poké Balls from his waist: "Come out, Lucario, Gastly!"
Two flashes of white light, and Lucario and an unusually ancient-looking Gastly appeared in the clearing.
Gastly floated in the air, letting out a raspy laugh: "Hahaha, I haven't been out for hundreds of years, did the little brat finally remember this old man?"
"Millennial Gastly!" Shota exclaimed in surprise, "I didn't expect you, Ash, to have caught such a rare Pokémon."
Gastly proudly spun around: "This old man is a crystallization of wisdom that has lived for thousands of years, not like those ordinary Gastly."
Lucario, on the other hand, calmly nodded to everyone: "Is there anything I can help with?"
Ash explained the situation to them: "This is Shota and his Primeape; they want to learn Rage Fist.
I think Lucario's Aura and Gastly's Ghost-type abilities should be able to help."
Gastly floated in front of Primeape, examining it carefully: "Rage Fist, huh... It requires strong negative emotions as an energy source.
Little one, do you have anything that makes you particularly angry?"
Primeape shook its head: "Primeape (Shota is very good to me, I rarely get truly angry)..."
Shota said, troubled: "That's the problem.
I've tried to provoke it, but the results weren't ideal."
Lucario closed its eyes and sensed for a moment: "I can sense great potential within Primeape, but it indeed lacks a trigger."
Ash suddenly had an idea: "Perhaps we can simulate a battle scenario?
Use actual combat to ignite its emotions?"
"Good idea!" Brock agreed, "Rage is often most easily generated when protecting something important."
Xiao You suggested: "We can split into groups and battle, to make Primeape feel pressure."
So, a training plan was quickly devised.
Lucario and Primeape formed one team, battling against Gastly and Pikachu.
Shota and Ash took on the role of commanders, while Xiao You and Brock were responsible for observing and recording.
"Are you ready?" Ash called out, "Begin!"
Gastly was the first to attack: "Shadow Ball!" A purple energy orb flew towards Primeape.
Primeape dodged nimbly, but Lucario reminded it: "Don't just dodge; try to feel the emotional energy contained in the attack!"
Pikachu then used Quick Attack, rushing quickly towards Primeape.
This time, Primeape barely managed to block the attack, but was clearly at a disadvantage.
"Why are they attacking us?" Primeape asked Lucario, confused.
Lucario parried Gastly's attack while explaining: "This is training, its purpose is to unleash your potential.
Imagine they are real enemies, trying to harm Shota!"
At the mention of Shota, Primeape's eyes changed slightly.
When Gastly attacked again, its fists glowed faintly purple, but the light quickly faded.
"It's reacting!" Brock exclaimed excitedly, recording, "The energy of Rage Fist is starting to show!"
Shota shouted excitedly: "That's it, Primeape! Remember this feeling!"
The training continued throughout the afternoon.
Primeape's fists would occasionally flash with Ghost-type energy, but it couldn't consistently use a full Rage Fist.
The sun began to set, and everyone was exhausted.
"Let's stop here for today," Ash said, wiping his sweat, "We'll continue tomorrow."
Primeape, however, stubbornly shook its head: "No, I want to try Encore!"
Gastly floated over, saying thoughtfully: "Little one, what you lack isn't strength, but a reason that can truly ignite your rage."
Lucario nodded in agreement: "Rage Fist requires real emotional drive; simple training might not be enough."
Shota looked at the tired Primeape with concern: "Maybe we should try a different approach..."
Just then, a cunning glint flashed in Gastly's eyes: "I have an idea, but it requires Primeape's cooperation."
It floated to Primeape's ear and whispered a few words, and Primeape's expression gradually changed from confusion to determination.
"What are you planning?" Ash asked curiously.
Gastly smiled mysteriously: "Wait and see.
Shota, please step away for a moment."
Though puzzled, Shota followed Gastly's request and walked behind a distant tree.
Gastly began to create an illusion; several blurry dark figures appeared in the center of the clearing, and one of them "grabbed" Shota.
"Primeape (Let go of Shota)!" Primeape roared and charged forward.
The "enemy" in the illusion made an attacking move towards Shota, and Primeape's eyes instantly turned crimson.
Its fists were enveloped in dense purple energy, and it shattered the largest rock with a single punch.
"It succeeded!" Xiao You exclaimed.
Gastly dispelled the illusion, and Shota rushed back: "What happened?"
Primeape panted, the purple energy on its fists not yet fully dissipated: "I... I did it!"
Ash excitedly explained: "Gastly used an illusion to simulate you being attacked, which ignited Primeape's true rage!"
Shota, moved, hugged Primeape: "Thank you for protecting me so much..."
Gastly nodded with satisfaction: "Now it has remembered this feeling, and the subsequent training will be much easier."
Over the next two days, the training progressed rapidly.
Primeape was able to autonomously summon feelings of rage and consistently use Rage Fist.
Whenever it felt its rage diminish, it would just recall the illusion from that day, and its fury would reignite.
"Eighteenth time!" Brock recorded, "Just two or three more times, and it will meet the evolution conditions."
As the sun set, Primeape was covered in sweat but its eyes were firm.
It looked at Shota: "I want to complete my evolution today."
Shota nodded: "Okay, let's continue!"
For the nineteenth Rage Fist, Primeape punched through a large tree that three people couldn't encircle.
For the twentieth time, its entire body began to emit a dazzling light of evolution.
"It's evolving!" Ash shouted.
Under everyone's expectant gaze, the light gradually revealed a new silhouette—taller, with the flames on its head turning into a ghostly purple soul fire, and its arms wrapped in spirit-like, bandage-like material.
When the light dissipated, a majestic Annihilape appeared before everyone.
"Annihilape..." Shota's voice trembled with excitement, "You succeeded!"
Annihilape felt the power of its new body, then turned and bowed deeply to Gastly: "Thank you for your guidance."
Gastly, for once, showed a relieved smile: "This is the result of your own hard work, little one."
Pikachu jumped onto Annihilape's shoulder: "You look really cool now!"
Lucario also stepped forward: "Congratulations, I can feel your Aura has become even stronger."
Brock carefully checked Annihilape's condition: "The evolution is perfect; all abilities have significantly improved."
Xiao You asked curiously: "Annihilape, how do you feel now?"
Annihilape clenched its fists: "I feel... rage is no longer difficult to control; instead, it has become my source of power.
And..." It suddenly vanished from its spot, then instantly reappeared a few meters away, "I seem to have also learned Shadow Sneak!"
"That's amazing!" Shota cheered, "This is an extra surprise!"
Ash looked at everyone celebrating in the sunset, and said contentedly: "It seems our mission is complete."
The next morning, it was time to say goodbye.
Shota and Annihilape stood at the crossroads, bowing deeply to Ash and his companions.
"Thank you all so much for your help," Shota said sincerely, "Without you, Annihilape couldn't have evolved so quickly."
Annihilape also nodded: "I will always remember this experience."
Gastly floated in the air, saying with feigned seriousness: "Remember to use that power well, and don't let this old man's teachings be in vain."
Lucario and Annihilape bumped fists: "Hope to spar again sometime."
Pikachu jumped up and high-fived Annihilape: "Next time we meet, let's have a battle!"
Brock patted Shota's shoulder: "Your Annihilape has great potential; keep up the hard training."
Xiao You smiled and waved: "Have a good journey!"
Ash finally said: "We also need to continue to Celadon City; hope to meet again!"
After saying goodbye, Ash and his two companions resumed their journey.
After walking a distance, Xiao You looked back and could still see Shota and Annihilape standing on a high point, waving to them.
"It feels so good to help others," Xiao You sighed, "especially seeing Pokémon and Trainers grow together."
Brock nodded in agreement: "That's one of the meanings of travel."
Ash looked at the winding road ahead, his eyes sparkling with anticipation: "I wonder what new adventures await us in Celadon City?"
Pikachu stood on his shoulder, shouting with enthusiasm: "Pikachu!"
The sunlight bathed them, gilding this new journey with a golden glow.