"Ash!! Ash, are you okay?!"
"Ash, how do you feel?"
"Ash, I made some honey citron tea this morning. Drink some to restore your energy!"
"I brought a bar of chocolate!"
Now that Goh had been lifted onto a stretcher and rushed into the ambulance, the riverside clearing only had one "wounded hero" left—Ash, who had "collapsed from exhaustion" trying to save a fellow camper.
As he lay looking completely drained, Serena, Gary, Green, and the other campers finally snapped out of the shock and hurried over. One after another, they offered help—some sincerely concerned, others eager to gain favor with the mysterious psychic boy.
Surrounded by kindness, Ash rested for over ten minutes. Then, supported by Gary, he slowly stood up again.
Looking at all the innocent, wide-eyed teens around him, Ash was genuinely moved.
But that didn't change his goals.
His mind remained crystal clear.
[He would win the title of "Top Camper."]
[He would secure the top three spots for himself and his chosen allies.]
And he would do it all… without mercy.
Still, he understood the importance of gratitude.
Standing firm, Ash gave a deep, formal bow to all the campers gathered around.
"Thank you all. I really appreciate your help earlier."
Even if he treated this summer camp like a calculated chess game—dividing everyone by closeness, loyalty, and usefulness—he never forgot basic human decency.
That, too, was part of his code.
Then he spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear:
"As you saw earlier, I'm what you could call a low-tier psychic. The ability I awakened… is related to healing."
"However, I only just awakened it recently, and my powers are still weak. Right now, I can only treat minor wounds in Pokémon. If it's a human injury, the most I can do is stop the bleeding temporarily."
"But—if any of your Pokémon, or even you, get hurt during camp, and you're too far from the Pokémon Center or the medical cabin—come to me first."
"I'll stabilize the injuries using my psychic abilities, then you can go find Nurse Joy or the camp doctors."
The effect was immediate.
Everyone's impression of Ash skyrocketed.
Even those who had seen him as a rival—the ones secretly aiming for the #1 spot—found their competitiveness fading in the face of Ash's selflessness.
He wasn't just strong.
He was dependable.
At the back of the crowd, Professor Oak watched this all unfold—his eyes filled with unfiltered admiration.
A boy with rare talent.
Diligent. Determined.
Ambitious, yes—but without arrogance.
Gentle with Pokémon, kind to people, respectful to elders.
And now, psychic abilities too?
Even if it was just healing, it was still a bonus in Oak's book.
He was astonished by how high his estimation of Ash had climbed.
If earlier he'd believed Ash might one day become a powerful Trainer,
Now, he truly believed…
…that Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town could become something even greater:
A Trainer not just powerful—but respected.
A beacon.
A great man in every sense of the word.
"To think our humble Pallet Town could produce such a prodigy… what a blessing," Oak thought solemnly.
"Professor, should we continue the fishing activity for today? What about that Gyarados…?" asked Thorne, one of Oak's assistants.
"We'll keep fishing," Oak replied, "but not in this river. We're relocating to the creek on the other side of the forest."
"I'll also notify the patrol unit to come and safely capture the Gyarados. Once subdued, we'll release it into the sea just south of Pallet Town."
"And during the next fishing session, I want everyone on high alert. Make sure the students are protected at all times."
Oak's expression was stern.
He and Thorne had indeed been careless earlier—leaving the students to fish unsupervised while they too enjoyed casting lines.
They wouldn't repeat that mistake.
"Yes, Professor!!" Thorne responded crisply, then moved to round up the students.
In just over ten minutes, Oak, Thorne, Sophia, and a few camp staff led the entire group through the woods to a new fishing spot by a peaceful stream.
However, the mood among the students had shifted.
The incident with the raging Gyarados—especially how Goh had been badly injured—had left everyone on edge.
The carefree excitement from the morning was gone.
Ash, however?
He felt nothing but satisfaction.
1. Goh might not be dead, but his serious injuries would probably force him to drop out of camp. That alone was enough for Ash.
2. He had just copied a huge batch of powerful moves from Professor Oak's ace Dragonite—including some high-level, even type-exclusive techniques. The power boost had him internally grinning from ear to ear.
3. He'd taken full advantage of the situation. Goh's injury allowed Ash to reveal his psychic healing powers at just the right moment—ensuring Professor Oak would take special notice of him.
Once camp ended, Oak would report his findings to the Pokémon League.
And Ash knew:
The League would take him very seriously.
They'd put him on a fast-track talent list.
They'd give him resources. Connections. Special privileges.
Until he had fully grown into his power, Ash would need to "borrow" the League's strength.
And even after that?
He'd be dealing with the Pokémon League more and more—it was, after all, the official governing body of the Pokémon world. The equivalent of a world government.
He hadn't yet decided whether to join the League someday.
But getting their recognition now?
Absolutely worth it.
Besides—Ash was the Chosen One, the Destined Protagonist, the one blessed by fate and favored by the world.
If he ever did join a major organization, it had to be something like the Pokémon League—a force of justice.
Certainly not the likes of Team Rocket or any other shady underground faction.
If he did?
Then even as the world's protagonist, the very universe would reject him. His plot armor would crumble. He'd fade into mediocrity.
And Ash Ketchum had no intention of being average.
Ever.
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T/N:
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