In truth, every Pokémon Ash had ever caught was important to him.
With the Ascension Trainer System and his dual powers—Aura and Viridian Power—any Pokémon raised under his guidance would grow strong.
That wasn't arrogance.
It was confidence backed by ability.
"Splash…!"
"Plip…!"
In the shallow waters of the river, the golden Magikarp and the purple Feebas nodded, then flipped their bodies and dove headfirst into the river, disappearing in a flash.
For most Pokémon, evolution was simply a leap in strength.
But for Magikarp and Feebas—
It was a rebirth.
A chance to rewrite their fate.
Hearing Ash say they were close to evolving filled them with excitement, their motivation surging instantly.
…
"Go on… I'm looking forward to your transformation."
Ash watched the ripples fade on the water's surface, his eyes filled with anticipation.
"I want to see you shine on the grand stage… standing beside me."
At this point, his main team—Pikachu, Greninja, Pidgeot, and Fearow—had all reached their final forms.
While Greninja still had Bond Phenomenon, and Pidgeot had Mega Evolution ahead…
From a standard evolutionary standpoint, only Magikarp and Feebas remained.
And so, more and more of Ash's attention naturally shifted toward them.
That said—
His role wasn't as overwhelming as one might imagine.
Thanks to the system:
He could copy skills instantly
Every skill use granted guaranteed proficiency growth
Pokémon could train efficiently without constant supervision
What he needed to do was simple, yet crucial:
Provide high-quality Pokémon food and energy cubes
Maintain a steady supply of resources
Offer encouragement and emotional support
Take them into real battles at the river mouth to gain experience
Without the system?
Even with his abilities, raising six Pokémon to this level would consume all his time.
He wouldn't have the luxury to:
Run his skill shop
Train at the Pokémon Center
Build connections and expand influence
Even now, though his Pokémon trained independently—
Ash wasn't idle.
He moved constantly.
Preparing food.
Checking supplies.
Monitoring recovery.
Then heading over to help Green and Gary Oak, healing their Pokémon mid-training.
Then again—
Using Aura to scan the surroundings, he sensed injured wild Pokémon gathering at both clinics.
Without hesitation, he rushed over.
Morning Healing Work
Stone Bridge Clinic: 7 Pokémon treated
Dashiwan Valley Clinic: 9 Pokémon treated
Though his Viridian Power didn't level up this time, he could clearly feel it improving.
The effort wasn't wasted.
And just as he finished—
His phone rang.
It was Professor Oak.
The request had gone through.
The Galvantula that knew Electroweb had already been sent over.
Without wasting a second, Ash hopped onto his bike and sped toward Oak's lab on the hillside northwest of Pallet Town.
"Ding-dong—!"
The door opened quickly.
"Ah, Ash—you're fast," said Thorne, Oak's assistant, smiling as he stepped aside.
"Thorne," Ash greeted politely.
"The Galvantula is here. Professor Oak's still on a call with Professor Juniper—once they start talking research, they don't stop."
Ash chuckled.
"That's exactly what you'd expect from Pokémon researchers."
They stepped inside.
Thorne retrieved the Poké Ball from the transfer machine and handed it to Ash.
Then the two approached Oak.
"Professor," Thorne called gently.
"Hmm? Oh—Ash! That was quick," said Professor Oak, turning with a bright smile.
"Young people really do have more energy than us."
Ash laughed lightly.
"Professor, you're not old at all. At your age, you could probably wrestle a Machamp and still win."
"Ha! Hahaha!"
Oak burst into laughter, clearly pleased.
In truth, at just over fifty, he was still very much in his prime—especially in a world where people could easily live past a hundred.
Then Oak turned toward the screen.
"Oh, Juniper—this is the boy I mentioned. Ash."
"Don't let his age fool you. His talent as a Trainer is exceptional."
Ash stepped forward slightly and gave a polite nod toward the screen.
"And this," Oak continued, "is Professor Juniper from the Unova region."
"She's one of the leading authorities on Pokémon origins."
Ash straightened slightly.
"Professor Juniper, it's an honor."
Oak smiled warmly.
"When you travel to Unova in the future… make sure to learn from her."
The next step in Pikachu's evolution—
Was already in his hands.
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