The end of the Charizard Bond entry left many unsolved mysteries. One of the most important questions was: why did that cloaked youth calling himself Tobias come after Ash?
The historical records had featured villains before, but those criminals typically targeted legendary Pokémon or sought to capture exceptionally powerful species. Who would go through so much trouble just to target a young kid?
This Tobias was completely different. Judging by his own words, his primary objective from the very beginning… was Ash! Had he realized that the villains' ultimate plans could never succeed unless Ash was completely removed from the picture?
Everyone was deeply puzzled. The final scene provided far too little context, making a thorough analysis incredibly difficult. While the global audience was lost in thought, a new announcement materialized across the sky:
[The reward calculation has been completed. The rewards belonging to Charizard have been distributed.]
[The next entry will begin at the same time tomorrow. Please stay tuned.]
Within ten seconds of the two text lines appearing, the massive screen hanging in the sky began to fade away. The next broadcast would be at this exact time tomorrow; anyone wishing to watch the continuation of the Masters Eight tournament chapters would simply have to wait.
A localized beam of light quickly descended, enveloping Charizard—a phenomenon everyone had grown accustomed to by now.
Simultaneously, a burst of structural information appeared directly inside Ash's mind, detailing the specifics of Charizard's newly acquired rewards. Soon, Ash fully absorbed the data, and the radiant energy surrounding Charizard slowly dissipated.
"Ash, what kind of reward did Charizard get?" Lance asked, a bit impatiently, though he felt a sense of vindication since his prediction had technically panned out.
"Blue Flare and Turbo," Ash replied.
"What?" Alder ran forward excitedly, grabbing Ash's shoulders with both hands and asking in an intense tone, "Young man, the Blue Flare you just mentioned… is it the signature Blue Flare of Reshiram?"
"Yes, Mr. Alder. However, it isn't Reshiram's exclusive skill format. Instead, Charizard's base flames permanently shift into the Blue Flare standard under normal conditions, just like right now."
Hearing this, everyone turned their attention toward Charizard. They discovered that the flame burning at the tip of Charizard's tail had completely shifted to an intense, brilliant blue!
This was the exact coloration of Reshiram's energy when unleashing its signature move! In other words... even under normal conditions, the base temperature of Charizard's fire had already been elevated to a mythical standard. This was an absolutely monstrous enhancement!
"The information in my head says that Charizard can only unleash the true maximum output of this fire after undergoing Mega Evolution!"
Everyone immediately thought of Charizard's Mega Evolution states. While the Y-form's parameters remained to be seen, Mega Charizard X naturally burned with blue flames across its entire body! Blue fire is typically the result of extreme thermal elevation.
Although the color match was identical, the underlying mechanics here were completely different.
As for why Charizard required Mega Evolution to channel the absolute threshold of these flames… it was presumably because the thermal output of pure Blue Flare was simply too immense for a standard Charizard's baseline physiology to endure for extended periods.
Under normal conditions, the temperature would automatically scale down to protect its body, requiring the structural evolution of a Mega form to safely unlock its full destructive potential!
"So... what about the other reward called Turbo?"
Cynthia's soft voice echoed through the group. "Regarding the term 'Turbo'… according to the inscriptions I studied across ancient ruins, Reshiram possesses an ability known as Turboblaze, which allows its attacks to completely ignore the defensive abilities of its targets."
"In other words, whether an opponent relies on Water Absorb, Flash Fire, Volt Absorb, or Lightning Rod, all external defensive traits become completely ineffective against it! This is an exceptionally powerful attribute.
With it, Pokémon that rely heavily on specialized defensive abilities to survive find their primary strengths completely neutralized. Does Charizard's new Turbo Power share a similar effect?"
Ash shook his head. "The Turbo reward that Charizard received is completely different from what you described, Miss Cynthia—this one is actually an active skill!"
"Turbo allows Charizard to completely double the raw power of its flames for a brief duration!"
"However, the drawback is immense. Once the duration expires, Charizard enters a severe state of physical exhaustion, leaving it virtually unable to continue fighting. It is essentially a high-stakes, last-resort move to be used strictly in desperate situations!"
"But… the information notes that as Charizard's overall strength increases and it becomes more proficient in managing the technique, these severe physical side effects can be progressively mitigated!"
The surrounding experts were visibly stunned. Setting aside the long-term potential, simply doubling the total destructive output of its fire in the short term was an absolutely ridiculous scaling factor!
Even with a severe post-use exhaustion penalty, the strategic value of this skill was undeniable. If combined with a Sunny Day weather effect and a choice item like Charcoal, Charizard's offensive output would skyrocket.
This specific setup could theoretically allow it to overpower a Champion-level opponent in a straight trade of moves!
"Wow, Ash has become significantly stronger once again! It looks like I need to put in some serious effort as well"
Cynthia stretched lightly, displaying her elegant posture, before speaking playfully to Ash. She then walked over to the designated training zone to help manage the team's practice.
In the professional circuit, assisting others with their training regimens was a highly effective form of self-improvement!
"We're coming too!" The remaining Elite Four members and Champions quickly followed suit, guiding the respective Pokémon assigned to them.
The version of Ash shown in the historical records only had the structural assistance of Professor Oak and Tracey to maintain his reserves, with the vast majority of the practical training handled by the Pokémon themselves.
Even under those limited conditions, the baseline strength of Ash's roster was undeniable.
But what about the current timeline? They had the active support of the Fountain of Life, direct tutelage from regional Champions and Elite Four members, and Ash himself was receiving direct strategic guidance from Red!
The timeframe required for Ash to rise to the level of a top-tier Elite or Champion would be drastically shortened. Just as Red anticipated… in the upcoming World Coronation Series, Ash would comfortably secure a position within the Masters Eight!
Having secured these profound new powers, Ash's Charizard began flexing its wings excitedly, its confidence expanding. Without any hesitation, it turned and curled its claw toward the relaxed, massive Charizard resting nearby.
Red's Charizard let out a casual yawn, slowly rising to its feet… before promptly putting Ash's Charizard back in its place. Even with the acquisition of the Blue Flare attribute, Ash's Charizard's current base level was still far too low.
Before reaching the true Elite Four threshold, simply stacking elemental modifiers wouldn't bridge the gap; Red's ace could easily handle the matchup with minimal effort.
As nightfall descended, the intense training matches between Ash and Red continued without pause. The rest of Ash's Pokémon concluded their scheduled exercises and gathered around the perimeter to observe.
Their current stamina thresholds weren't high enough to sustain continuous, multi-hour regimens without experiencing diminishing returns.
Therefore, outside of their primary routines, they spent their remaining time analyzing the high-level exchanges between the two premier aces—Pikachu and Charizard! Even Sceptile's recent excursions back into the local forests had become progressively shorter, choosing instead to remain centered around the training grounds.
With elite professional guidance and access to absolute top-tier sparring matches, this environment was vastly superior to solo training.
Although it missed its home territory, it absolutely refused to fall behind. Compared to the rest of the roster, it had already secured a massive structural advantage by bonding with the branches of the World Tree.
If it allowed the other members to outpace it now, it wouldn't be able to face its trainer with pride!
"... Pikachu, use Thunderbolt once more!"
"Iron Tail."
The round-faced Pikachu closed the distance against Red's Pikachu with blinding speed, only for a metallic-fleshed tail to violently deflect its trajectory, sending it sliding directly across the grass right next to the Fountain of Life. The implication was entirely clear: time to take a sip and recover.
"Man, Red is still completely merciless! Couldn't you hold back just a little bit~" Ash muttered under his breath as he jogged over to check on Pikachu.
"If I hadn't held back, your Pikachu would have been knocked out on the very first exchange," Red replied calmly.
Ash: …
The underlying meaning was obvious: he was holding back, but the sheer structural gap between them was as vast as an ocean! The difference in raw experience was simply immense. However, Ash didn't let it discourage him.
Red was currently eight years older than him; it was entirely logical for him to be this powerful. Once Ash reached eighteen, he wouldn't be a single step behind! That was assuming he grew up along his original trajectory.
As for now… if he couldn't reach Red's current tier by the time he turned fifteen, he might as well consider retiring to Pallet Town to start a farm!
Suddenly, Red, who had been quietly watching the field, shifted his gaze toward an empty spot not far from Ash.
His highly refined senses picked up an invisible, localized presence close by! Red's eyes narrowed slightly, and his Charizard immediately stepped up to his flank.
To bypass the passive awareness of their team and slip into this perimeter undetected meant this newcomer was exceptionally stealthy. Could it be an operative connected to Tobias from the video?
"Gengar!"
A mischievous, spectral voice echoed through the air as a figure abruptly materialized in the vacant space! Massive round chassis, short limbs, a deep purple silhouette, and a wide, sinister grin… it was the Shadow Pokémon, Gengar!
However, why would a Gengar suddenly appear here out of nowhere, completely unprompted? And why had it been hiding using its stealth capabilities?
Seeing the Ghost-type appear, Ash froze on the spot, speaking with a look of pure uncertainty, "Could you be… my Gengar?"
Because the commotion on Ash's side of the yard was quite noticeable, Professor Oak and Gary quickly walked over to investigate. (Cynthia and the others had already returned to the local lodge to rest for the evening).
When they spotted Gengar standing in the clearing, they were thoroughly surprised; there shouldn't have been any wild Gengar residing within the laboratory's immediate backyard reserves.
Hearing Ash ask if it was his Gengar, Gary scratched his head in confusion. When on earth had Ash managed to catch a Gengar in this timeline?
Professor Oak, however, connected the pieces immediately. "Are you the Gengar featured in the Master's Eight chapters?"
Gengar let out a joyful chuckle and nodded toward the two of them. It was indeed the exact same Gengar that Ash was fated to officially take in during his Journeys campaign!
Now, it had actively traveled across regions years ahead of schedule, specifically to seek out Ash! The broadcast had clearly stated that Ash's primary residence was based in Pallet Town.
Consequently, Gengar had spent nearly two full days tracking geographical coordinates across the Kanto region until it finally located Pallet Town and found Ash!
Ever since witnessing how deeply Ash cared for it and protected it in the future records, Gengar had made up its absolute mind: its true trainer could only ever be Ash! Since it was going to happen eventually anyway, joining him early was far better than waiting around, so it simply packed up and came to find him right now!
"Did you travel all this way just to find me?"
Gengar nodded enthusiastically.
"How... how did you even know I was here?"
"Gengar! Geng-gengar!"
"You actually… searched across the entire Kanto region to find me?!"
Possessing the inherent power of Aura, Ash could easily interpret the underlying meaning behind Gengar's vocalizations. Hearing that Gengar had been entirely willing to comb through every major city in the region just to locate him, Ash's eyes welled up with massive tears of pure emotion.
"Wow!! Gengar, you're amazing… I'm seriously about to cry!!"
Ash leaped forward, wrapping his arms around Gengar in a tight hug. Gengar lightly patted Ash on the back before gesturing toward his belt, signaling him to hurry up and use a Poké Ball to formalize the bond.
Ash unclipped a standard red-and-white ball and gently tapped it against Gengar's shoulder. The device opened, pulling the Ghost-type inside.
Without a single shake, the button immediately clicked shut, signifying a perfect, instant capture!
"Alright!! I officially caught Gengar!"
"Pika-pika!"
"Roar!"
Charizard and Pikachu cheered enthusiastically from the sidelines, thoroughly happy for their trainer's new addition.
This particular capture felt incredibly sudden; unlike previous instances where future Pokémon were delivered as eggs via the historical database rewards, or where a systemic bridge was constructed, Gengar had entirely taken the initiative to cross the physical distance to find its trainer by itself!
Since Gengar had successfully made the journey… it was highly probable that other members of his future roster might currently be traversing land and sea to seek him out!
"So this is what the records meant by a destined encounter?!" Ash beamed, releasing Gengar back onto the field. "You worked incredibly hard, Gengar!
Tracking me down through so many different cities… From this moment on, we are going to climb all the way to the top together! Straight toward becoming a Pokémon Master!!"
Watching Ash proudly hold Gengar's Poké Ball, Gary fell into deep thought. He began calculating what specific counters he should deploy for their scheduled match tomorrow.
However, even if he could accurately predict the exact roster Ash would bring to the field, the structural probability of securing a victory remained exceptionally low!
Man... when is my own operational upgrade going to arrive? Blue, you need to hurry up over here!
Meanwhile, over at the Alola Pokémon Academy, Blue suddenly let out a massive sneeze.
"Who's talking about me behind my back?" Blue muttered, wiping his nose before returning his focus to the compilation of recorded broadcasts a local blogger had uploaded onto a school laptop.
He intended to finish analyzing the data before heading over to check on Gary. Since he was fully aware of Gary's current situation, he knew his junior was scheduled to face off against the current era's training-boosted Ash tomorrow.
Given the sheer talent gap, it was structurally impossible for Gary to close that margin in a single day anyway. Therefore, Blue felt absolutely no need to rush, choosing instead to casually finish his video research.
If Gary knew his mentor was taking it this easy, he probably wouldn't be able to sleep a single wink tonight! Talk about a massive contrast in teaching styles; while Red had traveled down from Mount Silver overnight specifically to whip Ash into shape, Blue was staying up late in the Alola region, casually catching up on video dramas!
The next morning arrived quickly, bringing the highly anticipated showdown between Ash and Gary! This match was expected to be an absolute clash of titans—or rather, a complete tactical routing.
Gary found himself completely under the defensive gun against Ash's offensive pressure. Just as Gary had deduced, Ash immediately deployed his newly acquired Gengar onto the battlefield! To counter the Ghost-type, Gary strategically brought out his Ground-type Nidoqueen and his Psychic-type Alakazam to maintain a strict typing advantage.
However, Gengar's raw structural strength proved to be far higher than anticipated. Despite lacking extensive tactical synchronization with Ash, Gengar's sheer baseline parameters allowed it to systematically dismantle Gary's first two choices!
Of course, being a naturally frail glass-cannon archetype, Gengar's stamina was progressively chipped away during the exchanges, leading to it eventually being taken down by Gary's Blastoise. However, this minor setback did nothing to diminish its incredible opening performance!
Immediately after, Ash sent out Charizard, utilizing sheer, overwhelming firepower to completely bypass the typing disadvantage against Gary's Blastoise!
The massive turtle, traditionally cultivated as a heavy defensive artillery unit, found itself completely outmatched in terms of raw thermal output, let alone speed and physical positioning. This was a demonstration of absolute, crushing power.
Unless dealing with a legendary-tier strategist like Red or Blue who could flip the momentum through flawless command micro-adjustments, Gary stood absolutely no chance against this level of raw stat disparity.
Following that, Pikachu quickly secured a clean knockout, and Squirtle added another victory to the board before being outpaced by Gary's final remaining choice, Arcanine.
Without a moment's hesitation, Ash deployed Bulbasaur against the Fire-type, securing the final victory through creative environmental positioning and sheer determination despite the strict type disadvantage!
Following their prolonged exposure to the Elite training environment, even the unevolved members like Squirtle and Bulbasaur were beginning to display immense structural potential, proving they could comfortably output power far exceeding standard evolutionary thresholds.
"... Following an exceptional display of tactical combat, Ash from Pallet Town has officially defeated his final opponent!" The announcer's voice echoed through the stadium speakers.
"Everyone present is undoubtedly familiar with Ash's recent competitive history!"
"But I must remind you all once again… Ash is still currently only ten years old! Merely half a year after launching his official journey, he has conquered his very first regional tournament!"
"The sheer mechanical strength and tactical adaptability he has demonstrated here today are things everyone has witnessed with their own eyes! This is the definitive rising star of Pallet Town!"
"Let us extend our massive congratulations to the official Champion of the Indigo Plateau Conference!!"
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