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"Boom boom boom!" The alloy door of the laboratory rattled, and a young boy's clear voice pierced through the morning mist like a small stone.
"Professor Oak! If you don't get up soon, the Magikarp will be jumping onto the shore!"
"Ash, you're really too early."
The sound of slippers shuffling on the floor came from inside the door, accompanied by a long yawn.
As the metal door hinges creaked open, the first thing to emerge was a mess of hair like a bird's nest, with a few stubborn cowlicks pointing in all four directions. Beneath the crooked reading glasses, his eyes, which should have been sharp as an eagle's, were now narrowed into two bloodshot slits.
"Professor, you stayed up all night again!"
"That's right, Ash. I was applying for funding, and I also had to temporarily relocate the Pokémon from the damaged parts of the backyard."
Professor Oak smiled at Ash, but there was a hint of helplessness in his smile.
Ash twisted the corner of his mouth upon hearing this and quickly changed the subject.
"It's not early, Professor. This is breakfast my mom brought for you."
With that, Ash shoved the breakfast he was holding into Oak's arms and darted into the laboratory.
"This kid, he's always so full of energy."
Professor Oak murmured, watching Ash's retreating figure. He gently stroked the Poké Ball at his waist.
"Old friend, I'll need your help today."
--- "Everyone, I'll need your help today. Let's train hard together."
In the backyard, Ash wore his cap backward, full of fighting spirit.
"Hey, Ash, let your Charizard have a battle with this old man."
Ash turned his head, his face full of shock.
Ash could barely recognize Professor Oak in front of him, dressed in sportswear, wearing new trainer gloves, his hair styled with a forward spike, and his eyes shining with vigor and a spirited demeanor.
"What's wrong? Can't you recognize this old man?"
"Come on, Ash, let this old man give you some pointers."
Ash looked at Professor Oak and smiled wryly.
"Even if it's the Professor, I won't hold back. Charizard, I choose you!"
"It's not certain who will win yet. Come out, old friend."
Professor Oak threw the Poké Ball hanging from his waist.
A dragon-type Pokémon, entirely orange with large eyes, a smooth snout, and a cream-colored belly with stripes extending to the tip of its long tail, made a dazzling appearance.
With heavy breaths and some scars still on its body, it seemed a bit old, but its solid aura made Ash and Charizard tense up.
This aura was no weaker than Mr. Lance's Dragonite.
Strong enemy! Give it your all!
Ash and Charizard thought the same thing.
Ash observed and carefully studied Professor Oak's Dragonite's body.
"Ash, this old man almost became the Champion of the Kanto League back in the day, you know."
"Oh, huh!"
Ash's eyes widened. This explosive news was truly shocking.
Actually, Professor Oak's resume could be found online, along with the oldest reports.
But no one ever looked him up, because he was a world-renowned Professor. Everyone knew that Oak and his research field were amazing, so why bother looking him up?
On this side, battle was imminent!
"Dragonite, use Dragon's Ascent!"
At Professor Oak's command, Dragonite instantly transformed into a golden flash, soaring straight into the sky.
Its huge golden body traced a perfect arc in the sky, a truly breathtaking sight.
This move was one of Professor Oak's signature techniques back then, rarely seen in battle.
This self-created move was actually learned by a young Professor Oak from Ash, developing new moves based on a Pokémon's unique characteristics, though he wouldn't tell Ash about it now.
Facing Dragonite's fierce attack, Ash, though unfamiliar with the move, showed no panic.
"Charizard, use Flamethrower!"
He calmly ordered.
Charizard instantly opened its massive maw, and a scorching stream of flame erupted, shooting straight towards Dragonite.
The collision of flame and golden light created a brilliant display of colors in the air.
However, Dragonite's attack did not stop. It flew towards Charizard with astonishing speed, and Charizard's flames were rapidly dissipating.
"Bang!"
Charizard was inevitably sent flying.
"Charizard, get up, Dragon Breath!"
A stream of cyan energy erupted from its mouth, shooting straight towards Dragonite.
"Dragonite, we'll use Dragon Breath too!"
The two forces collided in mid-air, instantly triggering a massive explosion and a shower of sparks.
"Dragonite, fly up!"
Dragonite's body moved rapidly, leaving behind a series of afterimages, making it difficult for Charizard to pinpoint its true position.
"Charizard, we'll fly up too, and create some distance."
Ash's expression was solemn, and he was in a tough battle.
Dragonite's level was clearly much higher than Charizard's. Its speed, and move energy, none of them could be matched by Charizard.
Ash pondered a strategy in his mind.
Darn it! What about closing the distance? No, Dragonite's speed is too fast. In close-quarters combat, Charizard probably wouldn't stand a chance.
"Dragonite, close the distance, full power!"
Upon hearing this, Dragonite flapped its wings fiercely, and a powerful current of air instantly raged outwards.
Ash's eyes suddenly lit up.
"Charizard, use Flamethrower, following the direction of the wind."
Upon hearing this, Charizard did not hesitate. The flames actually flowed with the wind, spreading freely in the air, forming a series of defensive lines. This way, no matter which direction Dragonite came from, it would definitely be hit and injured. And Charizard would definitely sense it immediately.
Professor Oak smiled and clapped.
"As expected of Ash, he always brings surprises in every battle."
"It's only because your Dragonite is so strong, Professor, that I can achieve something like this with its help."
It was precisely because Dragonite's level was formidable, and its ability to compress the surrounding airflow was high, that this was possible.
"Dragonite, Hyper Beam!"
Professor Oak's voice boomed like a bell, and the Trainer badge on his cuff faintly glinted in the morning light.
Dragonite flapped its wings, and the entire sky suddenly dimmed by half. Its streamlined body, like a golden wedge tearing through dimensions, instantly created dozens of afterimages in the clouds.
The air was compressed, emitting a sharp shriek like breaking glass. Ash even saw the flames in Charizard's nostrils shake three times from the oppressive force.
"Charizard, hold steady! Use your psychic senses to detect energy fluctuations!"
Ash yelled at the top of his lungs, his cap brim flapping noisily from the air current.
Charizard violently flapped its wings, hovering in mid-air. The orange flames dancing in its pupils suddenly condensed into an eerie purple glow. It felt it—northwest!
"That's it! Overheat!"
"Boom!"
A spiral of fierce flames erupted from Charizard's throat. The temperature caused the surrounding air to ripple intensely, as if to incinerate all impurities in the atmosphere.
But just as the flames were about to hit, a golden cocoon of light suddenly burst around Dragonite. Like a cicada shedding its shell, its true form emerged from the afterimages, and the Hyper Beam, capable of melting anything, was already primed in its mouth.
"Rumble!"
The two energy streams collided in mid-air, like two meteors crashing to create a dazzling nebula.
Ash was knocked back three steps by the shockwave, and sparks faintly splattered on his sleeves.
Charizard crashed into the training lawn like a broken kite, its charred wings still sizzling with fire.
"Oh no, it's this lawn again. It hasn't been repaired yet, and now it's damaged a second time!"
Professor Oak let out a long sigh.
But Dragonite remained steadily suspended in mid-air, the cream-colored stripes on its tail tip not even stained with a speck of Ash. Its pupils revealed the composure and calmness of one who had endured countless battles—"Hey, Charizard is already almost Elite high-tier!"
Ash looked at the report generated by the Pokémon detection instrument in the laboratory. Ash hadn't checked his partner's level in a long time.
"Hey, Professor, what about your Dragonite?"
"Currently, it's Champion mid-tier. It was injured; it used to be Champion high-tier!"
"What?!"
"Professor, please let me study with you, and let my Charizard train with your Dragonite for a while, Professor."
Ash's finger almost poked Professor Oak's lab coat button, and his cap brim trembled violently from excessive excitement.
"Professor, Dragonite's Dragon Breath can create a sonic boom from compressed air. Charizard is still very lacking in that aspect! Please let Charizard train specially with Dragonite!"
His nose was still smudged with grass clippings from the battle, but his eyes shone as if filled with stars.
Professor Oak deliberately put on a stern face, circling his chin with his index finger: "Oh? But I heard someone was just bragging to Gary yesterday that 'Charizard is the strongest in the world'."
"That was tactical bragging!" Ash's ears instantly turned bright red, as if sprayed by Fire Spin.
"As long as Charizard can get stronger, I'll bring you my mom's cherry blossom mochi every day!"
The Professor suddenly turned and walked towards the laboratory, his lab coat arching behind him: "Be here promptly at 8:15 AM every day. Late arrivals will forfeit training."
His fingertips fumbled with an old badge in his pocket—the Champion's medal from the Kanto League finals that year, its edges still bearing the bite marks of Dragonite.
(This old man isn't doing it for the food.)
And so, Ash formally became Professor Oak's disciple. Professor Oak also made no secret of his relationship with Ash. News circulated among the upper echelons that Professor Oak had taken a disciple. Some older trainers and former friends wanted to visit, but Professor Oak turned them away, saying the time wasn't right.
However, Professor Oak did not stop them from inquiring about Ash's information.
Professor Oak: Don't ask, don't question, this old man has his own ways.
Time flew by in Pallet Town, and Ash grew at an astonishing rate.
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