"No, there's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting revenge. A man like that deserves to be retaliated against. My decision is right!"
Ash's moment of hesitation evaporated in an instant. The memory of being abandoned—the image of that man walking away from him and his mother—sharpened his resolve.
He shook his head and cast aside the last doubts clinging to his heart. Then, silently, he walked up behind Delia and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist.
"Ash? What's wrong?" Delia asked gently, surprised by the sudden hug. But when she saw the confusion and turmoil in Ash's eyes, she understood.
This kind of behavior from Ash was rare. In recent years, he had never let his emotions show so openly. But thinking about it more carefully, wasn't it natural? He was still just a seven-year-old child.
Even if he had memories of a past life—of another world, another identity—that life was gone. Reborn in this world, his personality had reshaped itself through new experiences. The wisdom of his past life helped him analyze people and situations, but emotionally… he was still a child.
Delia smelled faintly of lavender. To Ash, her scent brought peace, a sense of warmth and safety he could never find anywhere else. Only in her arms could he truly let go and feel at ease.
"Mom, I have to make that man understand how stupid he was to leave us. You'll support me, right?" Ash asked, still holding her close, his voice cold with determination.
"Ash, don't talk like that," Delia said softly. "Your father… he's suffering too. He knows he made a mistake, doesn't he?"
"He even came back, wanting to bring us with him. But I refused. You refused. If you want to forgive him, we can…"
"No." Ash's voice turned sharp. "No matter what he went through, he should never have abandoned us. If he had truly wanted to stay, he would've stayed—even if it meant giving up his family name or fortune. Instead, he threw us away like we were nothing."
"There are some mistakes you can repent for. But some choices… they have no undo button. I will make him regret ever leaving us. Even without them, I'll become the strongest Pokémon Trainer in the world!"
"If we hadn't been lucky enough to meet Grandpa Masaki," Ash continued, "we might not even be alive today. I'll never forget that!"
Ash's emotions overflowed. Delia had barely finished speaking when he interrupted her. Even before he was born, Ash could sense everything around him. He remembered clearly how much pain Delia had endured.
With no income and no support, she had nearly collapsed under the weight of raising him alone. If it hadn't been for the kindness of the people in Pallet Town, she might not have even been able to afford medical checkups. Lance Draconis had left them with nothing. If not for this town, Delia's life would've been ten times harder.
"Okay, okay, Ash," Delia said, worried by how upset he was becoming. "As long as you're doing your best, I'll always be by your side."
The damage Lance had done cut deep. Being abandoned… it was a pain no child should have to endure.
Especially for Ash—he'd already been an orphan in his past life. He knew better than most what it meant to grow up without parents, to be judged, pitied, or worse—ignored.
When he was around four or five, even some kids from nearby villages looked down on him. If not for being known as Professor Oak's grandson, he might've been bullied outright.
That afternoon, Ash set out toward the backwoods of Pallet Town with Pichu on his shoulder and a small backpack on his back. But don't be fooled by the size of that bag—space compression technology in this world was incredible.
Even a small backpack could carry a surprising amount, thanks to advancements in spatial tech. Poké Balls were the perfect example—tiny in your hand, but capable of storing massive Pokémon.
Ash's system also had a storage space, though it was limited to system-designated items. Anything from the outside world couldn't be stored there, which was a shame. But honestly, the tech in this world was already quite advanced.
This time, Ash planned to stay in the forests behind Pallet Town for a few years of intense training. Since it was close to home, both Delia and Professor Oak had agreed to let him go. Besides training, Ash also wanted to start catching Pokémon—it was time to take his first real step.
"With these techniques, we'll become the strongest Trainer and Pokémon duo!" Ash said with conviction, holding several books in his hand—manuals that adapted Naruto-style chakra training to Pokémon's energy pathways.
"Pichu~!" Pichu chirped in response, thrilled by Ash's enthusiasm. Its cell-activation ability had already taken its speed to the peak of its current level, filling the little Electric-type with confidence about the road ahead.
It had already been proven: when a Pokémon's potential reached a certain level—or was triggered by a stimulus—they could evolve autonomously, or even delay evolution to maximize growth. That's why many Pokémon chose to evolve only when further development wasn't possible.
"Even if I've forgotten a lot of plot details, and this world's different from the anime, it's still worth the gamble," Ash said to himself. "If I remember right, there's a huge Onix somewhere in this forest. If I can catch it, it'll be a powerful mainstay in Kanto!"
After arriving at the back mountain, Ash pitched his tent in a rocky clearing, his heart full of anticipation. He scanned the rugged terrain, knowing that somewhere around here, a massive Onix was lurking.
He remembered it well—not just for its size, but because even Bruno, one of the Elite Four, had once come here in the original timeline to try and capture it. That alone was proof of its immense potential.
And so, Ash's life of training and capturing Pokémon entered a brand-new chapter. From this day forward, he would grow stronger with every battle, every lesson. By the time his journey truly began, he believed he'd already undergone a qualitative transformation.
Eight years passed in the blink of an eye. In that time, Ash experienced many remarkable things—stories that would one day become vibrant threads in the grand tapestry of his journey.
Over those years, Ash gained a great deal. His Pichu, after reaching full potential, evolved into Pikachu. But as expected, to evolve further into Raichu, he would need the help of a Thunder Stone—even perfect development wasn't enough on its own.
Aside from Pikachu, Ash also managed to capture three other high-potential Pokémon:
Onix, which he caught right here in the rocky backwoods where he trained.
Pidgey, whom he encountered deep in the forest.
And Growlithe, a special gift from Professor Oak on Ash's birthday.
Each of them was strong, talented, and full of promise.
With this small but elite team, Ash's foundation was already far beyond that of an average rookie Trainer. The years of hard work in isolation had sharpened both his mind and his skills. Now, the world was waiting—and Ash was ready to face it head-on.
...
TN:
For Advance Chapters: Patreon(.)com/LordMerlin