Bayleef had evolved.
After bidding farewell to Azusa, Ash and his friends continued their journey, but at a very slow pace.
Ash had nearly fainted again earlier, and Misty had him under strict supervision now—no running, no jumping, no overeating, no skipping meals...
But most importantly, no using Aura again.
"Hm?"
As they were walking through a forest, Ash suddenly narrowed his eyes and pointed toward the trees, barking an order, "Pikachu, Quick Attack followed by Iron Tail!"
In an instant, Pikachu vanished from Ash's shoulder like a bolt of lightning.
"Hey! Ash! Didn't I tell you not to use your Aura again?" Misty hadn't even registered what happened before Pikachu shot off. Now clinging tightly to Ash's arm, she scolded him furiously.
Ash chuckled and tried to reassure her. "Don't worry, Misty. I've been training, and my Aura powers have gotten a lot more stable. Using it like this is no big deal."
Brock's eyes widened as he watched Pikachu dart through the trees. "Whoa, Ash, Pikachu's gotten way faster!"
"Of course it has! He is my Pikachu!"
Clang!
Just as Ash said that, a sharp metallic clang rang out from deep within the forest.
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt—now!"
Even though they couldn't see Pikachu, Ash's voice rang out clear and confident. A moment later, a blinding surge of electricity erupted from the forest canopy!
A red figure, charred black from the lightning, came crashing down through the branches. But it recovered quickly, flipping midair and landing on its feet before leaping right back into the trees!
"Metal Claw?" Ash muttered as he spotted the glint on the creature's twin claws. He recognized the move immediately.
The screech of colliding metal rang out once more.
Ash's expression turned serious—Pikachu had been launched out of the forest, its single tail whipping behind it as it slammed into a tree!
"Pikachu, don't give up! Quick Attack!"
Misty and Brock stood frozen, unable to see a thing. The battle was completely hidden from view, and neither had any idea what was happening.
But based on Ash's commands, it was clear—Pikachu was losing ground!
Just what kind of Pokémon was this? What had suddenly appeared and could actually overpower Pikachu like that?
Another flash of lightning roared through the woods, and the red figure was blasted down once again.
Pikachu returned to Ash's side, panting heavily, its fur singed but eyes still fierce.
"Come out and face us!"
Ash's voice turned cold as he glared into the forest. His gaze locked onto the figure of a Scizor.
Right then, a man stepped out from the shadows—a middle-aged man dressed like a samurai. Clearly an experienced Trainer, which explained why that Scizor was so powerful.
If it hadn't been for Ash's Aura allowing him to perceive the battle and guide Pikachu's every move, there was no way they would have held their ground.
This time, Misty was the one who lost her temper. She stormed up to the man, jabbing a finger at his face. "Hey! That sneak attack was way too dangerous, old man!"
Even the samurai was taken aback by Misty's fury and quickly apologized. "I'm truly sorry. I just wanted to test my strength. Please forgive me."
"Test your strength?" Misty wasn't letting this go. "That was a flat-out ambush! If it weren't for you, Ash wouldn't have rushed in like that again! I'm so mad right now!"
Ash had to gently pull Misty back. "Your Scizor is incredibly strong, sir. If you're willing, I'd like to challenge you to an official battle."
The samurai Trainer looked even more embarrassed. "I apologize again. My name is Muramasa, and this Scizor is my 'Crimson Streak.'"
Ash's eyes lingered on the Scizor with admiration.
That Pokémon wasn't just cool—it fought in a way that matched Ash's own battle instincts perfectly.
If he could catch a Scizor of his own, it would definitely become another key to unlocking a potential Bond Phenomenon!
"I'm Ash from Pallet Town."
Muramasa seemed genuinely delighted now. "To be honest, Ash, I've been looking for a Trainer like you. Your strength has far exceeded my expectations."
Turns out, Muramasa wasn't just some wandering Trainer. He was a veteran who, after gaining insight into the deeper aspects of Pokémon battles, had built a dojo right here in the forest. It served as a training ground for young Trainers to grow stronger alongside their Pokémon.
When Ash arrived at Muramasa's dojo, he found several Trainers his own age, all training hard with their partners.
Ash's eyes lit up with excitement. "Is it okay if I battle all of them?"
His system awarded him Exchange Points after each battle based on his performance.
But he'd used up most of his points on feeding Snorlax, and ever since he exchanged them for his Aura powers, he'd basically been broke.
Now that he'd stumbled into a place filled with Trainers? There was no way he was going to pass up the chance!
"And I want a rematch with you and Crimson Streak too, Muramasa!" Ash's eyes gleamed—he still hadn't gotten his fill from that ambush earlier.
"Of course! I'd be honored, Ash!" Muramasa nodded. "But first, there's someone else I'd like you to battle."
"Someone else?" Misty tilted her head in confusion.
Muramasa nodded. "My son—Shingo."
Right on cue, a boy with violet hair, about the same age as Ash, stepped forward. He gave Ash a passing glance but didn't say a word—instead, he opened up a sleek laptop and began typing away.
In just a few keystrokes, Shingo pulled up Ash's full Trainer profile, including the newly evolved Bayleef.
"For the past five years, I've compiled data on every Trainer with top-tier performance," Shingo said coolly. "Their teams, strategies, battle styles—it's all in here."
He glanced up again, this time with a slight smirk. "According to my data, Ash, you're a Type C: a classic offensive style that relies on overwhelming force."
That… was surprisingly accurate.
But Ash merely smirked. "So, you think because you have data on my Pokémon and strategy, you can beat me easily?"
"No," Shingo said with complete certainty. "I will beat you. I've already discovered the deepest meaning behind Pokémon battles. Nothing can surpass the power of data."
And he had the track record to back it up—everyone else at the dojo had already lost to him.
But to Ash, this kid was just another frog in a well.
Thunk!
Ash casually tossed a Poké Ball into the air.
Heracross appeared in a flash, landing in the center of the dojo like a proud warrior.
"Shingo, was it? Let's see if your data can beat my Heracross. If you can't—then I won't accept a single word you say!"
Pikachu: 210/255