[Hop: Incredible! Ash really does know Lugia. I'm so jealous!]
[Bruno: That face-slap came out of nowhere—so they are true friends!]
[Cynthia: Maybe Ash's bond with Lugia is even deeper than we thought.]
[Caitlin: Even I, someone who loves making friends, never managed to befriend Lugia. And yet Ash, with just a single encounter, has become its close companion!]
[Brock: Actually, Ash has also met the three legendary birds of the Orange Islands.]
[Gary: WHAT?! Ash, what have you been sneaking around doing behind my back?!]
[Ash: What's the big deal? I even saw Ho-Oh on the very first day of my journey. Oh right—if you hadn't chosen to drive that day, Gary, you might've seen it too!]
Killing the man is one thing—but did he have to crush his soul too?!
For a moment, the entire barrage of comments fell silent.
Ho-Oh! That was even more mysterious than Lugia!
The legendary keeper of the rainbow, a divine being of myth.
And in all of Kanto, there were only two Pokémon with divine authority.
Ash had seen both.
That probability was about as likely as waking up one day to find Team Rocket claiming you were Giovanni's long-lost son.
What's more—it was Ho-Oh!
Sightings of it were vanishingly rare. The legends said only those chosen by fate could encounter it.
But Ash? He had already met Ho-Oh, Lugia, and the three birds.
All that was missing were the three beasts—then he'd have the full set of Kanto's sacred Pokémon.
And he was barely at the start of his journey!
Already, his experiences dwarfed 99% of trainers.
(Ash: Oh, I've met the three beasts too.)
On the screen—
The resting Lugia stirred.
Its eyes opened, following the sound of that familiar voice.
A boy in a blue short-sleeved shirt and a white-and-blue cap stood at the harbor.
On his shoulder sat a small yellow Pokémon—Pikachu.
The breeze rustled his hair, revealing his face.
Ash.
Just as Cynthia suspected, the bond between Ash and Lugia went far beyond what anyone imagined.
"Ash… it's been a long time."
"Yeah. I can't even remember how long it's been." Ash brushed his bangs aside with a grin.
Behind him, Koharu's worldview was collapsing.
She wasn't like the ten-year-olds who went out on journeys early.
She'd studied in Trainer School for years, and she knew exactly who this Pokémon was.
The Sea Guardian, Lugia.
And this boy—Ash—really knew it.
For the first time, she realized Ash was nothing like Goh.
He might be reckless, but he was no fool.
She regretted ever comparing the two.
"Last time we met was in Kalos. It took me so much effort to return from that other world…"
Lugia's voice carried a faint note of grievance.
The battle had ended—and Ash had forgotten to help it back.
Ash, you heartless brat!
Sensing the reproach, Ash looked awkwardly toward the sea.
"The ocean's really… blue today."
"…"
Even he knew the topic change was clumsy.
"Oh, right! I forgot to tell you—I won the Alola League Championship!"
"Is that so? Congratulations. Seems you've grown a lot in my absence."
"Of course! I'm Ash!"
"Then prove it. Battle me. Show me your growth."
The moment Lugia spoke, the calm sea erupted.
Winds tore the ocean apart, scattering the clouds overhead.
"Then watch closely, Lugia! Pikachu, let's go!"
Ash didn't hesitate.
Pikachu leapt down, sparks already flying.
"Pikaaa!"
The harbor filled with their fighting spirit.
Lugia didn't attack right away.
It locked eyes with Ash, remembering the boy who once fought at its side in the Orange Islands—weak, but determined to stand against Zapdos and Moltres.
That reckless child had grown strong.
Their bond, forged in battle against the Dark Lord, had only deepened.
Now it was time to test him.
"Hold nothing back. Attack me with all you've got!"
"You won't be disappointed! Pikachu—Thunderbolt, full power!"
"PIKAAA—CHUUU!!!"
The sky darkened with rolling clouds.
Lightning crackled, gathering in torrents around Pikachu.
Thunder roared as golden bolts converged and struck Lugia head-on.
The Sea Guardian's body glowed under the storm of electricity.
And to Lugia's own surprise—it felt exhilarated.
Its special feathers, built like scales to endure the sea, trembled under the onslaught.
It had been too long.
The thrill of battle surged through its veins.
Lugia roared, reveling in the fight.
Ash and Pikachu had truly grown strong enough to stand as its opponents.
But an opponent of Lugia… was no easy thing.
With a beat of its wings, it shredded the lightning away.
That was only a warm-up.
Its jaws parted, water energy spiraling forth.
In seconds, a massive torrent formed—
and blasted toward Pikachu like a cannon.
The force was terrifying.
Where the water struck, the ocean itself split.
Concrete piers cracked apart under the pressure.
And still, the attack was so fast.
"Dodge it!"
Pikachu didn't need telling twice.
After countless battles, its bond with Ash was instinctive.
A flash of light—and Pikachu vanished from the spot.
The water cannon slammed into the dock, carving a crater into the harbor.
Even the shockwaves alone were enough to overwhelm any human.
Yet Ash still stood, unmoved in the storm, eyes locked on Lugia.
[Alain: Is this… really something a human can do?]