Even Team Rocket couldn't stand Goh's behavior anymore.
Sure, their motto was always to catch rare Pokémon for the Boss and get promoted.
Yes, they used shady tactics.
But at least they never denied their actions.
And they never ran away from responsibility like this brat.
"This kid is disgusting!"
"Next time we're in Vermilion City, let's beat the snot out of him!" Jessie growled.
James blinked. "Wait… aren't we supposed to be catching Pikachu?"
Jessie rolled her eyes. "Idiot! Can't you see this is our chance to make money? Grab new uniforms—we'll print Ash and Pikachu's faces on them. This time we'll be rich!"
And so, in White Silver Town's plaza, a stall suddenly popped up selling photos of Ash and Pikachu.
"Exclusive shots of the legendary trainer Ash—get them while they last!" Jessie hawked loudly, eyes flashing yen signs.
"Wobbuffet!"
On screen—
"I didn't do anything wrong. Why should I apologize?" Goh craned his neck arrogantly, unfazed by Ash's fury.
"What? You wanna hit me?"
Seeing Ash's clenched fists, Goh grew even more excited.
If Ash struck him, he could collapse immediately, play the victim, and make his story "true."
That would cement his status as a "future legendary trainer!"
His eyes gleamed with twisted determination.
"Come on then! Hit me! I dare you!"
Ash had never met anyone this cheap.
Others might hold back.
But Ash was not "others."
"Professor Oak, please hold onto Pikachu for me."
Without waiting for a reply, Ash shoved Pikachu into Oak's arms.
"If you won't apologize, then I'll make you understand where you went wrong."
In a blur, Ash stepped forward—
And before Goh could react, Ash's fist smashed straight into his face.
Super effective!
Already brittle from Pikachu's Thunderbolt, Goh's bones couldn't withstand the blow.
The crack of breaking bones echoed through the research lab.
Everyone knew exactly whose bones those were.
Goh's body flew like a kite with its string cut, crashing through the front door and tumbling down the stairs outside.
Professor Sakuragi stood frozen.
Was that really the strength of a "child"?
Ash exhaled, anger fading at last.
"Mom, please handle the hospital bill. I still have plenty of Champion prize money."
The last time Ash had been this furious was when a trainer abandoned his Charmander.
But Goh was even worse.
That punch—merciless as it was—had been restrained. Otherwise, Goh might not have survived at all.
Even so, the damage was catastrophic: full-body comminuted fractures. At best, he'd need years of treatment. At worst… a wheelchair for life.
[Lillie: That was amazing, Ash! Don't worry about the medical bills—if my mother knew, she'd pay all of it herself!]
[Hau: Justice through violence! I approve!]
[Steven: I'm starting to believe Lt. Surge. That punch had the power of a Fighting-type move!]
[Mustard: Told you! Ash has the Martial Saint Physique, one in a million! Let him train at my dojo—he'll inherit my Invisible Fist style!]
[Professor Kukui: The weak get punished. I'll submit a proposal tonight—Alola will officially establish its League!]
On Melemele Island, Kukui's eyes welled up.
Alola had always been dismissed as a backwater vacation spot, unworthy of recognition.
But Ash had defended Alola's honor with his fists.
For that, the first Champion of Alola became Kukui's hero.
On screen—
The shocking scene had thrown the research lab into chaos, but Oak calmed everyone down.
He handed Pikachu back to Ash, then clapped him on the shoulder.
"Don't worry. I saw everything. I'll handle the fallout."
His smile faded. For once, his eyes were solemn.
This was his fault. If only he'd kept a closer eye on the kids back at summer camp, none of this would've happened.
The other professors quickly returned to their research, eager to dissect Koharu's descriptions of Lugia. Even secondhand, the data was invaluable.
Outside, paramedics carried Goh away.
From here on, he was Oak's problem.
By the time the professors wrapped up their discussion, night had fallen.
Ash and his mother, Delia, stayed overnight at the lab.
For Ash, who'd spent years camping under the stars, it was nothing unusual.
Later, Professor Sakuragi updated Ash on Goh's condition.
It was confirmed: full-body fractures. Even in the resilient world of Pokémon, recovery would take years.
Goh's parents arrived, furious, planning to stir trouble at the lab.
But their behavior only revealed why Goh had turned out this way.
They tried to use online outrage to extort compensation from Ash and Sakuragi.
But their scheme collapsed when the Aether Foundation intervened.
Upon learning that Goh had insulted the Alola League, Aether filed a formal complaint against the Kanto League.
Goh hadn't just insulted Ash—he'd insulted the symbol of Alola itself.
This wasn't just personal—it was an inter-league dispute.
Kanto swiftly shut down the Goh family's demands.
Once recovered, Goh would be required to issue a public apology to Ash and the Alola League.
Otherwise, he'd face prison alongside notorious poachers.
For Ash, though, this incident sparked a new thought: maybe it was time to travel to another region again.
He'd rested long enough.
The next morning, Ash prepared to say goodbye to Sakuragi.
Koharu's eyes were filled with reluctance.
She silently made a decision of her own—her heart had already chosen Ash, the boy who'd pulled her from childhood shadows.
But nothing could sway Ash's resolve to set out once more.
At their farewell, Sakuragi pressed a gift into Ash's hands…