On screen—
After giving Ash his encouragement, Leon left Wyndon Stadium.
Ash and Koharu boarded a plane back to Johto.
It wasn't until Ash was seated on the plane that it hit him—
Wait, wasn't I supposed to be traveling in Galar?!
As Ash was busy regretting, Koharu patiently explained the World Coronation Series' detailed rules.
Ash soon understood:
If he wanted to participate, he'd have to start from the lowest rank—the Poké Ball Class—and gradually work his way up.
And trainers of that class were scattered all across the world.
Which meant… he didn't have to restrict himself to just one region.
Ash finally let out a sigh of relief.
"Thanks, Koharu! If not for you, I probably would've wasted a whole trip."
"It's no trouble. I'm just glad I could help you, Ash."
"The World Coronation Series, the Masters Eight—it's so exciting! I'm coming for you!"
Unable to hold back his excitement, Ash shouted aloud on the plane.
The passengers only smiled kindly.
After all, a child's dream was something worth protecting.
Ash's blood was boiling, his spirit ablaze!
"Mr. Leon is so strong… I'll have to give it my all too! We promised—we'll battle on the grandest stage of all!
This time—I'll gather all my partners and stand on that glorious battlefield!"
Ash and Koharu continued their flight back toward Vermilion City.
But Ash had already made up his mind.
He would join the World Coronation Series.
He would reach the Masters Eight.
He would fight Leon on the highest stage!
Only one problem—
Taking out his Rotom Phone, Ash opened the tournament's official website.
He registered his entry.
Then blinked at the string of zeros after his rank.
"Tens, hundreds, thousands… over ten thousand trainers?!"
Ash was dumbfounded.
Did this mean he had to beat ten thousand opponents before facing Leon?
How could any human do that?!
Hearing Ash's shout, Koharu didn't even need to look. She knew exactly what he was panicking about.
Clearly, Ash hadn't absorbed much of what she said earlier.
"It's not like that. In the Poké Ball Class, you can challenge trainers up to a thousand ranks higher than yourself. In the Great Ball Class, you can leap by a hundred. Beyond that, there's no restriction."
"Ohhh, so that's how it works. You really saved me, Koharu—otherwise, I'd be in over my head again."
If there were really over 10,000 trainers, and he and Pikachu fought nonstop without food or sleep,
they'd need to battle 27 trainers per day for an entire year!
That workload—
was basically suicide-level!
Not even a battle maniac like Ash could endure that.
Thankfully, Koharu had saved his life!
[Leon: Actually, Ash doesn't need to worry. Champions and Elite Four members are seeded directly into the higher ranks—Great Ball Class at minimum. League Champions can even start in Ultra Ball. The Poké Ball Class is just for filtering ordinary trainers.]
[Aaron: What?! Is there such a rule?! I wasted half a month climbing to Ultra Ball! Total rip-off!]
[Wallace: Pfft, that's hilarious. Aaron, you're no better than Ash! At least Ash has the excuse of being new. You—]
[Bruno: Good thing Lance submitted my application for me. Otherwise I'd be grinding from Poké Ball Class like an idiot.]
[Flint: You two are honestly a perfect pair of fools. It's hard being your colleague.]
[Cynthia: Lucky me, I never had that problem~]
Versailles!
Cynthia was definitely showing off!
Aaron clenched his fists.
If only I could beat her, I'd punch her in the face right now.
Of course, he didn't dare say that aloud.
After all—Cynthia stood at the peak of the world.
No—
she was the peak of the world.
She was one of the Masters Eight!
[Ash: I'm so jealous! This is too much, I'm crying! I'm joining the World Coronation Series right now!]
[Misty: Fine, I'll go with you… absolutely not for any other reason!]
Yeah right. That was the definition of a guilty conscience.
[Delia: My little Ash really is so loved~]
[Gary: So unfair! Why is Ash so popular?! I'm the one who's supposed to be the best!]
The day he returned to Vermilion, Ash parted ways with Koharu.
Then he rushed back alone to Pallet Town.
Ash was practically a local celebrity.
The moment he arrived, Delia already heard the news.
She'd heard from Professor Oak plenty of times—Ash had gotten close with another girl in Vermilion.
Maybe this time, he'd even brought her home?
Delia opened the door, ready to check.
Instead, she caught only a blur of Ash dashing past the house.
"Mom, I'm heading to Professor Oak's!"
Gone in a flash.
Delia chuckled softly.
So many years had passed, yet Ash was still Ash.
At Oak's Lab—
Another gust of wind blasted through, knocking over the professor's untouched cup noodles.
Professor Oak didn't even have time to process what had happened.
The assistants exchanged confused looks.
"…Was that something that just flew by?"
In the backyard—
Ash burst in, inhaled deeply, then shouted:
"I'M BACK!!!"
The cry echoed for several seconds across the yard.
The silence broke into chaos.
From nearby, a stampede thundered closer—thirty Tauros charging straight at him!
Their speed was no less than Ash's own sprint.
From above, an orange silhouette streaked across the sky—
It was Charizard, one of Ash's very first partners.
More and more Pokémon surged toward him.
Noivern, Infernape, and countless others appeared!
The yard filled with old friends, rushing into view.
[Ash: Wow… so my future self really caught this many Pokémon. To have so many bonds—what a blessing!]
[Aaron: That Infernape is incredible! I can feel its indomitable spirit from here. Its flames are like eternal fighting spirit—truly captivating.]
[Leon: And that Charizard—so full of vigor! I'd love to battle it one day.]
[Steven: The Sceptile's great too. That defiant glare, like even gods mean nothing to it—I love it.]
[Gary: Hah, thirty Tauros? That's so you, Ash!]
Of course, Gary was the one to immediately spot the key detail.
[Ash: What about it? Tauros are my partners too! They can battle alongside me!]
[Professor Kukui: Still… kinda sad. Isn't Ash supposed to be the Alola Champion? Yet not one Alolan Pokémon here!]
[Diantha: Or maybe… Ash swept through Alola using only his non-Alolan Pokémon?]
[Professor Kukui: Impossible. Absolutely impossible!]
[Cynthia: More likely his Alolan Pokémon are still in Alola. That region's ecology is unique—some Pokémon even change forms to adapt. Maybe that's why.]
[Lorelei: See? That's what you call professionalism.]
[Ash: Really?! I have even more partners I haven't met yet? I can't wait to see them!]
[Brock: Wait a sec… where's Pidgeot? Don't tell me you still haven't picked it up from Viridian Forest after five years!]
[Ash: N-no way! I'm sure Pidgeot just went off on its own… it might even come back any moment now!]
Even Ash didn't believe himself.
But strangely, he suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to see Pidgeot again.
Though they hadn't been apart for long, it felt like meeting an old friend after decades.
Once this Silver Conference is over… I'll go find it first.
Chapter 42 – The Legendary Combo! G-Max 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt!
[Misty: There it is — Ash's signature move: "Stand up!"]
[Aaron: Uh, what's so special about that?]
[Brock: Allow me to explain. Every time one of Ash's Pokémon is about to collapse or on the verge of defeat, Ash shouts "Stand up!" to inspire it.]
[Bea: That's nothing strange. I shout encouragement to myself all the time during training.]
[Brock: No, this is different. That's just ordinary encouragement. Ash's "Stand up!" is like a buff. Every time he shouts it, his Pokémon burst forth with strength far beyond their limit.]
[Brock: I call this phenomenon "The Rejuvenation Roar"—like a healer's touch restoring life.]
Oh, so this is how it works?
Other Trainers rely on tactics.
Ash relies on… magic?
It sounded absurd, yet—
watching Pikachu on screen, whose eyes sharpened and body steadied after Ash's cry…
It really was hard to explain any other way.
[Aaron: Are you kidding me? Ash, you're cheating, aren't you?]
[Flint: I once joined a cheat-tournament and unlocked psychic powers. Aaron, you should try too.]
[Aaron: Wait, really? Sign me up!]
[Bruno: Count me in!]
[Lorelei: …Unbelievable. Ash's bond with his Pokémon is real. Flint's powers are innate. He's just messing with you, and you all believe him?!]
As a fellow Elite Four member, Lorelei felt utterly drained.
She glanced back at the broadcast.
Ash might be young, but… he really was handsome enough to attract every girl's attention.
On screen—
Revitalized, Pikachu's eyes gleamed sharper than ever.
Ash, seeing Pikachu regain its spirit, pointed fiercely at Leon's Charizard.
"Let's do it—G-Max Volt Crash!"
"Piiikaaa!"
Pikachu's body trembled as golden lightning surged out.
Even the black storm-clouds conjured by Dynamax energy now shimmered with electricity.
Like instinctively recalling Thunderbolt's rhythm, the plump Pikachu even hopped twice on the ground.
The entire arena shook.
Seeing Pikachu gathering energy, Leon knew the battle's end was near.
If Ash could command a G-Max signature move so smoothly—
He had passed Dynamax's entry test.
"Let's end this, Charizard! G-Max Wildfire!"
A blazing fire dragon clashed against the roaring thunderstorm.
In Gigantamax combat, Leon was the veteran.
With just a breath, his firestorm was about to shatter Pikachu's thunder.
Even as Pikachu poured every ounce of electricity into the clash!
"Still not enough… Losing like this doesn't feel right." Ash muttered.
The outcome of this battle wasn't important.
But being crushed so one-sidedly still stung.
Leon might be world number one—so what?
Ash was the challenger.
Then he glanced down.
On his wrist, his Z-Crystal gleamed faintly.
Z-Crystal…!
Of course!
Because Pikachu was Gigantamaxed, it couldn't wear Ash's cap.
At first, Ash hadn't thought of Z-Moves at all.
But maybe fate wanted this battle to shine brighter.
Even without the cap, Z-Moves could still be unleashed.
It wouldn't be as strong as 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt.
But if that was the case—
Why not gamble everything?
Ash performed the familiar motions, tapping the golden Z-Crystal embedded in his Z-Ring.
Rainbow lightning burst from Ash's body.
And poured into the colossal Pikachu before him.
Power surged!
Pikachu, barely holding on, felt that familiar warmth flood its body.
Like a starving soul taking a bite of a Snickers—
Pikachu was back!
"PIKA—CHUUU!!"
Rainbow lightning lanced into the heavens.
The storm itself shimmered in prismatic colors.
The weakening thunder current was reborn, revitalized.
Now, lightning and fire were evenly matched!
"Not bad… I've never seen that move before. Ash, you really are a genius!"
Even Leon, seasoned in countless battles, was impressed.
To awaken a new power at such a critical moment—
This was worthy of respect.
But Leon was Leon.
"Charizard—push harder!"
"Charizard!"
Cheat codes? Everyone's got one!
The fire dragon swelled in power, both faster and stronger.
Flames engulfed half the arena in an instant.
Pikachu roared back, unleashing every last volt.
And in its refusal to surrender, the lightning pierced the fire dragon.
The inferno and rainbow lightning exploded together, striking both sides.
When the dust cleared—
Pikachu had reverted, collapsed on the ground, utterly spent.
Leon's Gigantamax Charizard had also been struck, forced out of Gigantamax.
But Charizard still stood, battered yet ready to fight on.
The result was clear: Pikachu had lost.
But it was expected.
Ash's first time wielding Gigantamax—it was natural to lack control.
Yet the strength he and Pikachu unleashed had finally made everyone take him seriously.
This boy, the Alola Champion—
was far stronger than they had imagined.
Ash and Pikachu had lost.
But it wasn't really a defeat.
This was only the appetizer.
The true showdown would come when Ash reached the Masters Eight.
That day wasn't far.
After the battle, the two stood once again at the center of Wyndon Stadium.
Leon encouraged Ash to enter the World Coronation Series—
and promised to await him at the Masters Eight's peak.
Then, as a gift, Leon handed Ash the very Dynamax Band used for the battle.
A keepsake from their first meeting.
[Sonia: Leon is just too kind… even gifting a Dynamax Band to someone he just met.]
[Raihan: True. Normally Leon's stingy—if I try to freeload one meal, he makes me pay him back twice! Never thought he'd be so generous with Ash. Don't tell me… is Leon trying to recruit him to Galar?]
At once, the audience perked up.
Gossip time!
After all, Leon had already said he wanted Ash in Galar.
But Cynthia had said the same, inviting him to Sinnoh.
Could this mean… a rivalry?
Fight, fight, fight!
Meanwhile, at the eye of the storm—Ash was utterly clueless.
[Ash: Why would I join Galar? I'm from Kanto! My mom still lives in Pallet Town.]
Ah—
so he'd have to bring Delia with him to any other region first!
[Cynthia: Don't listen to Leon. Come to Sinnoh. I'll take care of your mom!]
[Aaron: Wait… Cynthia, are you serious??]
In Celestic Town, Sinnoh—
Cynthia's eyes narrowed at Aaron's comment.
This was the second time he'd crossed her…
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