Off to the side, Alice murmured to herself—
as if she had just uncovered some earth-shattering secret.
At that moment, Mew, who had been curled weakly in Ash's arms,
had finally recovered a little of its strength.
With all the energy it could muster, it floated shakily in front of Lucario.
"Mew～"
'Mew… are you asking me to give my Aura to the Tree of Life?'
Mew was now terribly frail.
But even so, it understood that its own selfishness
had already brought tremendous harm to the Tree of Life.
To bless the Tree now,
they would need to use an enormous amount of Aura power.
And among everyone present,
only Lucario possessed Aura strong enough for the task.
Yet Mew also knew—
the Tree of Life was already on the verge of collapse.
To repair it would require as much Aura as before…
and, just like back then,
sacrifice would be inevitable.
Mew trembled with guilt, unable to say the words aloud.
But time was running out—
there was no other choice.
"Very well! I'll do it!"
The moment Mew's plea reached him,
Lucario did not hesitate even for a heartbeat.
Just like Sir Aaron back then—
even knowing he would have to give up his life,
Lucario agreed without fear.
"Lucario, wait!
If you use your Aura here, you'll end up just like Aaron!"
Ash tried desperately to stop him,
but Lucario's mind was already made up.
Nothing could shake his resolve.
'I know.'
Lucario's voice was calm—yet utterly steadfast.
Aura is with me.
He silently recited the words Aaron had once taught him.
His trainer was gone—how could he go on living?
Perhaps his thousand-year slumber had been for this very moment—
to once again protect the home he and Aaron had both loved so deeply.
"Lucario…"
Ash opened his mouth,
but no words would come.
'I've decided, Ash. You don't need to say anything more.'
Lucario stepped toward Mew,
replicating the same motion Sir Aaron had made long ago.
He placed one hand over his chest,
and raised the other toward Mew.
'Aura is with me.'
At that moment,
Lucario's figure overlapped perfectly with Aaron's from the past.
Alice's heart trembled.
So back then… Sir Aaron was protecting me,
she thought—
just like Ash protects Pikachu.
But fate never unfolds so simply.
Lucario unleashed all of his Aura toward Mew.
Yet compared to the brilliant Aura Aaron had once released
through the Flower of Time,
Lucario's power was far weaker.
His Aura barely covered Mew's small body—
nowhere near enough to light up the whole Tree of Life as Aaron had done.
[Lihua: Lucario's going to imitate Aaron—sacrificing himself to save others, isn't he?]
[Bonnie: Something's wrong! Lucario's Aura isn't strong enough!]
[Bruno: Impossible! Lucario was Aaron's Pokémon—no Pokémon should be weaker than its trainer! He just hasn't gone all out yet!]
Bruno sounded absolutely confident.
[Cynthia: Bruno, you're forgetting a special case—Ash. His Pokémon don't always beat him either.]
[Sabrina: Exactly. My Psychic Pokémon can't surpass me either.]
[Bruno: Huh?! No way!]
[Acerola: Aaron's Aura was far greater than Lucario's, and the situation now is way more complex. Can't you see? Even with Lucario's Aura, the Tree of Life hasn't stabilized at all!]
[Jessie: This guy's jinxing it, huh?]
[James: Or maybe his brain's so full of muscles he can't read the room.]
[Jessie: Right! I heard this Bruno guy always moves before he thinks!]
[James: Yikes—stay away before the muscle fever spreads!]
[Bruno: ???]
[Lance: Next time, Bruno, maybe let your brain do the work. Muscles can't replace thinking.]
[Caitlin: Everyone, focus. If Lucario's Aura isn't enough, both Mew and the Tree of Life are doomed.]
The chat fell silent.
As they watched the Tree crumble in the livestream,
a heavy sense of helplessness filled the air.
Could Lucario really do it?
Sacrifice was noble—but what if it was all in vain?
Please… succeed.
Everyone prayed for a miracle.
[Ash: I'll never just stand by and watch! I have Aura too! Then I'll be the one to save the Tree of Life! Whether this is the future or a parallel world—it doesn't matter! I'm still me! And saving the Tree is my duty!]
[Gary: What a hot-blooded idiot… Fine, this time I'll admit it—you're amazing.]
On screen—
Lucario poured out every drop of Aura he had, barely enveloping Mew.
But it wouldn't last long.
In the next instant,
his Aura shattered completely.
'Damn it! My Aura alone isn't enough!'
Despair filled Lucario's voice.
I'm sorry, Master Aaron… My Aura's too weak!
Even now, I can't follow you…
Hope turned to despair.
Alice stared, speechless.
The situation had long escaped her control.
Her fleeting hope was crushed.
If only I hadn't tried to uncover the Tree's secrets…
None of this would have happened.
As guilt consumed her,
Ash stepped forward.
"Lucario—my Aura's the same as Aaron's, right?"
'What?! Ash, what are you—'
A strange thought flashed through Lucario's mind—
and in the next second, it became reality.
Ash's eyes blazed with determination.
He picked up the gloves Lucario had placed on the crystal—
one for each hand.
"I can do this too! Aaron—if you can hear me, lend me your power!
Lucario and I both need your strength!"
Ash closed his eyes and raised his hands toward Mew.
He steadied his breath,
feeling the Aura flow through him.
Golden lines pulsed across the gloves like living veins,
and the orbs on their backs began to shine.
These gloves were tools forged to aid the use of Aura—
the sacred inheritance of every Aura Hero through the ages.
And now, they rested on the hands of a new hero—Ash Ketchum!
With the gloves amplifying his power,
Ash could sense the Aura within himself.
His natural talent shone through—
in mere moments, brilliant blue Aura gathered between his palms.
"Pikachu."
Pikachu looked up.
I understood.
Ash had made his choice,
and as his partner, Pikachu would respect it.
Yet sorrow clouded its eyes.
Would Ash's fate be the same as Aaron's?
Was this the destiny of all Aura Heroes?
"No, Ash! If you keep going, you'll end up just like Aaron!"
Alice cried out in anguish.
She couldn't bear to see a child throw away his life.
But Ash cut her off—firm, unyielding.
"If I don't do this, the tree will collapse!
And when it does, every Pokémon beneath it will die—including Mew!
If someone has to be sacrificed,
then why can't it be me?
I'm… an Aura Hero too!"
Across a thousand years—
the figures of Aaron and Ash overlapped.
"Aaaaaaah!!!"
Resolute, Ash's Aura surged like a fountain!
The immeasurable power within him erupted outward—
forming a massive sphere of blue energy
that enveloped Mew completely.
Lucario was stunned.
This ten-year-old boy possessed such courage,
such strength of heart—
he, who had lived for centuries,
felt unworthy beside him.
And so,
Lucario joined in.
He raised both hands, gathering his remaining Aura.
Their powers merged—
two souls and two bodies separated by time
becoming one again.
Together,
their combined Aura embraced Mew—
and a bond transcending a thousand years was reborn.
[Kukui: Incredible! Ash's mastery of Aura—this isn't talent, it's destiny!]
[Mustard: Told you! That kid's a prodigy! He's the future of the fighting arts!]
[Irene: The light of the Aura Hero burns again—in Ash's hands!]
[Riley: His power far surpasses mine… he was born to wield Aura!]
[Cynthia: To think his Aura could awaken so naturally… I concede defeat. My Lucario could never match this.]
[Bruno: Straight to Champion level in one burst—terrifying!]
[Ash: Future me's amazing!]
[Ash: Wait—how come I can already use Aura now? That's weird!]
[Lorelei: ???]
In Pallet Town—
Misty and Brock were dumbstruck.
Ash had copied the motions he saw on the livestream—
and somehow actually released Aura!
They were speechless.
How did we never realize he was this ridiculous?
He picked up new powers as easily as breathing!
They both felt suddenly… very average.
Even Gary, watching from afar,
spat his lemonade all over the bikini girl beside him.
For the first time,
his cars and models lost all appeal.
Ash, you infuriating genius!
On screen—
Under the combined outpour of Aura from Ash and Lucario,
Mew's once-pale face began to regain color.
But as Mew recovered,
Ash and Lucario's bodies were shrouded in crackling blue lightning—
signs of their physical forms nearing collapse.
Overusing Aura would destroy them completely—
just as it had destroyed Aaron.
"Ash, stop! If you go on, you'll die!"
Alice's voice trembled.
In these few days, she had come to admire this boy deeply.
He had the potential of a Champion—
he couldn't die here.
The thought filled her with unbearable guilt.
Lucario saw the pain in Ash's face
and felt the same ache in his heart.
Ash shouldn't have to die.
Not for this.
Not when Pikachu was watching.
"I'll never—ever—give up!
Mew, take it! This is my final Aura!"
Ash's eyes burned with unwavering resolve.
He never regretted his choices.
He was… Ash Ketchum!
[Sabrina: Stop it, Ash! You don't want Pikachu to lose you again!]
[Delia: That's just how my boy is… Once he's made his choice, nothing can change it.]
Delia's words were gentle,
but within them was respect—
a mother's acceptance of her child's will,
even if it meant losing him.
[Delia: Go, Ash. Do what you believe is right. I'll always support you.]
[Lillie: I'm crying! Uuuu～]
[Professor Oak: Delia's always been an extraordinary mother.]
At that moment,
everyone understood—
Ash's greatness came not just from courage,
but from the love and freedom his mother had given him.
On screen—
After Ash's final declaration,
Lucario's eyes softened.
He had made his choice as well.
He wouldn't let Pikachu feel the same pain again.
For the last time,
Lucario looked at Mew, whose body was now fully healed.
The weight in his heart lifted.
If this was how it had to end—so be it.
"It's working, Lucar—"
Ash turned to share his joy—
but before he could finish,
Lucario used the last of his strength to shove him away.
"Lucario! Why?!"
Ash stared in disbelief.
They were so close—why now?
'Ash! You still have Pikachu! You still have your family!
For their sake—live!
Promise me you'll live!'
"But we—"
'No more words!'
Lucario cut him off,
then turned his full focus to Mew.
He released every drop of Aura he had left.
'Aura is with me.'
Just as Aaron had once said—
If it lives within the heart, Aura will never fade.
Brilliant blue light burst from Lucario's body,
pouring endlessly into Mew.
He had ignited his very life force,
transmuting it all into Aura.
And within that radiant light—
Mew's body was finally restored to perfect health.
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