"Ahem… although I don't know how you obtained that information, what you mentioned is indeed a research topic I plan to explore in the future."
Once the conversation turned academic, Bill's expression became noticeably serious.
After all, he was a once-in-a-generation genius—the man who had developed the Pokémon Storage System years ago.
The PC storage network and Pokémon transfer technology currently used throughout the Kanto Region technically owed their existence to him.
Strictly speaking, they should all still be paying him royalties.
"However, transferring human consciousness into a Pokémon's mind is, for now, nothing more than a conceptual framework," Bill continued.
"There's no way it could be realized so quickly."
"Besides, I'm currently occupied with something extremely important. I simply don't have the bandwidth to research anything else."
Bill was a scientist—not a philosopher.
Him staying alone in this isolated, equipment-less lighthouse clearly wasn't for idle philosophical pondering.
"I'm waiting for a Pokémon."
Seeing the puzzled looks from the three, Bill's gaze sharpened as he explained slowly.
"Deep within this harbor, there lives an enormous Pokémon. Its body is likely even larger than this entire lighthouse."
The three immediately looked unconvinced.
A Pokémon that big would be the size of a small mountain.
"It's real," Bill insisted firmly.
"I've only seen it once, but within the thick fog, I saw its silhouette clearly."
Not a machine.
Not a projection.
A living Pokémon.
"I don't know exactly what species it is," he continued,
"but I do know this—its appearance here means it desires something."
"My reason for staying here is to meet it… and understand what it truly wants."
"Please continue," the three replied flatly.
"We're almost convinced."
Bill suddenly narrowed his eyes, his expression turning deep and solemn.
"Hmph. Surely you've all noticed… tonight is special."
A cold wind swept across the cliff.
That all-seeing gaze made the trio shiver instinctively.
Misty was the first to respond cautiously.
"That's true… the fog is unusually thick tonight. Could it be—"
"What I mean," Bill interrupted with a chuckle,
"is that crab roe is currently at peak richness."
"And according to eyewitness reports, that Pokémon may feed on Krabby."
The three: "?"
After dinner, they gathered on the seaside cliff.
Bill lagged behind slightly, saying he needed to bring out some equipment.
Ash looked out into the darkness beyond the cliff.
The ocean roared endlessly, waves crashing violently.
The salty wind slapped his face without mercy.
"The fog really is intense tonight…"
When they arrived earlier, it hadn't been nearly this bad.
Now, visibility dropped to less than twenty meters—everything beyond was a gray blur.
"Right… I know what to do!"
Ash suddenly had an idea and threw out a Poké Ball.
It was the Krabby he had just caught earlier that evening.
If that massive Pokémon truly loved rich, meaty Krabby—
Then surely his Krabby would be irresistible.
Ash remembered listening to Professor Oak's lectures back when his appetite was poor.
One lecture mentioned a special move that released a sweet, enticing scent, attracting wild Pokémon.
That move was—
"Krabby, use Sweet Scent!"
Krabby: "?"
I want to smack you.
At that moment, Bill returned, dragging a waist-high machine behind him.
The first thing he noticed was the Krabby at Ash's feet, struggling heroically to exceed the limits of its species and release… crab roe aroma.
Bill blurted out instinctively:
"Krabby? Let me see—shell glossy and red, belly plump with roe, claws thick and white, full of vitality. Prime meat—"
"But less than three months old, estimated weight four taels and three qian… tsk, still not quite there. Give it another three months and even Arceus himself—ah! I've said too much."
He abruptly shut his mouth.
Krabby: "?"
The three: "..."
Old foodie habits die hard.
Ash hurriedly recalled Krabby.
He had only meant to use it as bait, not actual food.
"So… what exactly is that machine?" Ash asked.
Then added cautiously,
"Mr. Bill, maybe… wipe your mouth first."
"Ahem."
Bill wiped his lips and forced his focus back to business.
"This is a device I invented that simulates special Pokémon sound waves."
"By sampling, quantizing, and encoding frequencies, it allows real-time communication with Pokémon."
The three immediately burst into applause—
mostly to hide the fact that they understood absolutely nothing.
They stared wide-eyed as Bill worked the controls.
"I've already sampled that Pokémon's unique frequency multiple times in this sea area."
"Once I activate this device, it will emit a similar signal and draw it out."
"Nice!"
The trio applauded again, impressed beyond comprehension.
Bzzzz—
The machine shuddered as Bill pressed the activation button.
Special sound waves spread outward from the cliff, into the sea.
"Pika?"
Ash couldn't sense anything—but Pikachu twitched its ears and jumped down from his shoulder.
The machine's vibration intensified.
The signal range expanded—
100 meters.
500 meters.
1000 meters.
"ROOOAAARR—!!!"
At last, a colossal dragon-like roar echoed from the depths of the ocean.
The air itself seemed to freeze.
Before its form appeared, its presence alone overwhelmed them.
An ancient, oppressive aura descended upon the cliff.
Even breathing became difficult.
The waves surged violently.
"It's here!"
As Bill shouted, the dense fog split apart—
And a gigantic silhouette emerged.
Forty to fifty meters tall—
Even taller than the lighthouse behind them.
The pressure was indescribable.
A Pokémon standing upright.
Compared proportionally, it looked even rounder than Pikachu, yet bore a pair of tiny wings on its back.
But with the black sea and heavy fog, its face was impossible to make out.
"S-so that's the giant Pokémon?!" Ash gasped.
Even someone as bold as him felt his chest tighten.
This was far beyond anything he could handle right now.
Meanwhile, Bill clenched his teeth and stepped forward to the very edge of the cliff.
"Finally… you've come to see me."
"Tell me!" he shouted toward the sea.
"Why do you exist here?!"
He knew—some unseen bond told him the creature was yearning for something.
That was why he had stayed.
"ROOOAAARR—!!!"
Another earth-shaking roar erupted.
The clouds above split apart.
Sea mist and waves churned violently.
"What do you desire?! Answer me!!" Bill roared.
"ROOOAAARR—!!!"
"ANSWER ME!!!"
"ROOOAAARR—!!!"
The trio slowly raised question marks above their heads.
Was Bill… expecting it to speak human language?
Was this some kind of cosmic yelling contest?
At this rate, the two of them might scream at each other all night.
Suddenly, a voice echoed in Ash's mind.
"!"
His expression steadied instantly.
A confident smile appeared.
"Mr. Bill," Ash said calmly,
"you said that once you understood this Pokémon's desire, you'd begin researching human soul-transfer technology… right?"
Bill: "?"
His throat was dry, his head spinning from oxygen deprivation.
"What… are you trying to say?"
"Then how about this," Ash continued casually.
"I'll just catch it for you. You can take it home and talk things through properly."
Bill: "???"
Was this kid scared out of his mind?!
Ignoring Bill's stare, Ash stepped forward.
He walked to the cliff's edge—
A tiny human figure facing a mountain-like Pokémon.
He closed his eyes.
Then, quietly, in his heart—
"Switching players, bro."
Ash opened his eyes again.
The clarity was gone.
In its place—
cold, sharp eyes filled with absolute calm.
No fear.
No hesitation.
He gazed at the colossal Pokémon—
Not as a challenger.
But as a hunter appraising prey.
This was no longer Ash.
This was—
Red.
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