Masaki Sonezaki... In Oak's words, he was a Pokémon researcher no less capable than himself.
While this certainly contained a hint of an elder's modesty, based on Ash's understanding, Masaki was undoubtedly a super genius in the research community.
He was only slightly older than Brock, but had already earned a doctorate from Saffron University and made significant contributions in many fields.
His most acclaimed achievement was leading the development of the Pokémon transfer system, which is now universally used.
Ash was pondering how to break through the limitations of portable transfer and handheld slots, and since he happened to be at White Cape, he naturally wanted to subtly discuss it with Masaki.
"The Pokémon transfer system wasn't developed by me alone; it was thanks to the cooperation of researchers from various regions," Masaki said humbly during dinner. "Among them, a senior of mine made a crucial contribution—even developed the main body of the transfer system."
"He also graduated from Saffron University and worked at Silph Co. for a while. He's a fervent computer and internet enthusiast. Thanks to the transfer machine he designed, Pokémon can be transmitted through the network while inside their Poké Balls."
Computer enthusiast, network transfer?
Hearing these keywords, Ash couldn't help but recall certain tears of the times... "Professor Masaki, is your senior still managing the Pokémon transfer system now?" Ash asked tentatively.
"Yes, his name is Akihabara, and he now has a research institute in Masala City. All the transfer networks in that city and surrounding areas are maintained by him."
It really is him!
Professor Akihabara of Masala City, if you weren't an old fan of Pokémon, you might not even know this person!
In the original story of the anime, it was this Professor Akihabara who invented the transfer system. He was also the creator of Porygon, and even developed a technology that could digitize humans and transfer them into the network!
Unfortunately, the fight animation in the episode he appeared in was too bizarre, leading to an extremely serious broadcast accident, even causing the Original Series anime to be temporarily suspended.
Therefore, the rumored Original Series anime later didn't show that episode, and the Porygon family, who were unfairly blamed, could no longer appear in the main series of the Pokémon anime afterward... "Regardless of whether someone assisted, it's amazing to be able to develop such a system." Brock sincerely praised, "Before Professor Masaki, I'm afraid no one had such a brilliant idea."
"Uh... I actually stumbled upon it by accident." Masaki scratched his head sheepishly. "The reason I had this idea was actually due to a lab accident... At that time, I accidentally transferred my consciousness into a Nidorino..."
"Really?" Brock was instantly stunned. "Human consciousness... transferred into a Pokémon? That's incredible?!"
Ash wasn't particularly surprised, after all, that's how it was in the games, and in different versions of the game, the Pokémon Masaki merged with also varied.
"It really was bizarre, and I was terrified at the time," Masaki said, as if the past was too painful to recall.
This incident was definitely a dark history for him. If Oak hadn't shown such closeness to Ash on the phone before, Masaki would never have brought it up.
"In short, that experience taught me that biological consciousness can be transformed into signals for transmission, but I only researched consciousness transfer. It just so happened that Senior Akihabara developed physical transmission technology, and with his help, the Pokémon transfer system was finally created."
As he spoke of the past, Masaki's eyes flickered with memories.
But as he spoke, he couldn't help but sigh: "It's just that now, Senior Akihabara has moved beyond the scope of Pokémon research and is fully dedicated to network technology, and I too have found a new pursuit."
The so-called new pursuit was naturally that Kabuto doll costume.
Although Ash and Brock arrived at the lighthouse during the day, Masaki was still stuck in the doll costume, and because his arms were too short to reach the switch, he could only twitch rhythmically... According to Masaki, even extinct Ancient Pokémon must have hearts.
That's why he had to get into the doll costume, to think like them... and also to relive the feeling of merging with Nidorino at the time~
And then, he discovered what he was most interested in now... "What exactly could this phantom-like Pokémon be?"
After dinner, Brock watched Masaki busy preparing at the top of the tower, filled with curiosity.
"It's an incredibly huge Pokémon. I don't know if this is its original size or if it's using something like Galar's Dynamaxing, because I've never clearly seen its appearance," Masaki explained. "But when I hear its voice, I always feel like it's wandering lonely in this world."
As he spoke, Masaki played a recording, which sounded like a melodious yet weary wail... "One night, I heard a voice from across the sea, 'I want to see you, I want to see you'... That's how the voice made me feel," Masaki said. "So I recorded the sound and even made it into the lighthouse's signal, hoping it would know that I, too, wanted to see it..."
"Whoosh!"
Just as Masaki was explaining, the exact same sound as in the recording suddenly came from the sea outside the lighthouse!
"It's finally here!" Masaki instantly became uncontrollably excited. He fumbled to increase the volume and simultaneously manipulated the lighthouse's searchlight to continuously change various light sources.
"It's coming! I'll know who it is very soon!!"
Standing on the spacious tower top, Masaki could see a mysterious shadow in the sea slowly approaching through the dense fog.
Its body was extremely large; every step it took turned the seawater into waves pushing towards the shore. Even though Ash and the other two were at the top of the tower—the highest point of the entire White Cape—they still had to look up to see its face.
"Golbat, use Clear Smog." Ash commanded Golbat to start dispelling the fog so Masaki could clearly see the opponent's appearance... Boom!!
But just as the dense fog was about to disperse, a burst of gunfire suddenly erupted from the giant Pokémon's body—someone was bombarding it with cannonballs!
"Team Rockets?!" Ash's expression changed. He had been so engrossed in talking with Masaki that he had forgotten Team Rockets would also come to cause trouble!
The Team Rockets trio were currently clinging to the rock face with ropes, continuously attacking the giant Pokémon!
"Don't forget we're the bad guys!" "Bad guys must do bad things to the end!"
"Roar!" The giant Pokémon roared in pain, immediately swinging its fist at the lighthouse in front of it!
"It's..."
Masaki finally saw its form, and seeing him standing there stunned, Ash quickly tackled him to the ground.
"Get down!!"
Crash!!
A huge fist swept over their heads, and the entire top of the lighthouse instantly vanished!
After that, the still furious giant figure violently swung its tail, directly knocking Team Rockets off the cliff!
"Roar... Roar!!" Seemingly realizing it had been deceived, the giant figure roared incessantly, stirring up huge waves across the entire White Cape!
And Ash and the other two finally saw its true form... an incredibly Giant Dragonite!
There is an illustration here, which can be viewed after the updated version.