"What… what kind of strange form is this? Bisharp, use Metal Claw again!"
"Greninja, Water Shuriken!"
"Ku-ka!!"
"Biuuu!"
Greninja hurled its shimmering shuriken. Before Bisharp could even react, the spinning blade slammed into its chest!
"Bishaaaarp…"
The power of its Metal Claw collapsed mid-attack, the move completely broken!
"Now—Cut!"
"Ku-ka!"
Shwoosh!
Greninja's entire body was wrapped in a towering column of water as it dashed past Bisharp in a flash.
It was like a swordsman's single strike—"One Slash, One Kill!"
Bisharp collapsed instantly.
As its opponent fell, the water aura cloaking Greninja's body dissipated.
At the same time, Ash felt his own synchronization with Greninja fade away, returning to his normal senses.
"What… what an incredible feeling…"
Even though Ash had already captured multiple Legendary Pokémon, the sensation of what he had just experienced left him astonished. This was Bond Evolution!
An evolution achieved without a Key Stone, without a Mega Stone—
a power born purely from the connection between trainer and Pokémon, reverting to something like a primeval form.
But Ash's sharp eyes caught a detail.
"No… this isn't the true primeval form. The real one… should be like the Greninja in the village's legend—carrying a giant Water Shuriken on its back, almost like wings. Looks like Greninja and I still have a long road ahead."
He exhaled, deep in thought.
Greninja walked to Ash's side, its gaze steady.
"Ku-ka, ku-ka!"
It gave Ash a firm nod and raised a thumb in approval.
Ash smiled. "Yeah… I get it. Greninja, before we earn our eighth badge, you and I are going to undergo a very special kind of training."
Man and Pokémon—minds aligned as one.
------
Meanwhile, back at the village, Sanpei's master Kagetomo had returned.
With Kagetomo joining forces with Ippei and Nihei, the rebellious ninja faction led by Kagemaru was finally defeated.
Kagemaru, realizing the error of his ways, admitted defeat.
Hanzo, the kidnapped head of the village, was successfully rescued.
Ash and the others watched quietly as Kagemaru lowered his head. After this incident, he came to truly understand the meaning of what it meant to be a ninja. He decided he was not worthy to remain in the village any longer.
Together with his comrade Heidayu, he chose to leave—traveling the world in search of enlightenment and growth.
Hanzo and the villagers expressed their deepest gratitude to Ash and his friends. From now on, they declared, Ash and his companions would forever be considered the ninja village's honored guests.
After heartfelt goodbyes, Ash's journey resumed.
"Alright—our next destination is Terminus Cave! Let's move out!"
------
Terminus Cave.
It was an abandoned mining tunnel, half-finished before being deserted.
Deep within the mine lay a labyrinth of winding passages—the heart of the cave itself.
Wild Pokémon of many kinds had made their homes there.
But more importantly—the cave was stable, secluded, and filled with untapped potential.
A perfect place for special training.
------
"Serena, Clemont, Bonnie," Ash said seriously, "you all saw what happened back in the ninja village. That form Greninja achieved—it's a brand-new kind of evolution. I've decided to call it Bond Evolution.
But right now, we still can't control it completely. And this cave… it's also the perfect training ground for Noibat. That's why I'm taking both Greninja and Noibat for a special session of training here."
"Ku-ka!"
"Noiiiii!"
Greninja and Noibat stood proudly, one on each side of Ash.
Serena nodded. "We understand, Ash. And look—Squishy seems really happy here in the cave too."
Clemont adjusted his glasses. "That works out. I can use this time to work on upgrading my backpack's inventions."
"I'll train with Eevee!" Serena added with a smile. "I want it to be ready for the next Showcase."
"And I'll cheer you guys on with Dedenne and Squishy!" Bonnie said brightly, hugging her little partners.
Ash smiled. "Thanks, everyone."
He turned deeper into the cavern, Greninja and Noibat following close at his sides.
"Noibat, first we need to sharpen your senses. Use your Supersonic to scout the cave. Find me one Aggron, two Ariados, one Ninjask, and three Dugtrio hiding inside here."
"Noiiiii!"
Noibat perked up its oversized ears and unleashed pulses of supersonic waves, mapping the tunnels ahead. With each echo, it guided Ash and Greninja closer to the perfect training ground.
Ash also spread out his Aura, scanning the cavern himself. The resonance confirmed it—this was indeed the ideal spot.
"Perfect. Noibat, once you locate those Pokémon, we'll move on to the next stage of your training."
Ash then turned to Greninja.
"As for us… our training is about coordination. We need to reach the point where a single glance is enough for us to understand each other's intent. That's our ultimate goal."
Greninja's eyes gleamed with determination.
"Ku-ka!"
The bond between trainer and Pokémon deepened further—
and so began Ash's special training in Terminus Cave.
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