"Sorry, Pikachu. I only just got this power, so I couldn't control my strength properly. How are you feeling now?" Ash apologized sincerely to the just-awakened Pikachu.
He honestly hadn't expected it. He had used less than ten percent of his Aura Sphere's power—and it had instantly knocked Pikachu out cold!
Ash had planned all sorts of strategies, but before he could even try them out, the battle was over!
He didn't know if Pikachu was too weak… or if he himself was just too strong.
"Pika pika…" Are you sure you're human?
"What's with that tone! Of course I'm human! One hundred percent real, genuine human! I just happen to have a little special ability now." Ash rolled his eyes.
"Pikachu pi!" That "little ability" of yours is way too broken!
"Heh, nothing special. Just third-strongest in the world, that's all~ So now you can admit I'm your Trainer, right?"
"Pika." A bet's a bet.
Pikachu might be rebellious, but he was honest. Since Ash had beaten him fair and square, he had no complaints left.
And just like that, Ash finally captured his very first Pokémon.
Most Trainers just received their starter ready to go, but only Ash would have to fight his own Pokémon in a one-on-one showdown before earning its recognition.
"Since you're my Pokémon now, back into your Poké Ball you go. That's how it's supposed to work." Ash held out Pikachu's Poké Ball.
"Pika pika!!" Pikachu shook his head furiously. Even without Aura, Ash could tell exactly what he meant—he didn't want to go in!
For most Trainers, that would be unacceptable. Sure, letting a Pokémon out sometimes was fine, but carrying one around all the time could be troublesome.
But Ash wasn't like other Trainers. After thinking for a moment, he nodded. "Alright, if you don't like the Poké Ball, then forget it. Let me at least spray some Potion on you. Luckily, Mom packed one for me."
At those words, Pikachu relaxed a little. His eyes softened as he looked at Ash.
It was clear Ash's choice made Pikachu warm up to him considerably. Having lived in the human world for so long, Pikachu knew very few Trainers would let their Pokémon stay outside the ball all the time. But by chance, he'd met one who would.
Maybe this Trainer wasn't so bad after all. He was monstrously strong, treated him kindly, and even respected his wishes… With that in mind, Pikachu didn't feel so resistant to listening to Ash's commands anymore.
After Ash carefully sprayed the Potion onto him, Pikachu's wounds looked much better.
Potions were made specifically for Pokémon. They stung at first, but they worked wonders for recovery.
Once Pikachu had recovered enough, Ash set off again toward the next city.
On the road, Ash opened up the chat group, asking what he should do next. After all, his goal was to defeat Leon, but he had no idea where to begin.
[Champion Ash: …If I remember right, Pallet Town is closest to Viridian City. Register there to enter the Pokémon League. As long as you can win the Indigo Plateau Conference, you'll at least have your initial level of strength.]
[Newbie Ash: Huh? I have to win the whole Conference just to be considered "initial strength"? That's way too harsh!]
After figuring out how to change names, Ash updated his username. In a group full of veterans, he picked a new word he'd just learned from them—"Newbie"!
Meaning: a pitiful, weak, helpless beginner.
Even with Aura Guardian Ash's power, he was still clueless as a Trainer. He had a ton to learn from the group.
[Champion Ash: Emmm, the Indigo Conference is actually considered one of the weaker tournaments. Only Trainers within two years of their journey are allowed, so it's basically a rookie-exclusive league.]
[Champion Ash: But that's how it works in my world. I don't know if the rules are the same in yours. Still, the League definitely exists. If you want a short-term goal, aim for winning the Conference first. Once you have that, think about the next step.]
[Breeder Ash: If you've got time, you should also learn some breeding techniques! If you don't understand, just ask me here in the group. I can teach you!]
[Contest Master Ash: Wow, you really are desperate to recruit rookies…]
[Aura Guardian Ash: Heh, let him be. Honestly, not many people in this group are willing to chat about breeding. Most of them lurk. Now that he's finally caught a fresh rookie with zero foundation, of course he wants to reel him in.]
[Tactics Master Ash: To be fair, he's not wrong. If you want to reach the top, breeding skills are essential. Unless you have a professional Breeder supporting you, you'll need to at least learn the basics yourself.]
[Newbie Ash: Got it! I'll head to Viridian City first! See you guys later!]
[Champion Ash: Wait. If you run into wild Pokémon on the road, battle them—even if you don't plan to catch them. Growth comes not only from daily care but also from accumulated battle experience. The more you fight, the faster you'll level up—at least in theory.]
[Champion Ash: But remember, battling isn't everything. Raising, training, spending time, guiding—all of those matter too. Keep reading the group chat, you'll learn a lot.]
[Newbie Ash: I understand!]
Ash silently took everyone's words to heart and exited the chat group.
Originally, he'd planned to catch a couple more Pokémon on the way to Viridian City. But now, it seemed better to focus on training Pikachu first.
Their bond was still shallow, and Pikachu's level didn't feel very high either. Strengthening him before going after a second or third Pokémon would be wiser.
"Let's go, Pikachu! Time to level you up!"
"Pika pi?" Pikachu tilted his head, confused.
From his perspective, Ash closed his eyes for a second, then suddenly burst with fiery determination, yelling about leveling up. Honestly, it looked like a split personality. But since Ash really could understand him, Pikachu settled for just voicing his puzzlement.
"Level up, challenge Gyms, and climb to the very top!!" Ash shouted, dashing forward.
Pikachu stared at him blankly for a moment, then hurried after him.