"Oh? So Red went to Hoenn?" Yozora was briefly stunned, then gave a slight nod.
Indeed, there weren't many rare Pokémon in Johto. Since Johto and Kanto were right next to each other, many Johto-native Pokémon could also be found in Kanto.
Perhaps that was precisely why Red had chosen to skip the Johto League entirely and head straight for Hoenn.
Hoenn was brimming with rare Pokémon. Just looking at the starter evolutions—Blaziken, Swampert, and Sceptile—each one was a remarkable powerhouse in its own right.
Yozora had similar plans. After traveling around Johto for a while, he intended to head for Hoenn as well. By the time he completed that journey, he would be eighteen years old—
And at that point, it would be time to prepare for the World Championships.
"Yozora, you've been in the Johto region for a few months now, right? So? Have you caught any new Pokémon?" Ash asked eagerly, his eyes shining with that familiar spark of passion—he could only ever see the world through Pokémon.
"Of course." Yozora smiled and nodded.
"That's great!"
Ash's eyes lit up. He quickly stepped back and struck a stance. "Yozora, battle me! Let me show you how much I've improved lately!"
"I knew you'd say that. But I just finished a Gym match. And besides, the Pokémon Center is right ahead. Let's head there first," Yozora suggested.
Ash hesitated, then reluctantly agreed.
So the group made their way toward Ecruteak City's Pokémon Center.
Two hours later, in the Pokémon Center's training yard, Yozora and Ash faced each other down.
Both had rested and replenished their teams, ready to fight at their peak.
"Let's go! Six on six, League rules!" Ash called out, brimming with excitement.
Yozora nodded in agreement.
Brock quickly stepped forward to officiate. "I'll be the referee. Both Trainers, send out your first Pokémon. Ready… begin!"
The instant Brock gave the signal, both Trainers hurled their Poké Balls into the air. Yozora's was a Luxury Ball, while Ash tossed a Lure Ball.
The Poké Balls burst open midair, twin flashes of white light spilling forth.
Yozora's lead was Flaaffy, while Ash sent out Totodile.
"Totodile!" The little crocodile bounded out full of energy, hopping about as if it couldn't wait to fight.
Across from it, Flaaffy stood with a proud, icy composure, radiating a forceful aura.
Unlike Ash's playful and lively Totodile, Yozora's Flaaffy possessed a sharp and unyielding fighting spirit.
Totodile was no weakling—it had reached the Senior Level's peak.
But Flaaffy stood even higher, already at Lord-tier strength. On top of that, its Electric typing gave it a natural advantage over Totodile.
"Ash's luck is rotten. His very first Pokémon is completely countered," Misty muttered sympathetically from the sidelines, holding Togepi in her arms.
"And not just that—can't you see? That Flaaffy is extremely high-leveled," Brock said gravely.
"Lord-tier…" Misty's eyes widened as she looked closer, stunned.
She had never seen Yozora use Mareep or Flaaffy before. Which meant this Flaaffy must have been caught in Johto.
And to think a newly caught Pokémon could already be this strong…
"I always knew Yozora had rare talent as a Trainer, but his ability to raise Pokémon… it's even stronger than last year!" Brock sighed in amazement.
Misty nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Meanwhile, Ash pulled out his Pokédex, eyes gleaming with excitement. "Flaaffy, huh? An Electric-type… Totodile's at a disadvantage, but my Totodile won't go down just because of typing!"
"Go, Totodile! Use Water Gun!"
"Doo-dahhh—!" Totodile stopped bouncing, opened its mouth, and fired a high-pressure jet of water straight at Flaaffy.
"Flaaffy, Thunderbolt!" Yozora countered.
Flaaffy instantly discharged a surge of lightning, colliding head-on with the Water Gun.
In a flash, the electricity raced along the stream, slamming into Totodile's body.
BOOM!
Totodile was fried black, twitching as it toppled backward.
Flaaffy had also been hit by the Water Gun, but only staggered a single step.
"Totodile is unable to battle! Flaaffy wins!" Brock declared.
"So strong…" Ash's eyes widened. Only now did he realize how extraordinary this Flaaffy was.
"Both are newly caught Pokémon… but his Flaaffy is so much stronger than my Totodile! Yozora really is a monster!" Ash cursed inwardly, but his fighting spirit only grew fiercer.
He recalled Totodile and immediately sent out Cyndaquil.
Just like Totodile, Cyndaquil had reached the Senior Level's peak.
"Burning spirit, Cyndaquil—use Flamethrower!" Ash roared.
"Cynnnn—dahhh!" Cyndaquil flared with passion, the flames on its back igniting with a roar. The stronger its spirit burned, the more its firepower rose. It opened its mouth wide and unleashed a torrent of searing fire straight at Flaaffy.
"Block it—Flaaffy, Cotton Guard!" Yozora ordered.
Flaaffy's fleece suddenly puffed up, doubling its defensive power.
The flames struck, but instead of burning through, they ignited the cotton itself in a sudden explosion.
The blast forced Flaaffy back several steps, its face twisting in pain.
"Yes! Great job, Cyndaquil!" Ash cheered.
Yozora, however, looked unusually startled.
"…Of course. Flaaffy may not be Grass-type, but its fleece is plant-based—and flammable. No wonder it exploded…" Yozora muttered.
He chuckled at himself. "Didn't think I'd make such a rookie mistake. Sorry, Flaaffy."
Flaaffy only shook its head like a true warrior, lips curling into a grin.
And at that instant—
The world around Yozora blurred, and suddenly he was standing within Flaaffy's heart.
Heart's Resonance.
He knew this feeling well. It meant he and Flaaffy had reached a bond of complete synchronicity.
"Shhhhhh—"
A brilliant light burst from Flaaffy's body.
Ash, Misty, and Brock all froze in shock.
"No way… it's evolving now!?" Ash's face turned pale. Flaaffy was already frighteningly strong—if it evolved here, how could he possibly handle it?
Within the radiant glow, Flaaffy's body grew taller and larger.
When the light faded—
Flaaffy was gone.
In its place stood a majestic, golden-skinned Ampharos, nearly 1.8 meters tall. Its eyes blazed sharply, its lips curling in a proud smirk.
Completely unlike the usual gentle, mild-mannered Ampharos species—famous alongside Dragonite as one of the Pokémon world's "big softies"—Yozora's Ampharos exuded arrogance and unshakable dominance.
Its aura was fierce, its gaze brimming with the spirit of battle.
Lord-tier peak.
Its power had soared to new heights.
"Ampharos, Double Team!" Yozora commanded.
Dozens of clones instantly filled the battlefield.
Ash's scalp tingled. Ampharos was already overwhelming enough, and now Yozora was layering tactics on top of raw strength…
"Cyndaquil, don't lose! Hit all of them with Flamethrower!" Ash yelled.
Cyndaquil unleashed a sweeping blaze, burning down several clones.
But in the chaos, one Ampharos darted forward, appearing right behind Cyndaquil in a flash.
"Now—Thunder Punch!" Yozora ordered.
BOOM!
Lightning wreathed Ampharos' fist as it struck, blasting Cyndaquil away with a scream.
"Cyndaquil!" Ash cried, rushing forward to scoop his Pokémon into his arms.
Brock raised his hand. "Cyndaquil is unable to battle! Ampharos wins!"
Two down in a row. Ampharos' momentum was unstoppable.
And thanks to its evolution, the earlier fire damage it had suffered was completely irrelevant now.
It still had over eighty percent of its stamina left.
Ash recalled Cyndaquil, sweat beginning to bead on his forehead.
This Ampharos was only Yozora's first Pokémon—his lead. And yet, it was already this impossible to fight against.
Just what kind of monsters were waiting in the rest of Yozora's team?
"…It's your turn, Bayleef!" Ash rallied himself and released his third Pokémon.
Bayleef burst forth, its level much higher than Totodile and Cyndaquil—already at Commander-tier mid-level.
Still, compared to Yozora's freshly evolved Ampharos, the gap was enormous.
"Bayleef, huh?"
Yozora smirked—and withdrew Ampharos. Instead, he sent out Growlithe.
A Fire-type to counter Ash's Grass-type. The perfect sparring chance.
But—
When Growlithe emerged, its golden pelt gleamed brilliantly.
Ash, Misty, and Brock all gawked.
"A golden Growlithe! Another Shiny?! Just how many Shiny Pokémon does Yozora have?" Brock groaned internally.
For ordinary Trainers, owning just one Shiny was a once-in-a-lifetime bond.
But Yozora? Barely two years since his debut, and he was already swimming in Shinies. It was beyond unfair.
"Shiny Growlithe, huh? Heh, just like my Noctowl…" Ash grinned smugly, finally realizing what a flex it was to own a Shiny.
"Grrrrr—!"
Growlithe roared, releasing a wave of Intimidate that crashed over the battlefield like a storm.
Ash stiffened, his face turning serious.
And Bayleef—sweat poured down its face as it instinctively stepped back, its body rigid with fear. Its power and speed were both suppressed under the aura's pressure.
"Ash, Growlithe's aura is strong, but it's still young and inexperienced. Its stamina won't hold out long!" Misty called from the side.
Ash nodded, refusing to back down. "Bayleef, strike first—Vine Whip!"
"Dodge and jump—then use Flamethrower!" Yozora countered.
Growlithe leapt into the air, avoiding the vines. It exhaled a narrow, blazing stream of fire, lashing across Bayleef's body.
The flames seared deep, leaving Bayleef wincing in pain.
But Bayleef was as stubborn as ever. That unyielding spirit had always been there, even back when it was a Chikorita.
"Good, Bayleef! Now—aim for its landing spot! Razor Leaf!"
Shhh-shhh!
Two Razor Leaves sliced through the air, striking Growlithe the moment it touched down.
"Arf—!"
Growlithe cried out as it was flung back, badly wounded.
Just as Misty had said, Growlithe was still a newborn. Despite its great talent and strong speed and power, its stamina was fragile.
That single counterstrike left it heavily injured, struggling to stand.
(End of Chapter)