Togepi: Feed me peanuts~
...
Time quickly flew by, and it was the next day. Ash was ready to start his special training plan. He needed to visit Professor Oak first, meet all of his Pokemon, and organize their training for the time being.
But when Ash arrived at Oak's Research Institute, he unexpectedly ran into Blaine!
"Blaine, why are you here?"
Dressed in a research coat with a smooth head, Blaine chuckled and said, "Because I couldn't get by on Cinnabar Island anymore, so I came to Oak to pass the days and assist with his research. I heard you defeated Mewtwo. Truly, the younger generation surpasses the old, leaving the older washed up on the beach!"
Blaine's face showed deep emotion. The Mewtwo he once feared like a ghost had been beaten by a boy who had just been in the scene for over three months. Had the news not been confirmed by the Kanto League's Elite Four and Professor Oak, Blaine wouldn't have believed it.
No one knows better than him the terror of Mewtwo. Without a Divine Domain, how could anyone defeat it?
Yet Ash won!
Either Ash possesses Divine Domain Level power, or Mewtwo's powers waned under Team Rocket's control. Blaine concluded the former.
Ash has acquired Divine Domain Level power!!!
To Blaine, this conclusion was even more unbelievable than defeating Mewtwo.
Divine Domain Level! Divine Domain Level!
Why did he create Artificial Pokemon? Precisely because in today's world, beyond Legendary Beasts, ordinary Pokemon couldn't enter the Divine Domain, so Blaine sought to break this barrier through scientific means.
However, due to an inexplicable brain frenzy, he strayed from the path, creating a monster. This monster indeed had the power to break into the Divine Domain, a situation that couldn't be replicated, with even the single creation harboring uncontrollable factors.
For the Divine Domain, humanity has put in countless efforts, conducted numerous experiments, and ventured along many erroneous paths, yet couldn't control that power.
Blaine had come to terms with it, realizing that Divine Domain power isn't something humans can master, nor a realm Pokemon trained by humans can reach.
And then, a fifteen-year-old boy reached that realm… is this a joke?
The night before last, Blaine spent the whole evening digesting the news, and yesterday he waited all day here for Ash, but Ash didn't come.
It was only today that he met Ash and asked the burning question, "How exactly did you do this? How does a just-evolved Lucario enter the Divine Domain?"
"Um… let's go inside and talk about it slowly." Ash pointed to their feet, as they were still blocked by Blaine at the Oak's Research Institute entrance.
"Oh, sorry, got too excited and forgot about this," Blaine said with a hint of embarrassment, then quickly led Ash and others into Oak's Research Institute.
Inside, Professor Oak was wearing gloves, gently patting the Aerodactyl, appearing to be in the midst of research related to Aerodactyl.
After all, Ash's Aerodactyl had lived from an unknown era to the present, and was of more research value compared to those revived from amber.
"Ash, you're here. Blaine waited for you the whole day yesterday. I told him that you would be chatting and having a meal with Delia after returning, and wouldn't come over so soon, but he didn't believe it."
"Roar!" As Professor Oak, with his back turned, spoke to Ash, Aerodactyl, who was closed-eyed and letting Professor Oak do as he pleased, sensed a familiar aura. Upon discovering it was his long-time-no-see Trainer, he happily roared gleefully, flapping his wings and flying to Ash.
Professor Oak, caught off guard, was directly blown to the side, landing disheveled on the ground with a wry smile—being a Trainer sure has its perks.
Who provided for you this whole time, yet the first thing you do upon seeing the Trainer is forget your roots!
Facing Aerodactyl's pounce, Ash opened his arms to welcome it. Despite Aerodactyl's hefty build, weighing over a hundred pounds, resting on Ash, it didn't affect him in the slightest.
Ash even hugged Aerodactyl and spun in circles, joyfully saying, "Long time no see, Aerodactyl. How's life at Oak's Research Institute?"
"Roar~~" Very comfortable.
"Hehe, that's good to hear! Just let Professor Oak know if you want anything to eat; don't be shy, I've covered the meal costs." At least a third of Ash's income from the perfume shop went to Professor Oak.
Although Professor Oak declined, saying the bond with Delia made discussing money too formal, Ash chose to give the money regardless. If he didn't have money, it would be another story, but since he did, he wasn't about to take advantage without compensation.
Whether or not Professor Oak cared about money, supplying it expressed his stance; the money itself wasn't particularly significant.
After setting Aerodactyl down, everyone found a spot to sit, and Ash described again the excuse he used with Misty to Blaine and Professor Oak.
Even Blaine and Professor Oak, seasoned researchers, couldn't spot any loophole in Ash's excuse.
Rather than being unable to find flaws, it was more like there was no way to verify anything. Ash's narrative might very well be true. Even in Orodelon City, you'd only discover that the legendary hero Aaron and Lucario quelled a war.
As for the reincarnation providing power, there was no way to substantiate that, and researching Lucario wouldn't yield much of a conclusion either.
Just this seemingly impossible explanation could best account for Lucario's source of power; otherwise, where did Lucario's Divine Domain power come from?
If even a deity possessed Lucario, its body wouldn't withstand the immense pressure.
Lucario's matter might be resolved, but…
"Ash, explain to me what MEGA Evolution is! If Agatha hadn't let it slip, I wouldn't know you've been hiding such a major thing from me! I've watched the battle footage, and that stone appearing on Venusaur's body, is that what you had me collect? You are something else!"
Professor Oak unleashed a series of verbal assaults on Ash, spraying saliva onto Ash and Pikachu's faces.
Though his tone wasn't overtly angry, there was a touch of it. After all, Ash hiding the MEGA Evolution from him was one thing, but unwittingly recruiting him to gather MEGA Evolution Stones was what weighed on Oak the most.
A tool can't even be a well-informed tool! If Agatha hadn't slipped, he'd still be in the dark about MEGA Evolution!
Hearing this, Ash replied with a remorseful smile and respectfully bowed ninety degrees towards Professor Oak, "Sorry, Professor Oak!!"
At moments like this, a sincere apology suffices. Any explanation is no match for a direct apology.
Since this issue was indeed Ash's fault; having Oak help without informing him, and when it's a system with epochal significance.
Being forthright and apologizing is the right course, and Professor Oak wouldn't mind much.
Sure enough, upon seeing Ash bow apologetically, Professor Oak's slight anger quickly dissipated. With Ash like this, what more could he say?
It wasn't a big deal anyway, and Ash discovered it first.
"Alright, alright, bygones will be bygones. But you need to thoroughly explain the specifics of MEGA Evolution to me!"