The image on the black light curtain continued to play.
After spending a short while playing with the other kids during break time,
Ash once again did something completely unexpected.
"Poliwag! Use Water Gun on me!"
Poliwag: ?
That question mark wasn't because it was confused—
it was because Ash was clearly out of his mind!
"Come on, hurry up! I'm all sweaty! Besides, getting hit by a Water Gun can help me improve my resistance to impact!"
Professor Oak hurriedly pulled Ash aside, utterly baffled.
"Hey, hey, Ash! Training is fine and all, but why on earth are you asking a Pokémon to attack you?"
Ash raised his sweat-drenched face, a bright, determined smile spreading across it.
"In my future journey, I'll definitely face all kinds of challenges!"
"I train so I can survive even if I fall off a cliff! I let Pokémon attack me to prepare in case someone breaks the rules and attacks a Trainer directly!"
"Everything I do is to become the world's greatest Pokémon Master!"
Professor Oak: "..."
Excuse me?
Did this six-year-old really just say that?!
This wasn't "hardworking" anymore—this was paranoid-level caution!
Cliffs, Pokémon attacks… why was every one of his training scenarios a life-or-death situation?!
"...Ash, do you always think like this when you train?"
"Yup! Whenever I get tired, I imagine myself trapped in a deadly situation, and that gets me moving again! Mom also said my body coordination's better than most kids my age."
"So I want to push my strengths to the absolute limit!"
——
[Professor Oak: Good grief! This kid's only six and already has that kind of mindset?!]
[Delia: Sigh... I have to admit, the Ash from that other world really does seem more mature than my son.]
[Brock: I can vouch for that—Ash's physical ability is out of the ordinary... and that's without any training! If he worked like the other one, who knows what kind of monster he'd become.]
[Ash: Fine, fine, I'll admit it—the other me does sound more disciplined. But when it comes to Pokémon battles, I'm not gonna lose!]
Ash, as always, was brimming with confidence.
Misty and Brock, however, exchanged doubtful looks.
Black World Ash was that self-disciplined even as a child—
when he set out on his journey, would he really be like their Ash?
Would he raise his Pokémon through chance encounters and luck instead of training them properly?
Not a chance.
Unless that version of Ash suddenly changed personalities, that was impossible.
——
Back in the black curtain feed—
Professor Oak was completely stumped by Ash's explanation.
Sure, the logic kinda made sense… but there was no way he'd let a child be blasted by Pokémon attacks!
If anything happened to Ash, Professor Oak would never forgive himself.
Ash pouted but didn't argue.
Later, while everyone was resting, he quietly slipped away—
taking Poliwag with him into the woods.
It seemed the stubborn kid hadn't given up on his plan to "train" with Water Gun.
"Alright, Poliwag, use Water Gun!"
"Poli…?"
Poliwag shook its head firmly.
"You wanna say that again while looking at these fists the size of soup bowls?"
Poliwag looked at the boy's tiny, pudding-sized fists—
and shook its head even harder.
Ash slumped his shoulders in defeat.
Of course, he'd never actually hit Poliwag.
That went against everything he believed about loving Pokémon.
But still… there went his latest training idea.
Just then, he heard it—
a faint sound of crying deeper in the woods.
Ash followed the sound and soon spotted a small, porcelain-faced girl.
——
[Delia: Oh my, so my son meets Serena in that world too!]
[Brock: Ah, what a beautiful moment! Youth, fate—this must be destiny!]
[Serena: N-no it's not! What destiny? Don't say embarrassing things like that!]
Serena said that, but inside she was thrilled.
If even another-world version of her met Ash the same way…
didn't that mean their meeting really was destined?
Misty watched silently, feeling a strange twist in her chest.
Destiny, huh… I wonder if the other me even gets to meet him.
——
In the black world's footage—
Ash froze for a moment when he saw the girl,
then quickly noticed the scrape on her knee.
He hurried over and took out his handkerchief, gently wrapping the wound.
"Hey there. Are you lost?"
"Y-yeah…"
Serena's timid voice trembled; she still seemed a bit dazed.
"You know, there's a set area we're supposed to stay in during camp. Don't wander off like this again—
you might not be lucky enough to meet someone like me next time.
If it gets dark, wild Pokémon might eat you!"
"Eek!"
Serena's eyes went wide, her face paling.
Seeing her frightened expression, Ash turned his back to her and crouched down.
"Come on. Get on. I'll carry you back."
"Huh? It's fine, I can walk by myself…"
"Don't worry about it! I may look small, but I'm strong! Besides, if we keep standing here, the man-eating Pokémon will come!"
"W-wait! I'm coming!"
Serena's fear spiked, and she obediently climbed onto Ash's back—
pressing close, her tiny hands gripping his shoulders.
A sense of warmth and safety spread through her chest.
His back… it's so warm.
Ash, meanwhile, felt his cheeks grow hot.
This was, after all, the first time he'd ever carried a girl.
Girls are… surprisingly soft…
——
[Gary: Look! Look at how Black World Ash handles it! He just carries her straight away! Learn something, idiot Ash!]
[Ash: H-hey! Serena could walk just fine, okay?! And besides—I was still small back then! I didn't have the strength!]
His protest grew weaker as he spoke.
True, his physique had always been above average—
but at that age, he was still just a kid.
Meanwhile, the other Ash had been training from the very beginning.
It made perfect sense that he could carry her.
In the end, the difference was simple—
while one Ash was playing, the other was grinding.