Ash was in high spirits.
After sweeping through every disciple at Muramasa's dojo and even challenging the master himself, the results were staggering. Not only did the Sync Progress for Heracross and Bayleef skyrocket, but he had accumulated a massive windfall of 3,000 Exchange Points.
Finally, he could afford a new specialized ability.
He browsed through the vast mental catalog of the system. Psychic Powers, Aura Mastery, the Power of Gaia, Dragon Force... the choices were overwhelming. Even the Psychic category was subdivided into branches like Telekinesis, Precognition, and Teleportation.
He remembered Sabrina, the Saffron City Gym Leader. Her terrifying mastery over psychic abilities had nearly ended his journey back in Kanto.
Then there was the Power of Gaia, with its branches for healing, nurturing, and even influencing evolution—abilities deeply connected to the well-being of Pokémon.
Of course, he could simply dump all his points into his existing Aura. It would save him the trouble of manual training. But Ash knew that a true master needed a versatile toolkit.
After carefully weighing his options, he made his decision. He spent his hard-earned points on a core Psychic ability: Confusion.
While his Aura mastery enhanced his physical combat and sensory perception—allowing him to practically trade blows with a Charizard—Confusion gave him invisible hands. It was a multi-dimensional tool for both battle and utility.
"Pikachu, don't panic!" Ash said with a playful glint in his eye.
He focused his mind, channeling the new energy. Suddenly, Pikachu began to hover, his little paws kicking at the air as he rose slowly from Ash's shoulder.
"Pika? Pi-pika!"
After the initial shock, Pikachu realized what was happening and started giggling, performing tiny somersaults in mid-air.
Brock and Misty watched, though at this point, they were hardly surprised. Between the Bond Phenomenon and the blue light of Aura, they were becoming accustomed to Ash's "human-type Pokémon" tendencies.
"Ash, you're becoming more of a Pokémon than a trainer every day," Brock noted with a wry, helpless smile.
Misty, however, looked worried. "Ash, don't overdo it! Put Pikachu down before you pass out again!"
Ash laughed, gently lowering Pikachu back to his shoulder. "Don't worry, Misty. Awakening these psychic cells actually stabilized my mind. My mental endurance is much higher now. I won't be fainting at the drop of a hat anymore."
It was an unexpected bonus; the psychic training acted as a container, giving his expanding Aura a more stable vessel.
"You better not," Misty huffed. "Seeing you collapse is bad for my heart."
"Pika!"
Pikachu suddenly pointed toward a rocky cliffside in the distance, his ears twitching as he let out a sharp cry of alarm.
"Come on, let's check it out!" Ash called.
They sprinted toward the base of the cliff, which was riddled with dark, interconnected tunnels. As they drew closer, the sound of a heated confrontation echoed through the air.
"Quilava, stop resisting! You're going into my Poké Ball whether you like it or not!"
A trainer, a few years older than Ash, was standing before a cavern entrance. He had a Sandslash out, and together they were pinning a Quilava against the rocks.
Sandslash, a Ground-type, held a massive elemental advantage over the Fire-type Quilava. Having lost the cover of its tunnels, the Quilava looked cornered and desperate.
Ash observed the Quilava—the evolved form of Cyndaquil, the Fire-type starter of the Johto region. While Cyndaquil was often seen as timid and gentle, Quilava was built for battle. Its final form, Typhlosion, was legendary for its explosive temper.
Despite the disadvantage, the Quilava's eyes burned with fierce defiance.
"Sandslash, use Slash!"
The Sandslash's long, curved claws shimmered. It lunged with terrifying force. Quilava managed to roll out of the way, and the claws slammed into a nearby tree. With a sickening crunch, the trunk—as thick as a man's waist—was sheared clean through.
"That Sandslash is incredibly well-trained," Brock whispered, his eyes widening at the raw power of the move.
The trainer noticed Ash and the others watching. "Hey! Buzz off! I've been tracking this Quilava for a week. I finally cornered it, so don't even think about interfering, or you'll be next!"
"How rude can one person get?" Misty snapped, her hands on her hips.
"That guy isn't going to catch that Quilava," Ash said calmly, his eyes never leaving the fight. "He's not even in the same league."
As if proving Ash right, the Quilava seemed to grow tired of the Sandslash's advances. It curled into a ball, accelerating with a burst of speed that left the Sandslash spinning. Then, the fur on its head and back erupted into a searing pillar of flame.
A massive Flamethrower erupted, engulfing the Sandslash in an instant.
"Dammit!" the trainer yelled. Seeing his Sandslash defeated by a Pokémon it was supposed to counter, he lost his temper. He recalled the Sandslash and threw two more Poké Balls at once.
In two flashes of light, a massive Golem and a multi-tentacled Tentacruel appeared. Both were perfect counters for a Fire-type.
"Two against one? That's low!" Misty shouted, her sense of justice flaring up.
While there were no official laws against it in the wild, most trainers adhered to the unwritten code of one-on-one combat. Catching a Pokémon was supposed to be about earning its respect. A Pokémon caught through a cowardly ambush or unfair numbers would rarely obey its master.
"Since he's playing dirty, I think we have an opening," Ash said with a confident smirk. He already had a Poké Ball in his hand. "A Pokémon like that deserves a real trainer, don't you think?"
In the world of trainers, if you couldn't secure your prize, it was fair game.
"Pikachu, let's move! Iron Tail!"
"Pika!"
Pikachu launched himself from Ash's shoulder. His tail took on a cold, metallic sheen as he plummeted toward the Golem like a falling hammer.
"Golem, look out!" the trainer screamed.
BOOM!
Pikachu's Iron Tail smashed into the ground exactly where the Golem had been standing a second prior, cratering the earth and sending shards of rock flying.
"Who do you think you are?!" the stranger roared, his face turning red with rage.
"I'm a trainer who doesn't like bullies," Ash said, his voice cold and unwavering. "If you can't handle a Quilava fairly, then you don't deserve it. If you want to stop me, try it."
If the guy had been polite, Ash might have waited his turn. But with an attitude like that? All bets were off.
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt on Tentacruel! Let's show them how we do things!"
Sync Progress:
Heracross: 145/251
Bayleef: 165/200