"Mewtwo, are you okay?!" Ash rushed to Mewtwo's side, his heart aching at the sight of the injuries. This "sparring" was a bit too intense, wasn't it?
'I'm fine. It looks worse than it is. With that fountain, I'll recover in ten minutes.' S-Mewtwo raised a palm, guiding a stream of life-giving water to wrap around his body.
In less than five minutes, he was restored. Red's Mewtwo used Recover twice and was back to peak condition as well. They had fought hard, but without true malice.
'So? Is my level sufficient to guide you?' R-Mewtwo asked. '...For now, you are stronger. But I will surpass you.''Hmph! Try it if you have the skill!' S-Mewtwo acknowledged R-Mewtwo's strength and decided to follow his lead for training.
But first—it was time to get Ash to the Indigo Plateau!
With a single Teleport, S-Mewtwo transported Ash, Misty, and Brock directly to the stadium. Despite being early, the place was a sea of people.
As soon as Ash appeared, he was swarmed by fans asking for autographs, photos, and handshakes.
Between his own recent performances and the massive exposure from the Rankings, Ash was easily the most famous person in the world right now.
Beside him, Red—though dressed similarly to his ten-year-old self—had matured significantly, and most people didn't immediately recognize him as the living legend.
Ash, initially enjoying the limelight, quickly realized being a star was exhausting. After thirty minutes of non-stop handshaking, even his "Super Pallet-man" constitution began to flag.
He shot a pleading look at Misty and Brock, but they simply ignored him, letting him face the consequences of his initial vanity.
"Ash, haven't you entered the arena yet?" A gentle voice drifted over. Ash looked up as if seeing a savior. Cynthia, dressed in blue casual wear, was standing nearby, eating an ice cream cone.
"Ah! Miss Cynthia! I was just about to go in! Let's go together!" Ash begged. Cynthia licked her ice cream, thought for a moment, and smiled playfully.
"I see, you're with your fans. You can't let them down, Ash. Finish up with them, and I'll see you inside~" She left him with a graceful wave of her back. Ash was petrified.
"Misty... Brock..." Misty finally softened. "Learned your lesson? Being a celebrity isn't easy." She signaled to Ash.
"Release Bulbasaur." Bulbasaur appeared, looking confused at the crowd. "Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip to grab Ash and toss him into the stadium!" Bulbasaur hesitated, but Misty reminded him of Ash's "monster" durability shown in the rankings.
Without another thought, Bulbasaur bound Ash's arms and hurled him like a projectile toward the entrance! Ash, Misty, and Brock finally escaped the mob.
Inside the stadium, the atmosphere was thick. Red walked in calmly—he didn't have a ticket, but a small Teleport solved that. He noted that among the fans, there were several "ill-intentioned" individuals.
'I used my powers to wipe the malicious thoughts from their minds,' S-Mewtwo's voice echoed in Ash's head. 'However, removing the 'bad' side amplified their admiration, which is why the fans were so much more frantic than usual.'
Ash's thank-you note got stuck in his throat. So it was your fault they were that crazy!
They reached the stands just in time to see Gary's match. Gary was struggling. He had grown arrogant while holding an early lead, and his opponent had clawed back into the game.
"Gary is making the same mistake Blue used to," Red analyzed. "He got cocky. But he's snapped out of it now. Even in a Type-disadvantage, he should win.
A truly strong trainer overcomes Type-disadvantages." Ash blinked. "So... overcoming Type-disadvantage makes you strong?" Red: 'Is there something wrong with your reading comprehension? I said strong trainers CAN overcome it, not that it's the definition of strength!'
As predicted, a calm Gary used his Blastoise to defeat a Venusaur, advancing to the Top 4. He was officially dubbed the "Genius of Kanto."
Ash and Gary shared some trademark banter before Ash decided to head back to the training grounds near Oak's Lab for some real work.
Red wanted to test the "Ash-Pikachu Form." They stood in the training field: Red's "Round-faced" Pikachu vs. Ash's Pikachu. Ash pulled out the ranking reward—the special hat—and placed it on Pikachu's head.
Instantly, a shockwave of energy rippled between them. Ash felt a connection deeper than Telepathy. It was Mind-Sync. Consciousness sharing. He knew exactly what Pikachu felt without a single word.
"Let's go, Pikachu!" "Pika!" In an instant, Ash's Pikachu became a streak of white light. "Quick Attack!" Red's Pikachu dodged with a side-leap, his expression turning serious. He had fought Ash's Pikachu many times, but this speed was on a different level.
"Thunderbolt!" "Block it!" Red countered. He wanted to test the output. BOOM! The two golden currents collided, deadlocking in the center.
Red's Pikachu was holding back to match Ash's level, but the fact that he had to put in effort was telling.
In the stands, Misty and Brock were dazed. "Is that... really Ash's Pikachu?" Misty whispered. "I can't even track him with my eyes anymore," Brock muttered.
Suddenly, a figure appeared behind them. "So, the one Ash is fighting... is Red?" It was Cynthia, wearing her sun hat and a green casual outfit.
"Shh, don't disturb them. Let me watch quietly," Misty was startled.
"Miss Cynthia! Shouldn't you be at the VIP table?"
"Hehe, I snuck out" Misty felt a cold sweat. Cynthia's "Ice Queen" persona was definitely just a front.
On the field, the battle reached a fever pitch. Ash was panting as hard as Pikachu. The Ash-Pikachu form, much like the Ash-Greninja bond, synchronized their physical stamina.
"Almost done, Ash?" Red asked. "I'd place this strength at a high-tier Elite Four level." "Not... huff... not yet!" Ash shouted. "Get ready for this last one, Red!"
Ash took a deep breath and crossed his arms. The black-and-silver Z-Ring on his wrist erupted in a brilliant light. The crystal slotted inside was the Pikashunium Z. Misty and Cynthia gasped. "He's going to use it? 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt?!"
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