[Super Ranking—Ash's Road to the Master Eight (II) Officially Begins.]
[Subtitle—Reunion After a Millennium, Destined Partners!]
[This ranking may include 'Q&A' and 'Guessing' modes. Please be prepared.]
The new Master Eight ranking began! Everyone fell silent to watch.
The subtitle was intriguing—"Reunion After a Millennium." Combined with the previous story... could it be?! Was Ash about to meet the reincarnated Lucario?
In the footage—
Picking up from where the battle with Leon ended, Ash and Chloe took a train back to Kanto. Chloe explained the rules of the World Coronation Series (WCS).
Ash vowed to become a Master Class trainer and face Leon on the ultimate stage!
However, the road was long. Over ten thousand trainers had registered! If Ash signed up now, his rank would be at the very bottom.
He needed to battle his way up through the Normal Class (Poké Ball), Great Class (Great Ball), and Ultra Class (Ultra Ball) before reaching the Master Class.
Ash returned to the Oak Lab and gathered his old team. "Everyone! I've decided to enter the World Coronation Series! It's a competition of the world's strongest trainers! I need your power! Our goal is... the World Championship!!"
The Pokémon erupted in cheers! Many had been "retired" in the backyard for too long, their fighting spirits dormant. Ash's call reignited their blood.
Even though many had never won a League, they believed Ash would lead them to the top of the world!
A few days later, Ash was itching for a fight but couldn't find an opponent. Professor Oak was applying for a Great Class Rank Locator, but since Ash was a "special case" (and a local hero), he was getting one early—it just took a few days.
While waiting at the Cerise Institute, Ash rotated his team to give them exercise, especially Infernape.
Since evolving, Infernape had been fighting almost every Fire-type in the backyard. Except for Charizard, no one could stand against him.
"Ash! Ash!!" Chloe suddenly burst into Ash's room, looking frantic. "What's wrong?" "Gengar is back!"
Ash dashed to the lab. Objects were flying everywhere, suspended by psychic force. Gengar was likely invisible. "Gengar, I know you're here.
Come out!" Suddenly, the floating objects hurled themselves at Ash!
"Buzz!" A transparent blue shield appeared in front of Ash, protecting him and Chloe. The objects bounced off harmlessly.
"Ash, what is this...?" "It's another application of Aura. I saw Sir Riley use it at Iron Island. After I learned to use Aura, I could manifest this barrier too."
Chloe stared blankly. "A... move?" First Dragon Dance, now a barrier like 'Protect'... Ash, are you actually human?!
[Riley: So, future Ash has met me! I likely didn't realize he was Sir Aaron's reincarnation.]
[Sabrina: Ash's control over Aura is incredibly refined. That barrier is no weaker than my psychic shields. I really want to battle him!]
The audience shuddered. They almost forgot—Sabrina was a total freak of nature, too! Her psychic powers rivaled Elite Four-level Pokémon.
One was a physical peak human, the other a mental peak human. If they fought... it would be a clash of titans.
Brock, standing near Ash, felt goosebumps. Sabrina was technically a "beautiful older sister," but she was the only one he dared not flirt with.
Back in Saffron City
Misty and Brock were turned into dolls and played with by Sabrina! To this day, both of them—not just Brock—harbor deep psychological scars regarding her.
Though she was eventually made to laugh by Haunter, and her personality supposedly softened... hopefully?
In the footage—
After Ash blocked Gengar's sneak attack with an Aura Barrier, he addressed the Ghost-type once more.
"Gengar! We mean no harm! I know you've lived here since before this was a lab. But this place has been renovated into Professor Cerise's Research Institute, and we can't exactly leave. If we're disturbing you, I can ask Professor Oak to help find you a new home!"
"Ging-ga!!"
Gengar materialized nearby, but Ash's words didn't calm him. Instead, he grew more furious! He raised his right hand, and a dark, purplish-black Shadow Ball coalesced at his fingertips before being hurled directly at Ash!
Pikachu instantly blurred in front of Ash, batting the Shadow Ball away with an Iron Tail! "Pika! Pikachu-pika!!" "Ging-ga!"
Pikachu scolded Gengar for attacking his trainer. Gengar's response was simple: this was his home, and no one could kick him out! Having activated his Aura, Ash could vaguely understand Gengar's intent.
This was a difficult situation. Professor Cerise had bought the building legally. While Gengar losing his home was sad, it wasn't a valid reason to drive everyone else out.
"Ging-ga!!"
Gengar threw several more Shadow Balls. This time, his targets weren't Ash, but Professor Cerise and the two researchers! They barely managed to dive out of the way; a direct hit from those would have sent them straight to the hospital.
"Gengar! That's enough! No one wants to hurt you, but attacking people is wrong!"
If Gengar had only targeted him, Ash wouldn't have minded. But the attacks were endangering the lab and the staff.
Ash's tone sharpened, and a powerful aura radiated from him, causing Gengar to freeze in his tracks. A serious Ash... was truly terrifying.
"Ging-ga..."
After a moment of hesitation, Gengar vanished. Ash's body pulsed with blue light. Through his Aura, he "saw" Gengar leaving the institute.
"Don't worry, everyone. Gengar has left for now."
Professor Cerise and the researchers sighed in relief. They were terrified Gengar would stay invisible and keep lobbing Shadow Balls.
"Ash, how did you know he left?" Chloe asked curiously. Without moves like Foresight or Odor Sleuth, tracking an invisible Gengar should be impossible.
"I can control Aura, which lets me perceive the life force of everything around me. Even if Gengar is invisible, his Aura can't hide from me."
Chloe was speechless. What kind of ghost-power is this?! Every day with Ash is a fresh shock to my understanding of humanity!!
Professor Cerise adjusted his glasses, stunned. "I didn't realize you had mastered Aura, Ash! That's a legendary power, rarer than psychics! I thought the training methods were lost to time... ah, sorry, that's likely a secret. I won't pry."
Ash waved it off. "It's not that big a deal, Professor. This power only recently developed. Thanks to it, I can actually sense my partners all over the world! Butterfree, Lapras, Greninja, Primeape... I'm planning to visit them soon!"
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