The newcomer was none other than Ash's childhood friend—and greatest rival—Gary Oak. Among all the powerful opponents Ash had faced, Gary was different.
He was the rival who had grown up alongside him, the one who pushed him beyond his limits time and time again.
Though Gary often teased Ash as a "loser" in the past, he had never truly looked down on him. Only Ash could ignite Gary's full fighting spirit.
Eventually, Gary had set aside his path as a competitive trainer to pursue research, following in his grandfather's footsteps.
Even so, his strength remained undeniable. Aside from their battle at the Silver Conference, Ash had rarely defeated him—and Pikachu, in particular, had an infamous zero-percent win rate against Gary's team.
"I should be asking you that. Don't you know the Slumbering Weald is off-limits?" Gary said.
"I'm here because it's forbidden," Ash replied.
Gary paused, then narrowed his eyes in realization. "You're here because of the crisis in Galar, aren't you?"
Ash blinked in surprise, discovering that Gary had come for the exact same reason. The two quickly exchanged information, after which Gary let out an exasperated sigh.
"You're as reckless as ever! You rushed in without even knowing what's inside?"
"Hehe… Professor Cerise told me there were clues here to save Galar. I didn't know it involved Legendary Pokémon until you said it."
Through Gary, Ash learned that those "clues" referred to Zacian and Zamazenta. Gary had uncovered this information after crossing paths with Cynthia and Sonia.
While the two women focused on researching the Darkest Day, Gary had taken it upon himself to explore the forest. As a researcher, the mystery of Legendary Pokémon naturally drew him in.
But beyond that, he shared something fundamental with Ash—a heart that couldn't ignore a region in danger.
Pikachu leapt down from Ash's shoulder to greet Umbreon. The two had been rivals since Umbreon's days as an Eevee, and their bond ran just as deep as that of their trainers.
"Shall we head in?" Gary asked.
"Of course. We're not just going to stand here feeding mosquitoes," Ash joked.
"Don't slow me down, Gary!"
"Hah, I should be saying that to you. Let's not mess up this long-overdue team-up."
The two bumped fists, then walked side by side into the dense fog, their figures gradually disappearing into the mist.
...
[Professor Oak:] "Gary has matured so much in this future… I wonder when my grandson in this timeline will become like that."
[Red:] "I can see a trace of Blue's maturity in him."
[Wallace:] "Gary and Blue are two sides of the same coin. Blue simply matured faster. It seems that in this future, not only Ash—but Gary as well—has grown."
[Caitlin:] "What a wonderful friendship. Don't they make an incredible team?"
[Flint:] "Watching them together just feels right."
[Bruno:] "Gary was such a fierce rival early on. Why didn't we see him during Hoenn or Sinnoh? He wasn't even at the Lily of the Valley Conference."
Some began to notice that while Ash's journey had been thoroughly documented, Gary seemed to fade from the competitive stage after a certain point. Had he truly retired after the Silver Conference to become a researcher?
[Professor Oak:] "Perhaps he truly will follow my path…"
[Lorelei:] "What path? Becoming a researcher?"
[Gary:] "Hey! Are you implying something's wrong with that? Is this how an Elite Four member speaks? Have you no shame?!"
[Lorelei:] "Hehe, just teasing~"
Lorelei gave a playful wink, but Gary turned away, clearly unwilling to engage further.
[Agatha:] "Oh, you old fool… you're just saying he's exactly like you were back then, aren't you?"
Professor Oak had once walked the path of a trainer before becoming a renowned researcher. Agatha knew him well enough to see the resemblance.
[Professor Oak:] "Well… perhaps he truly is just like me."
[Caitlin:] "What does 'like you' even mean? Don't speak in riddles!"
The younger generation was unfamiliar with the legends of Oak's youth, but the Professor chose not to elaborate, instead shifting attention back to the footage.
...
In the footage—
Ash and Gary ventured deeper into the Slumbering Weald. The fog thickened to the point where they could barely see their own hands.
To assist, Ash had Pikachu emit a faint electric glow, illuminating their surroundings. Gary adapted immediately, their long-standing partnership allowing for seamless coordination.
But when a soft blue Aura began to radiate from Ash's body—
Gary froze in shock.
"Ash… did you finally turn into a Pokémon?"
"What?!" Ash snapped.
"I always knew your physical abilities were abnormal, but I didn't think you'd actually evolve into a Pokémon! And you even learned Flash?!"
"This is Aura! Aura! Do you even know what it means to be an Aura Guardian?"
Gary blinked, then smirked faintly. "Aura… that legendary power? It really is you, Ash. Looks like you're getting closer and closer to becoming a Pokémon Master."
Ash nodded firmly. "Of course. I will become a Pokémon Master—no doubt about it. And you, Gary… you're probably close to being called a Pokémon Professor, right?"
"Heh, things are progressing well. I should earn the title within the year."
"Seriously? That would make you the youngest Professor in history!"
As the two continued forward, chatting casually amidst the dangerous fog, their conversation sent ripples through the observing world.
...
[Professor Oak:] "So Gary really did follow my old path… I'm not sure whether that's good or bad."
[Professor Kukui:] "Gary had talent equal to Blue's, and such pride during the Indigo League. To switch paths so decisively… that takes courage."
It wasn't a decision born from weakness—
but from conviction.
[Diantha:] "With his talent, Gary would succeed no matter the path. But a fifteen-year-old Professor? Has anything like that ever happened before?"
[Wallace:] "What's more impressive is his change in temperament. At the beginning, Gary and Ash constantly clashed. Now, he acknowledges Ash's growth and genuinely supports him. That's true maturity."
...
Back at the Oak laboratory—
Gary watched his future self with complicated emotions.
Appearing in such footage was beneficial—it meant recognition, perhaps even rewards. But the contrast between his current self and the version on screen was stark. His future self had shed arrogance and abandoned petty jealousy.
If it were him now, he would have envied Ash's Aura.
But that version of him…
was sincerely happy for his friend.
Gary folded his arms, deep in thought.
Perhaps… in that future, he had already defeated Ash so many times that competition had simply grown dull. Maybe becoming a researcher was his way of giving Ash a chance.
After all—
as long as he remained in the arena,
Ash would never become a Pokémon Master.
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