The hierarchy within Team Rocket was absolute. Beneath Giovanni stood his four trusted executives—Apollo, Ariana, Proton, and Petrel.
Each one was a powerhouse, elite trainers of Champion-level strength, second only to Giovanni himself. There were, of course, a few secret operatives whose names remained hidden even within Rocket's ranks, but those were stories for another day.
These four weren't just subordinates—they were Giovanni's most loyal creations, his instruments of control and destruction. Their orders came directly from him, unquestioned and absolute.
"Yes, Boss. I'll summon Apollo and Lance right away."
The grunt bowed deeply before leaving Giovanni's office. The sound of the steel door closing echoed in the cold silence of the Rocket headquarters.
That night, Ash stood alone in the open courtyard of his hotel. The cool wind brushed past him as he released every one of his Pokémon from their Poké Balls.
The entire team appeared before him—Pikachu, Steelix, Pidgeot, Arcanine, Suicune, Aerodactyl, Tyranitar, Venusaur, Scizor, Charizard, Gardevoir, and Eevee.
These were not merely Pokémon. They were family—the culmination of every battle, every hardship, every victory that Ash had earned since coming into this world.
He took a deep breath, voice trembling slightly as he faced them.
"You've all seen what happened today," he said. "I… don't know if I'll make it back this time. That's why I need to talk to you all, before I go."
His words wavered, the weight of reality sinking in. He'd faced danger before—legends, gods, even death itself—but this was different. Facing Mewtwo, a being born from pain and power, was like confronting the reflection of his own darkest self.
Ash smiled bitterly.
"I thought I was ready. But now that the time's come… it's harder than I expected. I don't want to leave any of you behind."
He looked around at the friends who had stood by him through every storm. The thought of never seeing them again stung deeply. Yet, even so, he couldn't let fear guide him now.
Mewtwo—once a creation of science, now a being of will—had reached its power through him. It had surpassed limits, become something close to divine. And in that sense, Ash knew… part of this was his responsibility.
He gazed at Pikachu, then at the others, memories flashing through his mind—every moment of laughter, of shared struggle, of trust.
"They say Pokémon and humans can't truly understand each other," Ash whispered, "but you've all proven that wrong."
To his surprise, several of his Pokémon stepped forward. Suicune and Dragonite in particular—his most powerful allies—roared softly, refusing to let him go alone. Their eyes burned with determination.
Ash chuckled faintly, wiping away a tear.
"You really don't make this easy, do you?"
"I know you want to come," he said, resting a hand on Suicune's head and then Dragonite's shoulder, "but this isn't a fight I can win with power alone.
If I go with you, Mewtwo will see it as proof that humans depend on Pokémon to survive. I want to show him that humanity isn't weak—that we can stand for something."
He paused, his expression softening as he turned toward Pikachu.
"You've been with me the longest, buddy. No matter what happens, I'm grateful. Every second of it."
Pikachu's ears drooped, and it squeaked sadly—but Ash smiled. "Don't give me that face. You know how strong I am. Besides…"
He flexed his arm playfully, trying to lighten the mood.
"Your trainer's got a few tricks left up his sleeve."
A ripple of laughter—growls, chirps, and cries—filled the courtyard. Even in this heavy moment, the bond between them glowed with warmth.
Ash looked at each of them in turn. "While I'm gone, protect everyone I care about. The Rockets might try something behind the scenes. I'm counting on you."
His gaze turned upward, to the starry sky above. "Once this is over, I'll do more than just fight. I want to build something. A place where Pokémon and people can live freely—together. A real paradise."
He smiled faintly, eyes burning with quiet resolve. "If I win… that's what comes next."
And even if he lost—he wouldn't die. Not completely.
He still had one final ace—his One-Time Copy Card, a trump card from the mysterious system that had guided him since he came to this world.
He had confirmed it before: activating it would instantly duplicate his body, allowing him to survive even the most fatal blow. And when it was used, time in this world would all but stop—slowing to a near halt.
That was his final safeguard. His unbreakable promise to live.
Ash took a final look at his partners—his family. "Alright," he whispered, voice steady.
"Let's make tomorrow worth it."
Under the starlight, surrounded by his Pokémon, Ash Ketchum stood silent, ready to face Mewtwo…not as a master commanding his team, but as a human who understood what it meant to care, to lose, and to fight—for hope.
Ash still had one last trump card—the Transformation Technique of Izanagi, a skill inherited from his brief time in the Naruto World. But it came with a cost. Once used, his strength would plummet drastically, leaving him nearly powerless afterward.
Worse yet, he had only one Full Restore Capsule left—the kind that could completely recover both body and stamina. That meant he could only use it once.
So rather than gamble everything on the dangerous Izanagi, Ash had chosen instead to rely on his One-Time Copy Card—his guaranteed safeguard against death itself.
When he told his Pokémon earlier that he didn't know if he'd come back… he wasn't lying. What he didn't tell them, though, was that he wasn't even sure if he'd return to this world at all.
If fate sent him back to the Naruto World, there was no promise of survival. It was a place where power came at the cost of one's soul, and death was never far away.
Ash still retained the Mangekyō Sharingan, and though its abilities—like Susanoo—granted formidable defense, they were not invincible. Without a true Chakra system of his own, every use of those powers strained him, leaving him dangerously exposed.
And once Susanoo's existence was discovered, it would only be a matter of time before powerful enemies targeted him again. It was, after all, a beacon of power and destruction in any world.
That night, after speaking to his Pokémon and preparing them for his absence, Ash finally felt a quiet stillness settle over him. But unknown to him, just behind the wall of the courtyard, Cynthia, Suzie, and Yuko Draconis were listening in silence.
None of them spoke. Tears streamed down Cynthia's face as she pressed a trembling hand over her mouth to muffle her sobs. Even Suzie, who had always maintained her composure, couldn't hold back the ache in her chest.
For Yuko, who had seen countless battles and losses within the Draconis family, the scene cut deeper than she expected. Watching Ash—someone who had carried so much—walk willingly into danger once more… it hurt.
Perhaps, at that moment, even Suzie realized the truth she had been avoiding all this time. That the feelings she had for Ash weren't just admiration or friendship—they were love. Quiet, painful, and pure.
That night, Ash never returned to his room. He stayed with his Pokémon beneath the stars, sitting among them in silence, surrounded by warmth and memory.
When dawn came, and the morning light brushed across the sky, his place beside the fire was empty.
All that remained was an envelope.
Pikachu woke first. Its ears twitched, sensing something was wrong. The others stirred one by one—Charizard, Suicune, Venusaur—but there was no sign of Ash anywhere. Panic flashed in Pikachu's eyes as it noticed the letter lying neatly where Ash had been sitting.
The little Pokémon snatched the envelope up and sprinted toward the hotel as fast as it could, its tiny paws echoing against the stone path. It ran through the quiet morning streets, straight toward the room where Cynthia was staying.
Bursting through the door, Pikachu held the letter up with trembling paws, eyes wide and desperate.
Cynthia froze, heart dropping as she recognized the familiar handwriting on the envelope.
Her name—written in Ash's hand.
For a moment, no one moved. Then, with shaking fingers, Cynthia took the letter, tears welling up once again before she even began to read.
...
TN:
⚡ Pa-treon-com/LordMerlin (Support me! 😊)