"What should we do first?" Mewtwo asked, staring at the small island that had been reduced to barren land because of his battle with Ash.
"It's actually perfect like this," Ash replied.
"Since the island is empty, I'll have Venusaur create a new virgin forest. With Mokuton, Venusaur can shape houses, terrain—pretty much anything we need. It'll take time, but we're free now anyway."
After answering, Ash released all of his Pokémon. Once he explained the plan, Venusaur began using Mokuton to grow a primitive forest across the island.
"At this speed, Venusaur will need at least a year to finish," Mewtwo said, frowning. A year was fast by normal standards, but for him, it still felt slow.
"It's fine," Ash said calmly. "In a few days I should get a chance to break through—assuming I make it back safely."
"You're leaving? How long? And what kind of danger?"
The moment Ash finished speaking, Mewtwo's brows tightened. He trusted Ash's strength, but when it came to humans beyond Ash's circle of friends and family, Mewtwo's attitude remained indifferent at best.
"Of course I'm leaving. Did you think breakthroughs just… happen on their own?" Ash gave a wry smile.
"Don't worry. Even though I have to leave, from your perspective I'll only be gone for at most a day."
His tone darkened. Hokage-style training arcs were one thing—but the mortality rate in those "special trial dimensions" was nothing to joke about.
Ash had once believed he could survive anything, but as the moment approached, even he felt uneasy.
"For us…? Are you planning to enter another dimension?"
Mewtwo asked in disbelief.
Alternate dimensions did exist, but even as a Legendary Pokémon, he couldn't open them—let alone locate the entry point.
Even Arceus, the creator, could only perform temporary time distortions, not true dimensional travel.
"I know it sounds ridiculous," Ash said, "but although my power is psychic, most of my ability manifests through ocular techniques. That means my evolution and breakthroughs work differently. This time… I have a strong feeling I can succeed."
Ash didn't mention the system. That remained his deepest secret.
But once he left, Mewtwo would be the one protecting the people Ash cared about.
Time itself inside the dimension was unstable. The system had warned him: sometimes a moment inside equaled hours outside; sometimes hours equaled a day. The unpredictability only made Ash more anxious.
"Isn't it too dangerous? What if you never come back? Instead of risking a dimensional dive, you could stay here. With our strength, lifespan doesn't even matter anymore—we might live hundreds of years."
The danger of alternate spaces was infamous even among Legendary Pokémon.
Some were like black holes—whoever entered never returned.
"No," Ash said firmly.
"I don't have the luxury of choosing. I have to pass through this dimension. I just need you to take care of everyone while I'm gone."
His current strength granted a long lifespan—three to four hundred years easily—but it was still not true immortality.
Mewtwo, on the other hand, could live millennia.
"…Fine," Mewtwo finally said.
"Anyone would be tempted by the chance to grow stronger. Even me. If I had such an opportunity, I'd probably take the risk myself. When are you leaving? Don't worry about the situation here—I'll handle it."
"Tonight," Ash answered.
"I'm not sure how time flows between dimensions, but one thing is certain: when I leave, time here will pass more slowly than the dimension I enter."
He exhaled.
"If I'm lucky, I'll be back within a day of this world's time. If I'm unlucky… maybe a month."
The unstable time dilation worried him, but the system had given him a method—one that would at least guarantee his return to this world as soon as possible.
"Unlucky? So you're saying you can return to this world no matter whether the breakthrough succeeds or fails?"
Mewtwo was stunned. Dimensional spaces weren't toys—they weren't something you walked into and out of like picking cabbages from a field.
"Of course," Ash snorted. "My wife is here. I'm not going off to die."
Mewtwo had barely finished speaking before Ash shot him a disdainful look.
That afternoon, Ash also received a message from Professor Oak.
The League had reached a conclusion: they would directly waive Ash's challenge against the Elite Four and Champion.
Ash would be officially recognized as Kanto's strongest Champion.
The battle between Ash and Mewtwo had been fully recorded by satellite. Once broadcast publicly across every major city, no one would be able to object.
As for Ash's request to establish a city, the League approved that as well.
With Ash's current status, they had absolutely no reason—or ability—to refuse. A city was minor compared to the authority he already held. Kanto had many cities; adding one more was hardly a burden.
Besides, Ash wasn't just Kanto's pride anymore.
He was already acknowledged by the other regional alliances. Even though each region competed fiercely behind the scenes, none of them were foolish enough to hinder Ash. Not with the kind of strength he possessed.
Every region was currently scrambling to strengthen itself—because if they didn't, they would be overshadowed completely by Kanto.
Kanto, once mocked as the weakest region, now walked with its head held high.
That old reputation was gone—buried forever.
With Champion Ash standing at the peak, Kanto had become the strongest region in the world—and would remain so for a long time.
...
TN:
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