"Really… don't forget to invite me when it's time to celebrate your wedding." Ash smiled lightly as he spoke.
For a brief moment, several familiar figures flashed through his mind.
"If it works out, you'll definitely be invited," Shintaro replied, tightening his grip on the brooch, his eyes filled with determination.
The next day…
"Ash and I are heading out. Do your best." Early in the morning, after getting ready, Ash and Sabrina prepared to leave for the nearby island to continue investigating Lugia.
"Don't worry… this time, I won't hesitate." Shintaro nodded firmly.
After escorting them to the crossroads leading toward the island, the two sides parted ways. The next time they met, perhaps Ash really would be attending his wedding.
"What were you two talking about?" Sabrina asked, slightly puzzled. She had slept deeply the night before and had no idea what happened.
"If things go well, next time we meet Shintaro, we might be drinking at his wedding," Ash replied casually, gently patting Pikachu on his shoulder.
Hearing this, Sabrina fell silent for a moment.
A quiet image formed in her mind… one where she and Ash walked together into a wedding hall.
That future did not feel distant.
After all, when Ash married Cynthia, she and the others would inevitably be part of it as well.
Ash chose not to dwell on such matters. Thinking too much about it would only complicate things, and relationships like this were always the hardest to handle.
To reach the nearby island, they had to pass through a tunnel. The passage would be submerged by seawater in the afternoon, so it could only be crossed in the morning.
That was why they had stayed overnight before coming here.
After passing through the tunnel, Ash and Sabrina spotted a Cloyster in the grass, its shell turned slightly away. The moment Ash sensed its aura, he felt something familiar.
"Xiao Heng…?"
A memory surfaced in his mind, the Kanto League, the trainer he had faced in the later rounds.
"Cloyster!"
Hearing Ash's voice, the Cloyster turned around and nodded happily. It was indeed the same Pokémon that had once battled Pikachu.
"Pika!" Pikachu greeted it enthusiastically.
"Brother-in-law, long time no see. Didn't expect you'd change how you address me so quickly."
A voice followed.
Ash turned and saw a young man carrying a large travel bag. His appearance was somewhat similar to Ash's, but his hair was snow white.
"It's you… no wonder this Cloyster felt so familiar." Ash chuckled, reaching out to pat Cloyster's shell.
The person in front of him was Lorelei's younger brother, Nathan Glacienne.
As for the title, Ash did not mind. After the Whirl Islands incident, things had already been made clear, so it was only natural.
"Yeah. I originally planned to challenge the Johto League, but then I heard about the mysterious Pokémon here. After looking into it, I realized the legends might be connected to Lugia."
"So I decided to stay for a while. Maybe I'll get lucky and see Lugia with my own eyes. Thanks to you, though, my strength has improved a lot."
Nathan spoke honestly.
After their previous battle, although he had appeared calm, he had begun questioning his own battle style. Inspired by Ash's approach, he trained intensively and refined his methods.
Now, even among strong trainers like Gary and others, Nathan would be considered a difficult opponent.
The analytical battle style he followed was hard to master, but once successful, it became incredibly powerful.
"I'm here for the same reason," Ash said, glancing at the surrounding sea. "Have you found anything?"
"Since it's Lugia, there should be a pattern," Nathan replied. "Based on the information I've gathered, there's one place that stands out. It's the most suspicious location… and the most likely place for Lugia to appear."
Nathan shared everything he had learned.
He had not come to capture Lugia. Like many trainers, he simply wanted to witness a Legendary Pokémon with his own eyes.
Even if it took a long time, even a single glimpse would make it all worthwhile.
"Then it seems the information we gathered is similar. There is indeed a power here that resembles Lugia's. That alone confirms it… there must be a Lugia here."
Ash spoke after hearing Nathan's report. Ever since arriving on this island, his perception had already picked up a presence similar to Lugia.
However, he still could not pinpoint its exact location.
Most likely, this Lugia was deep beneath the sea. At such a close distance, if it were near the surface, Ash would have already sensed its precise position.
"Have you explored most of the area here?" Ash asked, looking around.
The islands in this region were fragmented, as if something had violently torn them apart long ago. Within a single stretch of sea, there were seven or eight small islands, each with only a handful of houses.
"Yeah, I've covered about half so far," Nathan replied, pointing ahead. "Today, I was planning to check that uninhabited island over there."
"Perfect. Let's go take a look together," Ash said with a nod.
Although he could not yet locate Lugia precisely, he had already confirmed its presence.
Now, aside from finding it, there was something even more important…
He needed to uncover the truth behind why Lugia had destroyed the Whirl Islands.