Ash was momentarily stunned.
He did not fully understand how this strange black dumbbell was connected to Primeape, but since Gengar had said so, there was no doubt about its importance. At the very least, Gengar would never joke about something this serious.
Ash did not hesitate.
"Then go ahead and use it," he said without pause. "I'll thank you on Primeape's behalf."
Gengar froze.
"You really trust me that much?" he asked, staring at Ash with a strange expression. "You're not afraid I'll just keep this for myself? Do you even understand what this thing means to a Ghost-type Pokémon?"
"I don't," Ash admitted honestly. "But you're my Pokémon. Why wouldn't I trust you?"
This time, it was Ash who looked confused, as if asking what kind of ridiculous question that even was. Trusting his own Pokémon was simply natural to him.
Gengar stared at him for several seconds.
Then he laughed softly.
"You really are naïve," he said. "But in this case, you're right to be."
He finally stopped teasing and explained plainly.
"For Ghost-type Pokémon, this item increases energy absorption efficiency by at least fifty percent. It boosts move execution speed and, after complete absorption, can even improve aptitude. This is an unquestionable god-tier item for Ghost-types."
Professor Oak, standing nearby, rolled his eyes.
If he had known Gengar understood this much, he would have handed the thing over immediately instead of spending days researching it himself.
Oak's research had only confirmed that the dumbbell amplified Ghost-type power, enhanced training efficiency, and boosted Ghost-type damage. He had not uncovered the deeper effects Gengar mentioned.
Time had simply been too short.
Still, Oak had already confirmed one thing. This item was exclusive to Ghost-types. Other Pokémon could not benefit from it at all. For them, it was worthless.
A treasure to Ghost-types. Trash to everyone else.
Gengar continued, his tone growing serious.
"I need to be clear with you. If things go well and Primeape evolves like we expect, then using this item is absolutely worth it."
He paused deliberately.
"But if things go wrong, the loss will be enormous. Primeape will at most gain a Ghost attribute and nothing more. Compared to the value of this item, that outcome is completely unacceptable."
Everyone listened in silence.
"So I'll ask you plainly," Gengar said. "After hearing all this, do you still want to gamble this item on Primeape's evolution?"
He explained the stakes clearly.
No matter whether Primeape succeeded or failed, the item would eventually be consumed.
If Primeape succeeded, he would become the first of his kind in the world. A permanent evolution that defied the rules themselves.
If he failed, the item would be gone, and the gain would be marginal at best.
And Ash had another option.
He could let Primeape continue developing the Ghost attribute naturally. It would cost almost nothing, but no one knew how long it would take. The price would be Primeape's time and potentially his future growth.
Use the item and gamble big, or choose patience and sacrifice time.
The answer came instantly.
"Use it."
Only two words.
But they carried Ash's resolve.
He would never trade a Pokémon's future for his own benefit.
No matter how precious the item was, no matter how much it could boost Gengar or anyone else, Ash would always place his Pokémon first.
Even if Primeape could not evolve due to the world's restrictions, so what?
Gaining a Ghost attribute alone was already a significant improvement. That was still an investment in Primeape's future.
If Gengar had needed the item more, Ash would have given it to him without hesitation. But from start to finish, Gengar had never once shown the desire to keep it for himself.
Hearing Ash's answer, Gengar swayed back and forth, then laughed.
"You really are a blockhead Trainer," he said. "And I suppose I'm a blockhead ghost too. Faced with such a treasure, my first thought wasn't to swallow it, but to give it to my disciple."
"Hocha? Hocha hocha!"
Primeape suddenly protested.
Disciple? Since when did he become Gengar's disciple?
Gengar froze.
The next moment, he exploded.
"You ungrateful monkey! I've personally guided you this entire time. If you're not my apprentice, then what are you?! That Ghost attribute inside you was cultivated by me!"
"Hocha hocha!"
That's my talent! You're just a companion. Companions help each other. That's normal!
A bulging vein appeared on Gengar's forehead.
"Who taught you to talk like that?!" he snapped. "Ash, was this your doing?!"
Ash waved his hands frantically.
"Don't blame me! I only taught him how to train. I didn't teach him how to argue!"
Brock chuckled.
"Monkeys have always been mischievous," he said. "Primeape was already like that when he was a Mankey. Otherwise, Ash wouldn't have met him."
Back then, the little Mankey had tried to steal Ash's hat. That prank was what started everything.
After the brief outburst, Gengar slowly calmed down, then laughed again.
He was not angry.
If anything, the scene warmed him deeply.
In a thousand years, he had rarely experienced moments like this. Casual banter. Laughter. Companionship.
Standing among them, Gengar felt something he had almost forgotten.
It truly was wonderful to be by Ash's side.
Ash's arrival had ended his long, empty existence and brought color back into his world.
Inside his Poké Ball, Mewtwo watched the scene unfold and could not help but form a faint, knowing smile.
This kind of warmth, this casual laughter and trust, was something he would never have experienced within Team Rocket.
As the conversation wound down, Gengar led Primeape away from the crowd. He was preparing for the process involving the black dumbbell, and Ash was summoned along as well. With Ash and Mewtwo present, two beings who stood firmly at God Level, the fusion would be far smoother, and the success rate would approach perfection.
That was precisely why Gengar had said failure was impossible.
The only scenario that could be considered a "failure" would be Primeape refusing to evolve even after a flawless fusion. Beyond that, there were no variables left.
The absolute worst case was the loss of the black dumbbell itself.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
During those three days, Ash returned fully to the public eye.
He had always been like this. Either he vanished entirely, or he reappeared only to shock the world.
After a long absence, Ash's first public act was annihilating two ultra-giant Pokémon in full view of the Alliance. Even though their complete strength had not been fully displayed, a single glance was enough to tell that those monsters were extraordinary.
Yet Ash dealt with them effortlessly.
What level had he reached now?
More importantly, the Pokémon that accomplished this feat was something no one had ever seen before.
It was not among the Pokémon Ash had previously used, nor did it exist in any known records. Even the most knowledgeable experts could not identify it.
Some professors even contacted Professor Oak directly, asking whether Ash's Pokémon was a newly discovered species. Oak brushed them off with practiced ease. The fewer people who knew about Mewtwo, the better.
Whether their curiosity was academic or self-serving did not matter. Mewtwo's origins and power were not information that could be shared.
Ash's mysterious Pokémon was only part of the issue.
The real source of unease was Ash himself.
Judging by the performance of those two giant Pokémon, they were at least Elite Four Level, possibly even above High Elite Four Level. Yet Ash had defeated them in an instant.
One-shot.
And Ash was only fifteen.
What kind of fifteen-year-old possessed such monstrous power?
Looking at his background made it even more terrifying. Before beginning his journey, Ash had never formally trained Pokémon at all. He was a true rookie. From his first step onto the road until now, only half a year had passed.
In all recorded history, no Trainer like this had ever existed.
Even Leon and Cynthia fell short in comparison.
Cynthia, the youngest Champion in history, was only twenty this year. Though her overall power still lagged behind Leon's, her comprehensive ability placed her firmly at world number two. She was hailed as a once-in-a-generation genius, with the media claiming it was only a matter of time before she surpassed Leon.
How large the actual gap between them was, only Cynthia herself knew.
Leon was famous for overwhelming strength.
Cynthia was famous for talent.
Both were monsters.
Yet Ash made them look almost… normal.
An eighteen-year-old Champion had once been considered unprecedented.
Now, it seemed that even that record might be broken.
At this rate, Ash could very well become Champion before turning eighteen. Worse still, unlike Cynthia, Ash had not even trained Pokémon before his journey began. His talent was not just greater. It was on an entirely different level.
Because of this, most people already believed the outcome of the Indigo Plateau Conference was decided.
This was a rookie League, after all. Participants had at most two years of travel experience.
Under those conditions, someone who could casually defeat Elite Four Level Pokémon was completely unbeatable.
Who could possibly stand against him?
Still, not everyone was despairing.
The reward for entering Dragon Island did not require winning the championship. Only the top two or three qualified. As long as they did not encounter Ash early, many Trainers still believed they had a chance at second or third place.
Today, the Indigo Plateau Conference officially began.
The previous day had seen the torch relay and the ceremonial passing of the sacred flame. Today was the ignition ceremony and the true opening of the Conference.
The sacred flame was drawn from Moltres.
As a Legendary Pokémon, even the fire that burned upon Moltres's body carried immense prestige.
If there existed a flame superior to Moltres's, it would be Ho-Oh's. Unfortunately, Ho-Oh had not appeared publicly for centuries. Obtaining its flames was even less realistic than obtaining Entei's.
Unbeknownst to most, Ho-Oh's exclusive flames already burned within Charizard.
The Indigo Stadium was packed beyond capacity.
Professor Oak, Delia, and Blaine were all present in the stands. It was the first official League Conference for both Ash and Gary, and they would not miss it for anything.
Tickets were incredibly scarce, but for Professor Oak, that was a trivial matter.
Ash and Gary themselves had floor passes as participants, so seating was not an issue.
As the crowd settled, Mr. Goodshow, President of the League, arrived. The host raised the microphone.
"Now, the opening ceremony of the Kanto League Indigo Plateau Conference officially begins. All participants, please enter the arena."
From every entrance, Trainers poured into the vast stadium.
Ash and Gary were placed in different groups. Ash, with Pikachu perched confidently on his shoulder, immediately stood out.
Though it was their first League Conference, neither showed a trace of stage fright. Their posture was straight, their steps firm. The confidence they radiated alone marked them as extraordinary.
"Ash, go for it!"
Chloe shouted from the stands beside Misty, hands cupped around her mouth.
As Ash's childhood friend, there was no way she would miss this.
Dr. Cerise's entire family was present as well. They had watched Ash grow and owed him more than they could count.
Amid the roar of the crowd, Ash caught Chloe's voice. He looked up, smiled, and raised his thumb. Pikachu mirrored the gesture enthusiastically.
After all participants had assembled, the torchbearer sprinted toward the ignition platform carrying the sacred flame.
At that moment, Ash's eyes narrowed.
Something was wrong.
The two individuals positioned to receive the sacred flame on the platform did not feel right at all.