A beam of light shot out from the black screen and landed in front of the Pokémon Center in Silver Town.
In Ash's hands appeared a tightly bound piece of ancient parchment—the so-called Ancient Charizard Training Method.
Just from the parchment's texture alone, one could tell how truly old this thing was.
"The Ancient Charizard Training Method, huh? Let's see… first, prepare the feed—grind up Chesto and Sitrus Berries, mix them together, then add a Fire Gem and powdered Sunny Herb in a ratio of 1:1:1:4, and place it into the Pokéblock Maker…"
Ash unfolded the scroll and started reading—
but the Pokéblock preparation instructions at the very start already made his head spin.
Then Brock helpfully listed the prices of those ingredients for him.
Ash's face instantly turned pale.
According to Brock's estimates, ten servings of the materials cost as much as a brand-new bicycle!
"This isn't a training method—this is a money-burning method!"
As the Q&A segment ended, the black screen's battle footage resumed.
In the Black World—
Ash looked at the charging Onix, a sly grin curling on his lips.
"You fell right into my trap… Pikachu, use Grass Knot!"
Brock: "???"
Misty: "???"
Wait, what? Grass Knot? That's not a move Pikachu can learn, is it?!
Before Brock could even react, Pikachu's expression turned just as devious.
With a small wave of his paw, a flicker of green light appeared in his hand—
Then, right in front of the charging Onix, two vines of verdant energy shot up from the ground, coiling tightly around the midpoint of Onix's stony body!
Caught completely off guard, Onix was yanked off balance and slammed face-first into the floor!
The enormous serpent tumbled helplessly across the battlefield, crashing past Pikachu and flying out of bounds.
BOOM!
Onix hit the ground outside the arena, the impact shaking the whole Gym.
Grass Knot is a move that deals more damage the heavier the opponent is.
And for a heavyweight like Onix—
the damage was off the charts!
Moreover, Grass is quadruple effective against Rock/Ground-types like Onix.
Even though it wasn't Pikachu's same-type move, it was still enough for a clean one-hit KO!
As expected, Onix lay motionless at the edge of the field like a toppled statue—completely incapacitated.
"We won… Pikachu, we did it!!"
"Pika pika!!"
Seeing Onix lose the ability to fight, Ash could no longer hold back his excitement.
He ran forward, scooped Pikachu into his arms, and tossed him joyfully into the air.
Pikachu squeaked happily in response, tail sparkling.
No matter how harsh their past training had been,
this was their first official League battle victory.
And even though Ash had a mature mind for his age, he was still a ten-year-old boy.
Until this moment, he had been suppressing his emotions, forcing himself to stay calm and analytical.
But now that victory was his, he could finally let it all out.
In this moment, one could finally see—beneath the steely composure—how similar Black World Ash was to White World Ash.
Brock silently recalled his fallen Onix and looked at the celebrating pair with a faint smile.
"The strongest rookie from Pallet Town… indeed deserving of the title."
He stepped forward, holding out a small badge shaped like a rock.
"This Boulder Badge belongs to you.
If I may ask… how did your Pikachu manage to learn both Iron Tail and Grass Knot?"
Ash set Pikachu down, accepted the badge, and answered with a grin.
"Thanks, Gym Leader Brock! As for the move thing…"
"Well, Pikachu's an Electric-type, right? So naturally, I had to prepare some countermeasures against Ground-types."
"Iron Tail expands our offensive options. I realized Pikachu's tail is really strong, so I thought—why not teach him that move?"
"As for Grass Knot… that's specifically to deal with Ground-types!"
"Most Ground Pokémon are heavy and slow, so Grass Knot is perfect for handling them!"
"To learn it, Pikachu and I spent three whole days and nights in a flower field, just trying to feel the essence of nature!"
As he recalled that, Ash's smile faltered slightly, replaced by a look of mild trauma.
Even Pikachu shivered a little at the memory.
Sure, flowers were beautiful—but staring at them nonstop for three straight days and nights?
Even the most patient soul would want to vomit by the end of it.
And yet, it was under those extreme conditions that Pikachu had finally mastered Grass Knot.
Brock: "..."
Wait a second—this kid's ten years old, right?
Which means… he was already training with Pikachu before his journey even began?!
What kind of overachieving maniac is this kid?!
No wonder they called him the King of Grinders.
After the battle, Brock found himself deeply intrigued by Ash—
so much so that he actually wanted to travel alongside him to learn more.
But with nine younger siblings to care for, he simply couldn't leave.
Just then, Brock's father, Flint, appeared and encouraged him to pursue his dreams.
And thus—
in this Black world, Ash's party finally came together.
Ash, Brock, and Misty—
their journey to collect Gym Badges continued onward.
The black screen's projection faded out.
[Bruno: I always thought I was the type to make up for lack of talent through sheer hard work… but I never imagined there'd be someone even more obsessive than me!]
[Steven: I bet Black World Ash and Pikachu didn't just sit in that flower field for three days—they probably trained in every way imaginable while they were there! With his personality, he'd never waste even a single second.]
[Cynthia: Black World Ash not only studied before his journey, he applied that knowledge perfectly in practice.]
[Cynthia: His understanding of battle dynamics, his countermeasures against specific types, his ability to turn theory into tailored training—all of it reflects his mastery of knowledge.]
[Cynthia: There's no shortage of hardworking people in the world. But most of the time, a hundred efforts yield only ten—or even one—measure of reward.]
[Cynthia: Yet Black World Ash… he's the kind of person who can turn a hundred efforts into ninety-nine results.]
[Cynthia: In other words—none of his efforts are wasted. Every single one brings tangible growth. And that… is what's truly terrifying.]
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