(Note: The livestream text automatically converts into a format Pokémon can understand.)
Blaine's remark left Ash momentarily stunned.
Then he recalled how, in the Charicific Valley, his own Charizard had always been noticeably smaller than the others—
even the weakest ones there towered over him.
Ash: "Now that you mention it… yeah, my Charizard is smaller than most. Does that have anything to do with that rainstorm?"
Blaine: "In your world, you didn't have the Rainbow Wing. So Charmander survived that night thanks only to emergency treatment at the Pokémon Center. But… its very essence—its life origin—was damaged."
Blaine: "Once a Pokémon's origin is harmed, its growth potential suffers. No matter how hard it trains, its body and power will always lag behind. Don't be fooled just because your Charizard beat my old partner—my old friend was already past his prime."
Blaine: "But since Black World Ash used the Rainbow Wing to save his Charmander, that damage probably never occurred."
Clair: "Wait, that's not quite right. I battled Ash's Charizard recently, and there's no way the word weak fits him!"
Liza: "That's because that little guy trained harder than any Charizard in the valley. Before that, he was the weakest of them all."
Liza: "Blaine's right about one thing, though—Ash's Charizard once lost his innate potential. But through sheer effort and willpower, he clawed it back piece by piece."
Blaine: "Effort alone can't mend what's been broken. Besides being a Gym Leader, I'm a researcher too. Charizard can certainly grow stronger—but reaching the true summit of power takes more than just effort."
Ash: "I believe in my Charizard! Even if his origin was damaged, our determination and bond can make up for it! He can stand at the top—he'll just take a bit longer to get there. I'll prove it to you all—the strength of my Charizard!"
Ash's fists clenched tight.
Resolve burned in his eyes.
He had already planned to bring Charizard back for the Silver Conference—
but now, a new goal was burning in his heart.
He would show everyone that no amount of "deficiency" could stop them.
Even if evolution came early, even if fate had weakened them—
They would still rise.
In the Charicific Valley, Charizard gazed up at the livestream text glowing in the air.
A surge of emotion welled up inside him.
His Trainer still trusted him completely—
just like back then.
With a roar, he spread his wings wide, flames bursting into the sky, lighting the whole valley aflame.
"ROOOOOAAR!"
He would become the strongest Charizard in the world!
In the Black World—
Ash and his friends carried Charmander through the storm and handed him over to Nurse Joy.
A few tense minutes later, she came out with a relieved smile.
"Good news. Charmander's out of danger. In fact, it's strange—his life force is unusually strong. Almost as if… something restored him."
Ash quickly explained what had happened—
the abandoned Charmander, his confrontation with Damian, and the use of the Rainbow Wing.
"Incredible," Joy murmured. "If Charmander really stayed out in that downpour for nearly an hour, he should be on the brink of death. But the readings show the opposite—he's perfectly healthy."
The three of them exchanged a glance.
They knew why.
The Rainbow Hero's blessing—the divine power of Ho-Oh.
Just one feather had saved a life.
Then Ash's tone turned cold.
"Nurse Joy, I've got this recording. Can I use it to make sure that guy rots in prison?"
He pulled out his Pokédex—the recording of Damian's smug, self-incriminating monologue still playing.
Nurse Joy's eyes darkened.
"What a disgusting man… Don't worry, I'll forward this straight to the Pokémon League. With that kind of evidence, not just Damian, but his entire family will be held accountable."
"And for the record—" she added, eyes softening, "—that punch of yours? Good job. You have nothing to worry about. That family will be too busy facing the League's punishment to even think about revenge."
Ash smiled faintly.
"They can try if they want. Backgrounds? Heh… I've got one too."
After all, Professor Oak himself stood behind him—a figure whose authority spanned the entire academic and Pokémon world.
As long as he was in the right, Ash feared nothing.
That punch might've looked impulsive—
but the moment he threw it, he was already thinking about the consequences.
And his conclusion was simple—
there was nothing Damian could do to him.
That scum's only future… was the inside of a cell.
Lance: Even in a rage, he was already planning his next steps? That's terrifyingly sharp.
Lorelei: Good. The world isn't all sunshine and kindness—there's darkness too. People like Damian are far from rare.
Misty: Exactly! If Brock and I weren't around, our Ash would've been scammed hundreds of times by now!
Ash: Hey! Misty, don't make it sound like I'm that dumb! You two fell for plenty of traps too!
Serena: Um… so… is that really all the screen time I get? Just that tiny bit at the start?
Serena felt deeply scammed.
She had been introduced as the female lead—
and now she'd practically vanished from the story!
Her mother, Grace, gave her a deadpan look.
"Did it ever occur to you that both versions of Ash are still at the start of their journeys?"
"Meanwhile, you've spent this entire year… doing what exactly?"
Serena froze.
Right.
She'd spent the whole year—
herding Rhyhorn.
Not exactly romantic.
If she appeared in the livestream now, that would be the real miracle.
Unless, of course… something unexpected happened in Black World Ash's world.
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