Ash let out a soft sigh as he looked at the series of glowing virtual discs stored neatly inside his system backpack.
"It's a shame I don't have my own Pokémon yet… all these powerful moves I just copied are just sitting here, waiting for someone to use them."
The shimmering icons pulsed faintly, each representing a high-level skill—Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Thunder Punch, Earth Power, Megahorn. Yet they weren't real Technical Machines. According to the system, every copied move existed as a virtual TM, locked within his system inventory.
They couldn't be taken out, traded, or sold—only used on Pokémon that the system recognized as his own.
And that last part was the key.
"The system didn't define what counts as 'my Pokémon,'" Ash mused, rubbing his chin. "If the AI's gone and there's no real intelligence left… then maybe, just maybe, I can bend that rule."
The thought made him smirk.
"If I can find a loophole… I could use this ability to make money."
His gaze hardened slightly. The upcoming Pokémon Summer Camp was only days away, and Professor Oak had announced that the top three students would earn the privilege of receiving their very first Pokémon early—officially recognized by the League.
That meant if he performed well, he'd soon have a partner. But even then… how was he supposed to afford training one?
Pokémon food, medicine, Poké Balls—everything cost money. And his family wasn't wealthy. His mother, Delia, had already done everything she could for him; he refused to ask her for more.
No—he'd find his own way.
If this "Skill Copy" function could somehow be used to transfer moves… he might just have discovered his first source of income.
…
…
"Thanks, Nidoking. You really are incredible," Ash said softly, finally realizing that the powerful Pokémon was still standing there, flexing proudly for him.
Through his Aura, Ash could sense the creature's genuine affection and friendliness—it saw him not as a threat, but as a friend.
That realization hit him hard.
He hadn't meant to deceive Nidoking, but deep down, he knew the truth: when he first approached, all he'd thought about was testing the system—treating this living being like a mere tool.
And that didn't sit right with him.
"This isn't a game," he murmured under his breath. "This is a real world. Every human and Pokémon here has their own thoughts and feelings… they're alive."
Ash looked up at Nidoking, guilt welling in his chest.
"Nidoking… I'm sorry."
He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around the giant Pokémon's leg in a warm, gentle hug.
At the same time, he quietly released a pulse of [Viridian Power]—the soothing energy that represented his bond with nature. The emerald light spread faintly over Nidoking's body, sinking deep beneath its armored hide.
It wasn't enough to cause any dramatic transformation. But it did nurture something within Nidoking—an imperceptible spark of life, a touch of renewed potential.
It was Ash's way of saying thank you.
A quiet act of atonement.
After all, both the original Ash and the new one shared the same heart—a boy who truly, sincerely loved Pokémon. That was likely why the world itself had spared him when its will had attacked.
Because his soul resonated with the essence of life itself.
And perhaps that was why the Viridian Forest, guardian of nature's heart, had chosen to bless him with this very power.
Among all psychic and supernatural forces in the world, the [Viridian Power] was the gentlest—and the most beloved by nature. It could heal wounds, purify corruption, and strengthen the natural flow of life.
It wasn't destructive like Telekinesis or Dragon Force, nor was it meant for domination. It existed purely to nurture, to protect, and to restore balance.
Those who wielded it weren't called "Psychics." They were known as Children of Nature.
Ash, feeling the warmth of Nidoking's heartbeat beneath his palm, suddenly felt a subtle pulse in his chest—
A low hum, deep and resonant.
"—Hmm?"
The air shimmered faintly around him as a surge of green light flared from within.
His body vibrated with energy. His connection to nature grew stronger.
The [Viridian Power] inside him had just… evolved.
"What—what's going on?" Ash whispered in awe, eyes wide.
He hadn't meditated. He hadn't trained. He hadn't done anything. So why was his power suddenly growing stronger on its own?
Then a thought struck him.
"Wait… could it be?" He stared down at his hands. "When I used my Viridian Power to strengthen Nidoking's potential earlier… did that somehow increase my own power too?"
It sounded strange—even absurd—but the timing fit perfectly.
"Could helping Pokémon awaken their potential actually be the key to training the Viridian Power?"
To test the idea, Ash gathered another thread of that gentle green energy and channeled it into Nidoking again.
This time… nothing happened. The energy simply vanished into the air like water sinking into sand. No resonance. No feedback.
He frowned.
"So it doesn't work twice on the same Pokémon? Maybe it's like Skill Copy—each one only counts once."
He tapped his chin thoughtfully.
"Or maybe there's a cooldown period? Or… maybe it has to be a different kind of use—like healing an injured Pokémon, or purifying negative energy?"
The possibilities spun through his head like leaves in the wind.
"…Or maybe it was just coincidence," he muttered.
After a moment of silence, Ash shook his head and let out a laugh.
"Forget it. Overthinking won't help. The Viridian Power only awakened yesterday; I've got plenty of time to study it later."
Besides, he already had the [All Things Listen] meditation method—he could always use that to refine it further when the time came.
"Anyway, today's trip to Professor Oak's lab was mainly to help Tierno and Trevor look around… and to test the Skill Copy feature."
"And now that I've confirmed how it works, I'd say today was a success."
Ash stretched, satisfied, and finally withdrew his hand from Nidoking's chest.
"Thanks again, buddy," he said with a smile before turning back toward Gary and the others.
He walked away with light steps, the morning sun catching the faint glow of green still lingering on his fingertips.
Behind him, Nidoking watched quietly, eyes soft and warm—its body faintly shimmering with new vitality.
And in the depths of Ash's heart, the Viridian Power pulsed once more—stronger than before.
…
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T/N:
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