The most troublesome part about Mega Stones was that they were treasures one simply couldn't buy with money alone. They were extraordinarily rare resources that existed in a state of perpetual scarcity.
As a result, despite spending the better part of the past six months searching through countless channels, Ash had yet to successfully acquire a single Mega Stone.
Forget Gyarados's Mega Stone—even Mega Stones belonging to other Pokémon had remained frustratingly out of reach.
Fortunately, Ash wasn't particularly anxious about it. He had long understood that this was a matter requiring both patience and luck.
Besides, although Venusaur had now reached its final evolutionary stage, it still hadn't grown into the independently capable Grass-type ace that Ash envisioned. He would need to continue training and nurturing it moving forward.
On top of that, he still needed to further develop his own Aura combat abilities in all aspects.
There were simply too many things waiting for his attention. Just because the Beedrill Egg hadn't hatched didn't mean he had suddenly become idle.
...
After completing the Beedrill Egg's health examination, Ash and Clarissa returned to their usual consultation room and began their afternoon live-streamed diagnosis session.
As for Pikachu, ever since helping Ash promote and sell Ash's Feebas Beauty Guide, its irresistibly adorable appearance had captivated countless viewers, many of whom couldn't resist placing orders after watching the livestream.
Its astonishingly high conversion rate had caused Pikachu to become something of an overnight sensation among livestream influencers.
Although half a year had already passed and Ash's Feebas Beauty Guide no longer required livestream promotions, Pikachu's remarkable talent for product endorsements had attracted merchants selling everything from books and illustrated collections to Pokémon snacks, toys, and adorable Pokémon-themed clothing.
Many businesses had personally approached Ash, hoping to invite Pikachu to help promote their products.
Although Ash wasn't short on money these days, who would ever complain about having too much of it? Especially considering that he was currently sparing no expense in his search for Mega Stones.
More importantly, wasting valuable resources was practically a crime in Ash's eyes.
Since Pikachu possessed such exceptional talent as a livestream host, naturally it should be put to good use.
During the afternoons, when Ash was busy conducting his live-streamed consultations and Pikachu and Greninja had no training scheduled, there wasn't much for the two of them to do anyway.
So Pikachu would handle the product promotions, while Greninja and Rotom would assist with moderating the livestream and managing things such as displaying the shopping links for viewers.
Spending merely three hours every afternoon, Pikachu, Greninja, and Rotom could easily generate between five hundred thousand and one million Poké Dollars in revenue from a single stream.
It had to be said that whether one was a Trainer or a Pokémon, becoming stronger and more outstanding made earning money significantly easier.
For example, Pikachu merely needed to act adorably on camera—combined with Ash's popularity as a Trainer—and a single livestream could generate more income than many ordinary people would earn over the course of several years.
Of course, this kind of success was nearly impossible to replicate.
And more importantly, all of it was built upon two foundations—strength and excellence.
By Ash's current standards, earning several hundred thousand Poké Dollars was little more than pocket change.
"Pika! Pika~! (≧▽≦)"
"Croak! Croak~! (≖‿≖)"
"..."
"..."
Ash typically arrived at the Pokémon Center around three o'clock after finishing his lessons at the Viridian Gym. After taking care of various miscellaneous matters, he would begin his live-streamed consultation session.
Three hours later, Pikachu would finish its product promotion stream and head to the changing room to change its outfit. By then, it would already be six o'clock in the evening.
Ash would then gather Gary and Green, who had been studying at the city's library, along with his mother Delia and Aunt Miho, who had just closed their flower shop. Together, everyone would head out for dinner before making their way to the City Arena.
Of course, those participating in the battles were Ash, Gary, Green, and Clarissa.
Meanwhile, Delia and Miho were there simply to cheer them on.
Perhaps it was the will of the world correcting the original storyline, or perhaps it was merely the result of time gradually helping her understand certain things.
After her husband's tragic fate while traveling, Delia had once harbored a deep aversion toward the profession of Pokémon Trainer. Terrified that her son might someday suffer the same fate, she had never wanted Ash to walk down that same path.
However, as she gradually opened her heart and sought to understand more about the profession, she realized that what had happened to her husband was nothing more than an unfortunate exception—much like construction workers who might suffer accidents resulting in disability or even death while simply performing their jobs.
Every profession carried its own risks.
Sometimes, disaster simply fell from the heavens without warning.
Such things could never be completely avoided.
Even if one chose not to become a Pokémon Trainer and instead spent their entire life peacefully at home in Pallet Town, misfortune could still strike unexpectedly.
After all, hadn't Ash and Gary nearly drowned while fishing by the river outside town not too long ago?
Slowly but surely, Delia began to let go of her fears.
She no longer rejected the profession of Pokémon Trainer, nor did she attempt to stop her son from pursuing his dreams.
Especially since Ash's lifelong ambition was to become the world's greatest Pokémon Master.
Being a Pokémon Trainer wasn't merely his chosen profession—it was his passion.
And now, Ash had already achieved such extraordinary accomplishments in that very field. He was praised as the Light of Kanto and hailed as the Indigo League's future Champion.
Far from opposing his dreams, Delia had become one of his greatest supporters and was immensely proud of him.
Every evening after dinner, Ash would head to the City Arena to compete in battles.
And ever since their flower shop began closing earlier, Delia would accompany everyone there after dinner to watch her son compete.
She watched him shine brilliantly upon the battlefield.
She watched him outwit his opponents, displaying unwavering determination and an indomitable spirit as he fought with everything he had to claim victory.
And she watched him bask in the thunderous cheers and applause of countless spectators after every triumph.
Through Ash's ever-growing strength, his refusal to surrender until the very end, and the humility and kindness he displayed even after victory, Delia came to witness her son's growth more clearly than ever before.
Unlike in the past, she no longer merely saw his achievements.
She witnessed his continuous progress.
Even though she hadn't personally participated in his journey, simply watching him grow from up close filled her heart with immeasurable comfort.
For the first time, she truly felt that she hadn't missed her son's growth.
At the same time, as she watched him become increasingly powerful, Delia herself became more confident and more reassured.
Gradually, she stopped worrying about the dangers he might encounter when he officially began his journey in four years' time.
Because she believed in her son.
She believed that he would protect himself.
The Ash of today wasn't merely capable of standing on his own two feet—he had already grown strong enough to protect those around him as well.
Gary, Green, and all of his other friends.
Clarissa, Misty, and Serena—his three beloved girlfriends.
Even she herself, his mother, had long since become someone protected and cared for by him.
Without anyone realizing it, Ash had already transformed from a child who constantly made others worry into an exceptionally dependable young man.
He had become the pillar supporting his family.
And for the Ash of today—
Delia could entrust him to the future with complete peace of mind.