However, in its current [Bond Evolution 3.0] state, Greninja's body was still enveloped within a raging water cyclone, making the changes to its appearance somewhat difficult to discern from the outside.
But Ash—who knew the original timeline by heart and was observing through his Aura Vision—could see everything with absolute clarity.
After an entire week of arduous training, Greninja had finally and truly mastered the power of Bond Evolution.
Although [Bond Evolution 3.0] was still not the endpoint, it was undoubtedly an exceptional beginning.
Whooooosh...
"Excellent! Truly excellent!"
Looking at Greninja, whose body was wrapped within the roaring water cyclone while its appearance had already begun to transform into that of Ash-Greninja, Ash's face was filled with unrestrained joy as its Trainer.
[Greninja → Ash-Greninja]
Only now could Greninja truly be said to have mastered the power of Bond Evolution.
Even in the original timeline, Ash and Greninja had experienced countless hardships before finally reaching this stage.
Of course, according to Ash's plans, Bond Evolution still possessed two additional stages beyond this—namely Versions 4.0 and 5.0.
The external characteristics of Version 4.0 were as follows:
Greninja would gain complete control over the immense power granted by Bond Evolution. The tremendous surge of Water-type energy would no longer overflow from its body to form the water cyclone enveloping it. Instead, that overflowing power would condense into the gigantic Water Shuriken carried upon its back.
Although such a form would appear somewhat less flashy and domineering, becoming more simplistic and refined in appearance—
The stamina consumption required to maintain Bond Evolution would decrease tremendously.
Furthermore, Ash-Greninja's appearance would be displayed far more clearly before others, making the title of Bond Evolution all the more fitting.
As for Version 5.0, it represented the complete and ultimate form of Bond Evolution.
Its counterpart was the state achieved in the original timeline after Ash suffered defeat at the Snowbelle Gym before undergoing reflection and a transformation of spirit deep within the forest alongside Greninja.
At that stage, Ash and Greninja not only reached the minimum threshold required for the final stage of Bond Evolution but had also completely and thoroughly mastered the immense power granted by the transformation.
Their utilization of that power was no longer crude or superficial but became incomparably refined and precise. Furthermore, their understanding of the power of water would ascend to yet another level.
Water possessed a calm, gentle, and ever-changing nature.
Yet it also possessed an overwhelming, violent, and destructive side.
And when Water's destructive nature was fully unleashed, it could contend against—and even overcome—the hardest and sharpest of ice itself.
...
Although Bond Evolution still possessed Versions 4.0 and 5.0 beyond this point, Version 3.0 was already more than sufficient for Greninja at its current stage.
The powers of those latter two stages couldn't simply be obtained through training alone.
Rather, they required comprehension, enlightenment, and the bond between Trainer and Pokémon ascending to an entirely new realm.
So long as their foundation continued growing deeper and stronger, the final two stages of Bond Evolution would naturally reveal themselves in due time.
There was no need to force such matters prematurely.
"Greninja, let's continue our battle. Show me just how powerful Bond Evolution 3.0 truly is."
After taking several moments to admire Greninja's transformed appearance, Ash immediately began another round of testing.
"Gren! (ー_ー)"
Greninja nodded before turning its gaze toward Pidgeot, who had already fully recovered its stamina after consuming two Oran Berries.
"PIDGEOT!"
Feeling the overwhelming fighting spirit radiating from Greninja, Pidgeot raised its voice in response, its own battle spirit blazing fiercely.
The battle began once again!!
"PIDGEOOOT!!"
Pidgeot let out a resounding eagle-like cry before suddenly beating its wings and soaring rapidly toward the heavens.
"Greninja, use Bounce to catch up, then follow it up with Low Kick!"
Seeing Pidgeot rapidly gaining altitude, Ash immediately issued his attack command.
"Gren!"
The moment Greninja acknowledged the order—
Wrapped within the raging water cyclone, Greninja suddenly bent its legs before leaping into the air.
With a single jump, it effortlessly soared dozens of meters into the sky before rapidly catching up to the soaring Pidgeot.
And then—
A devastating spinning kick slammed viciously into its target.
BANG!!
"PIDGEOT!!"
Pidgeot had never imagined Greninja would possess such terrifying jumping ability.
Not only was Bond Evolution 3.0 unimaginably fast, but the explosive power contained within Greninja's legs had become equally monstrous.
Caught completely off guard, Pidgeot was sent hurtling toward the ground like a ball struck by a tremendous force.
"Greninja, use Pursuit, then follow up with Ice Punch!"
Before Pidgeot's body had even reached the ground, Ash's next command had already arrived.
WHOOOOSH!!
Greninja didn't verbally respond this time.
The moment its feet touched the ground, it immediately activated Pursuit, accelerating explosively toward the falling Pidgeot.
BOOM!!
Catching up to Pidgeot in mid-fall, Greninja first slammed its shoulder viciously into its opponent before its fist became enveloped by freezing currents of ice.
Then, without the slightest hesitation, it mercilessly drove its Ice Punch directly toward the joint connecting Pidgeot's wing to its body.
BANG! BANG!!
"PIDGEOT!!"
...
...
The battle progressed at an astonishing pace.
Unlike their previous exchanges—where both sides had traded blows evenly while Ash and Greninja gradually accumulated minute advantages in timing and tempo before securing victory—
This time, after activating Bond Evolution 3.0, Greninja completely dominated the battle.
After only a handful of exchanges, Pidgeot—whose wings had already suffered injuries that greatly affected its flight capabilities—was swiftly defeated.
Despite being two to three levels higher than Greninja, Pidgeot was utterly overwhelmed by Bond Evolution 3.0 Greninja.
Witnessing this scene, not only was Pidgeot itself utterly dumbfounded, but Pikachu, Fearow, Gyarados, Milotic, and the rest of Ash's Pokémon watching nearby were equally stunned speechless.
Originally, they had believed that Greninja's decision to undergo Bond Evolution training would cause its level progression to fall behind the rest of the team, providing them with an opportunity to surpass it.
Even if Greninja eventually completed its Bond Evolution training, they had assumed that the gap created by its delayed level progression wouldn't be easily overcome in the short term.
Yet none of them had anticipated Bond Evolution being this overwhelmingly powerful.
Greninja, after undergoing Bond Evolution, had utterly crushed Pidgeot in battle.
And this was before Bond Evolution had even reached its ultimate form.
If Bond Evolution eventually attained its final stage, just how terrifying would Greninja become?
At this moment, as Pidgeot suffered defeat, an overwhelming sense of pressure and urgency once again descended upon all of Ash's Pokémon.
Bond Evolution training—
On the surface, it seemed as though Greninja had temporarily fallen behind, providing everyone else with an opportunity to catch up or even surpass it.
In reality, however, Greninja had simply been using that time to rapidly surpass all of them.
After finishing its battle against Pidgeot, Ash once again proceeded to conduct detailed examinations of Greninja's Stamina, Physical Attack, Physical Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed—just as he had done before.
"Excellent! Truly excellent!"
Listening to the results calculated by Rotom, Ash couldn't conceal either his surprise or the immense satisfaction upon his face.