"Finally... almost there."
"Fuchsia Gym."
Ash's feelings at this moment were strange.
It was that feeling you get when a protagonist in a TV drama finally fights their way through every grueling obstacle and reaches the final boss.
Okay, that might sound a little abstract — but that was genuinely how he felt. The atmosphere had simply arrived at that point.
He passed through one last stone-paved path winding between lush, dark-green trees — and the world opened up.
A massive building of sweeping grandeur, steeped in traditional Japanese aesthetic, came into view. Black roof tiles. White walls. Flying eaves and interlocking bracket sets. The whole structure radiated the weight and solemnity of centuries of accumulated history. This was the heart of Fuchsia Gym.
The building was old — genuinely old. It had always been the stronghold of the ninja clan that called Fuchsia City their home.
...It had simply been converted into a Gym at some point down the line.
And there before those heavy wooden front doors, three silhouettes of varying heights were waiting with their necks craned toward him.
"Piiiika——!"
Pikachu was the first to react.
That flash of bright yellow shot toward him like lightning, leaping up onto Ash's shoulder. He nuzzled his small head affectionately against Ash's cheek, letting out a cry that carried both relief and joy in equal measure.
"Partner, I'm back!" Ash laughed, reaching up to ruffle the little mouse's head, letting the warmth of reunion wash over him.
Whatever had happened to Pikachu in the past, he had a deep, visceral aversion to being inside a Poké Ball. Even when placed in one, he could barely endure it for any length of time.
To this day, the only time Pikachu had ever been inside a Poké Ball was the very day Ash had caught him. After that, not a single day.
But honestly — it didn't matter. Ash had never cared.
"Ash!" Misty and Brock both hurried forward to meet him.
Misty's face held undisguised astonishment. "Your speed... you got here way faster than we expected! And we came up by cable car and it still took us a while!"
Brock, meanwhile, studied Ash carefully through those perpetually narrowed eyes of his, then gave a slow nod. "And you look... not a scratch on you?"
"Looks like all that intensive training really did pay off."
Even as he said it, Brock felt a fresh wave of genuine awe at just how formidable Ash was.
Because clearing the course and clearing it without taking a single hit were two entirely different difficulty levels.
Brock was fairly sure that even among the Fuchsia Gym's own ninjas, those who could complete the full run without a scratch were a small minority. And on top of that — Ash had done it at speed. Doing it fast and doing it clean was exponentially harder than either alone.
It was like those speedrun categories in games — fastest clear and no-damage clear were two completely different leaderboards. The fastest route usually involved eating a few hits on purpose.
Right at that moment —
One of the Poké Balls at Ash's waist burst open with a pop on its own.
Misdreavus floated out with a yawn, lazy and unhurried.
"Mai mai~"
She had been a little worried watching Ash navigate the challenge at first — but somewhere along the way she'd realized there was absolutely no need to be. And even if something had somehow gone wrong, wasn't Ho-Oh right there anyway?
Ash gave her a helpless look and sighed at her. "Mengmeng doesn't love me anymore~ She was napping instead of worrying about me while I was running the gauntlet~"
"Mai mai!" The moment Misdreavus heard that, she flared with indignation. She shot straight toward Ash's cheek and pressed her face against it.
Nuzzle~ Nuzzle~
"Alright, alright, Mengmeng~ I was wrong, I shouldn't have said that~" Ash laughed softly and stroked her to calm her down.
"Brock, Misty — how did you know I'd finished and was heading this way?" Ash asked, still cradling Misdreavus as he soothed her.
Misty flashed him a sly grin and pointed toward the Gym's main doors. "We watched your entire run from start to finish, live! Every section, all the way through!"
"Mm." Brock picked up the thread and explained, "Normally, visitors and challengers don't have that kind of access."
"But Misty and I both hold Gym Leader credentials, and Gym Leader Koga extended us something of a professional courtesy in that regard."
"There's a monitoring room with live feeds from every obstacle section."
In plain terms, it was like the security office in an apartment complex — technically off-limits to regular visitors, but if management gave the okay, pretty much anyone could be let in to watch.
— Ah. So that's how it was.
Ash was mildly surprised, though. Was Koga really the flexible, accommodating type?
Gym Leaders knowing each other as colleagues didn't automatically mean they extended professional favors. For example, Brock and Misty had gotten precisely zero special treatment from Sabrina.
"Let's go," Brock said, stepping aside and gesturing in invitation. "Gym Leader Koga is already waiting inside."
"According to him, there's no rush to the Gym battle itself."
"He's invited us all to have lunch together first — both as a welcome for you and to help you replenish your energy."
Brock wasn't entirely sure why Koga was being so hospitable... Could it be because of Ho-Oh?
As the world's greatest ninja, Koga presumably possessed certain extraordinary abilities — sensing something like Ho-Oh's presence would probably be well within his range. That would explain it.
There really was no shortage of exceptional individuals in Kanto.
Sabrina — the world's greatest psychic.
Koga — the world's greatest ninja.
Ash pressed a hand to his stomach, which had in fact grown somewhat hollow, and agreed without hesitation. "Sure! Perfect timing — I'm actually hungry."
The idea of a Gym providing meals for challengers didn't surprise him. Plenty of proper Gyms offered that kind of considerate service.
And yet — when Ash followed Brock and Misty through corridor after corridor and finally stepped into the "private dining hall" where Koga awaited them, what he found brought him up short.
This was nothing like the austere, almost ascetically sparse — possibly slightly dim — dining environment he'd imagined a ninja dojo might have.
Before him was a sprawling Japanese-style tatami room, the floor gleaming as though it had been polished to a mirror shine. Soft natural light filtered gently through sliding paper screens.
At the center of the room sat a massive low lacquered table, jet black and glossy.
The surface of that table was covered in an abundance of exquisitely prepared dishes:
Glistening sushi and a sashimi platter arranged like a work of art. Small, elegantly proportioned kaiseki bowls. Fragrant simmered dishes releasing clouds of aromatic steam... The variety was staggering, the presentation immaculate — easily on par with a top-tier traditional restaurant.
The air itself was layered with the blended aromas of the food, enough to make anyone's mouth water before they'd even sat down.
The sheer ceremonious — bordering on lavish — atmosphere stood in such stark contrast to every preconception the name "ninja dojo" conjured that Ash was momentarily flustered. His eyes involuntarily dropped to his own training clothes, which still had traces of dust clinging to them.
...Should I maybe go take a bath first? Change into something cleaner?
"This is... a bit much, isn't it?" Ash murmured, unable to help himself.
Though when he thought about it — the ninjas of Fuchsia Gym led lives of frequent rigorous training, but that didn't mean they lacked money. If anything, Fuchsia Gym was in the "quite well-off" category.
Every ninja dojo in the city paid them a cut for operating rights... and that was just the side income. Strictly speaking, the city Gym's core budget was funded through municipal government appropriations.
And beyond the dojos, there were the small-time thieves of the city who, every now and then, would excavate something genuinely valuable from somewhere interesting and send it up as tribute.
At the table, someone was already waiting.
Seated at the head of the table, composed and upright, was Fuchsia Gym Leader — Koga.
He still wore his deep-purple ninja attire. His expression was steady and controlled, though at the corners of his mouth there flickered what appeared to be the faintest, most carefully maintained trace of a polite smile — stiff at the edges, as though kept in place by sheer force of will.
One look at Ash in person.
Then the immediate follow-up thought — Ho-Oh is right there on this kid.
And Koga felt the composure he was known for begin to crack under an immense weight of pressure.
Because he had something to feel guilty about. And when you had something to feel guilty about, everything felt like an accusation. Koga couldn't shake the sensation that Ho-Oh was watching him directly.
To his left sat Aya — dressed in her rose-pink ninja attire, her figure striking, her long green hair pulled back neatly. She was smiling brightly, her gaze moving over Ash with open, friendly curiosity.
To Koga's right sat Janine — short purple hair framing her face, clad entirely in black. She looked to be around Ash's age. Her expression was its usual cool, composed self — but when her eyes swept across Ash, there was an unmistakable flicker of scrutiny in them.
Who exactly is this person standing in front of me?
— I really want to fight this guy.
Janine wanted to surpass her father, Koga. But that was, self-evidently, a goal of considerable difficulty.
So her strategy was simpler for now: start by defeating every person she knew!
Janine — work hard and get stronger!
"Welcome — Ash of Pallet Town, and Gym Leader Brock, Gym Leader Misty."
Koga's voice was quiet, unhurried — but the fact that he instinctively placed Ash before Brock and Misty when introducing the group said everything about where his real tension was directed.
Ho-Oh's presence exerted a pressure on most people that was simply too enormous to ignore.
"Please, make yourselves at home. Be seated."
"A humble spread, nothing worth presenting — I hope it suits your palates."
His characterization of this feast as "a humble spread" while it sat gleaming before them was, truly, the definition of humblebrag.
In theory, Koga was an extraordinarily composed man. In practice, he could not be composed right now — he could only maintain the appearance of composure.
If the host's absence weren't so easily interpreted as disrespect... he would honestly have preferred not to face the presence of Ho-Oh directly at all.
The three of them quickly settled into the empty seats.
Pikachu sat obediently at Ash's side.
Misdreavus, fascinated, drifted above the table, her large eyes roving curiously over all the colorful, fragrant food below her.
"You're too kind, Gym Leader Koga," Brock spoke first on behalf of the group. "This is anything but humble — it's honestly a feast for the eyes."
Misty nodded along readily. "Seriously, I had no idea the food at Fuchsia Gym was this incredible!"
Aya raised a hand delicately to her lips with a soft laugh. "A guest who has traveled far deserves proper hospitality — especially such a promising and talented young man as Ash. We couldn't very well be negligent."
Aya genuinely didn't know about Ho-Oh's existence. She had no idea why Koga was so visibly uneasy. But she could feel how much importance Koga placed on Ash — and that alone was enough to guide her.
Janine was more direct.
She looked toward Ash, her tone carrying just a faint edge of challenge:
"We watched your performance through the mechanism gauntlet below."
"Fast movement. Good reflexes."
"You're impressive!"
It was phrased as a compliment — but delivered with such a cool, flat expression that it inevitably felt like there was a "but" coming at the end that simply hadn't arrived yet.
The girl just... wasn't great at social interaction. She'd spent most of her time training alone. Interpersonal skills had not been prioritized.
Ash scratched the back of his head, a little thrown off by the directness. "Well, uh... mostly the intensive training paid off. And some luck, I guess."
When people complimented him too bluntly, he never quite knew how to just accept it gracefully.
Ash wasn't actually great at receiving praise. He was, however, extremely good at arguing. A seasoned veteran of pointless debates. If someone came at him sideways, he could talk back for hours.
Koga raised a hand slightly to gesture that they should begin eating, and said:
"No need for false modesty."
"Completing the Trial Path at the five-Badge difficulty level without a single injury, at the pace you maintained — that is not something luck can account for."
"Your observational ability, your reaction speed, and the degree of mastery you have over your own body far exceed those of your peers — and more than a few seasoned veterans, at that."
This part Koga genuinely meant. That someone could sail through his dojo's assessment this effortlessly only reinforced the caliber he had come to associate with the Rainbow Hero's chosen.
— As expected of the one chosen by Lady Ho-Oh!
In this regard, Koga trusted Ho-Oh's judgment completely. Ash was undeniably a talent of the first order.
Having a Gym Leader of Koga's caliber — an Elite Four member, known for his severity — deliver that kind of assessment made Ash feel, despite himself, a small and private flicker of pride.
He dropped the modesty, said "I'll dig in, then," and promptly started eating alongside Pikachu and Misdreavus with great enthusiasm.
The food tasted every bit as good as it looked — exceptional in every dimension — and went a long way toward restoring the energy he'd spent burning through that gauntlet.
The atmosphere around the table gradually warmed.
Brock and Koga fell into conversation about Gym management and Pokémon raising philosophy.
Misty and Aya discussed the tactical characteristics of different Pokémon types.
Janine occasionally cut in to ask Ash a pointed question or two about specific choices he'd made during the gauntlet run — she seemed genuinely curious about his thought process, wanting to understand how he'd arrived at each decision.
And so Ash launched into a full verbal performance, talking at length like a man who had been waiting for exactly this opportunity.
"Let me tell you — the true spirit of the ninja is to endure what ordinary people cannot endure!"
"Settle the heart, quiet the breath."
"In perfect stillness, the mind becomes like a still lake perfectly reflecting the sky — clear, undisturbed, and without ripple."
"When the mind responds to the world rather than reacting to it, when the mind prevails over matter..."
"Everything becomes present within the heart..."
Ash had begun bullshitting Janine at full speed.
The truth was that his "still-water heart" — that perfect, crystalline mental clarity — had been obtained directly through the System. He hadn't cultivated it through any actual practice.
So how exactly one was supposed to train oneself to that state through legitimate means? He genuinely had no idea. He was making it up as he went, half-guessing, half-improvising.
All told, the six of them had broken naturally into pairs and settled into easy, warm conversation throughout the meal.
When they had eaten and drunk their fill, the attendants quietly cleared the dishes and replaced everything with fragrant cups of green tea.
Koga lifted his cup and took a quiet sip.
His gaze returned to settle on Ash, and with it came a subtle shift in the air — the mild, genial warmth of the meal giving way to something slightly more formal.
"Ash," he said, setting his cup down.
"I've noticed that since Pewter City, you have made a point of challenging the Gym Leaders personally at every Gym you've visited."
Koga had made up his mind. Whether he advanced or retreated, a blade was waiting either way — so he might as well go forward.
Koga: I'm going in!
Ash gave a small nod.
It wasn't something he had done intentionally, necessarily — but that was indeed how things had turned out. Especially at Saffron City, where facing Sabrina directly had been, if anything, a complete accident.
Koga continued: "Given that, there would be no logic in having you battle my Gym's disciples here at Fuchsia Gym."
"That would reflect poorly on me, and on Fuchsia Gym — as though we had been poor hosts."
"After this, I would suggest you go on to challenge Cinnabar Gym and Viridian Gym."
"That way you would have completed the certification from all eight of Kanto's strongest mainstream Gyms."
Koga could already read from the group chat how the wind was blowing — Blaine was on the verge of being unable to hold himself back either. And as for Boss Giovanni... well, it was rare to see the Boss in such a good mood. This challenge record would be, by far, the most prestigious trainer achievement Kanto had ever documented.
Earn the Indigo League Championship on top of that, and Ash would be the undisputed top seed of the entire Kanto region.
Koga leaned forward slightly, and a subtle pressure radiated from him — quiet but palpable.
"Then allow me to ask formally — are you willing to engage in an official Gym battle with me, Koga, Gym Leader of Fuchsia City, with the Soul Badge as the prize on the line?"
Koga thought of what his peers had said about Ash.
Lt. Surge had praised him.
Sabrina was fond of him.
Giovanni had his eye on him.
And Ho-Oh herself had chosen him as the Rainbow Hero.
And now Ash had arrived, right here, in his own domain.
— Was this fate?
— Then let me be fate's instrument!
Koga intended to weigh Ash's true measure with his own hands.
After all — he was already here!! There was no reason not to!
Ash didn't hesitate for even a fraction of a second. A blazing fighting spirit ignited in his eyes in an instant.
"I was hoping you'd say that!"
"Please, Gym Leader Koga — I'm asking you to battle me!"
"My goal is to collect every single Badge awarded personally by each Gym Leader!"
Perhaps the old Ash hadn't consciously held that ambition in words before — but things had come this far. Everything had built to this point. Why not see it all the way through?
He already had five of the eight mainstream Gym Badges. Right now he was standing in front of the sixth. Why not just complete the set?
Ash's words rang through the wide tatami room, full of confidence and absolute resolve.
He believed — completely and without reservation — that he could do it.
If he couldn't even accomplish this, how was he ever going to handle the crises that would come after?
The previous Ash had harbored this feeling vaguely, in the background. But he had never said it out loud.
Now it had been stated clearly, for the first time.
Ash: This is my ambition!
On his shoulder, Pikachu stood tall, the pouches on his cheeks crackling with sharp, bright sparks — a wordless declaration of battle readiness.
Misdreavus drifted at his side, her large deep-purple eyes shimmering with excitement.
Watching Ash's utterly unhesitating, drive-filled response, something passed across Koga's typically stone-still face — something that could almost be called satisfaction.
— That's what I wanted to see.
He rose slowly to his feet.
"Very well. Then please, all of you, follow me to the battle arena."
Koga's voice was low and measured.
"Allow me to see with my own eyes — just what kind of brilliance that conviction of yours, that resolve to collect every Gym Leader's Badge, is capable of producing."
"I will take this seriously."
Koga would hold his power back — but his attitude would be genuine. That was his ninja's way.
Following behind Koga, Ash felt the atmosphere tighten around him like a vice.
He glanced back at Brock, Misty, Aya, and Janine.
Brock: ( ¯ー¯)
Misty: ( ᵕ̣̣̣̣̣̣ω ᵕ̣̣̣̣̣̣)
Aya: (o o)
Janine: _□
"..." Ash.
The battle that followed was:
Ninja Master · Koga VS Super Pallet Town Newcomer · Ash
____
👻🔥Walnut-chan in "P" for more!🔥👻
🔥 New history: Group chat of the Dead
Help us unlock these community rewards:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone
👻 P - Walnut-chan