Since finding the king of its species was impossible, Zapdos could only search for a reliable Trainer instead. That way, not only would it have a stable life, but it would also no longer need to worry about being hunted by humans.
However, finding a trustworthy Trainer was not easy.
A Trainer capable of resisting evil organizations was even rarer.
But now things were different.
Since Ash could subdue the king of the Zapdos species, he naturally possessed overwhelming strength. Moreover, Zapdos instinctively felt that Ash could defeat it instantly. It was a survival instinct engraved deep within powerful creatures.
If Ash helped choose a Trainer for it, that choice would definitely be far better than searching blindly on its own.
"I understand. Don't worry, I'll help you find a very reliable Trainer."
After understanding Zapdos' intentions, Ash immediately agreed. Helping Pokémon was something he had always been willing to do.
Besides, many trustworthy people surrounded him.
Gary, his companions, his apprentices, all of them were reliable individuals. And this Zapdos was already at the peak of the Champion level. Once people learned about it, countless Trainers would desperately want such an opportunity.
"Twee~"
After hearing Ash's promise, Zapdos happily rubbed its head against him before voluntarily entering one of Ash's Poké Balls.
Sylva stared blankly at the scene.
"Since you protected the Infinity Gem for Zapdos all this time, I'll help you as well."
After putting away the Poké Ball, Ash spoke to Sylva before placing his hand on the ground.
Suddenly, the earth trembled.
The land before them bulged upward as a gigantic tree rapidly rose from the ground.
"You can call this the Tree of Life. It absorbs vitality from the atmosphere and naturally distributes it throughout the surroundings. It also possesses healing abilities. Although it can't compare to the Infinity Gem, it's still an extremely precious gift."
Ash calmly explained.
"As for the Infinity Gem, I'll be taking it with me."
Ash was not being selfish. The Infinity Gem was simply too important to him.
Moreover, the reason he had allowed the gem to temporarily drain the mountain into a wasteland earlier was to let Sylva understand that the gem had always belonged to him.
Otherwise, Ash could have directly ordered the Infinity Gem to absorb all vitality from every living creature across the entire mountain. If he had done that, not only could he have reclaimed the gem instantly, but there would have been no witnesses left alive.
"Th… thank you very much."
After hearing Ash's words, Sylva quickly thanked him somewhat nervously.
There was no helping it. After witnessing Ash subdue even Zapdos and display such terrifying power, she no longer dared oppose him in the slightest.
"You don't need to be nervous. You should have a computer here, right? You can look up my information online. My name is Ash Ketchum."
Seeing Sylva's restrained expression, Ash smiled gently.
Then, using Mokuton, he created a wooden cabin nearby.
It was already getting late, so Ash and Sabrina planned to stay there overnight. Although they could easily go days without sleep due to their strength, resting still felt more natural.
"You're Ash Ketchum? I've heard about you before. I never expected you to appear here."
After hearing his name, Sylva suddenly remembered the countless rumors she had heard recently.
"I came to the Johto region to participate in the League Conference. This place just happens to be along the path toward the next Gym."
Ash smiled lightly. Right now, he was in an excellent mood after obtaining another Infinity Gem.
"You should've said that earlier. You nearly scared me to death."
After confirming Ash's identity, Sylva finally sat down in relief.
Ever since the incident involving Lugia, the name Ash Ketchum had already become famous throughout the Johto region.
Only people who rarely paid attention to the news would fail to recognize Ash's identity. Fortunately, Ash didn't like being surrounded by crowds of fans like some celebrity anyway.
After everything was settled, Sylva sincerely thanked Ash once again. After all, he had left behind the Tree of Life, a treasure capable of healing Pokémon.
In truth, Ash had only decided to leave the tree because he could tell that Sylva genuinely cared for the Pokémon living on the mountain. Otherwise, he would have restored the mountain to its original state at most.
He was not some selfless saint.
As for whether the Johto League would attempt to seize the Tree of Life under the excuse of public interest, Ash was not worried at all.
The tree was already connected to the core of the mountain itself. If someone wanted to uproot it completely, they would first have to hollow out the entire mountain.
Even if they attempted to cut it down, the severed sections would instantly lose all vitality.
The tree was the mountain, and the mountain was the tree.
The two had already become one.
Night soon arrived.
Inside the wooden cabin, Pikachu had already curled up on a small bed and fallen asleep. Ash and Sabrina had also changed into their pajamas.
Compared to ordinary Trainers, Ash's travels were far more comfortable. At the very least, whenever he camped outdoors, he always had a proper place to stay.
"Who are you planning to let train Zapdos?"
Sabrina leaned against Ash's chest as she spoke softly.
"After all, it's already at the peak of the Champion level. If it wants to grow stronger, it can only begin comprehending laws. To fully utilize Zapdos' strength, the Trainer also needs sufficient ability."
Sabrina herself was not particularly interested in Zapdos.
Her path was focused entirely on Psychic-type Pokémon. Almost every Pokémon she trained specialized in psychic abilities, so even if she obtained Zapdos, she would not be able to fully bring out its true strength.
"That really is troublesome."
Ash sighed slightly after hearing Sabrina's words.
"Strength itself isn't the biggest issue. Comprehending laws isn't something that can be achieved easily anyway. As long as the Trainer has the potential to eventually reach the Champion level, that's enough. The important part is whether they can properly synchronize with Zapdos over time."
Even Ash found the decision difficult.
For example, he had already given Gary a Dratini before. But even with a pseudo-legendary Pokémon like Dragonite's evolutionary line, Gary was already beginning to feel considerable pressure.