"Pikachu, stay with me."
"Greninja, you're responsible for security. Make sure no wild Pokémon sneak up on Clarissa or me."
"Pidgeot, Spearow—you two take to the skies and scout the area. Help us search for Oddish and Paras. If you find any, let me know immediately."
After releasing his Pokémon, Ash quickly assigned everyone their tasks.
"Pika~"
"Gwaa~"
"Pidgeot~"
"Gaah~"
The Pokémon responded at once and sprang into action.
Pikachu leapt onto Ash's shoulder, its bright black eyes constantly scanning the surroundings.
Greninja moved behind them, positioning itself protectively near Clarissa.
Meanwhile, Pidgeot and Spearow soared into the sky, circling high above Ash's head. Their sharp eyes swept across the forest like aerial radar systems, searching for any signs of Oddish or Paras.
Of course, Ash wasn't relying entirely on his Pokémon.
The wilderness was full of hidden dangers.
A single moment of carelessness could lead to disaster.
So in addition to his Pokémon's vigilance, Ash activated another layer of protection the moment they arrived at Viridian Forest.
His Aura.
The invisible waves of Aura spread outward, scanning everything around him.
Whether it was hidden threats lurking in the shadows or potential Pokémon suitable for Clarissa, Aura proved incredibly useful.
"Clarissa."
"Let's go."
"And stay close to me."
After making all the necessary preparations, Ash stepped into the forest first.
"Mm!"
Clarissa nodded obediently and followed closely behind him.
As the eldest granddaughter of the prestigious Joy family, Clarissa had never ventured alone into an environment filled with wild Pokémon.
Whenever she traveled, attendants and bodyguards accompanied her.
Now, walking through the dangerous depths of Viridian Forest, she couldn't help feeling nervous and apprehensive.
Yet at the same time...
Because she was here with Ash.
And because it was just the two of them.
A strange sense of excitement mixed with security filled her heart.
Ash, naturally, had no idea what she was thinking.
His attention remained focused on scanning for wild Pokémon while simultaneously searching for suitable Oddish and Paras.
...
...
The time was currently 1:47 PM.
The sun had only just begun its slow descent toward the west.
Outside the forest, the afternoon heat was still intense.
But the moment they stepped beneath Viridian Forest's canopy, everything changed.
The light dimmed dramatically.
The temperature dropped several degrees.
A cool chill spread across the skin.
Towering ancient trees surrounded them on every side.
Massive vines hung from thick branches.
Most of the trunks were as wide as water barrels.
The intertwined branches formed gigantic natural umbrellas overhead.
Only tiny fragments of sunlight managed to penetrate the dense canopy.
As a result, the forest remained cloaked in perpetual twilight.
Dark.
Mysterious.
Almost eerie.
There were no roads.
No signs of human activity.
Only endless wilderness.
From every direction came the rustling sounds of wild Pokémon moving through the undergrowth.
Occasionally, distant roars echoed through the forest—predators hunting prey somewhere unseen.
Having grown up in Pallet Town and spent countless hours working with wild Pokémon through his clinic, Ash felt no fear toward the forest.
His Natural Affinity ability only strengthened that comfort.
Clarissa, however, was a completely different story.
Only a short time after entering the forest, she quietly reached out and grabbed Ash's hand.
Her eyes darted nervously toward every shadow and movement around them.
"Don't be afraid."
"Pikachu, Greninja, and I will protect you."
Ash gently squeezed her slightly cold hand.
Pikachu and Greninja were already Red-Tier Pokémon.
With Ash's Will Empowerment, they could temporarily reach near–Pseudo-Gym-Class levels.
Not to mention the Champion-level Charizard Professor Oak had secretly assigned as Ash's personal bodyguard.
To be honest...
There wasn't a single wild Pokémon in Viridian Forest capable of threatening him.
"Mm."
Hearing the confidence in Ash's voice, Clarissa gradually relaxed.
"By the way, Clarissa."
Ash pointed toward a patch of tall grass nearby.
"Whenever you're traveling in the wild and encounter thick grass taller than your knees, never charge in carelessly."
"There's a very high chance wild Pokémon are hiding inside."
"Usually they're harmless Pokémon like Rattata, Oddish, or Bellsprout."
"But even small Pokémon can be dangerous to humans."
"More importantly, habitats like this are favorite ambush spots for Arbok."
"So you should always be cautious."
As he spoke, Ash casually waved a hand.
A burst of Aura Wind swept through the grass.
The next moment—
"Hissssss!"
An Arbok suddenly emerged from the vegetation.
Clarissa immediately shrank behind Ash.
Her face paled slightly.
Fortunately, sensing the powerful aura surrounding Ash and his Pokémon, the Arbok had no intention of attacking.
After a brief stare, it turned and vanished into the nearby bushes.
"Another thing."
Ash pointed toward a large hollow tree.
"In forests, hollow trees like that are favorite nesting sites for Ariados."
"So if you're traveling and get caught in the rain, never rush into a hollow tree for shelter without checking first."
"Otherwise, you might accidentally crawl into a predator's den."
As he spoke, Ash used a pulse of Aura to lightly shake the tree.
The darkness inside immediately stirred.
Two glowing red eyes appeared.
Then a large head slowly emerged from the hollow.
"Ariii..."
The Ariados stared at them with a pair of vicious crimson eyes.
After determining that Ash and his group weren't looking for trouble—and realizing they were incredibly strong—it let out a threatening hiss before retreating back into the darkness.
Clarissa pressed a hand against her chest.
"That was scary..."
The sight of the giant spider had genuinely frightened her.
As a girl, snakes and spiders were among the creatures she disliked most.
Ash, however, remained completely calm.
In fact, he found Pokémon like Arbok and Ariados quite interesting.
Because of their aggressive natures and natural combat instincts, they were actually excellent choices for trainers seeking powerful battle Pokémon.
Of course, they excelled more at ambushes and specialized combat environments than traditional stadium battles.
Furthermore, highly aggressive Pokémon could be difficult to train and occasionally carried the risk of turning on inexperienced trainers.
That was why relatively few trainers chose to raise them.
Still—
If Ash happened to encounter an Arbok or Ariados with exceptional talent and a good personality...
He wouldn't hesitate to catch one.
Because unlike many people, Ash held no prejudice toward any Pokémon.
Whether they were cute or frightening.
Popular or unpopular.
Gentle or fierce.
He loved them all equally.
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T/N:
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