The forest seemed exceptionally quiet beneath the curtain of rain.
As Ash walked alone through the woods, his Aura formed an invisible barrier around him, keeping the pouring rain from touching his body.
Pikachu rested quietly on his shoulder, its ears twitching from time to time as though sensing something unusual.
"Pikachu, you feel it too, don't you?" Ash asked softly.
"Pika!"
Pikachu nodded firmly, its expression filled with anticipation rather than caution.
That only strengthened Ash's conviction that some special encounter lay behind this sudden storm.
Boom!
A clap of thunder tore through the sky. Illuminated by the flash of lightning, an elegant blue figure slowly emerged from the forest.
Its paws never touched the ground, and wherever it passed, the rainwater automatically parted as though pushed away by an invisible force.
"Suicune..." Ash murmured, recognizing the Messenger of the North Wind.
Suicune appeared even more majestic than he remembered.
Its azure fur resembled the purest lake water. The gem on its forehead glimmered with mysterious light, while its white ribbon-like mane swayed gently in the wind.
Most striking of all were its deep eyes, which seemed to contain thousands of years of wisdom.
Honestly, Suicune at this point in time was still as dignified and handsome as ever, completely different from the "netted beast" it would become a few years later.
"Did you bring this rain?" Ash asked as he slowly stepped forward.
Suicune gave a slight nod, its gaze falling upon Ash's backpack.
Understanding immediately, Ash took out the Rainbow Wing that radiated colorful light.
The moment the feather appeared, the surrounding raindrops seemed to freeze in midair for an instant.
Suicune lowered its head and gently sniffed the feather. A trace of nostalgia flashed through its eyes.
Then it raised its head. A stream of crystal-clear water flowed from the gem on its forehead and gathered before Ash, forming a floating sphere of water.
As the sphere slowly dispersed, it revealed a translucent blue bell.
"A Clear Bell?"
Ash carefully accepted the bell.
He knew this was an important item related to summoning Ho-Oh, but he could not understand why Suicune would entrust something so precious to him.
Before he could ask, Suicune's figure had already begun to blur. In the end, it transformed into a gentle breeze and vanished into the rain.
At the same time, the system's notification sounded in Ash's mind.
[Obtained "Suicune's Blessing"]
[Effect: Water-type move power increased by 10%. Sensory abilities are greatly enhanced while in aquatic environments.]
[Special Effect: Suicune can be summoned for assistance in times of crisis. Cooldown: 30 days.]
Ash carefully stored the Clear Bell together with Ho-Oh's Rainbow Wing.
The two items seemed to resonate with each other, releasing warm waves of energy.
By the time he returned to the mansion, the rain had already begun to ease.
To Ash's surprise, Brock's Zubat evolved into Golbat while assisting with treatments. This unexpected little incident added another pleasant surprise to the rainy night.
The next morning, the skies had cleared after the rain.
After saying goodbye to Doctor Anna, the three of them resumed their journey.
As they walked, Ash asked,
"Brock, after yesterday, what are your thoughts?"
"My thoughts? Don't tell me you're talking about me and Miss Anna..."
"Don't overthink it. I'm asking whether Miss Anna's profession had any impact on you."
"Impact?"
Brock recalled how he had helped Anna treat Pokémon the previous night. Somehow, he had quite enjoyed that feeling.
Just then, the ground suddenly began to shake violently.
A startled Tauros burst out of the forest. Directly in its path, an elderly man was leisurely taking a stroll, completely unaware of the danger rapidly approaching him.
"Look out!"
Without hesitation, Ash threw a Poké Ball.
"Go, Heracross! Stop it!"
Heracross shot out like a bolt of lightning and landed precisely in front of the old man.
After giving the command, Ash shouted to Brock and Misty,
"Let's hurry over there too!"
The three of them immediately took a shortcut and rushed over.
Ash ran the fastest. Seeing that the old man had also taken out a Poké Ball, Ash stepped forward first, presenting the old man with a heroic back view before smiling confidently.
"Grandpa, leave this one to us young people!"
Heracross planted its feet firmly and spread its arms wide, directly facing the charging Tauros.
Under the tremendous impact, its feet carved two deep furrows into the ground, but it did not retreat even a single step.
A brilliant sphere of light gathered in Heracross's right hand before striking Tauros squarely on the forehead.
The frightened Pokémon staggered a few times before finally calming down.
Soon afterward, Tauros's Trainer arrived and repeatedly expressed his gratitude. He explained that Tauros had been frightened by a swarm of Beedrill and had lost control.
The rescued old man carefully examined Heracross. A trace of admiration flashed through his eyes.
"Young man, your Heracross has been raised exceptionally well. Would you honor me by visiting my humble home?"
From the old man's demeanor and manner of speech, Ash could tell he was far from an ordinary villager.
He readily agreed.
"It sounds like you have something to teach us, old sir?"
The old man merely smiled without answering and led them toward a dojo hidden deep within a bamboo forest.
The traditional structure, with its blue-tiled roof and white walls, the meticulously maintained courtyard, and the faint yet unmistakable aura of killing intent lingering in the air all revealed that this place was anything but ordinary.
Standing before the dojo gates, Ash sensed a presence that felt both familiar and unfamiliar.
He had a vague feeling that this seemingly ordinary dojo would bring him an unexpected opportunity.
...
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