Ash stepped out, encouraged by Chloe’s words, but a sudden sense of helplessness overwhelmed him. The path ahead led into a territory he had never experienced.

  It was only natural; Ash, who had spent his life on a relatively peaceful journey with Pokémon, had just come face-to-face with the grim aftereffects of war—a world where living beings sought to kill one another.

  The victims of the bombings, the grieving families… it was a reality he had never even imagined.

  “I managed to come outside, but… I don’t know what to do,” Ash muttered.

  To him, the Pokémon battles he had fought until now were merely sports. But what Lt. Surge and the soldiers had done—wasn't that pure 'violence' and 'destruction'?

  He wondered if his logic of "friendship" could even hold weight in the face of such brutality. With a heavy sigh, he began walking toward the Vermilion Gym where the protesters were gathered, when suddenly…

  Beep! Beep!

  His Rotom Phone rang loudly. The caller was none other than the Galar Champion, Leon. Known to the world as the "Unbeatable Champion," he was Ash's final opponent in the World Coronation Series and one of the strongest figures in the Pokémon world.

  Startled by the unexpected call, Ash answered with a racing heart. Leon began the conversation brightly, sounding relieved.

  “Ash! Are you doing well? Cynthia was worried, so I’m calling on her behalf. I’m glad to see you look healthy. You’re safe!”

  Ash felt a pang of guilt, remembering how his decision to ignore Cynthia’s warning had led to him being held hostage by Mina.

  He wanted to tell Leon about her, but fearing she might strike again, he chose to focus on the conversation at hand.

  “Ah, hello Leon. Yes, I’ve been doing okay. How have you been?”

  Leon let out a hearty laugh, glad to hear Ash was safe. However, Ash instinctively touched his choker, swallowing hard. Oblivious to Ash's inner turmoil, Leon continued.

  “Me? Charizard and I are as great as ever! I’m training hard today for the sake of all the young trainers in Galar.”

  Behind Leon on the screen, his Charizard roared, breathing fire. The sight reminded Ash of his own Charizard, bringing a brief smile to his face, but his expression soon darkened again.

  “...Hey, Leon? Can I ask you something?”

  “Hmm?”

  “How did you feel when you first became Champion?”

  Ash surprised even himself with the question. It was something he had never asked anyone—not even himself—throughout his entire journey, even after becoming the World Champion. Seeing Ash’s serious expression, Leon smiled softly.

  “For you to ask something like that… I’m surprised. Alright, where should I begin?”

  Leon seemed to have much he wanted to share.

  “I have this ‘Unbeatable Champion’ persona, but honestly, my first championship was the result of one coincidence after another. You’re right—back then, I didn't even have time to think about what I should do next.”

  Leon spoke lightly for Ash's sake, but Ash could instinctively feel that the weight of being the "Unbeatable Champion" was never an easy burden to carry.

  Leon glanced at a family photo in his pocket, featuring a young Hop, before speaking again.

  “After I became the Galar Champion, I thought of my younger brother. Hop was just starting to take an interest in Pokémon battles back then.”

  Leon seemed to reminisce about playing with Hop for a moment.

  “Unlike now, he was very clumsy. He was also strangely overconfident, which led to all sorts of bizarre accidents… But watching that rambunctious kid, I realized something.”

  Ash looked confused. “What was it?”

  Leon had his Charizard bring over a photo taken with his many fans. Ash could immediately see that most of them were young children and aspiring trainers.

  “As the Champion of Galar and as an adult, I have a duty to perform. That duty is to pave the way for the younger generation and help them toward a better future. I realized that was something only I could do.”

  A look of realization dawned on Ash’s face. Thinking back, during the Eternatus incident, Leon had mediated Chairman Rose’s reckless demands and exerted superhuman effort to protect the people of Galar who were terrified of the rampaging Dynamax Pokémon.

  Feeling a bit more confident about what it meant to walk the path of an adult, Ash spoke up.

  “...Leon, to be honest, even after I became World Champion, I just kept traveling. My dream was to be a Pokémon Master—to become friends with every Pokémon in the world.”

  But as he spoke, Ash already knew. Through his journey with Mina, the Kanto region he saw now was no longer the same.

  A world stained with the blood of many, filled with resentment and hatred between humans and Pokémon—that was the reality of Kanto he was witnessing.

  It pained him to feel his convictions crumbling, but Ash closed his eyes and continued seriously.

  “But now that I think about it, I don't think it's possible to be friends with every Pokémon. Not when humans hate and fight each other so much… I’m starting to think a world where everyone is friends is impossible.”

  Leon nodded slowly and asked, “...So, what are you feeling right now?”

  Ash’s confidence vanished instantly. He hung his head low.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “I don’t know. I just met Chloe, and she told me that a true Pokémon Master should be a hero—someone who fights and overcomes the dirty, painful, and uncomfortable truths of the world.”

  Leon nodded at his words. “I see…”

  Ash asked, almost pleadingly, “Which one is right?”

  Leon smiled, seeing Ash maturing from a boy into a man.

  “I see, Ash. There is only one piece of advice I can give you.”

  “Just one?”

  Leon decided to give him a hint based on his own experience.

  “You know I have a terrible sense of direction, right? But do you know why I always manage to reach my destination anyway?”

  “...?”

  “It’s because I know where I want to go. I’ll get there eventually, even if I’m late. Though these days, Charizard helps me out, haha!”

  Leon seemed to be speaking in riddles, leaving Ash even more confused.

  “What does that mean? It’s too hard to understand…”

  Leon sighed and looked at Ash with a confident gaze, explaining further.

  “To put it simply: What does your heart want right now? What do you want to do? You already know that traveling and making friends won't solve everything anymore, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do what you can right now. Clash and fight for it. And even if that path turns out to be wrong, hold onto your resolve. That’s what I want to tell you.”

  Looking at Ash, who was no longer just a child, Leon’s voice trailed off with a slightly sad expression.

  “Even if… it means getting blood on your hands.”

  “...What?”

  Leon quickly changed the subject to reassure him.

  “No, never mind. You don't need to know that yet… Anyway, Ash, I’m glad you’re healthy. Let’s talk again soon!”

  “Okay!”

  The call ended. Ash tried to ignore Leon’s last remark, but he couldn't forget the word "blood." He realized Leon was also enduring the same weight of responsibility. Ash’s eyes grew calmer, his expression a bit more mature than before the call.

  “I don't fully understand everything Leon said, but… yeah. I’ll do what I have to do!”

  Meanwhile, Leon realized he had forgotten something.

  “Oh… wait. What was it that Cynthia asked me to tell Ash? Oh well! I’m sure it’ll work out somehow.”

  Where was Mina? Her current location was unknown. In a room filled with the damp, pungent smell of mold, Mina slowly regained consciousness. She was tied to a chair. The sound of dripping water echoed, followed by the crackle of electricity sparking through numerous puddles.

  Mina tried to move, but she was tightly bound by iron chains, and the lingering effects of the anesthesia left her weak.

  “Damn it…!”

  Startled by her awakening, the Tool Ditto inside her body sent a telepathic message.

  Boss? Boss! Are you alright?

  ‘Where are we…?’

  The Tool Ditto began to speak about a place it shouldn't have known.

  It seems we are in the basement of the Vermilion City Gym.

  ‘You’re quick with information…’

  Even the Ditto seemed confused about how it knew this place.

  I’m not sure. It just… feels familiar.

  Mina looked around and saw the electrified puddles, and a thought struck her.

  ‘Then do me a favor, Tool.’

  After she briefly explained the plan, the Ditto hopped out of her body.

  Understood, Boss.

  As the Ditto crawled into a leaking pipe and vanished, the door opened. Five or six soldiers entered, followed by a man in a robe. A red "R" glowed on his forehead, and his entire body emitted a strange light. At the man's signal, the soldiers began to beat her.

  “Ugh…”

  Mina knew. She could tell the soldiers weren't doing this of their own free will. So, she didn't resist; she just took the blows. After a while, the soldiers stopped and left the room. The man of light grabbed Mina’s face.

  “So you actually survived, Creature.”

  Hearing that voice and seeing that sickeningly bright light, Mina’s suppressed memories came flooding back. This man, standing before her with such disgusting arrogance, was the one who had tried to kill her on the day of the Rubbish Island bombing.

  “I had a feeling… Is it really you? The ‘Mr. Sparkle’ from Rubbish Island?”

  At that moment, the Ditto sent her a telepathic message.

  I remember now, Boss! I saw this guy when I was extracting data in Cerulean City. You have to be careful.

  Mina remained silent. The man of light moved to attack her again. Suddenly, Mina asked him a question.

  “What could you possibly want from a bottom-tier mercenary like me?”

  Mr. Sparkle lowered his hand as if he had been waiting for her to speak, glaring at her with a mocking look.

  “The trash from Rubbish Island… I know exactly why you’re here. Your goal is to challenge the next Gym Leader, Lt. Surge, and take his badge, isn’t it?”

  “....”

  Mr. Sparkle brushed himself off, then undid the chains binding her.

  “Personally, I don’t like your agenda. But it seems the wheels of fate want to watch your journey unfold. I’m letting you go now—but on one condition.”

  “...What is it?”

  Mr. Sparkle gathered a light so bright it could blind someone right in front of her eyes.

  “Actually, two conditions. They’re simple. First, tell the truth about the reporter named Chris to those people who have been protesting for 100 days. Second, stop traveling with the World Champion, Ash, immediately.”

  They were simple yet incredibly difficult conditions. Mina snapped back instinctively.

  “...What?”

  “Is it really that hard, mercenary? You know better than anyone, don’t you? That what you’re doing is outside the rules.”

  “....”

  Having fully unchained her, Mr. Sparkle handed her a piece of paper and a pen.

  “Give me your word, and I’ll let you go. Once your business is done, crawl back to your precious Rubbish Island!”

  Mina took the paper and pen, but suddenly, she couldn't contain her laughter.

  “...Pff… Hahaha! Hahahahahahaha!”

  “What’s so funny?”

  Mina threw the pen aside and tore the paper to shreds.

  “Aren't you the one making a big mistake here?”

  “What?”

  At that moment, the ground shook as electricity surged from the floor. With a loud pop, the power went out. Mina’s counterattack had begun.

  “You keep calling me a Creature and a mercenary… so let me ask you: how much do you actually know about the darkness?”

  No matter how much power the man of light possessed, the electricity conducting through the water was agonizing. As he tried to reach for the door, Mina drove a massive Behemoth Blade through his back. The man screamed, gasping for air.

  “What… what are you trying to say?”

  Mina kicked the man through the door, shattering it as she moved forward. Outside, dozens of soldiers surrounded her. Even in this situation, Mina wore a manic, crazed smile.

  “Where there is light, there is darkness. Where there are rules, there are those who break them. They are like Yin and Yang—they can never meet, yet they complement each other.”

  Despite the numerous gun barrels pointed at her, Mina found an opening. She kicked Mr. Sparkle toward the soldiers and shouted:

  “You’re supposed to be the ‘light’ and follow the ‘rules,’ yet you’re not playing fair? Then I’m just acting like the ‘darkness’ I am. Don’t take it personally!”

  By throwing Mr. Sparkle, she broke the soldiers' formation. In the ensuing chaos, she dodged a hail of bullets and fled through the gap she had created.

  Boss!

  The Ditto reached her and merged back into her body.

  ‘Good work. Luckily, you knew the layout of this gym, so we survived.’

  The Ditto, surprised by Mina’s rare praise, asked cautiously.

  Boss… it seems like there’s something you want to say.

  Mina replied bluntly. ‘...I haven't said or done anything.’

  The Ditto spoke as if it found her pathetic.

  Boss, I am your tool and your very body. Do not try to lie to me.

  Just then, a massive bazooka shell struck her from behind. The floor, already weakened by the surging electricity, gave way, and she plummeted into the deep basement below.

  How much time had passed? When Mina regained consciousness, she heard the muffled voices of soldiers and the cold scraping of concrete. She felt a sense of impending doom. Sensing this might be the end, she spoke softly to the Ditto.

  ‘Listen closely, Tool. I’m going to tell you the truth. Your real name is Chris. You’re the journalist who knew Karen. But you sacrificed your body to save me from that light… and you brought me back to life.’

  The Ditto was shaken to its core. It never made sense how it knew the layout of a basement it had never visited. But if it were Chris… everything finally explained itself.

  How can this be…

  The voices of the soldiers faded, replaced by the sound of someone digging toward her with a shovel. Mina closed her eyes tight and apologized to the Ditto for the first and last time.

  ‘I’m sorry… for telling you so late. I truly don’t have the heart to face Chris or your family.’

  Hello, everyone. Thank you for reading.

  Rubbish Island bombing, she was critically injured while fighting Mr. Sparkle. In that moment, Chris made the ultimate sacrifice—he chose to be absorbed into Mina’s body to save her.

  MN" was nothing more than a monster in human skin. However, through Chris’s sacrifice, she finally awakened to her humanity.

  And Happy New Years!