Pokemon: A New Path-Chapter 487

As soon as Naoki pressed the accept button, the screen flickered and Ash Ketchum's excited face popped into view.

"Long time no see, Mr. Naoki!" Ash greeted enthusiastically. "I didn't have your number, so I asked Professor Oak to help me get in touch!"

As he spoke, the camera shifted, revealing Professor Oak standing beside him.

The renowned Pokémon Professor, dressed in his familiar white lab coat, gave a friendly wave.

"Good afternoon, Naoki!" he said warmly.

Naoki returned the greeting with a smile. "Good afternoon, Professor Oak. So, what's this about, Ash?"

"It's about Slaking!" Ash announced excitedly.

Naoki raised an eyebrow. "Wait, you mean your Vigoroth evolved into Slaking?"

"That's right!" Ash nodded eagerly. "And thanks to Slaking, I managed to finish as the runner-up in the Ever Grande Conference! I was this close to winning it all!"

Naoki paused.

'Runner-up?'

That wasn't what he remembered. In the original timeline, Ash had only reached the Top 8.

'Had something changed?'

Before he could ponder it further, Ash turned the camera toward his Slaking.

Lying lazily on the floor of Professor Oak's lab, Slaking yawned loudly, barely reacting to the call. Its eyes flickered open slightly as it sensed something and looked toward the Rotom Phone's screen.

"Long time no see, Slaking!" Naoki greeted through the screen.

The Lazy Pokémon continued to stare blankly for a moment. Then—it let out another yawn.

As if that was its way of acknowledging him.

Naoki: "…"

Ash, looking a little embarrassed, scratched his head. "Haha… It's usually way more energetic than this!"

Naoki simply smirked. "I know."

Slaking was no joke.

With a base Attack stat of 160 and Speed of 100, it was an absolute monster in battle.

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If not for its Ability, Truant, which only let it attack every other turn, Slaking would be one of the most terrifying Pokémon in competitive battles.

If it ever had something like Sheer Force or Tough Claws instead…

Well, that was a terrifying thought.

But clearly, Ash had trained his Slaking well, and that was impressive on its own.

Naoki nodded approvingly. "I can tell you raised it well. I'm glad to see it doing so great with you."

Then, he paused, thinking. "Ash, you're thirteen now, right?"

"Yep!" Ash grinned. "I've been traveling for three years now!"

Naoki chuckled. "Getting runner-up in a League at thirteen is already an incredible achievement. You should be proud."

Hearing that, Ash rubbed the back of his head, looking a little bashful.

"Nah, it's all thanks to Pikachu and the others!"

Naoki smiled. "Still, it's your skill as a Trainer that got you here."

Then, he asked, "Now that your Hoenn journey is over, where are you heading next? Planning to visit Paldea?"

Ash shook his head quickly.

"No way! Mr. Naoki, you're way too strong! I'm not ready to challenge you yet!"

Naoki raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

With determination burning in his eyes, Ash clenched his fist.

"I'm going to keep traveling, training hard, and one day, when I become a Pokémon Master, I'll come to Paldea and challenge you properly!"

Naoki smirked. "I'll be waiting for that day, then."

Ash grinned. "But first, Pikachu and I are heading to Sinnoh! I heard about the Lily of the Valley Conference!"

The Road to Sinnoh Begins

"Lily of the Valley Conference, huh…" Naoki muttered to himself.

Which meant Ash was about to run into some familiar faces.

Like Paul, his future Sinnoh rival, and possibly even Tobias, the infamous Trainer with Darkrai and Latios.

That was going to be interesting.

"Then you'd better work hard." Naoki said.

Ash pumped his fist. "I will!"

After the call ended, Naoki's curiosity got the better of him. He pulled up his Rotom Phone and searched for recordings of the Ever Grande Conference.

And, sure enough, he found them.

Opening Pikachu TV, he projected the matches onto the ranch's television. He leaned back, watching as the tournament played out.

Something had definitely changed. In the original timeline, Ash had only made it to the Top 8.

But here he had reached the finals.

As the matches progressed, Naoki saw familiar battles. Ash's victories, his tactical growth, and the incredible battles leading up to the quarterfinals.

His opponent in that round? Tyson.

The Trainer famous for using a Meowth in boots.

Naoki still remembered Tyson. He was supposed to be the champion of the Ever Grande Conference, the same trainer who had defeated Ash.

But this time… Ash won?!

Intrigued, Naoki continued watching the battle.

The match between Ash and Tyson was intense from start to finish. Both trainers gave it their all, pushing their Pokémon to the absolute limit.

Ash's lineup: Glalie, Corphish, Swellow, Slaking, Sceptile, Pikachu

Tyson's lineup: Sceptile, Shiftry, Hariyama, Donphan, Meowth, Metagross

As the battle raged on, it soon came down to their final Pokémon—Ash's Slaking and Tyson's Meowth.

That Meowth—wearing boots—was absurdly strong. It moved with incredible agility, delivering a relentless Fury Swipes barrage that took down Pikachu.

With Pikachu eliminated, Ash had no choice but to send out his low-health Slaking.

Maybe it was Ash's unwavering determination that pushed Slaking to its limits or maybe the Pokémon simply refused to let its trainer down.

In an unexpected display of power, Slaking stood up despite its exhaustion, its muscles tensing with raw strength.

After an intense exchange, it finished Meowth off with a devastating Giga Impact—securing Ash's spot in the semifinals.

Ash managed to win the semifinals, but his final battle was another story. His last opponent, a trainer using a Gengar, overwhelmed his team.

As Naoki watched Pikachu fall for the final time on-screen, he sighed, shaking his head.

"Tsk. So close… If only he had won, Ash would have been the champion this year."

Even so, finishing as runner-up was an incredible feat, especially considering that Ash was only thirteen.

If Ash brought this same strong, experienced team to the Lily of the Valley Conference, he could go even further.

But Naoki already knew that wasn't going to happen. Ash always had this strange habit of resetting his team every new region.

Instead of using his fully trained Pokémon, he'd catch new ones from scratch. And that meant, when he faced off against the dark horse of Sinnoh, Tobias, he wouldn't stand a chance.

A trainer who had Darkrai and Latios in an official tournament? That was an entirely different level. If it were Naoki, he would bring his best Pokémon without hesitation.

Too bad Greninja and Infernape hadn't joined Ash's team yet.

Still, that was just who Ash was—the kind of trainer who always pushed forward, no matter the odds.

...

November 20, Alliance Calendar Year 200 – Mid-Winter

The cold grip of winter had settled over the land.

Wild Pokémon hibernated, conserving energy as food became scarce. Only Ice-type Pokémon remained active, roaming through the frozen landscapes.

But today, something stirred. Deep within the sacred lands of the World Tree, two ancient titans awoke from their slumber.

For the first time in centuries, both Groudon and Kyogre had absorbed enough natural energy to fully revert into their Primal Forms.

Their power surged, their auras burning with energy. And, just like in the legends, their rivalry reignited instantly.

Groudon, now feeling unstoppable, stepped out of the volcano where it had been resting.

Kyogre, sensing its rival's presence, rose from the ocean, its massive form casting a shadow over the waves.

They looked up to the sky and roared, wanting to teach each other a lesson.

Therefore, Groudon left the volcano where he lived, and Kyogre, sensing Groudon's breath, moved quickly towards him.

However, when they just arrived at the "reunion" point, before either of them could attack—

They saw him. Standing before them, arms crossed, was Naoki.

And behind him—

Rayquaza, its shiny body glowing with celestial power. Mewtwo, its psychic energy distorting the very air around it. Koraidon, snarling, its muscles tensed for battle. Ho-Oh, its majestic wings shimmering with golden fire. Giratina, emerging from a dark rift, eyes glowing ominously. Calyrex, riding atop its spectral steed, watching silently.

The six Legendary Pokémon stood at his back, their sheer presence alone warping the battlefield.

Groudon's burning eyes flickered with hesitation. Kyogre's fins trembled slightly.

A hush fell over the landscape.

Even the Dragonites that lived on Dragonite Island had gathered nearby, watching the confrontation unfold.

Naoki cracked his knuckles. Then, with a wicked grin, he stepped forward.

"You wanna fight, huh?" His eyes gleamed dangerously.

"Fine. Let's fight."

Groudon and Kyogre instinctively took a step back.

But Naoki wasn't finished. His voice was calm—firm—but carried undeniable authority.

"I told you before—fight each other, and you're getting kicked out."

The tension in the air was suffocating.

Naoki narrowed his eyes. "Seems like you didn't take my words seriously."

...

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