Chapter 85: Secret Technique Aerial Ace
"We will be companions from now on, Bulbasaur!" Ash exclaimed, releasing Bulbasaur from its Poké Ball. He crouched down and extended his right hand toward the Grass-type Pokémon.
"bulba—!" Without hesitation, Bulbasaur stretched out a vine and placed it on Ash's hand, sealing their new bond.
"Pika, pika—!" Pikachu chimed in joy, wrapping its arms around Bulbasaur. However, Bulbasaur seemed slightly uncomfortable with Pikachu's enthusiasm, becoming a bit stiff under the unexpected affection.
"That's great, Bulbasaur..." Melanie said, a touch of reluctance in her voice. Although she was sad to see Bulbasaur go, she congratulated it.
She didn't know much about Ash, but she could see the sincerity in his attitude toward Bulbasaur.
Following a Trainer like Ash, Melanie believed Bulbasaur would never have to face abandonment again.
"Bulba...Bulba..." Bulbasaur nodded toward Melanie, feeling a pang of reluctance. It broke free from Pikachu and turned to its fellow Pokémon beside Melanie.
"Bulba..Bulba... bulba, bulba..." Bulbasaur communicated with the other Pokémon, explaining its decision to leave.
Upon hearing Bulbasaur's words, the other Pokémon appeared flustered and dazed, struggling to comprehend that Bulbasaur was leaving them.
"bulba! buba, bulba!" Bulbasaur urged them, its determination to leave growing stronger. It realized that remaining here hindered their growth.
Though scared, the Pokémon began to accept the inevitable. They would have to learn to protect themselves without Bulbasaur.
"oodish..." Oddish was the first to respond, expressing that it would not disappoint Bulbasaur's expectations. Soon, more Pokémon echoed its sentiment, pledging to grow stronger.
Seeing the Pokémon begin to change and accept their new reality, Bulbasaur smiled brightly, nodding at them.
"Okay, everyone! It's getting late, and it's time to eat!" Melanie announced once Bulbasaur finished communicating.
Excitedly, the Pokémon gathered around Melanie at the mention of food, but Bulbasaur felt a twinge of loneliness as it returned to Ash's side.
"Didn't I say you'd meet more companions? So let's get to know them now!" Ash said, gently patting Bulbasaur's head before releasing Pidgeotto and Beedrill to introduce themselves.
Misty and Brock followed suit, releasing their Pokémon to meet Bulbasaur. With so many new friends, Bulbasaur slowly began to shake off its loneliness, happily communicating with everyone.
As night fell, Misty and Melanie settled inside the house while Ash and Brock set up tents outside, preparing to sleep in their sleeping bags.
Before Brock returned from washing up, Ash decided to use his last lucky draw.
The familiar interface appeared before him as Ash initiated the draw. The slot machine interface spun for a few seconds before stopping.
The prize revealed was something called **[Secret Aerial Ace]**.
"Aerial Ace?" Ash frowned slightly, recalling that he had previously received an Aerial Ace Technical Machine from another lottery.
"Is this bad luck or good luck?" He scratched his head, pondering the implications.
On one hand, having a learner was convenient, allowing Pokémon to master moves without extensive training. However, there were drawbacks he wouldn't delve into now.
"Still, this is good! With two learning devices, one for Pidgeotto and one for Beedrill, Beedrill should be able to learn Aerial Ace too, right?" Ash mused, excited about the possibilities.
To his shock, when he received the prize, it wasn't a learning device like he expected but rather a glowing ball of light.
"Inheritance light group?!" Ash exclaimed, surprised. This light resembled the one he received when he obtained [Osiris' Soaring in the Sky Dragon Legacy].
The only difference was that this ball of light was white and looked almost like cotton candy, unlike the crimson one crackling with electricity.
"So... this isn't just an Aerial Ace learner?" Ash scrutinized the [Secret Skill · Aerial Ace] closely.
Secret Aerial Ace
[Effect]: A flash from the real world, ignoring the concept of time and space, creates two identical flashes overlapping to produce attacks from three directions.
[Available Pokémon]: Pikachu, Pidgeotto, Beedrill
"Movement inheritance... Sasaki James' secret technique, Aerial Ace from the FATE series?!"
Ash's eyes widened in astonishment, struggling to comprehend that he had obtained such a powerful technique.
However, after a moment of contemplation, Ash furrowed his brow. The concept of the secret skill Aerial Ace was undoubtedly powerful.
The simultaneous three overlapping attacks created a phenomenon that distorted dimensions, making it nearly impossible for opponents to evade.
Yet, there was a caveat. If his own strength wasn't sufficient, using the secret skill would be meaningless; the three simultaneous attacks wouldn't cause any real harm to a stronger opponent.
"So, while it's invincible at equal levels, it might seem ineffective against stronger foes..." Ash mused, understanding the limitations of the technique.
"But it's still a good thing. I didn't expect to get something like this—could it be Bulbasaur's good luck?"
Ash felt a wave of calm wash over him. In the end, his own strength was what mattered most; moves were just aids to enhance that power.
Deciding to temporarily put the move inheritance away, Ash didn't plan to use it right away or decide who would inherit the skill.
"But... I still can't achieve that level of peace of mind..." He tried to calm himself, but the thrill of receiving such a powerful inheritance bubbled beneath the surface.
"What does it matter? You should be happy when you have the chance!" With a smile on his face, Ash leaned back onto his sleeping bag pillow, glancing at Bulbasaur leaning against Pikachu. Today had truly been a lucky day.
Despite initially fearing a heavy rain, he had encountered Bulbasaur and unexpectedly drawn the secret skill Aerial Ace.
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Adios