Chapter 144: Explanation

After returning home, Serena and Lillie decided to rest, while Dawn and May headed to the kitchen to prepare lunch for the Pokémon. Misty, meanwhile, took charge of caring for the Pokémon in the backyard.

Ash followed Misty outside. Besides his own Pokémon, the backyard was now home to Serena and Lillie's Pokémon as well. Since both of them had returned, they had also released their Pokémon into the open space behind the house.

Misty was busy instructing the Pokémon in their training. Ash watched for a while before deciding to check on his own Pokémon's progress. Even though their growth had slowed down after reaching the Elite level, it had been nearly a month since he had last observed them closely.

"System, display Pokémon status…" Ash instinctively called out the system interface, expecting to see detailed information on his Pokémon's current strength. However, there was no response.

"System?" Ash called again, slightly confused. He repeated the call several times in his mind but received nothing. A sudden wave of uncertainty hit him. System…? What system?

For a moment, he stood frozen in place, his mind clouded with confusion. He tried to recall where this thought had come from. Do I even have something like a system? It felt like a memory, but at the same time, it didn't seem real.

"Am I just exhausted?" Ash frowned, shaking his head to clear his thoughts. He had been the Kanto Champion for years now, and if such a thing as a system existed, he would have known about it long ago.

To shake off the strange feeling, he decided to engage in a battle. Looking at Misty, he suggested, "How about a quick battle? You take Charizard, and I'll use Pikachu."

Ever since becoming the Champion, he had spent most of his time handling official duties. His battle opportunities had significantly decreased, apart from the World Championships, which were only held once every four years.

Before he could take another step, another odd thought struck him. I wonder how well they've adapted to their inheritance…

Ash suddenly stopped in his tracks, confusion flooding his mind again.

Inheritance? What inheritance?

His brows furrowed as he tried to recall why that word felt familiar. Then, a memory flickered in his mind—an image of himself receiving something… powerful.

Wait… last night, I had a dream…

The details slowly surfaced. In his dream, he had just arrived in this world and had received something—some kind of ability, a system, and then… an inheritance.

"The Soaring Sky Dragon of Osiris… The Sun God's Winged Dragon…" Ash muttered under his breath. These names sounded eerily familiar. They were legendary beings, not from Pokémon, but from Yu-Gi-Oh!—the Egyptian God Cards.

A chilling realization swept over him. That dream… wasn't just a dream.

His heartbeat quickened, and suddenly, the world around him became distorted. Misty's figure blurred, as did Dawn, May, Serena, and Lillie. Even Iris, who was supposed to be in the Unova Region, appeared in flashes before his eyes.

Then, in an instant—

Ash bolted upright, gasping. He was no longer in his home. He was back in his dormitory at Maiden's Gorge.

His breathing was heavy as he scanned his surroundings. To his left, Misty and Brock were still sleeping.

What… was that?

Before he could gather his thoughts, a strange voice spoke from behind him.

"Oh ho ho! That was much faster than I expected! As expected of the one chosen by Ho-Oh!"

Ash spun around sharply, his eyes widening in shock.

There was nothing behind him… except a Gastly.

For a second, he thought he had misheard. But no—he was sure that the voice had come from this Pokémon.

Gastly floated in mid-air, staring at Ash with amusement. It had been about to touch Pikachu when Ash abruptly woke up, breaking the illusion almost instantly.

Gastly itself was stunned. Only five seconds. That was all it had taken for Ash to shatter the hypnosis.

For over two thousand years, this Gastly had existed, reaching a strength close to that of a legendary Pokémon. Its Hypnosis technique was nearly as effective as Darkrai's Dark Void, yet this boy had broken through its illusion in mere seconds.

A smirk crept onto Ash's face as he pieced things together. "Gastly… You're the old woman, aren't you?"

The spectral Pokémon blinked before letting out a chuckle. "Oh? You figured it out quite quickly. Impressive!"

Ash crossed his arms. "So, what exactly is your goal?"

Gastly grinned mischievously. "Originally? I just wanted to mess with you and your friends—to let you spread the legend of Maiden's Gorge, just as I do every year during the festival."

Gastly explained that it usually picked a group of travelers and made them experience illusions. This was its way of keeping the tale of the Maiden alive. Brock had been its initial target this time, but things took an unexpected turn when it noticed Ash.

"But then," Gastly continued, "I sensed something odd about you… and even more so about your Pikachu."

At this, Ash's expression stiffened.

"Especially Pikachu," Gastly said, narrowing its eyes. "I can feel an aura… the presence of a god within it."

A heavy silence filled the room.

Ash's mind raced. Gastly… had sensed the inheritance.

If Gastly can sense Pikachu's power… does that mean Marshadow knows about it too?

His thoughts drifted back to Ramphul, where Charmeleon had received its inheritance. Was Marshadow there? Watching?

Ash clenched his fists. How much does Marshadow know? How much does it understand about the inheritance… and about me?

Gastly tilted its head. "You're deep in thought. So, are you going to tell me what exactly Pikachu is?"

Ash remained silent. He had no reason to explain anything to Gastly.

"If you were my Pokémon, I might have considered telling you," he finally said. "But you're not."

Gastly observed him for a moment before sighing dramatically. "Oh well, I suppose every Pokémon has its secrets."

A strange smile crossed Gastly's face. "You're an interesting one, Ash Ketchum. No wonder Ho-Oh chose you."

Ash narrowed his eyes. The mention of Ho-Oh reminded him of something else entirely—something that might be connected to all of this.

But before he could speak, Gastly let out a laugh and vanished into thin air, leaving only his eerie voice echoing through the room:

"We'll meet again, Rainbow Brave."

As the silence returned, Ash exhaled slowly. He looked at Pikachu, who met his gaze with equal determination.

Marshadow. The inheritance. The system.

Something bigger was happening.

And Ash knew—this was only the beginning.