Chapter 029: A Strange Premonition

The morning of the second day after arriving in Sandgem Town, Ash and his companions had already bid farewell to Professor Rowan and made their way to the forest north of Sandgem Town.

This was a sizable forest. Though its paths were clear, making it unlikely to get lost, traveling on foot would still take several days to exit the forest and reach the next city. Naturally, this meant camping in the wild during that time.

…

"Starly, Quick Attack!"

"Mu!"

On a clearing in the forest, Ash was training Starly and Aipom. The training method involved him commanding Starly in a battle against Aipom, who fought autonomously.

The training was simple but highly effective. After all, Starly was accustomed to life in the wild, relying mostly on its own experience and instincts in battle. While there were certainly merits to this approach, its shortcomings needed correction from Ash, as its Trainer.

"OKI~!"

Watching Starly charge toward it, Aipom turned its back and giggled mischievously. Starly's move seemed to be within its expectations. Facing away from the diving Starly, Aipom's figure flickered slightly, instantly completing a Double Team.

Clearly, Aipom was employing the same tactic Ash had used when commanding it in battle before. Aipom thought itself clever for adapting so well, but it forgot that this time, its opponent wasn't just Starly—it was Starly under Ash's command.

"Climb rapidly!"

Ash ignored the Double Team. Up to this point, the situation mirrored Aipom's previous battles with Starly. But as Aipom unleashed Swift, Ash's commands finally diverged.

"Keep it up and use Aerial Ace!"

"Mu!"

This time, Starly wasn't as rigid as before. With the flapping of its wings and its mastery of Aerial Ace, it executed a near-impossible midair pivot, swooping down sharply.

Though Swift had some homing capability, it wasn't enough to track a target like Starly, who shifted directions multiple times in mere seconds.

Starly, trailing a silver-white arc of light, slammed straight into Aipom, sending its body skidding several meters away.

"OKI~!"

Aipom, knocked to the ground, struggled to rise, its eyes flashing with reluctance, as if eager to keep fighting. But Ash stepped in to stop it.

"That's enough. Training ends here for today."

"Mu~"

"OKI…"

Though unwilling, Aipom obeyed Ash. On the other side, Starly was in high spirits. After all, under Ash's command, it had defeated Aipom, who'd beaten it before. With its naturally competitive personality, it was thrilled.

Looking at the sulky Aipom, Ash didn't offer comfort. Instead, he pointed out its flaws directly.

"Pokémon battles are a joint effort between Trainer and Pokémon, but Pokémon still need their own unique traits and ideas. I know you wanted to show me what you've learned, but you have to read the situation and adjust flexibly before acting."

"Oki~"

Aipom responded half-heartedly, and it was unclear if it truly listened. Ash just smiled, shrugged, and turned his attention to Starly.

"Starly, you did well. Though we haven't worked together long, you followed my commands perfectly… Your body seems more agile than the average Starly. Keep leveraging that advantage in the future."

"Mu!"

Starly raised a wing energetically in response. Watching the two Pokémon's contrasting moods, Ash said nothing more and recalled them to their Poké Balls.

Day after day, this kind of training might seem dull and monotonous, but to stand at the pinnacle of Pokémon Trainers, it was indispensable. Only those who could reflect after each session would make it to the end. Ash knew this from experience.

"Done already?"

Brock, who was cooking nearby, asked as he saw Ash recall Aipom and Starly.

"Yeah. It's still a bit worrying, but we've got plenty of time to improve."

"…"

Brock looked at Ash and fell silent for a moment.

"What's up?" Ash asked, puzzled.

"Nothing… It's just… you really seem a lot more mature and composed compared to when we were in Hoenn. It hasn't even been that long. Did something happen?"

"Not really." Ash's expression didn't change, but he clenched his fist with a determined tone. "I just don't want to feel failure again. The Sinnoh League… I'm going to win it all! I absolutely won't fall before the finals again!"

Brock: "…"

Seeing Ash's resolute demeanor, Brock felt a wave of emotion.

He'd been by Ash's side since Kanto, though there were times he'd left. Ironically, he was absent when Ash won his first championship, which left him with some regret. In the Johto and Hoenn Leagues, Ash had shown growth, but compared to the gifted competitors from across the regions, his progress still fell short.

But now, witnessing Ash's maturity and steadiness since arriving in Sinnoh, Brock had an inexplicable premonition.

He felt that, perhaps in this Sinnoh League… Ash might actually claim victory.

"Well, I'll be watching."

Brock patted Ash's shoulder, his eyes carrying a hint of blessing as he spoke.

"Lunch is almost ready. Since you're free, could you go get Dawn? She's in the other part of the forest, saying something about seeing you train and wanting to train too… She keeps saying 'no problem,' but I'm a bit worried."

"Fair point."

Ash nodded in agreement, understanding Brock's concern. He then headed off with Pikachu in the direction Brock indicated.

...

🤦 : Oops! You've reached the limit for today. But just for your power stone and recommendation I might— no I would add additional Chapter.

20PS — 1 additional Chapter

40PS — 2 additional Chapter and special mention if you've contributed 3 or more PS.

That's all. Enjoy Reading!