Want to read ahead. You know where
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With Cynthia gone, the room fell into silence.
Sam used the quiet to think.
"I need to get Luca and Darkrai to peak champion rank as soon as possible. Silver too."
His mind drifted back to the brutal clash between Groudon and Kyogre in the Hoenn Region.
That mont had forced him to recognize sothing he hadn't fully admitted before:
He was different now.
But not invincible.
Compared to the truly legendary Pokémon, he still had a long way to go.
Then there was Rayquaza.
Sure, Rayquaza had called him its inheritor.
They'd ford a bond.
If sothing urgent happened, he could summon Rayquaza to fight alongside him.
That alone made him a rare force in this world.
But Sam knew better than to rely on that.
"In the forest, the tallest tree catches the most wind."
If he weren't strong on his own, that bond would an nothing.
There was still room to grow.
And who knew? Rayquaza may choose to walk beside him without needing to be summoned.
But that day hadn't co yet.
"Besides training," he murmured to himself, "I need to start thinking about my fourth team mber."
Luca had excellent mobility and specialized in ranged pressure, whittling down opponents from a distance.
Silver had the altitude advantage and could support the field from the skies at a mont's notice.
Darkrai was best in ranged and invasion.
But the team still lacked sothing crucial.
A tank.
Not just a wall to soak up hits, though. What he needed was more nuanced.
"Not necessarily high defense," he muttered, pacing.
"An offensive tank would be better, soone that can hit back hard and control space."
And ideally, one that could grow large, not just in strength, but in physical size.
That would give his team broader battlefield presence and greater defensive coverage when needed.
As his thoughts deepened, a certain Pokémon ca to mind.
A rare and once-feared species from the Kanto Region, and it fit his vision perfectly.
The decision made, Sam didn't waste any more ti.
He pulled out his phone, opened the travel app, and booked the earliest ticket to Kanto.
Then he started packing.
The flight wasn't until the afternoon, so he still had a few hours to kill.
After checking out of his hotel, he headed out to grab sothing to eat.
But as he walked down the street, a voice, loud and angry, caught his attention.
"Paul!"
"Did you just leave Chimchar behind?!"
"Chimchar worked so hard for you! And you didn't even acknowledge it!"
Sam instantly recognized the voice; it was Ash.
He quickened his pace, turning toward the sound.
After a few steps, he saw them: Ash, Brock, and Dawn, standing across from a boy with sharp eyes and a cold expression.
Paul.
Ash's longti rival in the Sinnoh Region.
"I don't care about effort," Paul said flatly.
"Only results matter. Strength, that's what determines a Pokémon's worth."
He glanced over his shoulder at the small Fire-type behind him.
"If it can't et my standards, no matter how hard it trains… then it's just a waste of ti."
"I don't keep weak Pokémon."
He turned away without hesitation.
Chimchar stood in the shadow of his departing trainer, his fur matted with dirt, bruises marking his body.
From the look of it, he'd been in a battle recently and lost.
His wide eyes shimred with pain as Paul walked away, the words still ringing in his ears.
And just like that, the fla in those eyes flickered.
Dimd.
"Chimchar!" Ash called, running toward him.
"You don't have to be alone!"
He knelt and reached out a hand, smiling with warmth and kindness.
"You're welco to co with us. We'll train together. Grow stronger, together."
"Pika-pi~!" Pikachu echoed, nodding beside him.
Chimchar's gaze slowly lifted.
Hope, faint but real, flickered in his eyes.
Sam watched from the side, silent.
He knew how this story unfolded.
And in a world full of strength and struggle…
There was still sothing powerful in a trainer's kindness.
Sothing that could change destinies.
Pikachu, perched on Ash's shoulder as always, gave a sympathetic growl toward Chimchar.
"He doesn't appreciate you," Pikachu seed to say.
"That's his loss."
"I've always admired how hard you've worked," Ash said warmly, his voice full of sincerity.
"Chimchar, co with us!"
"Flaaa~!"
Chimchar's eyes lit up again, that dimd spark suddenly flaring to life.
Recognition and warmth swelled within him, and with a hesitant but hopeful paw, he reached for Ash's hand.
Their fingers t.
In that simple mont, hand to paw, a bond was ford.
They were friends now. Partners.
"Tch. Two useless weaklings," Paul scoffed, folding his arms as he turned away.
"Maybe together you'll cancel each other's incompetence."
He sneered as he prepared to walk off, but paused when he caught sight of a figure approaching.
Sam.
Paul's sharp eyes flickered with interest.
"You're Professor Samuel, right?"
That got everyone's attention.
Ash, who was still holding Chimchar gently in his arms, turned around excitedly.
"Sam!" Ash grinned.
"Hey, Sam!"
Sam gave a slight nod to Ash, then looked toward Brock and Dawn, offering them a polite greeting.
Then his gaze shifted to the small Fire-type in Ash's arms.
In an instant, he understood what had just happened.
The tiline kept flowing, events unfolding just as they were ant to.
Fate had finally brought Chimchar to his true trainer.
Ash.
This scene was one of Ash's most iconic monts.
And Sam had a front-row seat.
He stepped closer, letting his eyes fall fully on Chimchar.
Instinctively, information began to surface in his mind.
[Pokémon: Chimchar]
[Gender: Male]
[Type: Fire]
[Ability: Blaze (When HP is low, Fire-type moves beco stronger)]
[Level: 25]
[Potential: Peak Gym Level]
[Moves: Ember, Scratch, Leer, Fury Swipes, Fla Wheel, Dig]
[Egg Move: Flathrower]
[Contest Condition: Poor]
[Notes: Chimchar suffers from residual toxins in the body, resulting in internal strain and limiting his overall battle capacity. Despite this, his core fla shows signs of imnse latent power. With proper care and detoxification, his potential could rise dramatically. Combat instinct remains sharp, but stamina and endurance are compromised under prolonged stress.]
Sam offered a soft smile, then looked at Ash.
"Congratulations," he said calmly.
"You just caught a Chimchar with incredible potential."
"Really?!" Ash's eyes lit up.
Sam nodded. "Really."
He reached out and gently touched Chimchar's fur.
At the sa ti, he silently activated Viridian Force, letting the gentle green aura flow from his hand and into the small Fire-type.
A soft glow surrounded Chimchar.
"Flaa~!" Chimchar blinked, body tensing for a mont as the soothing energy washed over him.
The damage deep inside, the lingering toxins, were being purged.
Energy began to circulate more freely again.
The light in Chimchar's eyes sharpened.
They were bright, alive.
Even if he was still caked in dirt and bruises, his spirit was burning stronger than ever.
Dawn stepped up, cradling her Piplup.
"Ash, congratulations!" she bead.
"If Sam says so, it must be true!"
She gave a quick side glance at Paul and added, with pointed sarcasm, "So people are definitely going to regret their choices."
She'd never liked how Paul treated Pokémon, especially after seeing him throw Chimchar away like that.
Sam pulled back his hand, smiling faintly.
"Ash," he said, voice steady, "I can say this with full confidence."
"This Chimchar will shine."
Ash held Chimchar close, his grin stretching from ear to ear.
"Did you hear that, Chimchar? Let's work hard and get stronger together!"
"Flaaa~!!"
Chimchar responded with a cheer, waving his small arms excitedly.
He had been praised. He had been healed.
And most importantly, he had finally found soone who believed in him.
Brock stood by, smiling as he watched the scene unfold.
The atmosphere felt lighter, peaceful.
Everyone was in high spirits.
Well… almost everyone.
Paul's face had gone dark, his expression unreadable.
He stood silently, his usual scowl deepening.
Maybe it was regret. Maybe just frustration.
Either way, his mood soured the air around him like a storm cloud.
But Sam didn't spare him even a glance.
So life lessons had to be learned the hard way.
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