Pokémon, Ash is going to become a perfect man from now on.

"Alright, stop it!" Ash called out helplessly. "It's just the beginning, why are you all getting so excited? Anyway, the task of protecting world peace is entrusted to you. You can carry it out as traveling trainers, and you can also do some side jobs like challenging gyms and participating in Contests. I won't interfere too much."

"Furthermore, I allow you to manufacture some special machinery during the mission, but you need to report the application for funding in advance and submit detailed design drawings. Understand?!"

Honestly, this is Xiaozhi's real purpose.

Aside from the nostalgia factor, Musashi and Kojiro are just two reasonably talented but not very successful villains... But Meowth is different; it's a unique mechanical genius!

If given enough support to showcase its talents to the fullest extent, Meow Meow will surely produce astonishing results!

"Understood!"*3

The trio simultaneously raised their hands in salute, showing they adapted to their roles quite quickly.

“Well then, Team Rocket… no, that name has to be changed too.” Ash shook his head. “You’re not allowed to use the name ‘Team Rocket’ anymore. Let’s call you… Rocket Rescue Team. It’ll be good to add another ‘R’ to your name.”

"Rocket Rescue Team..." "Not much has changed." "Then it's settled, meow!"

The trio simultaneously showed satisfied expressions and happily ran to the backyard to find their friends.

After resolving their issues, Xiao Zhi had also taken care of all the trivial matters before setting off.

Next stop, he's heading to the capital to begin a new journey!

★ Johto Chapter (Part 1): OK! Let's move on to the next goal! ★

Chapter 328 Arrival in Ruoye Town

After leaving home, Ash and his friends headed west from Viridian City. After passing Route 22, they turned south and then passed Route 26 and 27. Soon they arrived at the nominal dividing line between the two regions—Capitol Falls.

That's right. As a brother alliance with Kanto, Johto not only shares the same headquarters, Quartz Plateau, with Kanto, but even the road numbers are sequentially arranged.

While resting in the nearby town of Miki, the group was drawn to a tower that was nearing completion.

"What is that? It looks like a battle facility like a dojo?" Xiaoxia asked curiously.

"It should be the Battle Tower, one of the venues in the Frontier," Ash explained, glancing at Lyla.

In the original story, Lila will become the pioneering mind of this tower, and she is currently training in that direction.

However, judging from the current situation, Lila's choice of this location might simply be because it's closest to Pallet Town...

"The Brain of Pioneers... I remember now, Miss Little Thistle I met before was the Brain of Pioneers. She's a very unique beauty." Recalling his experience of being saved by Mei in Nibi City, Xiao Gang started to swoon again.

"I really hope I can see her again..." Xiao Gang murmured to himself, his eyes sparkling with hearts.

"I think you'd better not get your hopes up," Xiaoxia muttered speechlessly.

"Miss Azur's battle pipe is located around Fuchsia City... I can give you the exact address. Do you want to go and ask her out now?" Ash chuckled as he encouraged him.

"Ah... wouldn't it be too abrupt to come directly to their door?" Xiao Gang said awkwardly.

"You actually took that joke seriously? We're on our way to Tokyo right now, please wake up!"

Xiaoxia, exasperated, grabbed Uncle Gang's ear and, without any instruction, miraculously mastered the incredibly effective pinching technique on him!

"Brother...do you plan to challenge the Frontier Zone in the future?" Lila asked curiously amidst their playful banter.

"Yes, the Frontier Brains are all incredibly strong trainers, I won't give up on these challenges." Ash nodded with a smile. "I'll definitely have to battle all of them!"

"Hmm!" Hearing Ash say that, Lyra seemed to have made up her mind as well.

Becoming the Brain of the Pioneers, and then having a full-on showdown with my brother, sounds pretty good...

"Let's go. After passing the Capital Falls, we'll reach New Leaf Town soon." After a short rest, Ash and his companions set off again.

But gradually, the fog around them grew thicker and thicker, eventually completely blocking their path forward.

"This doesn't seem like ordinary fog; it must be released by Pokémon," Lila said, frowning.

"They must be looking for me." Ash thought for a moment and took out the Rainbow Wing from his backpack.

A glimmer of light flashed, and the mist ahead quietly parted to reveal a path. The group explored along the path and soon arrived at a lake covered in a thin mist.

In the center of the crystal-clear lake, on a high platform, sits a beautiful Pokémon with a body shimmering with soft blue light.

"It's so beautiful..." Xiaoxia was immediately drawn to it and murmured in admiration.

"This is Suicune, a member of Ho-Oh's guard. It is said to be the embodiment of the North Wind and can purify polluted water sources."

Well, while he gave a serious introduction, Xiao Zhi couldn't help but recall some... incredibly embarrassing and shameful moments.

The mighty North Wind, incarnate, was actually caught in a net...

Suicune was clearly unaware of Ash's wild thoughts. It nodded slightly to Ash through the thin mist, as if to say hello.

"Woo, woo!" After briefly explaining its purpose and confirming that the message had been conveyed to its superiors, it leaped away from the lake.

"It's gone..." Xiaoxia reluctantly withdrew her gaze. "I didn't expect to encounter Suicune here. It's a pity... it probably can't be caught, right?"

Xiaoxia's feelings are understandable; for a Water-type Trainer like her, Suicune is undoubtedly very attractive.

“It’s not that it’s impossible.” Ash shrugged. “As long as the methods are legal, the League will not prohibit the capture of legendary Pokémon… it’s just that these legendary Pokémon are often very powerful, and the methods used to capture them are basically illegal.”

"But don't they all have their own responsibilities?" Xiao Gang asked, puzzled. "If we subdue them, wouldn't it cause chaos..."

"That's the key point: while capturing legendary creatures, you also have to take on the corresponding responsibilities!" Ash said seriously. "Back on Asia Island, Lugia asked me if I wanted my companions to inherit the divine position. If I had chosen to accept, I would have had to leave them on the three islands for a long time and wouldn't have been able to take them with me on my travels. Capturing Suicune is the same principle!"

"It was originally the responsibility of the legendary Pokémon... but once captured, it becomes the responsibility of the trainer," Lila summarized earnestly.

"That's right, every gain comes with a price, and with great power comes great responsibility!"

Equivalent exchange... Xiaozhi understands this principle very deeply.

"But... what is Suicune's purpose in approaching Ash?" Brock asked, puzzled. "Could it be because of the Rainbow Wing?"

"It came to inform me that the trial could begin at any time," Ash explained. "It also conveyed Ho-Oh's message, saying that it was very satisfied with my performance on Asia Island."

To put it simply, Suicune is here to keep Ash calm.

Ash has now confirmed that Ho-Oh must have witnessed the natural disaster on Asia Island, and the reason there were few casualties must be because of its power protecting it.

So this situation is very delicate. Ash was clearly chosen by Ho-Oh first, but now it's obvious that Lugia has snatched him away.

Ho-Oh got anxious and sent Suicune to deliver the news of the Hero Trial.

Let him train then. He's got plenty of debts to burn anyway, and Ash won't miss this one.

"Look, the fog has lifted!" Xiaoxia pointed excitedly ahead, where a town was slowly emerging.

...

Wakaba Town in the Johto region is known as the town where the winds of the beginning blow, and it is also the first stop for Ash and his friends.

In order to challenge the Johto League, Ash and his friends first went to the Pokémon Center to register.

"Xiaoxia, Lila, do you want to take on the challenge this time?" Ash asked his two female companions after the staff at the commission center had completed the formalities.

"I might challenge a few gyms, but I won't participate in the League Conference."

Lila has been training in the Brain of the Pioneers, and aside from putting pressure on Ash in the Orange Islands, she only challenges gym leaders who interest her.

"I'll pass... I'm going to enjoy this trip to the fullest." Xiaoxia shook her head, her eyes shining brighter as she looked at Xiaozhi. "I want to be with you the whole way on this trip... No matter what happens, I don't want to be separated from you halfway through!"

"Yeah, it's a promise, we'll always be together~" Xiao Zhi chuckled and took the girl's hand.

This blatant act of animal cruelty naturally drew strange looks from many people in the center... But strangely, Xiao Gang, who was standing right next to him, didn't react at all; instead, he just looked around.

"Strange, where did Miss Joey go?" Xiao Gang muttered to himself, looking completely lost.

“Miss Joy went to the Skywood Research Institute,” the registration staff member interjected. “The starter Pokémon there need some care, so she went to help out temporarily.”

"Then let's go take a look."

Since Professor Elm had been mentioned, Ash decided to give him a visit.

Chapter 329 Empty Wood Research Institute, The Stolen Little Saw Crocodile

Dr. Elm from Johto is also a renowned researcher in the academic world, and he was Dr. Oak's student when he was studying at Yuhō University.

"He's Professor Oak's student, so he must be quite young... around the same age as Professor Sakuragi from Coral City?" Misty asked, guessing.

She no longer has a vague understanding of Professor Oak. The students of this academic giant are all around 30 years old, the same age group as their parents.

It is said that Ash's mother was once Professor Oak's student.

"Dr. Kongmu is younger."

Ash could only say half of what he wanted to say... after all, Professor Sakuragi had helped him a lot.

If we're really talking about academic contributions, Dr. Sora would absolutely crush Dr. Sakuragi, who still doesn't know where his research is going.

Dr. Elm's main research areas are Pokémon breeding and Pokémon egg hatching.

He was the first to discover the existence of Pichu, and he also researched and refined the egg group theory. In addition, he was an expert in Pokémon characteristics and evolution.

In other words, the optimization and breeding of Pokémon throughout the League and even the world originated from Professor Elm!

If we take the game as a reference, before Professor Elm, the people in this world simply didn't know about Individual Values, Effort Values, or Genetic Moves!

So Ash suggests that all Egg-loving players around the world should take out a picture of Professor Elm and pay their respects before entering the Baby Breeding Center... Of course, that's just a joke~

The location of Elm Labs was easy to find. After Ash and the others explained their purpose, they were led inside by the assistant.