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

"Latias..." Ash looked up nervously, and Latias was floating not far in front of him.

Her body was charred black and crackling with electric arcs; she had already regressed from her super-evolved form.

The aura sash on his head broke off; it was supposed to be a probability-based item, but it was completely destroyed, just like the aura belt...

But she pulled through!

Through prayer, Mega Evolution, Psychic, Recover, Air Belt, Ground-type Life Source, and her feelings for Ash, she managed to withstand the Friendship Thunderbolt!

"Woo!!!"

With both hands raised high, Latias slammed the exhausted Zhipi to the ground with all his might...

The final earthquake has ended; the battle is over!

Chapter 1017 What exactly is a Pokémon Master?

"Latias!!"

The long battle finally ended, and Ash, without even having time to celebrate, immediately rushed to Latias's side.

He held the other person tightly in his arms, immediately removed the source of the ground that would cause the obstruction, and at the same time poured the power of the Eternal and life force into Latias's body without restraint.

"Ugh..." Finally, Latias's wounds began to lighten, and his complexion returned to its rosy hue.

She gently stroked Xiaozhi's chest with her small hand, tilted her neck up, and left a shy kiss on the corner of Xiaozhi's mouth...

"It's good that you're alright, thank you for your hard work..." Xiao Zhi finally showed a relieved smile.

He didn't flinch; instead, he generously pressed his cheek against hers and gently smoothed the last wound on his sister's neck with his thumb.

Such an overly intimate scene, if seen by others, would definitely lead them to speculate...

Zhiye didn't think much of it. He finally snapped out of his daze of failure, and his thoughts drifted to the distant Odomare.

Many years... well, many months ago, the mysterious girl from the Water City also said goodbye to herself in this way.

"So... it really was Latias back then!" Ash suddenly realized.

Ash and Latias, whose tender moment was interrupted by the sound, both smiled faintly.

This is why Ash doesn't want his father to see Latias, nor does he really want him to make up for this regret.

Because of the foolish actions of those two female thieves, Latios has already sacrificed himself, and nothing more can be done to undo the damage.

Latias, who has been waiting in Water City all along, may be unable to respond to Ash's true feelings, even if Ash doesn't understand this.

The best outcome would probably be that the Water City girl is subdued by Ash and becomes like the Moon Consort in the backyard.

Of course, this was just Ash's personal opinion.

Anyway, it's Ash's own body. Now that he's met the Water City girl, it's his freedom to go wherever he wants and do whatever he wants afterward.

"Roar!" *N

The long-suppressed cheers finally erupted, and patches of white light began to flash around Ash and his sister. All the Pokémon present appeared one after another, surrounding their companions who had fought the entire battle and celebrating in the center.

Serena and the others joined in, their faces beaming with excitement and enthusiasm.

We really won!

Despite numerous external factors, Ash managed to defeat the protagonist of this world through his efforts with his companions!

“Pikachu, you…” Ash stared blankly at his partner, only to find that its injuries had mostly healed.

After a moment's thought, he quickly realized that it was Xiao Zhi who was secretly treating him, and his disappointed expression turned into one of gratitude.

"We lost, they are really strong..." The boy's voice was low and hoarse, and his nose was a little sore.

There will definitely be disappointment and resentment. He thought he had given it his all, but in the end he was swept aside...

Being, another 'self' from another world.

"That's not right," Ash's voice suddenly came. "In that battle just now, the unseen power behind you actually lost to me, and this isn't your strongest form... at least I absolutely won't accept this as your strongest!"

"Is that so..." Ash didn't quite understand Ash's words, but looking at the opponents he had just faced, he could roughly guess what Ash thought the strongest lineup would be.

Should I follow his example and bring my former friends back to my side...?

boom!

The surrounding space suddenly began to tremble, starting with very slight fluctuations, which gradually intensified.

(The time-space freeze here is collapsing; it won't be long before everything returns to its original state.)

(I know…) Ash sighed softly to himself.

The original main characters haven't been affected yet, but they'll soon revert to their advanced versions... Who knows if Ash will still remember everything that just happened then?

"By the way... Ash, I have a question." Time was of the essence, so Ash immediately asked the question that had been bothering him for a long time, "What exactly is this Pokémon Master you've been pursuing?"

He really wanted to hear Ash talk about these things in person, after all, it was a dream that Ash had always held onto, and it had been a constant throughout the entire Pokémon anime.

"Pokémon Master..." Ash seemed a little confused. Holding Pikachu, he reviewed many memories in his mind and seemed to have found the answer.

"Even if I defeat Mr. D'Antoni and become the world champion, that will not be the end. I will still be a challenger."

Zhiye slowly raised his head, looking longingly at the chaotic sky above.

"I want more adventures, to meet more Pokémon... including waking up every day. Nothing is in vain, including Team Rocket, and even today's defeat..."

With a long sigh of relief, Ash looked at Ash seriously and made his final confirmation.

"I want to be friends with all the Pokémon in the world, that would be what they call... a Pokémon Master!"

A sincere light shone in the boy's eyes... but after hearing this answer, Ash's long-held expectations gradually cooled.

"Uh...is there a problem?" Ash asked, a little worried.

Even if he wasn't particularly sensitive in this regard, he could still tell the difference in Xiaozhi's expression when the two were so close.

It seems that my answer did not gain the approval of others.

"Let me state first, your ideals are very lofty, but I have some different opinions." Ash apologized first, then asked seriously, "Ash, I've experienced more adventures, become friends with all the Pokémon in the world, I'm a Pokémon Master... Don't you think there's something wrong with that logic?"

Uh...is there?

“That sounds like a self-proclaimed title,” Xiao Gang interjected.

He was Ash's earliest travel companion, so he certainly has the right to speak on the matter of becoming a Pokémon Master.

“That’s exactly what I mean.” Xiao Zhi nodded. “Master is a title of respect, representing the recognition of most people. But if your pursuit can’t move me, why should I respectfully call you a master? A title that doesn’t gain the recognition of others is, of course, self-proclaimed.”

“But Ash has a lot of people who recognize him now.” The original author also realized this at this moment. “He has traveled to so many regions and even won the World Championship. In terms of reputation, he should have been called a master long ago.”

"But this title of 'master' is only for his World Championship title, not because of his aspirations." Serena shook her head slightly. "If you don't believe me, just go out on the street and ask the people passing by. Do they care how many Pokémon Ash has become friends with?"

"This..." Upon hearing this, the original protagonists were speechless.

Ultimately, the general public has a widespread characteristic: "If it doesn't concern me, I'll stay out of it."

Why should I acknowledge your efforts if they have nothing to do with me?

Or if you tell me that this kind of effort is the ultimate goal, and becoming a world champion is just a process in the process... then I can only say that this is putting the cart before the horse.

For most people, becoming a champion is more likely to earn their respect than making friends with all the Pokémon.

If that's the case, why is the latter necessarily a higher pursuit?

"If... you think my idea is wrong, then what do you think?" After racking his brains for a long time and not finding an answer, Zhiye finally asked in return.

Despite being rejected like this, Ash wasn't discouraged. He was just expressing his feelings suddenly and now wanted to hear Ash's thoughts.

"Regarding Pokémon Masters, I can't guarantee that what I think is correct. I've just set a few criteria," Ash explained earnestly. "To be respected as a Pokémon Master, you must first have absolutely outstanding strength, and you completely meet that requirement."

"Secondly, a Pokémon Master must be at least a League Champion, or possess authority comparable to a Champion."

"Third, as a Pokémon Master, one must be supported and loved by the vast majority of people in a region, or at least respected."

This one may sound the same as the one above, but it is actually a more stringent selection criterion.

If we exclude Ash Ketchum himself, only Lance, Alder, and Leon can meet this requirement in the world today. Champions like Cynthia and Diantha would all have to pass.

"Fourth, Pokémon Masters must have a tremendous influence, inspiring people, awakening hope, curbing crime, and turning the tide. In short, they must have the power to help those in distress and bring positive impact."

Just being friends with Pokémon isn't very useful, and it can only influence a few people.

Indiscriminate release of animals, abuse of companions, and rampant poaching crimes continue to occur despite repeated crackdowns.

Even during the journey, there are still scoundrels who use nets to catch legendary Pokémon...

Ash never believed that becoming a Pokémon Master was merely a personal pursuit, nor did he believe that a Master could remain aloof from worldly affairs!

I didn't even ask you to help the world, you can't even help one region, what kind of master are you?!

"Finally, having achieved all of the above, one must strive to maintain good order and explore a path of harmony between Pokémon and humans... Only by doing all of these things can one be qualified to be called a Pokémon Master!!"

...

"Well, how should I put it... although the entries are very detailed, it's not easy to complete them." After a long while, the author of the original work sighed as if waking from a dream.

Ash's definition of a Pokémon Master is so clear that it's as simple as following the steps.

The problem is, no one in the world can meet all the conditions at the same time...

On the contrary, Serena and the others were not surprised, because Ash had always demanded this of himself.