Pokémon, Ash's art style is off!

Pikachu's eyes widened in surprise.

How could a mere favorable wind possibly defeat a regional overlord?

What an incredibly powerful Pokémon that must be!

What an exquisite and powerful application that must be!

"Such a powerful Pokémon naturally became the object of desire for various forces."

"Countless island overlords have sent their most eloquent envoys, carrying generous gifts, to the outside of that secluded valley to plead for its assistance."

"But this intelligent gorilla is exceptionally wise. It can often see through the true intentions and sincerity of messengers just by listening to a few words from them through the bamboo curtain of its secluded dwelling. Without exception, it politely declines all of them."

"Until one came along, a trainer who was neither a powerful overlord nor a wealthy lord, but who possessed a sincere heart."

"three times."

Xiao Zhi held up three fingers, speaking solemnly.

"I visited it three times in a row, braving the misty mountains and forests, with a sincere heart, and finally won it over."

"Only then did Zhihui Xing take the initiative to lift the bamboo curtain for the first time, wave his fan, and calmly come out of the mountain to become his partner."

"This is what they mean by a pampered master who fears a stubborn one, and a doting husband who is idle who is worn down!"

"So, capturing powerful Pokémon depends not only on strength, but also on sincerity and perseverance!"

Ash concluded that it felt as if he were the trainer who had visited Zhuge Liang three times.

"A pampered master fears a stubborn one, and a doting husband wears down his idleness... This saying actually makes some sense."

Xiao Gang stroked his chin, deep in thought.

As a breeder, he knows how difficult it is to build a trusting relationship with Pokémon.

"And then? And then?"

Xiaoxia listened intently and pressed for more information.

"What happened to them after Zhihui the Gorilla came out of the mountain?"

"And then? Then they worked together to quell the island conflict and became one of the three most powerful trainers at the time..."

The three of them were having a lively discussion about Ash's story about Ogre Magi.

"Beep beep beep—!"

Ash's communicator suddenly rang.

"Pikachu!?"

Pikachu is perched steadily on Ash's shoulder, holding Ash's Pokédex with its two little paws, searching for videos demonstrating the practical application of "Tailwind".

Startled by the sudden noise, it jolted awake, its tail instinctively standing straight up.

It hurriedly looked down at the culprit it was holding, and saw Professor Oak's name flashing on the screen, along with a smiling headshot of the professor.

Pikachu immediately puffed out its cheeks and its eyes turned fierce.

Then, huffing and puffing, it poked the answer button with its paw, ready to unleash a torrent of abuse on the other end of the screen—

"Skin......!"

"Oh, it's Pikachu!"

Professor Oak's iconic face instantly filled the screen, with the background seemingly his research room filled with books and instruments.

"Oh my, you look so energetic these days! Your strength must have improved a lot!"

"Pikachu~"

Pikachu's puffed-up cheeks instantly relaxed.

It scratched the tip of its head with its paw, looking embarrassed.

Oh dear, there's nothing I can do, a PhD is a PhD, their insight is too sharp!

He noticed all of my little mouse's hidden progress!

"He's a PhD!"

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Ash immediately leaned closer.

"Hello, Professor Oak."

"Big, big, big, Dr. Oak!"

Xiao Gang and Xiao Xia also greeted them.

"Hello, Xiaogang, Xiaoxia, how was your journey?"

The doctor waved amicably to the two people off-camera.

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, their gazes returned to Ash's face.

"Speaking of which, Ash, when you sent back your Pokédex data last time, you mentioned that you were heading to Vermilion City. Where are you now?"

"Hmm...where are we?"

Ash scratched his head and naturally turned to look at the most unreliable living map in the team.

"Teacher Gang, where are we now?"

Xiao Gang had already taken out the encyclopedia navigation tool to compare it.

"If we continue along this main road and there are no major unexpected delays along the way... well, at our current pace, we should be able to reach Konoha City around tomorrow evening after about another day."

"Oh? It's faster than I expected."

Professor Oak nodded, then his smile faded slightly as he got down to business.

"Since we're almost there, Ash, could you keep an eye on someone for me on the way?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhi immediately waved his hand and declared with great pride.

"Doctor, you're being too polite! You're being far too polite!"

"Why are you being so polite with me? What's with all the 'can' or 'can' talk? We're practically family!

"Just say it! Your problem is my problem, leave it to me, Xiao Zhi!"

As he spoke, he patted his chest loudly, making it sound exceptionally reliable.

"Good boy!"

"I always said that among the young people in our town, you're the one I value most!"

"It has the same charm I had in my youth!"

Then, as was his habit, he started promoting his old profession.

"But speaking of which... Ash, are you really not going to consider switching careers to become a researcher? With your quick wit and talent, you might even be able to open up a new field."

"No, no! I'm going to be a Pokémon Master!"

Xiao Zhi immediately shook his head like a rattle drum, waving his hands repeatedly, his eyes filled with unwavering determination.

"A mere researcher... at best, you'd probably only reach the level of a PhD."

Professor Oak: "..."

What does "merely" mean?

What does "也" mean?

What do you mean by "that's just how I am"?

He is Yukari Oak, an authority in the field of Pokémon studies, the developer of the Kanto region's Pokédex, with countless academic achievements, numerous students, and an adventurous life that could fill an entire bookshelf...

How come in this kid's mouth, it's as ordinary as a green caterpillar that you can see everywhere on the roadside?!

The doctor took a deep breath.

It eased my mood a bit.

Forget it, there's no point in arguing with this kid. I'll just have to retire early eventually.

"Everyone has their own ambitions, I won't try to persuade you anymore. Let's get down to business."

The doctor's tone became serious again.

"On your way to Kuye City, you will pass a steep cliff by the sea, which should be very prominent on the map."

Xiao Gang compared it with the illustration.

"This place does indeed exist on the map."

"On the top of that cliff, there is an old lighthouse that looks quite old. A friend of mine, who is also a researcher, lives there. His name is Zhenghui."

He paused slightly, a hint of worry in his voice.

"We've maintained regular academic exchanges. But about a week ago, I suddenly couldn't contact him anymore; he wouldn't answer the phone or reply to emails..."

"Researchers are usually so engrossed in their research that they forget to eat and sleep, so it's normal that we can't get in touch with them."

Xiao Zhi waved his hand dismissively, looking like a seasoned veteran.

“If it were just a temporary lack of contact, I wouldn’t be too worried.” Professor Oak’s brow furrowed even more. “But to ignore even our latest collaborative paper’s authorship…”

"Sigh~"

Xiao Zhi gasped in shock.

"Then it seems something really has happened!"

I realized the seriousness of the matter.

"Don't worry! Doctor, I'll definitely go and take a look for you!"

Professor Oak nodded.

He then looked at the other two.

"Thank you both for your hard work."

"No trouble at all!"

"Since it's on the way anyway, it's good to broaden one's horizons."