Pokémon, Ash's art style is off!

Leave Asaburo City.

The roadsides have become visibly wider, and the greenery has decreased dramatically.

Aside from a few Kanto lads who were ready to fight the moment they made eye contact with Ash, the past few days have been relatively peaceful.

"Ok?"

Xiao Gang, who was holding the encyclopedia and using navigation, suddenly stopped, frowned, and shook the encyclopedia in his hand.

"What's wrong, Teacher Gang?"

Ash, who was squatting and moving forward with a heavy load, saw this.

He went straight over.

"I was so busy shopping in Fuchsia City the other day that I forgot to charge my Pokédex," Xiao Gang sighed, pointing to the black screen of the Pokédex, then looking at the other two, "Which of you still has your Pokédex charged?"

Xiaoxia immediately shook her head.

"I don't have any left."

Her three older sisters gave her pocket money these past few days, and she used up a lot of her battery just from online shopping.

Compare prices from different vendors.

You have to carefully consider everything from the style to the price, and before you can make up your mind, the battery in your catalog is completely drained.

Xiao Gang's gaze shifted to Xiao Zhi.

Ash didn't say much, he just took out the Pokédex from his backpack and handed it over.

"Teacher Gang, then use mine! I haven't used any for the past few days!"

"The password is 130958085102."

"That's a long password," Xiaoxia blinked, asking curiously, "Does it have any special meaning?"

"Special meaning?" Xiao Zhi was taken aback, then scratched his head and thought seriously for two seconds. "No, it's just a feeling—"

"Don't you think this is a perfect string of numbers?"

Xiaoxia: "...?"

Xiao Gang didn't participate in the conversation. He took the encyclopedia and skillfully pressed the power button a few times. The screen remained motionless.

He tried twice more, but there was still no response.

"Xiao Zhi, yours is probably out of power too."

"No way?" Ash took the Pokédex and looked at it from all angles. "I haven't touched it much these past few days."

“Pikachu…”

Pikachu, perched on Ash's shoulder, suddenly let out a guilty cry.

Its eyes darted around, and its little paws unconsciously tightened their grip on Ash's backpack strap.

It's true that Xiaozhi didn't touch it.

But the hamster touched it quite a few times.

Ever since Xiao Zhi stopped helping it with its papers, it has felt ashamed and motivated to study harder, spending the last two nights secretly studying behind Xiao Zhi's back.

The fundamentals of electromagnetism, Maxwell's equations, Faraday's cage...

I got so engrossed in watching it that before I knew it, the battery was completely drained...

"Looks like I'll have to ask someone for directions."

Xiao Gang sighed.

As soon as he finished speaking, Pikachu suddenly raised its head, its two ears standing straight up.

What nonsense!

What kind of talk is that!

Tell an Electric-type Pokémon that's out of power in front of it?

A mouse should be viewed with new respect after three days of separation!

I, the little mouse, am no longer the reckless, electric mouse I used to be!

Without a word, Pikachu jumped onto Xiao Gang's head, its little paws crackling with electricity.

Without hesitation, it unleashed a 100,000... no, 10-volt electric shock at Xiao Gang's illustration!

Precise.

restraint.

Textbook-level voltage control.

High-end applications of electromagnetism!

boy!

With a surge of electricity, the encyclopedia screen immediately lit up.

But Pikachu's lips hadn't even had a chance to curl into a smile.

The screen suddenly went dark again, and a burnt smell even wafted out from the crack.

"Pikachu...?"

Pikachu stared blankly at the still-smoking Pokédex, its two little ears drooping, its eyes filled with confusion.

how come?

It was calculated.

The voltage is correct, the current is stable, and even the discharge duration is precisely controlled within the safe threshold.

Science... no longer exists!?

"It's not that it doesn't exist; the charger uses alternating current, but the electric shocks you emit are direct current..."

Shaking his head, Xiao Zhi, who had noticed the difference, spoke up.

"They didn't even master the basics of physics before they went on to learn advanced applications."

"Pikachu... aiming too high is not the way of a strong person!"

Pikachu: "!"

Buhou!

Its powerful status was revealed not long ago!

........

Looking at Pikachu, who was dejected and had been stripped of his status as a strongman.

Xiao Gang could only helplessly put the gloriously sacrificed catalog into his backpack.

"It seems I can only continue forward based on my general impression." Xiao Gang sighed, looked up to check the direction, "I remember that if I keep going along this road, I should be able to reach the next town, but I'm not sure exactly how far."

Without navigation, without a map, with two of the three Pokémon in the Pokédex running out of power and one dying, this journey was somewhat aimless.

The three of them walked and stopped frequently, glancing around from time to time.

Without a guidebook, even the location of the next supply point is unknown, making this journey exceptionally long.

It was nearing noon, and the sun was blazing.

The sunlight shone straight down from above, so much so that you couldn't even find a shadow at an angle.

Xiao Gang and Xiao Xia's backs were burning hot from the sun, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on their foreheads. Even Pikachu no longer perched on Xiao Zhi's shoulder but instead shrank into the backpack.

Just as the three were about to find a shady spot to rest, a figure finally appeared on the roadside ahead.

He was a man wearing faded overalls.

He was leaning against the shadow of a stopped construction machine, his hat pulled up over his face, his legs crossed.

Several toolboxes and a roll of cable were scattered next to the machine, indicating that it was only half-finished and could no longer withstand the sun.

"Sir! Excuse me—"

Xiaoxia's eyes lit up, and she quickly stepped forward, just about to ask for directions.

The man then reached out and waved his hand under the brim of his hat.

"Stop! It's time to leave work, you know that, right? Time to leave work."

His voice came out muffledly from under his hat.

"I've been exhausted all morning and need to recharge. Let's talk about it after I've calmed down."

Xiaoxia was stunned for a moment.

"Oh, I see..."

After all, it's the one asking for a favor, so their request isn't unreasonable.

After a busy morning, it's time to take a break. There's really not much to say.

Xiaoxia stopped in her tracks and was about to turn around and say to Xiaozhi, "Let's wait a bit," when she saw Xiaozhi standing to the side, quietly watching the uncle who had put his hat on his face, and nodding thoughtfully.

"To restore energy... I understand."

His tone was calm and serious, even carrying a hint of... understanding?

"I will fight you."

Xiaoxia: "...?"

Xiaoxia slowly turned her head and looked at Xiaozhi with a "what nonsense are you talking about" look.

What kind of understanding is that?

How did we get onto the topic of fighting?

They said they were tired after a whole morning, how could they possibly still be fighting with you...?

Just as she was about to complain, the man suddenly slapped his hat off his face, revealing a tanned face.

His eyes were fixed on Xiaozhi, shining with an eerie intensity.