Chapter 122

Brock: We're about to start our journey in the Johto region.

Jian: Black Satoshi's approach is very decisive—those poaching gangs probably won't get away, and Lugia has returned to its group, but with the wave marker, Black Satoshi isn't worried about not finding Lugia.

Yaxuan: That's the wave pattern on Lugia's body—everything has waves, but very few can resonate with this kind of wave; Black Satoshi's Wartortle can resonate with it.

Cadellia: I see.

Bai Shijie—

After Ash and his friends finished their journey in the Orange Islands, their next goal was the Johto region.

Winning the Orange League was actually just the beginning for Ash; he also became aware of his shortcomings, and if he wants to become a true Pokémon Master, he still needs to keep working hard.

If you want to challenge the Johto League, you first need to go to the Pokémon Center in Yaba Town, Johto League, to register.

Ash and his friends encountered a Pokémon in the forest that emitted a soft blue glow all over its body, vaguely visible in outline.

That Pokémon glanced at Ash, then leapt away—agile in movement—and vanished instantly before everyone's eyes.

What was that just now?

Ash and his friends were all very surprised.

Kenan: Suicune? Ash really did encounter Suicune—looks like White Ash is also a Rainbow Hero, even without the Rainbow Feather, it doesn't matter.

Xiba: I remember Ho-Oh's trial was to have the Rainbow Hero defeat Suicune and its kind first, then battle Ho-Oh, right?

Ma Zhishi: My goodness, that's a legendary beast—can Ash handle it?

Ash:... Probably. How would I know if I don't try?

Shuijing: How come I didn't get such luck to see Suicune so easily!

And why am I not a Rainbow Hero!

Just as they were about to register at the Pokémon Center, they discovered Miss Joy was missing, so they went out to look for her, and received news that Professor Elm's laboratory had been robbed of a Totodile.

This Professor Elm is a student of Professor Oak, very passionate about Pokémon research, often loses himself in his own world, and thus misplaced the Totodile meant for training new trainers the next day.

Ash and his friends joined the search party for Totodile.

Sure enough, it was Team Rocket's doing—Ash found the culprit, Team Rocket.

After a battle, Team Rocket flew away again, and Totodile was left behind.

A new region, new battles—actually alongside Team Rocket.

After registering their information, Ash and his friends walked forward and encountered a new trainer.

Nana was the new trainer who took Bulbasaur in Yaba Town.

Ash battled Nana, who sent out Pidgey, Rattata, and Bulbasaur.

Ash sent out Charizard.

Charizard didn't need to use a move—just stood there letting them attack, and its belly bounce won the battle; facing Bulbasaur, it just used a small flamethrower.

Ash rarely teaches new trainers.

Ma Zhishi: Ash bullies new trainers even more than I do!!!

Professor Kukui: Maybe it's from learning from you.

Brock: Possibly—after so many battles, I haven't really tried battling new trainers before; it's rare to come across one I can battle.

Maybe I'm tired of bullying Team Rocket all the time—being a senior isn't bad either.

Team Rocket took the blame again—they felt speechless inside, and were scolded again.

After passing through a forest, they encountered Kabutops and Heracross inside the forest.

But they didn't expect that the two Pokémon are like fire and water—Kabutops has always occupied Heracross's territory, and though Heracross has a gentle nature, though strong enough to battle Kabutops, it flees when confronted.

After understanding the situation, they discovered a Kabutops-shaped robot lying on a large tree trunk in the Kabutops area, sucking sap from the tree.

The Heracross, which particularly loves the sap of Bulbasaur's back seeds, also came over, and together they dealt with this Kabutops robot made by Team Rocket.

Heracross followed Ash, wanting to join the team to keep sucking the sap from Bulbasaur's back seeds.

Later, Ash and his friends encountered a wild Bulbasaur in the wilderness.

This Bulbasaur has a very competitive personality—when disturbed by Ash, it became aggressive, and then Ash sent out Charizard again.

The result: Bulbasaur wasn't afraid of Charizard, ended up hurting itself, while Charizard, though also injured, is strong and sturdy, basically unharmed.

Then Ash took this Bulbasaur to the Pokémon Center.

The Team Rocket Trio might be late, but they never miss a chance—this time they assisted Ash in tricking Bulbasaur, telling it Ash was a bad person.

At this moment, Ash came out to stop Team Rocket—clearly he's the bad one, yet he says others are bad.

During the battle with Team Rocket, Ash fought hard to protect Bulbasaur, took it outside the cave into the icy snow to bring it back, and later, inside the cave, they warmed up together.

Bulbasaur gradually warmed up to Ash, and later was captured by him.

Musashi: You little brat, without us, you wouldn't have caught Bulbasaur so easily.

Ash: Tch, without you, I'd catch it even easier.

Brock: You also want Bulbasaur to join your Team Rocket—too bad, besides Meowth, it seems no Pokémon wants to join you.

James: Don't speak.

Xiaoxia: I think without you, Bulbasaur's relationship with Ash afterward wouldn't be much different—Bulbasaur is very affectionate toward Ash, doesn't like others near him, wants to monopolize him, and even gets jealous of Pikachu.

Huazi: What an adorable Bulbasaur!

Professor Oak: Xiaoxia is right—by the way, Ash, when will you meet Bayleef? It's always wanted to see you.

Ash: Sure, anytime I'm free.

Ash returned to the Pokémon Center, called Professor Oak, and when Bayleef saw Ash, it started crying, wanting to come over.

"Is this Ash's Bayleef?"

Shitron looked at the Bayleef on the screen, and it looked at Ash with a wronged expression, wanting to stay by his side, feeling even more clingy than Pikachu.

"Bayleef, don't cry—wait until I finish my match and come back, then just stay quietly in the backyard; you can play with Snivy together."

Ash comforted the bay leaf, his eyes full of tenderness.

Being so gentle with the Poké Ball... Serena even felt a little envious of the bay leaf.