Pokémon: Ash's New Journey

So, when Brock teased Ash with some lighthearted gossip, Ash responded with a calm smile, turning to pat Brock's shoulder in a meaningful way.

"Brock, why choose?"

Brock blinked, quickly catching the hidden meaning behind Ash's words.

Don't choose. Take them all.

Without saying another word, Brock gave Ash a thumbs-up.

"Well played. Very strong!"

Later, Brock took Ash to see some of his old Pokémon, including his Steelix.

It had evolved from Onix, the same Pokémon Ash had battled during his first Gym challenge at the Kanto. Now, Steelix looked even more formidable.

As night fell, Brock and Lucy arranged for Ash, Misty, and May to have separate rooms since they weren't sure about the current status of their relationships.

Once Brock's siblings were all asleep, the group prepared to rest.

Brock and Lucy, being a bit shy about their own relationship status, stayed in separate rooms.

As for Ash...

"Alright, time for bed. But you two, don't forget what you promised me earlier today."

Hearing this, Misty and May turned bright red.

And so, the night passed without much sleep.

The next morning, Brock and Lucy joined Ash's group as they prepared to head to the Battle Pyramid, which wasn't far from Pewter City. With the city's nearby rocky mountain ranges, Brock had already scouted out the Pyramid's location.

As they approached, they spotted a man training his Pokémon nearby. The man seemed surprised to see such a large group headed in his direction.

"Wait... Are all of you here to challenge the Battle Pyramid?"

Soon, introductions were made.

The man was Reggie, a Trainer from the Sinnoh region who had traveled to Kanto to challenge the Battle Pyramid. Unfortunately, he had already faced Brandon and lost. It wasn't just a loss—it was a crushing defeat.

Reggie was now training hard, determined to improve for another attempt.

Ash was surprised to run into Reggie at this moment. According to the original timeline, Reggie had indeed challenged the Battle Pyramid in the Battle Frontier but had failed.

Ash figured that if his guess was right, Brandon would soon leave with the Battle Pyramid.

If that happened, Reggie wouldn't get another chance and would likely return to Sinnoh.

"Ash, you're here to challenge Brandon, the Pyramid King, right? Be careful—his strength is overwhelming. His main Pokémon have Champion-level abilities. I was completely outmatched, so don't let your guard down."

Reggie explained that Brandon adjusts the strength of his team based on the challenger's level. Since Reggie was a strong Trainer, Brandon had used his best Pokémon, and the result wasn't in Reggie's favor.

Just then, Scott appeared once more.

"Well, Ash! You're here at last. Oh? Isn't this Lucy, the Queen of the Battle Pike? And it looks like things between her and Brock are... surprising, to say the least."

Lucy blushed but nodded in acknowledgment. After all, Scott was technically her boss as the founder of the Battle Frontier.

"Reggie, it's great to see you too. You and Ash are two of the most remarkable challengers I've seen lately. Your loss against Brandon was unfortunate, but now you'll have a chance to watch Ash's match."

Reggie nodded, though Scott's tone suggested he had high hopes for Ash.

"Ash, it seems you arrived just in time. If you had been any later, Brandon might have already left with the Pyramid. I've informed him of your arrival, and he's free to take on your challenge. Follow me; I'll lead the way. I can't wait to see a match even more thrilling than any before!"

Scott was brimming with excitement, and Ash's confidence matched his enthusiasm.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu was just as eager.

The group headed toward the Battle Pyramid, its structure resembling an ancient monument from afar.

Once inside, the interior resembled a massive, ancient ruin.

Ash, Misty, May, and Brock were all awestruck by the grandeur of the place.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host! You have successfully arrived at the Battle Pyramid. Signing in...]

[Ding! Sign-in complete. Rewards are being distributed...]

Ash had officially signed in at the final location of the Battle Frontier. Surely, the rewards this time would be significant.

The system quickly delivered the prizes:

1,000,000 Poké Coins

System storage expanded to 20 cubic meters

3 Master Balls

That was it—just three rewards.

But the most valuable items were undoubtedly the storage upgrade and the Master Balls!

With the Master Balls in hand, Ash could now fulfill a promise to himself.

"Latias of Alto Mare, also known as the City of Water, how have you been?"

Ash remembered the last time they parted, when Latias had transformed into a girl to kiss him goodbye.

To take on Sinnoh's Tobias and his Darkrai, Ash needed to build a special team.

The team would require at least pseudo-Legendary Pokémon.

Tyranitar was already a solid choice. Latias would join the roster as well, alongside Pikachu. That left three more slots.

Infernape was a must, especially since Sinnoh was its home turf, though right now it was still just a Chimchar whose whereabouts were unknown.

Then there was Gible...

But first, Ash needed to conquer the Battle Pyramid and complete the Battle Frontier!

"Mr. Scott, once I dominate the Battle Frontier, I might have something that will interest you greatly."

Ash, walking alongside Scott into the Pyramid, spoke with confidence.

Scott, a wealthy entrepreneur who had founded the Battle Frontier, immediately perked up.

Ash was planning to use this connection to delve into research on Mega Evolution and Dynamax phenomena.

"Confident as ever, aren't you, Ash? Well, here we are. Ahead lies the final Battle Frontier Brain—Pyramid King Brandon!"

Scott gestured forward.

The room ahead was dark until one by one, ancient stone lamps ignited, casting a flickering light.

At the far end of the room stood a broad-shouldered man with thick eyebrows.

The Pyramid King—Brandon!

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