Time rewound to just over ten minutes ago.
Goblin Dungeon
A series of radiant upgrade flashes surged over Ash and his two companions.
After a brief moment of surprise, the three exchanged delighted glances before eagerly opening their status panels to check their newfound gains.
Ash, benefiting from both the world BOSS first kill reward and the dungeon BOSS first kill reward, skyrocketed straight to level 17 in a single leap.
Meanwhile, Brock and Misty, also basking in the Goblin King's substantial experience bonus, ascended three levels each, reaching level 13.
After surpassing level 10, each new level brought a noticeably greater boost in strength. Seeing their increased levels displayed on the information panel, the three couldn't help but smile in satisfaction.
However, their levels were not the most important reward.
As the first slayers of a world BOSS, each of them had unlocked a powerful ultimate skill tied to their respective professions!
Compared to levels, which could always be gained through effort, these ultimate skills were the true treasures of the first-kill reward.
Excitedly, Ash scanned his skill bar and immediately spotted the newly acquired ability beneath Nen Pokéball:
[Nen Ability: Dragon Star Cluster]
Description: Releases a powerful nen attack. Summons nen energy into the sky, then transforms it into massive, star-like energy bombs, delivering a devastating large-scale strike to the targeted area.
"Dragon Star Cluster? Isn't that a move from Dragon-type Pokémon?"
Ash blinked in surprise as he read the skill's description.
The more he analyzed it, the more it resembled the Dragon Meteor Shower move used by Dragon-type Pokémon.
However...
As he felt the surge of new power coursing through him, he quickly dismissed the thought.
It didn't matter whether it was a Nen Dragon Star Cluster or a Pokémon Dragon Star Cluster—as long as it was powerful, that was all that mattered!
Besides, even in the Pokémon world, Dragon Meteor Shower was an extremely destructive move.
"I just hope people don't start mistaking me for some kind of humanoid Pokémon after I use this..." Ash mused.
Of course, with his current level of telekinetic strength, the Dragon Star Cluster he released would likely be weaker than its full potential.
After all, skills and moves were merely expressions of power—true strength still depended on leveling up!
Having experienced rapid consecutive level-ups, Ash fully understood how crucial levels were for players like them.
With renewed determination, he turned his gaze toward his two companions.
"If the ultimate skill of a Hunter is this strong, I wonder how powerful the ultimate skills of a Reaper and a Mage will be..."
Before he could ask, Misty and Brock had already discovered their own new skills, their expressions shifting with excitement.
Without hesitation, Misty was the first to speak, practically bouncing in excitement.
"Wow! This first-kill reward skill is absolutely insane!!!"
Her eyes sparkled as she turned to the other two, eager to share her discovery.
"The skill I got is called [Hadō #90: Kurohitsugi]—Black Coffin! It's a move that combines both control and damage!"
She clenched her fists, her enthusiasm overflowing.
"If I were to fight the Goblin King again right now, I could defeat it with just this one move!"
The sheer confidence in her voice made Ash and Brock exchange glances.
It wasn't just her excitement talking—she was right.
Hadō #90: Black Coffin was one of the most powerful techniques in existence.
At the same level, the Goblin King stood no chance against such an overwhelming ability!
And now, with three extra levels added to her power, the outcome was even more devastating.
As soon as Misty finished speaking, Brock chimed in eagerly:
"I also got a new skill—it's called [Rock Dragon Slayer Magic]."
However, he hesitated for a moment before adding,
"Though, calling it a skill might not be entirely accurate. It's more like... a physical constitution."
"After learning this, I now have the ability to independently develop rock-type dragon-slaying magic."
He scratched his head in confusion. "I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not..."
Brock was genuinely uncertain about his new ability.
On one hand, it did grant him control over rock magic—which was undeniably powerful. But on the other hand, it didn't come with any pre-learned combat moves. Everything would have to be developed from scratch.
Still, as an ultimate skill for the magician class, he could already feel its effects. His control over Earth Wall and Petrified Skin had become significantly more fluid and refined.
If he managed to unlock more rock magic in the future, this skill could act as a permanent enhancement buff—an invaluable asset.
Upon hearing Brock's explanation, Ash and Misty quickly grasped the potential of his skill. They excitedly reassured him, explaining why it was a long-term game-changer for his growth.
At the same time, Ash also introduced his Dragon Star Cluster move, detailing its abilities and power.
Brock understood their reasoning.
But deep down, he still felt conflicted.
Both Ash and Misty had acquired skills that provided an immediate boost in combat. Meanwhile, his ability was growth-oriented, requiring time and effort to reach its full potential.
This meant that, in future dungeon battles, he might end up slowing the team down—and that thought bothered him more than anything.
Fortunately, the three of them had been friends for years. Brock didn't feel the need to hold back and openly voiced his concerns.
The moment Ash and Misty heard this, they burst into laughter.
They practically had "Welcome to Free Carry Service" written all over their faces.
"Don't even worry about it!" Ash grinned, slapping his chest. "We've got your back!"
Misty nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, we're in this together!"
With that settled, Ash suddenly pulled out three mysterious glowing orbs from behind him.
These were drops from the Goblin King.
Up until now, they had been too preoccupied absorbing their first-kill rewards to check the monster's loot. Now, they finally had the time to inspect it.
Ash displayed the attributes of the orbs one by one before smiling:
"Looks like we got three drops this time—one for each of us!"
As he spoke, three light screens unfolded in front of them, revealing the items' details:
[Skill: Discharge]Description: A skill originating from the Pirate class. Grants the ability to release electricity from the body upon learning.
This was the same electric discharge ability the Goblin King had relied on so confidently during battle.
It carried the genetic traits of the Electric Discharge Fruit from the Pirate world. While its potential wasn't limitless, it was still incredibly powerful—especially for a Level 10 novice dungeon boss.
Unfortunately for the Goblin King...
It had the worst possible luck.
It just so happened to face Ash—the one personcompletely immune to electricity.
As a trainer who had survived countless100,000-volt attacks from Pikachu and still managed to grow up perfectly fine, Ash's resistance to electric shocks was practically maxed out.
Even ordinary Rock-type Pokémon might not be able to resist electricity as well as he could.
After all…
Pikachu once managed to defeat Brock's Geodude using electric moves back in the early days!
A feat that completely defied the laws of the Pokémon world!
Now, feeling the effects of a mere Level 10 mini-boss's electric shock, Ash couldn't help but be reminded of Pikachu.
As he examined the skill, Misty and Brock exchanged mischievous glances, an unmistakable grin of nostalgia spreading across their faces.
Misty smirked. "Looks like this skill was made just for you, Ash."
Brock nodded in agreement.
Without even bothering to check the other two skill orbs, they had already unanimously decided that this Discharge ability belonged to Ash.
After all, with this, they might finally witness the day Ash zaps himself and ends up scaring Pikachu instead!
Ash chuckled but didn't refuse. He simply accepted the skill and absorbed it.
With that settled, they turned their attention to the second skill orb.
[Skill: Body Strengthening]Description: A magical technique from the Magician class that enhances physical abilities using one's own magic power. This transformation is accompanied by significant physical changes.
This, too, had been one of the Goblin King's abilities.
Ash held the glowing orb in his hand, glancing between Brock and Misty.
Just as he was about to speak, Misty abruptly jumped back, raising both hands in a defensive stance while pointing straight at Brock.
"Give it to him! Give it to him! I don't want that skill!!!"
"Huh?"
Ash blinked in confusion. Misty's reaction was as if she had just encountered a monstrous beast.
"Why? This skill is really powerful! And combined with your Zanpakutō, it could have some incredible effects!"
No matter how skilled a swordsman was, physical strength was still essential.
From Ash's perspective, this skill seemed perfect for Misty.
However, upon hearing his reasoning, Misty's expression darkened.
She glared at Ash and snapped, "Excuse me!?"
"I am a graceful swordswoman! A master of Water Pokémon! Why on earth would I want to look like… that?!"
"No way! I refuse to take this skill—never in my life!!!"
To emphasize her stance, she took three exaggerated steps back.
The mere thought of transforming into a muscle-bound brute like the Goblin King after using Body Strengthening made her skin crawl.
A beautiful girl with grotesque, bulging muscles? Absolutely not!
Ash and Brock exchanged glances, still not entirely sure why she was so horrified.
Originally, Brock had considered offering the skill to Misty first. But seeing her reaction, he had no choice but to silently accept the skill orb himself.
No doubt, Body Strengthening was a powerful move.
And yet, watching Misty recoil from it in disgust, Brock couldn't shake the feeling that… he had just picked up someone else's trash.
With that out of the way, their focus shifted to the final skill orb.
Slowly, its description unfolded before them.
[Skill: Shigure Soen Ryu - Fifth Form: Early Summer Rain]Description: A sword technique from the Mafia class. At the moment of attack, the wielder swiftly switches their sword to their opposite hand, creating an unpredictable attack path and rhythm. This fluid combat style allows for freely changing strike patterns.
"Wait… this one is a sword technique?"
Ash and Brock immediately turned to Misty, eyes wide with surprise.
Ash grinned. "Good thing you didn't pick Body Strengthening—this skill suits you way better!"
Among the three of them, Misty was the only one wielding a Zanpakutō. There was no debate over who should take this skill.
And so, without hesitation, the final skill orb was handed over to Misty.
But upon hearing Ash's words, Misty immediately grimaced in disgust.
"Even if the third skill doesn't suit me, I will never learn the Body Strengthening move!!!"
...
Brock, who had just absorbed the skill orb, fell silent and quietly shut his mouth.
With that, the three of them continued walking, lightheartedly joking as they made their way out of the dungeon passage.
However, the moment they stepped through the dungeon exit, the trio's laughter abruptly vanished—replaced by shock and horror as they stared at the massive crowd waiting outside.
Hundreds of players filled the entire dungeon hall, their eyes burning with anticipation.
"Whoa!!! It's Ash and his team!!!"
"Did they actually clear the dungeon first?! That's insane!"
"Man, comparing myself to others is so frustrating… I'm only Level 7, and someone's already strong enough to challenge a dungeon boss?!"
"..."
"..."
As soon as Ash, Brock, and Misty appeared, the crowd erupted into chaos.
People swarmed forward, eager to catch a glimpse of the players who had claimed the first boss kill—and, of course, to figure out their leveling secrets.
Caught off guard, the three instinctively stumbled backward, nearly falling into another dungeon portal in the process.
Despite being completely overwhelmed, they desperately tried to explain that they weren't the first ones to defeat the boss...
But it was pointless.
Misty was a well-known Gym Leader from Cerulean City, and there were plenty of Cerulean trainers in the crowd—recognizing her was inevitable.
Not to mention, Ash's face was far too familiar, thanks to his countless tournament appearances.
And as if that wasn't enough, Brock was a Gym Leader too, from the very next town over.
Their lie was doomed from the start.
Fortunately...
Just when things were getting out of hand, a more authoritative figure stepped forward.
The leader of the Cerulean City Strategy Team emerged, successfully silencing the restless crowd before personally escorting Ash's team to safety.
Later...
"Phew! That was way too close—thank you so much!"
Having finally escaped the mob, Ash, Brock, and Misty let out a deep sigh of relief, turning to thank their unexpected savior.
It wasn't that they were unwilling to help other players, but the situation had spiraled out of control.
Under normal circumstances, Ash and the others wouldn't mind sharing information about the Goblin Dungeon.
But before they could say more, the young man who had rescued them suddenly turned around, flashing a knowing smile.
"Long time no see, Ash."
"Huh? Long time no see?"
Ash blinked in confusion, finally getting a proper look at the young man in front of him.
After a few moments, realization dawned on his face. His expression froze in shock before he suddenly pointed forward, stammering:
"You… You… YOU'RE HIRO?!"
Hiro chuckled, nodding in confirmation.
"That's right, it's me."
"I didn't think you'd actually remember me, Ash!"
"How could I ever forget you?!"
A familiar fighting spirit ignited within Ash's eyes as he let out an excited laugh.
"After all, I'm your former rival—the one you defeated!"
Hiro.
A trainer from the Pokémon anime's unprinted period—one whose team bore a striking resemblance to Ash's.
His Pokémon lineup included:
A Pikachu named Ren.A Charmander named Green.A Butterfree, similar to the one Ash once owned.
But what truly burned Hiro's name into Ash's memory…
Was the battle at the Quartz Conference—the one where Hiro defeated him, leaving Ash with only a Top 8 placement.
[Tl/n note: Correct me if I'm wrong.]
"Hiro, I really never expected to see you here!!!"
Ash practically bounced with excitement, unable to contain his surprise and joy.
The two of them had strikingly similar personalities—they were, in a sense, kindred spirits.
However, instead of matching Ash's enthusiasm, Hiro simply smiled calmly.
"I can't say the same."
His voice was steady, his gaze sharp.
"Unlike you, I wasn't surprised at all."
Ash frowned slightly. "Huh?"
Hiro took a step forward, his expression turning serious.
"Because, just like everyone else..."
"I was waiting for you in the dungeon hall."
A brief silence followed.
Then, Hiro lifted his head and spoke with absolute conviction:
"Ash, join our Strategy Team!!!"