"I can't get carried away. Not yet," Ash told himself firmly, pressing a hand against his chest to calm the excitement bubbling within. "My Aura might be awakened, but it's still untrained. I can't rely on it for battle right now."
He drew a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
Reincarnated into the Pokémon world, chosen by fate itself, armed with the Ascension Trainer System, and now bearing the twin blessings of Aura and Viridian Power—it was the kind of beginning most could only dream of.
But Ash knew too well that overconfidence was the first step toward downfall.
As he was now, he wasn't strong enough to venture into the wild alone. Against feral Pokémon, even a small one could spell disaster.
Forget dangerous Pokémon like Spearow, Beedrill, or Ekans—even a Caterpie or Rattata could probably overwhelm him in a straight fight.
"For now, I need to train safely and grow in the shadows," he muttered, half-jokingly reminding himself to "level up quietly."
With that thought in mind, Ash turned his attention inward—to the second mysterious gift glowing within him.
The Power of Viridian.
The information flowed naturally into his mind, aided by the notes displayed in his system's interface. Unlike Aura or psychic energy, this wasn't a force born of bloodline or spiritual talent. It was something else entirely—an ancient blessing, bestowed by the world itself.
…
The Power of Viridian wasn't inherited like the gifts of Aura, Overcoming Power, Psychokinesis, or Dragon Force.
It was something far rarer.
It was said to be the blessing of the Viridian Forest, a sacred region stretching across both the Kanto and Johto territories—the largest, oldest, and most untouched natural sanctuary in the entire Pokémon world.
Children born within or near this forest occasionally received its blessing—a direct gift of nature's will.
Because it was granted, not inherited, the Viridian Power could neither be passed down to one's children nor inherited from one's parents. It was the forest's choice alone.
And though it was little-known, its power was anything but weak.
There were four distinct abilities contained within the Viridian blessing:
1. Healing Grace
The Viridian Power carries immense life energy, capable of healing Pokémon wounds and restoring vitality.
2. Natural Affinity
The bearer of the forest's blessing gains unparalleled harmony with nature. Even the most cautious or feral Pokémon instinctively feel safe and calm in their presence.
This allows the user to soothe panicked Pokémon, communicate through emotion and intent, and forge bonds with ease.
3. Source Cleansing
Through constant use, the Viridian energy can purify and nurture a Pokémon's life force, subtly enhancing their potential and natural aptitude over time.
It refines their essence—strengthening their body, sharpening their instincts, and elevating their ceiling as battlers.
4. Will Empowerment
During battle, the user can channel their own conviction into their Pokémon, momentarily infusing them with renewed strength and courage.
———
Four abilities—each remarkable in its own right.
Ash couldn't help but grin as he imagined the possibilities.
"Healing Grace," he murmured. "That one's a life-saver—literally. If my Pokémon ever get hurt far from a Pokémon Center, that could mean the difference between life and death."
Then came "Natural Affinity."
"This one's insane. I was just worrying about how to capture my first Pokémon without fighting… and now I might not even have to battle at all."
He laughed softly, shaking his head in disbelief. "If I can just approach them calmly, they'll come to me."
In that moment, he realized something interesting—the difference between Aura and Viridian.
Both allowed communication with Pokémon, but where Aura relied on active intent—sending and receiving waves of willpower—Viridian's gift was passive.
It was always there, a silent connection to every living thing.
And then came the third power—Source Cleansing.
Ash's eyes lit up. "To actually enhance a Pokémon's potential just by nurturing them? That's… game-breaking."
He instantly thought of Giovanni—the Viridian City Gym Leader.
In the manga, Giovanni had once raised an ordinary Beedrill to a level rivaling even Champion-tier Pokémon.
Now Ash understood why—Giovanni must have possessed the Power of Viridian too. The ability to refine and empower Pokémon at their very core.
Then came the fourth and final gift—Will Empowerment.
It allowed a Trainer to pour their own determination directly into their Pokémon mid-battle, manifesting as visible energy or aura-like light.
Ash chuckled. "So those ridiculous anime moments… 'Stand up! Dodge it! Believe in yourself!'—they actually make sense now!"
In the right hands, that was more than motivation—it was magic.
…
In summary, the Power of Viridian was primarily supportive, unlike Aura's versatile offense and defense. But even if it couldn't grant direct combat strength, its utility in nurturing and empowering Pokémon made it legendary.
Aura was the strength of the spirit.
Viridian was the breath of life.
Together—they were unstoppable.
"If I'd only awakened Aura, I'd probably still hold off on trying to catch Pokémon early," Ash mused aloud, closing his glowing status panel. "But now that I have Viridian Power too… things are different."
"With its Natural Affinity, I won't even need to fight. I can start building my team now."
He smiled, feeling a warm surge of excitement.
Just as he was about to plan his next steps—
Knock, knock.
"Ash, are you in there?" came his mother Delia's gentle voice from outside. "You've been in your room all afternoon! Dinner's ready!"
Ash blinked, realizing the time. "Ah—coming, Mom!"
He jumped off the bed, sliding his feet into his slippers and hurrying to the door.
He'd locked it earlier when he began meditating, hanging up a "Napping" sign to avoid being disturbed. What he hadn't realized was that his three-hour meditation—plus the exhaustion that followed—had turned into nearly six hours of silence.
For Delia, who knew her son as endlessly energetic and restless, this was unheard of.
Had she not heard the sound of his steady breathing through the door, she might've broken it down out of pure maternal panic.
Ash chuckled softly to himself as he reached for the handle.
He was still just a child in his mother's eyes—
But deep down, he knew the truth.
He was no ordinary boy anymore.
He was the chosen of both Aura and Viridian—
The dawn of a legend waiting to begin.
…
…