"But here, I don't see any Pokémon!" Misty exclaimed.
"You misunderstood, I didn't mean that," Professor Bill smiled at Misty's question and snapped his fingers.
*Snap!*
The surrounding lights dimmed suddenly. From all directions, three-dimensional images were projected, revealing a grid of squares. "There's a Pokémon in every ten squares," Bill explained.
"This is incredible!" Misty and Brock looked around in surprise, and Ash also glanced around, intrigued.
"There are Pokémon everywhere in the world, and there are more than 150 species in our Kanto Region alone."
"1...150 species?" Misty gasped. Both she and Brock were astonished, though they knew there were many Pokémon in the world—they just hadn't realized the scale.
Bill's words gave them a new perspective. And that was just one region. There were certainly many more Pokémon beyond Kanto, meaning the number of species was much larger than they'd imagined.
"That's right, these are just from the Kanto Region, and there are at least 100 more species in other regions."
"And one thing all researchers agree on is that there are still many unknown Pokémon waiting to be discovered, hidden somewhere in the world."
"Working with these Pokémon, I have so much fun and get so immersed in my research that I never feel lonely."
Bill wasn't just referring to having Pokémon nearby—he meant they provided spiritual companionship, something deeper than simple presence.
"It's unbelievable!" Misty and Brock finally grasped just how vast the world really was, thanks to Bill's words.
Even top researchers like Bill and others hadn't discovered all the Pokémon out there, which made them even more excited to explore the world.
"Alright, it's getting late. Your rooms are on the second floor," Bill said as he got up to leave. Brock and Misty, still in awe, followed him upstairs.
"Ash, aren't you surprised at all?" Misty asked, noticing that Ash didn't seem as shocked as the rest of them.
"Not really. I already knew," Ash shrugged slightly. "There are more than 600 kinds of Pokémon out there. And there will definitely be more in the future—probably over a thousand eventually."
The difference, Ash thought, was that this world was real. Pokémon were being discovered simultaneously across all regions. In his previous life, new Pokémon were revealed region by region in a set order, which was why Bill mentioned more than 150 species in Kanto.
"Anyway, I'm going to bed. I've got to get up early tomorrow!"
Ash got up to leave, already planning his training schedule for the next five days.
"He's a machine!" Misty muttered as she watched him go.
"Haha! It's not surprising that Ash knows so much about Pokémon," Brock laughed. "But I'm glad I left Pewter City to travel and see all these amazing creatures."
Misty smiled too, realizing she felt the same way.
The next morning, it was still early, and the sun had just risen over the sea. Several figures were already on the beach.
"Everyone, let's work hard! Our goal this morning is to run back and forth along White Strait Beach!" Ash called out, taking the lead. Behind him ran Pikachu, Axew, Charmander, Squirtle, and Eevee, determined to keep up.
Pidgeotto flew above, but to add some challenge, Ash had temporarily attached the enhancer he got from A.J. to Pidgeotto, making flying more difficult.
For the past three years of traveling in this world, morning runs had become a daily routine for Ash and his Pokémon. He believed that consistency was key to improving their strength.
*Pika pika!*
*Axew!*
*Charmander!*
The Pokémon panted as they ran, but seeing Ash in front of them pushed them to keep going. His dedication inspired their fighting spirit.
While Misty and Brock were still fast asleep, someone else was already awake—Professor Bill. Standing at the top of the lighthouse, Bill watched Ash and his Pokémon training on the beach below.
He was a little surprised. Ash had mentioned staying to train, but Bill hadn't expected him to be up this early. In a world full of trainers, only a few could truly become top-level, and it wasn't just because of their Pokémon—it was also about their own personal discipline.
Watching Ash lead his team through their morning routine, Bill admired the young trainer's dedication. An hour passed without him realizing it, and Ash and his Pokémon had already run back and forth along the beach several times. Exhausted, the Pokémon sat panting on the sand.
Ash, although also out of breath and drenched in sweat, remained standing, catching his breath as he wiped his forehead.
"What a hardworking boy," Bill said with a smile.
"Alright, time to start practicing according to the plan for our next battle!" Ash called out after they had rested for about 20 minutes. He removed the enhancer from Pidgeotto and placed it on Squirtle.
With the booster strapped on, Squirtle faced the strong morning waves for a swimming exercise. His current moves—Water Gun, Rapid Spin, Headbutt, and Withdraw—were solid, but Ash wanted him to learn something new: Aqua Jet.
Using the booster to fight against the waves would increase Squirtle's strength and propulsion, helping him master Aqua Jet, a move that required precision and power.
Although Squirtle had a mischievous streak when hanging out with the Squirtle Squad, there was no doubt about his capability as a leader. He just needed more formal training, and Ash was determined to help him reach his full potential.