Ash didn't even have to fight to catch these two hunters, they gave up the moment they saw him. After all, they were just some mid-level Pokémon Hunter, and were far from being able to put up a fight against someone of Ash's caliber.
Ash, however, learned from them that there were quite a few more people plotting some not so good shenanigans on this mountain right now.
Professor Toren also did not find the stolen bottles of his potions on these two people. "Ash, the most dangerous one among them is the spore medicine. If it is accidentally broken in an uncontrollable place like this mountain, the consequences will be disastrous at the very least!"
Vaguely, Ash had become the leader of everyone here, and even the Mayor of the city had to listen to Ash's opinions. Now those potions are nowhere to be found, but there is a more important thing at the moment.
The Mayor took back the Eternal Flame and stood in front of Margo, "Do you understand the seriousness of what you have done?"
Margo's original intention was just to protect Zeraora, just like it had protected her.
Rumors are spreading around the city that there are strange Pokémon nearby, and if the Wind Festival continues, everyone will come here to find and capture Zeraora.
Therefore, she took away the Eternal Flame and wanted to make it impossible for the Wind Festival to continue! Of course she knew the consequences of taking down the sacred fire. She originally planned to wait until the Wind Festival was cancelled, then return it!
Just a little girl, Margo couldn't do anything other than cry bitterly and kept saying sorry. Zeraora stood beside her and gently pressed her palm on her head.
Zeraora's head-touch skill!
The little girl burst into a smile. Zeraora withdrew her palm and came to Ash, the human being she trusts most now. Pikachu jumped onto the back of the big electric cat in one leap. They were both Electric-type, so they got along very well from the beginning.
Ash patted it on the shoulder and said, "Mayor, I want you to explain the truth about Zeraora's Curse!"
Looking at Margo's pitiful appearance, the Mayor gently wiped away her tears and said, "Margo, you did a good job protecting Zeraora!"
Finally, Mayor Oliver revealed the secret that had been buried in the hearts of the older generation in Fula City for so many years, "Zeraora lived in this land a long time ago. And as the owner of this land, Zeraora was admired by Pokémon and interacted with them, to live together in harmony and create friendship."
"And then we humans came up and cut down trees, the homes of the forest home. The humans wanted to reclaim the forest, and seek a prosperous life. This became the trigger of the incident. The wildfire accident 50 years ago. The forest turned into a sea of fire, but humans did not care about the lives and deaths of the wild Pokémon living here. Everyone fell into panic. Only Zeraora did not abandon the Pokémon who couldn't get away quick enough."
"After that, Zeraora began to hate humans deeply."
"You are wrong," Ash suddenly said, "Zeraora has never hated human beings. Just like Granny Harriet, Zeraora became unwilling to contact the humans who led to this; but never hated them. That wildfire may have changed your life, but I will never agree with this so-called Zeraora's Curse."
Mayor Oliver was silent for a moment and then spoke again, "Perhaps you are right. Zeraora just wants to live peacefully in the forest with Pokémon, but the Pokémon Trainer came one after another in order to take away the Pokémon, and reports of attacks continued to appear."
"The former Mayor, with the intention of atonement, lied to the citizens and said that Zeraora is dead, and it was also strictly forbidden to enter the mountain forest where Zeraora left its Curse. That is the only thing we could have done back then to protect Zeraora."
So it was ultimately revealed that the so-called Zeraora's Curse was created to just protect the peaceful life of Zeraora and the Pokémon living in the mountains. Ash frowned, took a step forward in annoyance and asked, "You all thought that the only thing that can be done to protect your mistakes is to use lies to cover up your mistakes?"
"Have you not thought about or seen that the children of Fula City are now afraid of the Zeraora because of this false Curse? What do you think a Pokémon is? I want you to publicly explain immediately and clear these misunderstandings! Or—!"
However, as soon as Ash finished speaking, a plume of purple smoke suddenly exploded from the forest not far away.
Another massive crisis came at this moment!
This purple smoke spread wildly, covering a large area of forest vegetation in a few breaths, and was heading towards Fula City at the mountain foot.
Several Pidgeys flew over from the direction of the smoke, but suddenly fell in front of everyone.
Professor Toren had a strange look on his face and hurried forward to check, then looked at Ash with a horrified look on his face, "Ash, the spore potion I just mentioned, the one I was worried about the most, really happened!"
"What exactly is that spore potion?"
Professor Toren said bluntly, "We are still researching and putting Pokémon's Ability spores into capsules at a high concentration. If you inhale the spores, you will fall into poisoning, paralysis or sleep conditions!"
Ash looked at that purple smoke. If this smoke continues and covers the entire Fula City, Ash understands just how much the city will become dead.
"Why would you make such a potion?" Risa didn't understand why they would even create such a terrible thing in the first place.
"Research has found that these spores have therapeutic effects on human diseases…" Professor Toren's research is to make Pokémon's special moves and abilities into something more beneficial to humans, but this is something he could have never envisioned even in his wildest dreams.
At this time, the Mayor received a report that a quarter of the citizens of Fula City had inhaled the unknown smoke, which was still spreading. Those who inhaled it suffered from immediate paralysis or sleep and some of the more unfortunate ones even showed poisoning symptoms.
"Emergency evacuation measures are currently being carried out for citizens in all the target areas! Rescue work is racing against time, please return to the scene immediately!"
How ironic it is that the city that is said to live in harmony with the wind cannot find wind, and now its sky is shrouded in smoke and is almost facing the end.
Right now, in the eyes of the people, this purple smoke was like a terrifying giant beast that was constantly eating away at Fula City.
Surrounding everyone's hearts is a deep sense of incomparable feeling.
They really didn't know what to do. After the wildfire incident 50 years ago, humans fell into panic and couldn't even take care of Pokémon.
And even now, they are equally overwhelmed and don't even know how to save themselves.
However, as Ash said, when a crisis comes, heroes will come.
"Looks like now is the time for us to stand up for ourselves." He stepped forward slowly, "Let's go, just watching won't help!"
"Ash?" Lisa looked at her boyfriend in front of her. To her now, his figure was so tall that it could block all the ongoing issues.
"We must protect the city, or what you all built over all these years will go to waste!"
Ash took out a Poké Ball and said, "We have Pokémon by our side! What we can't do alone, we can do with our Pokémon!"
Risa and Eevee looked at each other and chuckled.
The Pokémon around Granny Harriet also gathered around, looking fully ready for what's to come.
Pikachu, Ralts, and Togetic around Ash all cheered up, "As long as there are Pokémon around, power will continue to pour out!"
"Truly, our bond with Pokémon is where true power lies!"
Ash released a kind of Aura that ignited everyone, inspiring Pokémon and people at the same time. As long as needed, he will become the rope, the core, uniting everyone.
Ash at this moment really looked to be the Pokémon Master!
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I just started a new story, make sure to check it out. And also enjoy your day.