On a stretch of wilderness five kilometers from Pallet Town.
Amid the pouring rain, a bedraggled boy clutched a Pikachu as he ran desperately down a country road.
Behind him, a large flock of enraged Wild Pokémon—Spearow—was in hot pursuit.
Ash's heart had sunk to rock bottom.
Not long ago, he had officially set out on his journey with Pikachu, the starter Pokémon he had received from Professor Oak.
They had encountered a Pidgey in some grass out in the wild. Ash had wanted to catch it, but his Poké Ball missed the Pidgey and instead struck a Spearow on the head nearby.
The Spearow had been enraged. It immediately called its companions and launched a fierce pursuit of the human and Pikachu, determined to take revenge on them.
"Pikachu, I'll definitely protect you!" Ash said, lowering his head to Pikachu.
"Pika..." Seeing the human boy refuse to abandon it even while being chased by a flock of Wild Pokémon and facing a life-or-death crisis, Pikachu was deeply moved.
Two streams of tears ran from its eyes as it let out a weak cry.
"Pika..."
Ash panted heavily. He glanced back at the relentlessly pursuing flock of Spearow, but carelessly tripped over a rock and fell to the ground.
The Pikachu in his arms was flung away at once.
It hurts!
A sharp pain shot through his knee, but Ash had no time to think. Looking at Pikachu ahead of him, he hurriedly crawled toward it before bravely placing himself in front of it.
Ash glared angrily at the flock of Spearow behind him. "Hey! Don't underestimate me! I'm Ash from Pallet Town! I'm going to become the world's greatest Pokémon Master someday! I won't lose to the likes of you—I'll catch every last one of you! Bring it on!"