Inside a café on the Indigo Plateau...
After spending most of the day in high-intensity training, Mi Xue could no longer maintain her aloof ice-queen persona. She was practically sprawled across her chair without a care for appearances.
Still, there was something she couldn't figure out.
Looking at Red, she asked,
"Gym Leader Red, it's only been a day. Why does it feel like your Swampert's control over Ice-type energy has improved so much?"
Red answered as though it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Oh, nothing much. I just had Swampert completely melt that Millennium Ice. While it was melting, it absorbed some of the frigid aura."
Even as Lorelei's disciple, Mi Xue couldn't help sucking in a sharp breath.
"Gym Leader Red... you're really willing to spend money."
Red waved it off.
"It's nothing."
"Besides, I got it from the League anyway."
Mi Xue and the Fighting-type Gym Leader, Li Qing, exchanged glances.
Now they finally understood why Red's Pokémon improved so frighteningly fast.
Turning to Joy Xue, Red smiled.
"And thank you too, Joy Xue. You've been a huge help."
Beside Swampert, Joy Xue was using the Joy family's unique massage techniques to help it recover.
Although Red had taught himself Pokémon massage, there was still a noticeable gap compared to the professional healing techniques of the Joy family.
Joy Xue smiled.
"It's nothing."
"Consider it my thanks for the Dynamax Band you gave the Joy family last time."
"And besides..."
"And besides what?"
Red noticed her suddenly looking a little embarrassed.
Then, as if remembering something, Joy Xue clenched her teeth.
"I've hated that Ma Zhiji guy for ages!"
"Gym Leader Red!"
"If you make it to the finals, can you please give him a good beating?"
"Whether it's Ma Zhiji or his cousin, they're constantly creating extra work for us Joys."
"They're always arguing with several of my older sisters too. They almost got into fights more than once."
"If it weren't for the fact that they're Gym Leaders, I would've punched them myself."
"And my grandmother keeps saying we have to think about the bigger picture."
"I've been sick of them for a long time."
"So in this tournament..."
"Even if you can't beat Ma Zhiji, at least make him miserable!"
Red looked at her helplessly.
"Why are you so certain I can't beat him?"
Joy Xue stared at him for several seconds.
Then she suddenly reached over, brushed aside his bangs, and pressed her forehead against his.
"Gym Leader Red..."
"You don't have a fever."
At such close range, Red could even feel her warm breath.
He froze.
Only then did Joy Xue realize just how bold—and intimate—that gesture had been.
She immediately shot back into her chair as though electrocuted.
"I-I wasn't doing anything."
"I was just checking your temperature."
"Because no normal person would say they could beat Ma Zhiji!"
"Gym Leader Red, you're definitely talented, and your potential is incredible."
"But his Ampharos is Level 56, and it's ridiculously powerful."
"Your strongest Pokémon, Swampert, is only Level 44."
"If you can actually beat him, that'll be a miracle."
Looking at the concern on her face, Red simply smiled.
"Don't worry."
"I never fight a battle I'm not prepared for."
Seeing how confident he was, the others decided not to argue further.
Still...
When the subject turned to Ma Zhiji, Li Qing immediately had plenty to say.
"Putting everything else aside..."
"That guy really isn't a good person."
"You know the Bug-type Gym Leader he fought?"
"His Pokémon are still in the hospital."
"As fellow Gym Leaders, Ma Zhiji went way too far."
As Li Qing spoke, Mi Xue leisurely stirred her coffee.
"And that's not all."
"That Ampharos isn't even his own Pokémon."
As Lorelei's disciple, Mi Xue naturally knew certain inside information.
Red and Joy Xue were already aware of it as well.
Only Li Qing shot to his feet in shock.
"Wait!"
"Seriously?!"
He looked at the three of them, who all appeared perfectly calm.
"Don't tell me..."
"I'm the last person to find out?"
None of them answered.
They merely nodded silently.
"What a shameless bastard!"
"A parasite on the League!"
"Scum!"
Li Qing fumed with indignation.
Unfortunately, as a Gym Leader who had already been eliminated, there wasn't much he could do.
Red calmly took another sip of coffee.
"Don't worry."
"He won't be arrogant for much longer."
The three of them immediately looked over.
"Gym Leader Red, do you have a way to deal with him?"
Setting down his cup, Red replied matter-of-factly,
"I'll just defeat him."
The three of them were speechless.
Yet...
None of them refuted him.
Although eight Gym Leaders remained in the tournament...
Among the remaining competitors, the only person any of them felt had even the slightest chance of defeating Ma Zhiji...
...was Red.
Checking the time, Red stood up.
"Let's go."
"It's almost time for the matches."
When Red arrived at the battlefield with Joy Xue and the others...
He was astonished.
The venue, which wasn't supposed to be open to the public, was already packed with spectators.
In fact...
There seemed to be even more people than had attended the League finals.
"What's going on?"
Just as he was wondering...
Gary.
Ash.
And an utterly dejected Paul.
Each appeared behind him carrying a huge banner.
"Master! Go!"
"Master! Victory is yours!"
"Songzao Gym is invincible!"
The scene left not only Red dumbfounded...
...but every competing Gym Leader as well.
None of them had imagined that what was supposed to be a relatively low-profile tournament between the eight Gym Leaders would attract such an enormous audience.
If they could display their abilities here...
The boost to their Gym's reputation—and the number of future challengers—would be enormous.
Many of the Gym Leaders who had already gone home immediately regretted it.
Those who had given up early because they thought they had no chance of winning regretted it even more.
Some practically wanted to slap themselves.
Just as Red was marveling at the scale of the event...
Professor Oak walked over.
"Pretty impressive, isn't it?"
"I know what you've been aiming for."
"You've always wanted to turn Songzao Gym into Kanto's number one Gym."
"If you win this tournament..."
"It may not become the strongest Gym in Kanto..."
"But it'll definitely become one of the most famous."
"In terms of reputation, it'll stand shoulder to shoulder with places like Goldenrod Gym and Cinnabar Gym."
Professor Oak looked at him with a smile.
"But don't thank me."
"My champion grandson deserves most of the credit."
"The League finals just ended."
"The audience still wanted to watch more battles."
"You simply happened to catch the perfect opportunity."
Then Professor Oak's expression became serious.
"But all of that depends on one thing."
"If you win..."
"The fame."
"The prestige."
"The League's future resources."
"They'll all be yours."
"But if you lose..."
"Everything we've done..."
"...will simply become someone else's stepping stone."
At that very moment, Ma Zhiji and Lt. Surge also arrived at the venue.
When Ma Zhiji saw the sea of spectators, his eyes widened.
After learning what had happened, he burst into loud laughter.
The nearby spectators all looked at him strangely.
He didn't care in the slightest.
Originally, he'd been disappointed by this tournament.
In his eyes, the outcome had already been decided.
Everything else was merely going through the motions.
Never in his wildest dreams had he expected such a pleasant surprise.
Looking toward Red, he grinned.
"Red..."
"How should I thank you?"
"Not only did you give me the chance to settle our score..."
"You even built the perfect stage for me."
"I'm really the luckiest man alive."
...
After explaining the situation, Professor Oak cautiously looked around as if afraid someone might see him.
Then, like someone conducting a secret transaction, he slipped Red a small pouch.
Red looked at him curiously.
"What's this?"
Opening the bag...
He discovered three Mega Stones resting quietly inside.
Professor Oak coughed lightly.
"I've spent the past couple of days investigating these."
"They're incredibly rare."
"And since nobody knows what they're actually used for..."
"Most of them have just been gathering dust in forgotten warehouses."
"It wasn't easy tracking them down."
"But thanks to a few connections..."
"I managed to gather more than a dozen Mega Stones before your finals."
Then Professor Oak looked at Red with curiosity.
"Gym Leader Red..."
"Which Pokémon do these three Mega Stones correspond to?"
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