"By the way, I ran into that kid you mentioned before —Kyle Verenza. He's… quite an interesting one."
Ash spoke lazily as he sank into the warm water of the bath. After a long day of battles, being under Cynthia's care at her hotel felt heavenly. Once he was finished and comfortably tucked into bed, he called out to her.
"You met Kyle? He didn't cause you any trouble, did he?"
Cynthia turned toward him, her voice carrying a hint of worry. Despite Kyle Verenza's change in recent years, she still couldn't help but be concerned — especially since he often spent time with her younger brother, Ethan Yoto.
As Ash already knew, Cynthia's younger brother, Ethan, was a fiery and reckless type — the kind of person more suited to lead the Verenza family than Kyle, who was, frankly, too ruthless in battle.
"No trouble at all," Ash replied with a small laugh. "But I did end up at meeting him by accident… felt a bit silly about that. Oh, and Kyle nearly choked on his own nerves when he saw me — it was pretty amusing."
"That's a relief," Cynthia sighed.
"You don't know how much I worry about those two. My brother's temper and impulsiveness are bad enough, but when he's with Kyle, it's even worse. I'm afraid he'll lead him down the wrong path."
The Yoto family would eventually be inherited by her brother, but even Cynthia knew deep down that Ethan's temperament was wholly unsuited for a family head.
Her father had been struggling with that reality for years, yet Ethan remained stubborn and defiant. He refused to listen to anyone — not even to Cynthia or their father — and constantly found himself in trouble.
On more than one occasion, his impulsive behavior nearly sparked conflict between the Yoto and Ito families.
Ash tilted his head.
"Speaking of your brother — when I visited Sinnoh, I never got the chance to meet my so-called 'uncle'. Guess tomorrow's match against Kyle will have to do instead. Wonder how he compares to Nathan Glacienne…"
Seeing Cynthia's expression tighten with concern, Ash leaned forward, kissed her softly, and smiled.
"Don't worry so much. Let's just get this tournament over with."
Truth be told, the excitement of battle had started to wear off for him. After the intense fights of the Indigo League, Ash found himself growing restless. The thrill of competition was fading, replaced by something colder — a need to finish what he started and move on.
At least in the next regions, he planned to rely on newly caught Pokémon — giving each one the chance to grow strong through their own effort. That, more than anything, was what made battling worthwhile to him.
And after his outstanding performance in the Indigo League, Ash had become one of the most recognized Trainers in Kanto — even earning the reputation of being the region's strongest.
Cynthia suddenly spoke, breaking his thoughts.
"Oh, by the way, I forgot to tell you. After your match ended today… Gary lost his battle."
Ash sat up immediately.
"Lost? Gary? That doesn't make sense. With his current strength, he should've easily reached the semifinals. Who defeated him?"
"It was Makoto Ito," Cynthia said quietly.
"Gary was crushed. Most of his Pokémon were severely injured — they'll need at least a week or two to recover."
Ash's eyes darkened. "Makoto Ito…? That shouldn't be possible. Even as a member of the Elite, his strength shouldn't be that far above Gary's. Losing, maybe — but not being completely wiped out."
He had reviewed the top sixteen Trainers' data before. Gary might not have been the absolute strongest, but with his Aerodactyl and Dragonair, he was well-balanced and capable of reaching the semifinals.
Something about this didn't add up.
Cynthia's voice trembled slightly. "Makoto didn't use his own Pokémon. He used his father's… I don't know how, but he managed to get his hands on them."
Ash went silent for a moment. Then a grin crept across his face — sharp and dangerous.
"Oh? Using his father's Pokémon, huh? Interesting… If that's the case, I'll make sure to return the favor. I just hope his father won't be too heartbroken after I'm done with him."
The look in Ash's eyes made Cynthia shiver. For a fleeting second, the calm and kind-hearted boy she knew seemed to vanish — replaced by something colder, something that carried the weight of countless battles and grudges.
It was a look that reminded her of the last time she'd seen him truly angry — back when the Latin American incident had left even veterans trembling at the sight of his rage.
Cynthia hadn't seen this side of Ash in a long time.
As she recalled, that violent edge — that tyrannical emotion — used to surface only when he tapped into his Aura Sight, a technique that bordered on the mythical. But ever since mastering the Infinity Mirror Technique, those darker impulses had seemingly vanished. She'd thought he was finally healed… whole again.
She was wrong.
Now, seeing that same look in his eyes again sent a chill through her chest.
Ash's thoughts, however, were painfully simple. If Makoto Ito had the nerve to cripple Gary's Pokémon… then I'll make sure he feels the same pain in return.
To Ash, it wasn't about revenge — it was about balance.
After all, in a League match, accidents happen all the time.
And if someone "accidentally" pushed too far, well… that was part of the game.
The Next Morning
Ash's eyes snapped open. The alarm clock read 4:00 a.m.
Despite the early hour, he felt completely awake — his mind sharp, his energy overflowing. His mental focus had grown far beyond that of an ordinary Trainer. Normally, he could meditate to replenish his Aura, but now, his reserves were already full. Meditation was pointless.
He exhaled slowly. "System… I want to draw."
Cynthia stirred beside him, still asleep, her arms loosely wrapped around herself. Without waking her, Ash closed his eyes and slipped into the System Space — a familiar realm of white light and mechanical echoes.
A massive roulette wheel appeared before him, spinning lazily in the void.
Its surface shimmered with dozens of possible prizes — rare items, skill scrolls, evolution stones, and even a few mysterious capsules.
Ash cracked his neck and muttered, half amused, half annoyed,
"I swear, if today's pull is as garbage as yesterday's, I'm gonna lose it. Let's see if luck's finally decided to stop mocking me."
He placed his hand on the console, and the roulette began to spin faster — light streaking across its panels as the sound of gears filled the air.
After the last System Update, the roulette's items refreshed every twenty-four hours — a new set of prizes each day. Sometimes they were incredible.
Other times… utter trash.
Ash smirked. "Well, come on then. Let's see what today's got for me."
...
TN:
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