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Should he accept Mammon's proposal?
Ash was incredibly conflicted at this moment. His reason told him that this might be Mammon's trap, as Mammon was certainly a very cunning individual.
But emotionally, he was indeed tempted.
After all, with Mammon's help, there might be a way to help Lucario resolve its obsession.
And...
Ash looked at the young man and woman opposite him. According to Mammon, these two Sinnoh natives were new Trainers, just like him.
Which meant they had both only started their journeys this year.
In that case, even if they were also genius Trainers, there was no reason for him to lose to them, right?
Ash felt that he should be able to win; this was his confidence. But the problem was, what if?
The atmosphere fell into a long silence.
"How about it? Have you made up your mind?"
After waiting a few minutes, Mammon smiled and asked Ash.
Ash gritted his teeth, still hesitating.
"Mammon, if Ash loses, what do you want him to do for you?" Brock asked Mammon in a deep voice.
"Don't worry, it's nothing bad, and I can promise you that it absolutely won't go against your principles, Ash. Otherwise, you can refuse, how about that?"
Mammon was coaxing him.
"Or perhaps, Ash, you don't have confidence in yourself? A genius Trainer from Kanto, afraid to battle a Trainer of the same age from Sinnoh?"
"Damn it! That's not it at all!"
Ash immediately got angry upon hearing this. What was he saying?!
How could he, Ash of Pallet Town, possibly be afraid of people his age from other regions?!
"Come on! I'll never lose!"
He took the bait~
Mammon's lips curved slightly. Ash was indeed Ash; he couldn't resist with just a little provocation.
Ultimately, although he had excellent talent, Ash was still in his first year of travel and was far less mature than he was in the Journeys series of the anime.
"Ash?"
Brock's expression changed slightly. He was too impulsive.
"It's fine, I can't lose to them!"
Ash said definitively, his eyes fixed on Platinum and Paul.
He would never lose to outsiders!
Brock was helpless. Mammon was clearly trying to provoke him. These two new Trainers from Sinnoh, personally brought by Mammon from Sinnoh and kept by his side, were undoubtedly geniuses highly valued by Mammon. Brock knew very well that this would definitely be a tough battle.
"How confident, a bit like Red." Mammon applauded and praised Ash.
"Then choose one. Who do you want to battle, Misty or Paul?"
Mammon waited leisurely for Ash to choose.
Paul remained expressionless, glancing at Ash. For some reason, he always found this impulsive Trainer a bit displeasing.
Platinum blinked, emmm...
Such a strong sense of déjà vu?
Platinum looked at Ash with sympathy. It seemed she had also been tricked into Team Rockets by Mr. Mammon in the same way back at Professor Rowan's lab.
However, sympathy was one thing, but if Ash chose her to battle, Platinum wouldn't hold back and would definitely go all out.
Firstly, Mr. Mammon was watching right now.
Secondly, Platinum actually felt that Team Rockets was quite good. Mammon also valued them greatly, cultivating them without reservation or stinginess with resources.
Besides, who knew what Mammon would make Ash do anyway?
"Which one should I choose?"
Ash furrowed his brow, his gaze constantly shifting between Platinum and Paul.
"The girl who looks like a young lady seems much friendlier," Misty whispered to Ash.
Platinum's gentle demeanor and pure, delicate face undoubtedly gave a very good first impression.
Paul's solemn, even somewhat gloomy, face gave off a sense of being difficult to get along with.
"You can't judge a battle by appearance. Both of them should be very strong. Ash, go with your own thoughts."
Brock shook his head, rejecting Misty's suggestion. Misty clearly wanted Ash to choose Platinum.
But what did a Trainer's strength have to do with their appearance or demeanor?
And speaking of which, wasn't Caitlin, who was beside Mammon, also beautiful and elegant in appearance? But she was a 'monster.'
Brock had good reason to suspect that Platinum might be much stronger than the young man named Paul.
"Then I'll choose this person. For some reason, I just find him a bit annoying."
Ash's gaze immediately fixed on Paul upon hearing this, meeting Paul's eyes.
Ash glared at Paul without fear, and Paul narrowed his eyes slightly.
Brock: "..."
Misty: "..."
He finds him annoying? What kind of reason is that?
However, Ash's intuition was always very accurate, and this was his own battle, so he would go with it.
"I choose this guy!"
Ash pointed at Paul and said to Mammon.
"It seems you're being underestimated, Paul."
Mammon couldn't help but smile, saying to Paul.
How to put it? As expected.
Both Platinum and Paul were deeply connected and destined with Ash in the anime.
Especially Misty, who was also the only returning female lead in Journeys who went to the Masters Eight tournament to cheer Ash on and had a significant role.
And Ash and Paul's entanglement needed no further mention. Mammon was very much looking forward to this battle.
"I'll teach him a good lesson."
Paul said indifferently, slowly stepping onto an open space nearby.
"Tch! How arrogant! It's not certain who will teach whom a lesson."
Ash naturally heard this and was naturally unwilling to show weakness.
"Pfft~"
Platinum looked at the two clashing individuals, feeling a strange sense of humor.
There was no need to specially search for a battleground; this large open space was the best location.
Ash and Paul stood at opposite ends.
"Then I'll be the referee for this battle, alright?"
Platinum volunteered, coming to the side of the field, looking at the two and saying. Her delicate, fair, smiling face was very infectious.
This left Brock, who had originally felt the urge to be the referee, standing innocently in place.
"I have no objection." This was Ash.
"Thank you for your trouble." This was Paul.
"Alright, then let's begin the battle. The Trainers are Ash and Paul."
Platinum raised her arm, announcing.
"The battle rules are..."
At this point, Platinum looked at Ash.
"Let's do a full battle. I want to make this guy truly convinced!" Ash took out a Poké Ball.
A full battle meant a 6-on-6 battle, which was the most challenging type of battle for a Trainer's overall strength and tactical planning.
Paul stood with one hand in his pocket, having no objection.
"The battle rules are a full 6-on-6 battle. Both sides can switch Pokémon during the battle. When all six of one Trainer's Pokémon are unable to battle, the other Trainer wins."
"Battle start!"
Platinum announced the battle rules, then slowly exited the battleground, leaving the two Trainers in the arena.
"It feels like Misty has become much more cheerful recently."
Caitlin suddenly spoke.
She still remembered that when Platinum first joined Team Rockets, she was quite subdued and rather shy, introverted, and reserved in her daily emotions.
But now she was undoubtedly much more outgoing and cheerful.
"That's a good thing. Under the family-style aristocratic education, her original nature was suppressed a lot," Mammon said with a light chuckle.
"Hmm, do you think Paul can defeat Ash?" Caitlin glanced at Ash.
She also had an impression of this young man.
"Who knows."
Mammon did not answer directly.
On the field.
Ash and Paul stared at each other. For completely unfamiliar Trainers, the order of going first or second in battle was quite important.
However, Paul didn't care about this. He took out a Poké Ball, which enlarged in his hand, but he wasn't in a hurry to throw it.
"I don't like you."
Suddenly, Paul spoke bluntly.
"Huh?"
Ash thought he had misheard, and after realizing, he huffed in displeasure.
What was this guy saying?
"I don't like you. There's something about you that I dislike."
Paul's tone was still calm, but it was precisely this calmness that made Ash's temper flare up instantly.
Dislike was dislike; Paul always spoke his mind directly.
He probably understood now why he had an inherent dislike for Ash, because this guy, like his 'slacker' brother, had some of the same 'qualities.'
"What kind of nonsense are you talking about? As if I find you pleasing to the eye. What's with that sour face? Who are you showing it to?"
Ash was extremely annoyed.
This guy, who always had a sour face, actually had the nerve to say he disliked him?
"I don't know what Mr. Mammon sees in you, but..."
Paul threw out his first Poké Ball with a flick of his wrist.
"Drapion! Get ready for battle!"
"Long~!"
Accompanied by a low growl, a gigantic scorpion-like Pokémon landed heavily in front of Paul, waving its pincers and growling at Ash.
It was none other than the Poison/Dark-type Drapion!
"Drapion, huh? Its Aura Heart is very strong, and this Pokémon is very difficult for Ash to deal with."
Brock's brows furrowed slightly as he looked at this fierce Drapion.
"Its excellent type combination makes it only weak to Ground-type, and Ash doesn't have any Ground-type Pokémon."
Brock was a little worried.
"It's fine, it's fine. Trust Ash! He'll never lose to a Trainer from another region," Misty said softly.
At this point, all they could do was trust him.
"Drapion, huh?"
Ash examined this huge and fierce Drapion. This was a Pokémon from Sinnoh, his first time facing a Drapion.
Ash, who loved Pokémon, was still a bit excited inside.
However... that annoying voice from the other side came again.
"You're actually very lucky you didn't choose Misty."
Paul's calm, steady eyes met Ash's. His face seemed to always be devoid of any expression changes.
"But the result is the same. You can't possibly win against me either."
Damn it!!
Ash gritted his teeth. This guy, why was he so infuriating?!
"You, watch closely! See how I defeat you!"
Ash forcefully threw out his first Poké Ball.
"Dragonite! I choose you!"
A flash of white light, and a Dragonite flapped its wings, landing in front of Ash.
He was just an outsider from Sinnoh, and such an annoying guy at that.
He would win!