"I never think about how talented I am, how much I want, or how much I have to pay."
After hearing Blaine's words, Ash replied calmly. He knew very well that his achievements today weren't due to talent alone. They relied on his memories from a past life, his deep understanding of the anime, and the invaluable assistance of the system.
Without it, even if he could eventually become a Champion on his own, it would have taken him many years.
Blaine nodded with a smile. Ash's words showed that he understood his own strength without becoming arrogant. The boy wasn't blinded by pride despite his rapid growth, and that reassured the veteran Gym Leader.
The four girls who had been watching Ash's battle with Blaine admired him deeply.
Sabrina in particular found herself fascinated—not only by Ash's commanding aura but by the way his sheer will seemed to resonate through his presence. A delicate warmth spread across her body, and before she realized it, her cheeks, neck, and collarbone were flushed red.
Fortunately, the scorching heat of Cinnabar Island's battlefield gave her an excuse. Anyone watching assumed she was simply too hot under the sun. Otherwise, her reaction might have been far too obvious.
Lorelei also respected Ash's strength, especially his composure when controlling the battle. His calm reminded her of a master Trainer, though he had told her before that he had no thoughts of being with her. Still—who could predict the future?
Suzie, meanwhile, was witnessing a Champion-level battle for the very first time. She had always known Ash as cheerful, lively, sometimes even playful to the point of being silly.
But the boy standing on the battlefield today was completely different. His sharp focus and charisma drew her in, and she couldn't help but feel a spark of affection for him. Yet, remembering their difference in status, she quickly buried those feelings deep inside.
As for Cynthia, her feelings were even simpler. The two of them had already crossed countless lines in their relationship, and she was satisfied to see the man she chose proving himself. The stronger Ash became, the better her choice looked in the eyes of others.
What none of them realized, however, was that their battle had been recorded by surveillance cameras and broadcasted live across Kanto.
"This Ash kid is incredible! I didn't think the Cinnabar Gym was still around."
"Right? And that old man Blaine—he's still Champion-level? Who would've thought?"
"I wonder what Master Ash plans to do next… The battle looks intense."
"His Charizard is amazing! When will my Charmander ever reach that level…?"
From small towns to big cities, people across Kanto were glued to the live broadcast, completely captivated.
Meanwhile, in Grampa Canyon, Skye Draconis wore a smug smile as he spoke to Professor Samuel Oak and Mugino Seiji.
"See? I was right. Ash's reputation will only grow from here. If he wins the Indigo Conference, he'll definitely become Kanto's strongest representative."
"I didn't expect Ash's strength to be this high already… truly the new wave surpasses the old," Samuel Oak said with genuine admiration.
"It seems my daughter's eye for people was sharp after all," Mugino added proudly. "If I had interfered back then, I would've regretted it greatly."
Listening to their praise, Skye Draconis puffed up even more proudly. "With Ash's strength, even old man Nate won't be able to meddle in his marriage plans. It's only a shame that Nathan Redwood was already betrothed to my grandson."
The "Nate" he mentioned was Nate Mugino—Sabrina's father and patriarch of the Mugino family. Due to illness, Nate had delegated family affairs to his son.
Nathan Redwood, the Redwood family boy, was Bruno's younger brother, about Ash's age. Originally, he was meant to marry Sabrina. But at the time, Sabrina's unstable psychic powers made her distant from others. Nathan, frightened by her abilities, avoided her whenever possible.
Sabrina's powers weren't something to joke about, and so the marriage had been endlessly postponed. In her family, gender mattered little—whoever had the strongest psychic power would inherit leadership.
At first, Nate Mugino had been cynical about Sabrina's relationship with Ash. But after seeing Ash's overwhelming strength and influence, he no longer doubted. Compared to Nathan Redwood, Ash was undeniably more capable.
And the truth was, Nathan himself had no interest in Sabrina. Despite her beauty, her psychic powers terrified him. Every time they met, he ended up humiliated, unable to withstand her overwhelming presence. He avoided her as much as possible.
Thus, their engagement had stagnated. Now that Sabrina clearly had someone she cared for, even the Redwood family felt relieved. The matter was quietly dropped, and since there was no major conflict of interest, both families accepted the change.
After all, no one could have predicted that Sabrina—the girl whose psychic powers had been unstable since childhood—would find someone who could stand by her side.
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TN:
Here, Blaine and Nathan's family name is Redwood, which is my translation. 🌲 I initially thought it should be Glacelline, since it was mentioned that Blaine is Lorelie's uncle ❄️, but the word used for their surnames is quite different, so they might belong to separate families. I'll keep them separate for now. ✨
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