"Okay."
Before Sabrina could continue complaining, Ash suddenly pulled her into his arms and kissed her directly.
"I hate this," Sabrina muttered after he let go, her cheeks tinged pink. "Every time I get jealous, you just shut me up with a kiss. There's no romance at all."
Ash smiled faintly. He knew her too well.
Whenever Sabrina felt insecure, this simple and direct reassurance worked best. Even if she suspected he was being a little perfunctory, she couldn't deny that her jealousy faded every time.
"You should know me better than that," Ash said calmly. "I'm not interested in those women. I'm not Gary Oak—I don't chase attention."
His steady tone eased her heart.
With Ash's current status in Kanto—his strength, influence, appearance, and background—if he wanted admirers, they would line up in minutes. That was precisely what unsettled her.
And she wasn't the only one.
Cynthia felt the same way. Unfortunately, she was in Sinnoh and could only maintain contact through phone calls, leaving Sabrina physically closer to Ash—for now.
"Pack up," Ash said after a pause. "We'll camp here for one more day, then leave. I'm not interested in sightseeing in this area. Once I get the Gym Badge, we're moving on. I'll return when the League Conference begins."
After comforting Sabrina, Ash formed hand seals.
"Mokuton: Wood Release."
Thick wooden pillars rose from the ground, weaving together to form a sturdy log cabin. The technique was stable and refined—far beyond crude construction. Within minutes, the structure was complete.
They arranged their daily necessities and settled in.
That evening, Ash's Pokémon returned to the cabin after dinner.
Their daytime training was brutal.
Ash used Shadow Clone Technique to create multiple clones, conducting one-on-one specialized sessions with each Pokémon. Precision, repetition, correction—every flaw was identified and refined.
The process was exhausting.
But thanks to Mokuton's life-infused environment, their stamina recovered quickly. The vitality from the surrounding forest greatly reduced strain and injury.
Hard training did not discourage them.
On the contrary, visible growth in strength fueled their motivation.
Every Pokémon under Ash experienced that unique balance—
Pain and progress.
Later that night.
Sabrina had fallen asleep.
Ash quietly stepped out of the cabin, the cool night air brushing against him. He took out his phone and dialed a number.
"Master."
A respectful voice answered immediately.
It was his estate steward, currently overseeing Fantasy Island's operations. Mewtwo managed the Dream Forest itself, but the island's residential and logistical matters were under his control.
"I received your message earlier," Ash said calmly. "How much did the Rowan family send?"
During the day, medicinal materials from Silver Rowan's side had been delivered to Fantasy Island. Ash had delayed responding—he was busy training and spending time with Sabrina.
He wasn't in a hurry.
Silver Rowan lacked the composure to outmaneuver him.
"Forty-five percent of the requested quantity," the steward reported after checking the data. "Some of the herbs are high quality, but the volume is small. At least half are common-grade materials."
Ash chuckled softly.
"As expected. I never believed he'd comply fully."
From his brief interaction with Silver Rowan, Ash had already assessed his personality. Sending only half the requested materials was entirely predictable.
"That's fine. I didn't expect him to empty the Rowan reserves."
Ash's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Has the Takahashi family contacted Fantasy Island?"
"Yes, Young Master," the steward replied. "They've reached out. Since you hadn't responded yet, I delayed them."
"Good."
Ash smiled faintly.
Ryo Takahashi was ambitious. After years under Rowan suppression, this opportunity was too valuable to ignore.
Everything was proceeding exactly as Ash anticipated.
The board was set.
Now it was simply a matter of deciding how the next piece would move.
The oxygen produced daily by the Dream Forest on Fantasy Island carried an unusually rich life force.
The Steward could feel it clearly.
This wasn't imagination.
After a full medical examination using advanced equipment, doctors confirmed that the aging organs in his body had begun repairing themselves. The regeneration rate was abnormally fast—far beyond what modern medicine could explain.
That alone was enough to make him deeply loyal to Ash Ketchum.
And it wasn't just him.
The elders of the Eight Great Families had all noticed the same phenomenon. Chronic illnesses eased. Sluggish circulation improved. Even without instruments, they could feel their vitality returning.
That was precisely why so many high-level meetings were now quietly arranged on Fantasy Island.
Life itself was being nurtured there.
"This is only natural," Ash said calmly over the phone. "The Takahashi family has been suppressed by the Rowan family for years. Now that I possess something that can overturn that suppression, they would be foolish not to contact me."
The Steward nodded instinctively, even though Ash couldn't see him.
In terms of foresight and control, Ash far surpassed most of the new generation. His strategic awareness was frighteningly mature.
"So, Young Master," The Steward asked respectfully, "what are your terms for the Takahashi family?"
Ash's lips curved slightly.
"That video has no real value to me. It's better exchanged for something practical."
He paused briefly.
"I'll send you a list of medicinal materials. If the Takahashi family can provide them in sufficient quantity, the video is theirs."
A faint chuckle followed.
"As for backups… I don't need to spell that out."
The Steward understood immediately.
Even if the original changed hands, the leverage would remain.
The Takahashi family specialized in rare herbal cultivation.
And what Ash needed… was precisely that.
He only had five Rare Candies left.
There had been no confirmed news from Lorelei regarding additional acquisition channels. That likely meant the supply source had not been located yet.
In that case, relying on the Takahashi family was the most efficient route.
If he could secure stable ingredients for producing Rare Candy—
Then in this transaction, he would be the absolute winner.
Rare Candy was far more than a growth supplement. To most Trainers, it was a treasure capable of accelerating a Pokémon's development. But to Ash, its deeper value lay elsewhere.
Under certain conditions, it could even influence the breakthrough threshold toward Champion-level power.
A fifty percent probability was not certainty.
But if he accumulated enough…
Probability could be forced into inevitability.
Ash's gaze darkened slightly as the night wind brushed past him.
Strength was everything.
And he intended to stockpile enough of it to shape the future.