Ash had just stepped off the battlefield when a bright, youthful female staff member hurried over at the exit of the withdrawal corridor.
"Ash, congrats on winning a '1·2' Double Battle!
Same as usual—3,000 Poké Dollars have already been credited to your identity crystal card."
Ash had been competing at the Viridian City Battle Arena for nearly a week now. Combined with his mix of boyish cuteness and sharp good looks, plus his rapidly rising fame across the Kanto region, he had long since become a familiar face here.
Most of the arena staff knew him well—especially the female staff. Many of them had even taken the initiative to add him on PokéPlus and TrainerNet, becoming online friends.
"Got it—thanks, Sister Mai."
Ash accepted the crystal card with a polite smile and thanked her warmly.
"You're welcome. Keep it up in the next matches~"
Mai crouched down slightly and gave Ash a quick peck on the cheek, smiling as she encouraged him.
"Mm-hmm, I will~"
Ash nodded, then turned and headed back toward the contestants' waiting hall.
The earlier battle had only been a warm-up.
To earn enough money within half a year to fully exploit the Newcomer First Purchase 50% Discount—and buy a Pokémon-held item—Ash needed to fight at least five matches a day at the arena.
Too few matches meant not enough income.
Too many matches meant leveling too fast, which could destabilize foundations.
Five matches a day was the sweet spot.
After regrouping with Gary, the two of them first went to the registration hall and signed up together for four "2·1" Double Battles. Then Ash took Pidgeotto and Spearow to the arena's Pokémon Center for treatment and stamina recovery.
Anon hadn't been weak at all, but Ash had fielded two Flying-types, giving him aerial dominance.
Aside from Spearow taking minor damage when it rushed Golbat head-on and got counterattacked during brief moments of Golbat regaining clarity, there were no serious injuries.
Pidgeotto, on the other hand, hadn't been hit even once by Tauros—only its stamina had been partially drained.
A few minutes later, both Pokémon were fully restored.
Ash and Gary then returned to Arena No. 9 for the remaining matches.
Match Results (Team Battles):
Pikachu + Eevee → Win (4,000)
Frogadier + Wartortle → Win (4,000)
Pidgeotto + Magikarp → Win (4,000)
Spearow + Eevee → Loss (500)
Out of the four team battles, they won the first three.
For the fourth, Ash deliberately sent out Spearow, whose move pool was shallow and lacked ranged attacks, while Gary sent out an underperforming Eevee—carefully controlling their win rate.
The result was a planned loss.
Ash's total earnings:
3,000 + 2,000 + 2,000 + 2,000 + 250 = 9,250 Poké Dollars
Gary's total earnings:
1,500 + 2,000 + 2,000 + 2,000 + 250 = 7,750 Poké Dollars
Level gains:
Pikachu: LV.35 → LV.36
Frogadier: LV.33 → LV.34
Pidgeotto: LV.34 → LV.35
Spearow: LV.20 → LV.23
Five matches, just over 9000 Poké Dollars earned, and all four core Pokémon from the first echelon had improved to varying degrees.
The afternoon's mission at the Battle Arena was officially complete.
After another quick stop at the Pokémon Center, Ash and Gary left the arena.
Though the arena's frenzy was only just beginning, it was already nearing 6 p.m.
They swung by the food street, picked up some snacks for their Pokémon, and bought pastries to take home for their mothers. Then, mounting their bikes, they headed from Viridian City back toward Pallet Town.
Neither of them suggested eating dinner in the city.
After all, Delia Ketchum and Mihoko both disliked their sons eating out—
partly out of concern for hygiene and nutrition,
and partly because they didn't want their proud cooking skills to be unfavorably compared.
Ding-ling~ Ding-ling~
On the road leading back to Pallet Town, the two boys rode side by side, Pokémon in tow, emerging from the dim forest stretch.
The view suddenly opened up.
The setting sun hung low between two mountain ridges, the sky washed in amber hues, the mountains tinted purple beneath the fading light.
Outside Pallet Town, most of the League Investigation Teams that had once been stationed covertly nearby had already withdrawn. Only the standard League Guard remained.
This wasn't because the Kanto League had relaxed its stance on Ash.
On the contrary—their attention on him had reached unprecedented levels.
One reason the investigators pulled back was that Professor Oak's Champion-level Charizard had been entrusted to Ash as personal protection.
Another reason was that Ash had already established commercial cooperation with multiple upper-tier Kanto families and financial groups—forces deeply entangled with Team Rocket itself.
That web of shared interests alone was enough to shield him from overt retaliation.
What Ash could foresee, the League could foresee as well.
Knowing that Ash was now extremely well-protected, the League gradually withdrew its special security detail.
Ash leveraging his own commercial value to secure protection revealed his lack of full trust in the League—but it also demonstrated his intelligence and political finesse.
Instead of abandoning him, the League valued him even more.
Just like the nickname spreading across the region—
"The Future Champion of the Indigo League."
Becoming a member of the Elite Four was merely the minimum expectation.
In truth, the League envisioned Ash as a future Champion of the Kanto League itself.
At first, many within the League doubted Professor Oak's claim that Ash was a "100% Champion-level prospect."
But after witnessing Ash cultivate three High-tier Pokémon in barely a month, those doubts vanished.
They saw hope.
They saw a future Champion.
If Ash knew just how high their expectations were, he'd probably chuckle inwardly.
Champion-level?
You're still underestimating me.
Champion may be the unattainable summit for most Trainers…
but for me, it's only inevitable.
And it's not even my finish line.
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