I will drop another chapter 5 or 6 later.
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"Ash, don't be discouraged. Train harder and you'll succeed next time."
When Sam returned from training, he saw Misty and Brock comforting a dejected Ash. Pikachu was no longer full of energy and sat quietly beside Ash, its ears drooping.
From their expressions alone, it was obvious that Ash's challenge at the Vermilion Gym had not gone well.
Ash bit his lip and spoke softly.
"Brock, Misty… do you think Lt. Surge is right? That my Pikachu will never be able to defeat his Raichu if it doesn't evolve?"
The outcome hadn't changed. Although Lt. Surge hadn't seriously injured Pikachu this time, he showed no mercy with his words. He belittled Ash and Pikachu, calling them useless, and insisted that without evolution, Pikachu would never defeat Raichu.
Ash was confused.
Throughout the battle, he had been completely suppressed. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find an opening to turn things around. Was Lt. Surge right? Was evolution the only way forward?
"Pikachu… do you want to evolve?"
Brock and Misty frowned but remained silent. In their hearts, they didn't agree with forcing Pikachu to evolve. They knew Pikachu possessed incredible latent power, and evolution wasn't necessarily the best choice. Still, this was Ash's Pokémon—ultimately, the decision belonged to him.
"Pika!"
Pikachu glared at Ash and shook its head fiercely.
Evolving because of defeat was something Pikachu couldn't accept. Its pride wouldn't allow it. It wanted to prove to Lt. Surge that even without evolving, it could defeat Raichu.
Ash was stunned by Pikachu's strong reaction. Pikachu hadn't lost its temper with him like this in a long time.
Feeling lost, Ash noticed Sam entering the Pokémon Center. He hurried over.
"Sam… do you think I should let Pikachu evolve?"
Ash still hadn't completely let go of the idea. It was human nature—evolution offered immediate power, and resisting that temptation wasn't easy.
Pikachu looked at Sam with pleading eyes. It truly didn't want to evolve.
"Ash," Sam said calmly, "do you want Pikachu to evolve because you're afraid? Afraid that, like Lt. Surge said, you'll never defeat him otherwise?"
Ash fell silent. Sam had pierced straight through his heart.
"I once heard you say that there are no weak Pokémon—only weak Trainers," Sam continued, his voice cold.
"Right now, you're acting like the weak one."
With that, Sam turned and walked back to his room without another word.
Pikachu had endless untapped potential, yet Ash was trying to take a shortcut by forcing evolution. To Sam, that was the behavior of a Trainer lacking confidence.
"Ash… Sam is right," Brock said, placing a hand on Ash's shoulder.
"I don't think Pikachu is weaker than Raichu. As long as you work hard, you can still win the Thunder Badge."
"Pika…"
Pikachu walked over and rubbed against Ash, softly encouraging him.
With the support of his companions, Ash finally lifted his head. His eyes regained their determination.
"I won't evolve you," Ash said firmly.
"I'll defeat Lt. Surge with my own strength."
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"Clefai~"
Clefairy, cradled in Sam's arms, stared curiously at the enormous luxury cruise ship before them.
The S.S. Anne was a world-famous luxury liner that docked in Vermilion City once a year. Because of its rarity, S.S. Anne tickets were absurdly expensive.
Ticket inspections were already underway at the harbor. Vermilion City Port was packed with people, a sea of passengers eager to board.
Fortunately, Sam didn't need to line up like everyone else. Nurse Joy had prepared a VIP package for him. As a distinguished guest, he enjoyed special privileges.
Instead of heading to the crowded standard entrance, Sam walked straight to the VIP counter.
Unlike the noisy regular gates, the VIP passage was calm and orderly, with only a few passengers boarding under the guidance of staff.
"Hello, sir. Please present your S.S. Anne ticket."
The moment Sam entered the VIP area, a smiling attendant greeted him warmly. Her gentle voice and courteous demeanor immediately made him feel at ease.
Sam handed over his ticket. After verifying it on the system, her smile became even more respectful.
"We wish you a pleasant journey, honored guest."
------------Author---------------
Thank you NARTER-501, George Simon and RebelRob_94 for supporting me!
Guys we are so close to our goal of top 100 and as I promised if we top 100 i will drop 4 Chapters maybe even more.
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