"Gary becoming the Sacred Flame Torchbearer really caught me off guard."
Inside one of Indigo Plateau's high-end restaurants, Ash, Gary, Paul, Misty, Red, Clair, Xiaowen, and several others were gathered around a large table.
To celebrate the opening of the Indigo Conference, Red had generously rented a luxurious private room, allowing everyone to relax before the competition officially began.
"It couldn't be helped."
"Team Rocket suddenly showed up. If Gary and I hadn't been nearby, they really might've gotten away with the Sacred Flame."
"And for some reason, Team Rocket was way stronger this time around!"
"Not only were their robots ridiculously powerful, but their own strength had increased a lot too!"
"But stealing the Sacred Flame..."
"They've probably been put on the League's wanted list by now, right?"
Listening to Ash complain, Red laughed awkwardly.
Of course, he hadn't completely abandoned Team Rocket.
He had spent a bit of money overnight to smuggle Jessie, James, and Meowth out of Kanto and send them to the Johto region.
After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Ash, Gary, and Paul exchanged looks across the table.
All three understood something clearly.
Their strongest opponents in this League Conference might very well be the fellow disciples sitting right in front of them.
Paul looked at Ash and Gary.
"I'm not the same person I was two months ago."
"This time, I'll take back every loss I've suffered."
Ash and Gary both nodded seriously.
Although Paul had lost to them before, he was now Red's disciple as well.
Neither of them dared underestimate him.
Then all three turned toward Red.
"Master, don't worry!"
"This time we'll definitely bring home the championship trophy!"
Red smiled.
"Good."
"Give it your best."
"I believe you can do it."
The three then added:
"Master, we also hope you'll dominate the Eight Major Gym Tournament!"
"Win every battle and claim a seat among the Eight Major Gyms!"
A smile appeared on Red's lips.
"Enough flattery."
"The world is full of hidden talents."
"Kanto is huge."
"Who knows what old monsters might be hiding out there?"
"You all need to be careful too."
Gary nodded seriously.
"We will."
Ash pounded his chest confidently.
"Don't worry, Master! You know how strong I am!"
Paul simply replied:
"We'll win."
There wasn't much expression on his face, but his tone was filled with certainty.
Meanwhile, while Red's group enjoyed themselves, Ma Zhiji and Lt. Surge were drinking gloomily in a nearby private room.
Ma Zhiji stared at a Poké Ball in his hand and grinned excitedly.
Lt. Surge sighed helplessly.
"Even though I used a bit of money and influence to bypass the acquisition waiting period for you..."
"You still need to be careful."
"Don't get overturned during the Eight Gym Selection Tournament."
Ma Zhiji waved dismissively.
"Come on, Cousin."
"Even if Red is strong, do you really think his Pokémon can overcome a twenty-level gap and defeat a Gym-class Pokémon?"
"That's impossible!"
"Just relax."
"How could someone as arrogant and self-important as Red ever imagine that I've got an even stronger ace Pokémon hidden away?"
"This time he's definitely going to lose!"
"I can't wait to see how he acts afterward!"
"Let's see whether he's still so smug and full of himself then!"
Lt. Surge looked at his cousin and couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to go wrong.
Still, he believed he had done everything possible.
The rest would depend entirely on Ma Zhiji himself.
At Indigo Plateau, it wasn't just the Surge cousins who had arrived.
Blaine of Cinnabar Gym.
Sabrina of Saffron Gym.
And many other Gym Leaders had gathered as well.
After all, the upcoming Eight Major Gym Tournament would be held here.
Besides the established Gym Leaders, there were over a dozen ordinary Gym Leaders from across Kanto.
Each of them had come for one reason only:
To compete for a place among the Eight Major Gyms.
Even Nurse Joy Xue had come to watch the excitement.
When she and Sabrina spotted each other from a distance, their eyes met briefly.
Both immediately sensed hostility.
"That woman doesn't seem trustworthy."
"Why is she always hanging around Gym Leader Red?"
Ever since their previous meeting, Joy Xue had instinctively disliked Sabrina.
At the same time, Sabrina wasn't fond of Joy either.
"She's just a Joy."
"Why does she keep staying near Red?"
Neither woman liked the other's presence.
Amid this increasingly explosive atmosphere, the first day of the Indigo Conference officially began.
Ash, Gary, and Paul were assigned to different brackets.
At least until the main rounds, they wouldn't have a chance to face each other.
Among the three disciples, the first one scheduled to battle was the ever-eager Ash.
"Heh!"
"I can't believe I'm the first one up."
"My luck's pretty good!"
Watching Ash's carefree attitude, both Gary and Paul felt delighted.
After all, this was the perfect opportunity to observe Ash's current team strength and battle style.
During the past month, the three had been training separately.
Neither Gary nor Paul knew exactly how strong Ash had become.
This match would undoubtedly reveal some of his cards.
Whether Ash had guessed what they were thinking or simply acted on instinct, nobody knew.
But the moment he stepped onto the battlefield, he surprised everyone.
Instead of sending out one of his familiar Pokémon...
Ash released a newly captured Pokémon.
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