Ash had won his battle against Richie and had officially advanced to the next round — specifically to the Top 8. So even if he lost in the next round, he could still secure a spot in the Top 8. Not bad for someone who settles for less, but not for Ash. Honestly, I doubt any of the trainers who advanced have that mindset.
With that said, the battle had ended with Ash's victory and he had officially moved on to the second round. However, he wasn't the only one who had his battle today. The others also had to fight: Verity, Neesha, Gary, Corey, Leaf, and Giselle. Those who advanced to the next round were Verity, Gary, Corey, Leaf, and Giselle. Unfortunately, Neesha had to fight against Verity. Although it was a fierce battle, Neesha ended up losing. Still, Neesha proved to be extremely talented and skilled in battles — she had nothing to be ashamed of. She was sad, yes, but also proud of how far she had come in her first Pokémon League. Next year she would do much better. She would travel to a new region, gain more experience, and win the next Pokémon League. Definitely.
At the end of the battle, both girls shook hands, congratulated each other on the amazing fight they had given, and together went with the group to enjoy the next battles.
The battles lasted until almost nightfall, and honestly I was exhausted and my butt hurt. It had been fun watching so many exciting battles and the seats were quite comfortable, but even so, we had been sitting for hours. We literally watched 5 battles in a row that lasted almost 5 full hours. It was already late when the last battle ended and Giselle emerged victorious from her match against a boy whose name I had already forgotten. I only remember he was from Johto. There were still a couple more battles left before the day ended, but we didn't know any of the participating trainers, so we simply went for a walk around the village before returning to the hotel.
The rest of the day was a celebration for having advanced to the Top 8, and even though they had lost, Neesha, Fergus, and Joe also joined. During the entire dinner at a luxury restaurant, Molly wouldn't stop praising me to the point where I turned red, but there were also some rather serious conversations. Celeste, Roxanne, and Koharu had found out about my relationship with Leaf and even with Serena, which led to me being mildly scolded for it. But since this was a happy moment, they didn't go overboard. Besides, they weren't angry because Ash had more girls — they were already mentally prepared that they wouldn't be the only ones in Ash's harem and that more would join soon. The anger was for not having mentioned it all this time. The good thing is that, after a while, they got bored and decided to forgive Ash just this once, but with the condition that there would be no more secrets. I accepted gladly. Honestly, aside from the system, I don't have any more secrets.
[You're forgetting the part where you're a reincarnated person.]
Ahem, that's implied with the system part.
[If you say so…]
Anyway, I had a good time. I won the Top 16 battle, surpassing the original Ash, and now I faced the Top 8 challenge… against Verity. Yes, my opponent tomorrow would be Verity, and from what I saw today, the battle was definitely not going to be easy.
…
The next day.
Today were the quarterfinals, and the battles to be held today were as follows: Ash vs Verity; Gary vs Corey; Leaf vs random; and Giselle vs random. The quarterfinals promised to be very interesting. The participants were already all geniuses among geniuses — notable trainers who had managed to get this far thanks to their amazing skills. But… there always has to be someone superior, and this was no exception. Today's battles were extremely important because not only would it decide who advanced to the finals, but it would also determine who the 4 most outstanding trainers of the Pokémon League were.
With that said, our heroes woke up early because Ash vs Verity was the first battle of the morning, so they had to be there ahead of time. After showering, getting dressed, and having breakfast, everyone headed to the battlefield. Of course, Ash and Verity had to say goodbye before entering the battlefield.
Today's field — the field where all of today's contestants would participate — was a completely ice-covered field except for where the trainers stood. But apart from that, the entire field was covered in ice and the cold was evident because as soon as they entered, both Ash and Verity felt a shiver. Before separating, they wished each other luck and headed to their respective positions while the spectators arrived. While doing so, Ash decided to check the rewards he had obtained the day before after his victory against Richie but couldn't claim due to all the commotion afterward.
[Congratulations to the host for completing Mission #1. The respective rewards will now be issued…!
Congratulations to the host for obtaining a Muscle Band (System Version), 100 Gacha Coins, and 1 Minor System Improvement: Basic Tactical Analysis!]
System, please explain a bit about that Muscle Band (System Version) and the minor system improvement.
[Of course, my faithful and good host:
• Muscle Band (System Version) Original Effect: Slightly increases the power of physical moves.
System Version:
Increases the power of physical moves by 20%
No penalty
Only affects direct physical attacks
Does not boost special moves or status attacks
Explanation: It's a good reward for a first and simple victory, to motivate the host and help him a little on his path to victory.
Basic Tactical Analysis (Minor System Improvement): Effect:
The system shows more clearly whether the opponent stands out more in physical defense or special defense
Gives a small general tactical recommendation
Does not reveal the enemy's full strategy or exact moves Example: "Target with physical defense superior to special" or "Target with high speed. Caution"
Explanation: It doesn't suddenly turn you into the ultimate strategic genius, but it can help you determine whether you should use something that hits more on the physical or special side. Ideal for situations where you don't know what to do. It can be consulted simply by saying the words: "Basic Analysis."]
Good… the Gacha Coins will definitely be useful to see if I can get TMs for my next battles if I win this one, and the analysis… well, I wouldn't want to have to use it, but it'll come in handy for Pokémon I don't remember what they specialize in. It can be useful, but I don't want to depend too much on an ability like that.
[You decide whether to use them or not. I just give you what you deserve.]
And I thank you for that.
While Ash was talking internally with his system…
The Indigo Plateau stadium was completely full. There wasn't room for a single soul more. The stands vibrated with a mix of excitement, tension, and anticipation, while the ice field reflected the venue's lights like an irregular, treacherous, and slippery mirror. The cold was noticeable even in the trainers' breath, although no one seemed to mind too much. Not when right in front of them one of the most important battles of the entire Kanto Pokémon League was about to take place.
In the VIP box, Naria already had her phone ready, pointing directly at the battlefield while behind her, careful not to get in front of the camera, Celeste and the girls looked attentively downward, where Ash was staring into space, probably deep in thought.
"Okay guys… the battle against Verity is starting…" Naria said to her chat.
The live stream kept climbing. Thousands of comments piled up at an absurd speed while the chat kept asking her to focus better on Ash, Verity, and the ice field. In other parts of the world, Hana had once again taken a day off work to watch the battle. Lisa was watching from home, this time biting her lip every time the camera focused on Ash. Serena remained glued to the television with Grace by her side, unable to take her eyes off the screen for a second. Even Gary was paying attention, studying whatever Ash might show for the next rounds.
Ash and Verity were already on opposite sides of the field, in their respective positions. Unlike the battle against Richie, this time there wasn't even a polite smile. Both knew they were in the Top 8. Both knew this was no longer a test round.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WELCOME TO THE QUARTERFINALS OF THE KANTO POKÉMON LEAGUE!" Bob shouted.
"AND FROM HERE ON THE BATTLES CHANGE COMPLETELY, BOB!" Carl added.
"THAT'S RIGHT, CARL! WE LEAVE BEHIND THE 3 VS 3 BATTLES AND FINALLY ENTER THE 6 VS 6 BATTLES!" Bob said.
"AND WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT JUST ANY BATTLE! WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MATCHUP BETWEEN PARTICIPANT ASH KETCHUM FROM PALLET TOWN AND PARTICIPANT VERITY!" Carl added.
The referee stepped forward.
"The battle will be six versus six. The first participant to defeat all six of their opponent's Pokémon will be the winner and advance to the semifinals. Only previously registered Pokémon may be used. Using an unregistered one will result in immediate disqualification," the referee said.
Then he looked straight ahead with determination.
"The battle may begin!" the referee shouted.
"Roserade, come out!" Verity ordered.
"Butterfree, let's go!" Ash said calmly.
Butterfree appeared in the air, flapping its wings. Its pink color caught the audience's attention as soon as it came out.
"WAIT A SECOND, BOB! THAT BUTTERFREE IS PINK!" Carl said.
"THAT'S RIGHT, CARL! IT'S NOT SOMETHING YOU SEE EVERY DAY, ALTHOUGH SIMILAR CASES HAVE BEEN SEEN IN PLACES LIKE THE ORANGE ISLANDS!" Bob replied.
"EVEN SO, IT'S STILL A VERY CURIOUS CHOICE TO OPEN A BATTLE AT THIS LEVEL!" Carl added.
Verity didn't seem impressed.
"Roserade, Energy Ball!" Verity ordered.
"Butterfree, dodge… and use Quiver Dance!" Ash said.
Butterfree dodged the attack by a hair while strengthening its body, visibly increasing its speed. Its presence in the air changed immediately, becoming more agile and harder to follow.
"PARTICIPANT ASH STARTS BY BOOSTING HIS STATS FROM THE VERY FIRST MOMENT!" Bob said.
"AND ON AN ICE FIELD THAT CAN BE KEY!" Carl added.
"Now, Psychic!" Ash said.
The attack hit Roserade directly, pushing it backward. The ice under its feet made it lose stability for an instant.
"Sludge Bomb!"
The hit was partial, but enough to make Butterfree recoil in the air.
"DIRECT HIT!" Bob shouted.
Ash quickly analyzed the situation. Butterfree could continue, but that exchange wasn't sustainable.
"Keep your distance… Psychic again!" Ash said.
After several exchanges, Verity decided to break the rhythm.
"Roserade, return!" Verity said.
She recalled Roserade to its Poké Ball and took out another. She immediately threw it. The Poké Ball opened and who came out was…
"Talonflame!" Ash exclaimed.
Ash reacted instantly because the danger Talonflame represented to his Butterfree was enormous.
"Butterfree, return!" Ash said.
Ash recalled Butterfree to its Poké Ball and threw the next one.