Logan suspected the real reason everyone was cheering wasn't just because of the Indigo League's opening torch ceremony. No, it was most likely because the League was a national holiday—a day off work. That alone was enough to make the crowd ecstatic.
When the torchbearer finally passed, the journalists swarmed again.
Onlookers noticed the crowd of reporters clustering around someone and, assuming it was a celebrity, they pushed forward to catch a glimpse. But when they saw who it was standing in the middle, they realized it was someone more famous than any star—
A trainer recognized throughout Kanto. The one who, only a month ago, had defeated Team Rocket and saved the entire region.
A hero.
"Look, that's Logan!"
"It really is him! I've seen his battles back in Pewter and Cerulean!"
"Can't believe we ran into such a celebrity. Quick—take pictures!"
"He's so young… only sixteen, I heard."
"Being a trainer really is something else."
"Hah. Then why don't you send your own kid out on the road? Just don't cry if he ends up dead."
"…"
The crowd's chatter did nothing to discourage the reporters. Their excitement only grew, pelting Logan with questions from all sides.
"Mr. Logan, there are rumors online that Team Rocket's leader is none other than the long-missing Gym Leader of Viridian City. As the only person to have battled him directly, can you reveal the Rocket Boss's true identity?"
"Mr. Logan, many details about the Saffron battle remain unclear. Is the League deliberately withholding information to keep citizens in the dark?"
"Mr. Logan, in recent appearances, Erika of Celadon City has mentioned your name multiple times. Is it true, as the rumors claim, that you two are romantically involved?"
"What about Misty then?"
"You disappeared into training for over a month. Is it to prepare for a strong showing at the Indigo League?"
"…."
Logan's forehead twitched. Now he finally understood why, back in his previous world, celebrities always cursed the press.
These journalists really had guts. They didn't care that he was a powerful trainer radiating irritation, asking questions sharp enough to cut bone, even at the risk of enraging him.
With a sharp glare, Logan finally snapped back:
"That's a stupid question. You think I came to the Indigo Plateau just for a 'good showing'? If I'm here, my goal is the championship. I'm not waiting three more years for another chance. You want a headline? Fine. I'll give you one. I'll defeat every opponent who stands in my way and teach them the meaning of defeat. Now, I'm going to the registration hall. If you want more stories, go bother the other trainers—or those movie stars hanging around. Don't waste my time."
He shoved his way through the crowd of reporters and strode up the path known as Victory Road, heading straight for the contestant registration hall.
The journalists had no choice but to let him go. Victory Road was reserved for challengers only. Still, they already had what they needed—his bold words. With a little twisting, they'd turn into tomorrow's perfect headlines:
"Hero of the Saffron Incident Logan Issues Challenge: Scorns All Opponents!"
"Logan: The Championship Is Mine—The Rest of You Are Just Tourists!"
"Everyone Else Can Swim Back Home From Indigo Plateau!"
Ethics and restraint? Worthless to these vultures. Stirring up controversy—that was the true goal.
…
Free at last, Logan crossed Victory Road and entered the grand registration hall. It was a massive, brightly lit facility buzzing with activity, filled with League staff checking trainers in at dozens of counters.
The moment Logan stepped inside, countless heads turned. Trainers whispered among themselves, sneaking glances in his direction. Fame had its perks, but it also came with a price—everywhere he went, he was the center of attention.
Logan ignored the stares and walked to an empty counter.
"These are my badges. Check if there's any problem."
He tossed a chain onto the desk.
The receptionist, a young woman, shot to her feet and bowed deeply. Her expression shone with excitement—almost fan-like.
"P-please wait one moment, Mr. Logan!"
Her eyes widened as she inspected the badges. "You… you have eight badges?!"
It was nearly impossible. Kanto only had seven open Gyms at present—the Viridian Gym had been without a Leader for years. And Cinnabar Gym had only reopened a month ago, its Leader Blaine overworked from running daily battles to make up for his absence.
"Yes. Eight. Is that a problem?" Logan tapped the desk impatiently.
The Viridian badge hadn't come from Giovanni directly. During his visit to Viridian, Logan had investigated the abandoned Gym once more. He found a secret chamber built just like Team Rocket's bases. Inside was a stash Giovanni had left behind—including a box of unused badges.
Perhaps Giovanni had fled too hastily, or perhaps he'd dismissed them as worthless. Either way, Logan had found more than just badges. Stacks of Rocket research reports lay inside—one particularly fascinating account detailed ancient sightings of the mythical wish-granting Pokémon Jirachi.
Among the finds was also a manual, written by Giovanni himself: "The Secrets of the Earth." It was a comprehensive record of Giovanni's strategies and techniques for training Ground-type Pokémon. It was nothing less than the distilled essence of his lifetime's experience.
Logan had skimmed the book, impressed by Giovanni's mastery, though it wasn't his style—he specialized in Dragons and Psychic-types. Still, it deepened his understanding of Ground Pokémon immensely. He returned the book to its place, leaving it for a "fated successor." He hadn't expected Giovanni to be so magnanimous, recording all of his secrets for posterity.
The receptionist finished her inspection and returned the badges with both hands.
"They are all authentic. According to League rules, four badges are enough to enter. Each additional badge allows you to skip one round. With eight badges, Mr. Logan, you bypass the preliminaries entirely. You will be placed directly in the finals. The exact dates will be sent to you by message and online notification."
"Good. Thank you… Are the other Gym Leaders here yet? Where are they staying?"
"They all arrived yesterday. They're staying at the League Headquarters Hotel."
Logan's lips curved into a sly grin. With no matches until the finals, and every Gym Leader already in town, his days suddenly looked very free. Very free indeed.
If the athletes at the Olympics could indulge in nightly escapades, why not him? After all, it had been a grueling month and a half of wilderness training—self-denial and restraint. For a man who had already tasted women, such deprivation was hard to bear. And the girls he'd been with weren't just anyone—they were idols, dream goddesses in the eyes of countless others.
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