The gap between Ash and Gary's strength was actually enormous. Back before the Fuchsia Gym challenge, Ash had run into Gary and had gotten a rough idea of the strength of some of Gary's Pokémon.
Gary was undeniably outstanding among new Trainers, but compared to Ash, the difference was still significant.
Even so, Ash continued to view Gary as his greatest rival. They had been competing since childhood, and even though their skill gap had steadily grown after they started their journeys, Ash never once underestimated him.
If they met at the Indigo Plateau Conference, Ash would absolutely go all out.
And besides winning the Championship, there was one thing Ash wanted even more:
A full six-on-six battle against Gary… and a victory earned with everything he had.
Whether Gary was strong enough to reach the stage where six-on-six battles were allowed, however… that would depend on Gary himself.
Gary responded to Ash's declaration with a casual smirk, then turned with an exaggerated wave.
"I'll be waiting for you at the Indigo Plateau," he said coolly. "Oh, and if you run into Blaine, let me know. I want to battle him too. I can't stay in my comfort zone forever."
Ash watched Gary's retreating back. After a slight pause, he suddenly shouted:
"How am I supposed to tell you?! Give me your phone number!"
The elegant, dramatic atmosphere instantly shattered. Gary nearly tripped over his own feet.
"Couldn't you ask me after we get off the ship? You just ruined the whole mood!" he snapped.
Still, he rattled off a string of digits, his new phone number. Ash quickly memorized it.
He had to admit, the newly invented Pokégear-style cell phones were incredibly convenient.
They couldn't do video calls yet, but the portability alone made them useful.
Rumor had it the League was researching even more advanced versions, eventually aiming to enable video calls and even Poké Ball transfers.
If that day came, Trainers would no longer have to find a transfer machine at a Pokémon Center.
But that was still far in the future.
For now, even video calls didn't exist, let alone Poké Ball transmission.
After exchanging numbers, Ash, Misty, and Brock lingered on the deck a little longer, enjoying the sea breeze as the ship drew closer to its destination.
Ten minutes later, the cruise ship docked.
Ash and the others disembarked, and were taken aback by the scene before them.
The scorching island was packed with people.
Crowds of tourists in beachwear filled the port and streets. It was obvious they were here for vacation.
Cinnabar Island was no longer the lonely volcanic island it once was, this place had turned into a full-blown resort.
Seeing the swarm of tourists, Ash finally understood why Blaine might have closed his Gym.
In the past, Cinnabar Island's extreme heat kept visitors away. Only challengers seeking a Badge ever came. But in recent months, the island had become wildly popular after its rejuvenating hot springs were developed.
Even in the blazing September heat, one of the year's hottest months, the island was overflowing with people coming for the springs.
If the crowds were this huge in summer, Ash couldn't imagine what winter would look like.
As they stepped off the ship, Gary, surrounded by a group of girls, walked up to Ash with his usual arrogant swagger.
"You probably won't be able to find a place to stay, huh? Want your big brother Gary to hook you up?" he said smugly. "I've only got one small room left though, barely big enough for two people."
Ash blinked.
Gary bragged so loudly, yet the best he could offer was… a tiny room?
But actually, Gary wasn't exaggerating at all.
Now that Cinnabar Island was a major tourist destination, finding a room without a reservation was almost impossible.
Same-day rentals were completely packed.
If someone wanted a room here, they usually had to book at least a week in advance.
For Gary to say something like that meant he actually had a room he could secure for Ash on the spot. That alone was a pretty big deal on Cinnabar Island lately.
To Gary's surprise, Ash smiled and said, "No need to trouble yourself. I already booked a room. When I heard Cinnabar Island turned into a tourist hotspot, I made a reservation ahead of time. And it's at the best hotel on the island."
Gary's confident expression froze.
The best hotel on Cinnabar Island was the kind of place even money couldn't book nowadays.
Even he, a rich kid with connections everywhere, couldn't get a room there.
So how did Ash manage it?
Did he get Professor Oak to help him?
Actually… no.
It wasn't Oak. It was Erika.
A few days earlier, Ash had called Erika to ask about her perfume sales and exchanged phone numbers with her. Erika had also learned they were heading to Cinnabar Island and casually asked if they'd booked a hotel yet.
At the time, Ash had no idea how crowded the island had become and admitted they hadn't booked anything.
Erika then explained Cinnabar Island's situation and immediately offered to handle the booking.
And with her current level of influence? There was nowhere in Kanto she couldn't make arrangements.
Even the Kanto Elite Four had to give her face, this was the power of monopolizing enhancement perfumes.
Right now, even Elite trainers begged for her special blends. That was the sort of thing you couldn't buy with money alone.
So thanks to Erika's Helping Hand, Ash and his friends were staying in the most luxurious hotel on Cinnabar Island. And Ash had no hesitation bragging about it in front of Gary.
After all, Gary had approached him acting like he was doing Ash a massive favor.
But even though Gary sounded arrogant, his intentions weren't bad, he really was trying to help.
So Ash hadn't gone too far with the bragging.
If Gary had been actually mocking him, Ash might've tossed him up into the air for fun.
The two parted ways after a few more casual quips. Gary was traveling with his girlfriends and needed to make the most of his rare vacation days before he returned to training.
Ash, Misty, and Brock, meanwhile, began wandering around Cinnabar Island, gathering information about Blaine.
The morning sun was blazing.
Most people wore tank tops, shorts, and even carried mini handheld fans as they walked.
Ash, however, was wearing jeans, a short-sleeve shirt, and a jacket, drawing plenty of confused looks. Brock was dressed almost the same.
Only Misty blended in with the rest of the crowd.
To make matters stranger, the three of them were wearing face masks.
Ash's fame hadn't fully died down yet, so they needed to hide their faces, but wearing masks on a sweltering volcanic island made them look suspicious.
Fortunately, Ash's popularity had fallen enough that no one recognized him through the masks.
The trio spent the morning enjoying the island's attractions while asking around about Blaine's whereabouts.
But no matter where they asked, the answer was the same:
Blaine was no longer on Cinnabar Island. And the old Cinnabar Gym was just a ruin.
What was truly odd was that the Pokémon League hadn't revoked Blaine's Gym Leader status, nor had they rebuilt the Gym.It was as if the League had simply forgotten about the whole place.
By lunchtime, Ash and his friends had only confirmed one thing:
Blaine wasn't here.
However, at the Pokémon Center, they finally heard something new.
According to Nurse Joy, Blaine hadn't left because he was "sick of battling rookie Trainers," like the rumors claimed.
He had left because of… research.
This was very different from the public gossip.
At noon, Ash and his friends sat in the air-conditioned Pokémon Center, sipping cold drinks to cool off.
"So Joy said Blaine used to be a researcher," Ash muttered, drinking his watermelon juice. "And that he's away for research. That's pretty different from what we've heard."
"We can just ask Professor Oak," Brock suggested. "If Blaine really was a researcher, Oak might know something."
Ash snapped his fingers. "That's right! Why didn't I think of that?"
Ash dashed straight toward the Pokémon Center's public phone with Pikachu still perched on his shoulder.
Misty and Brock exchanged helpless looks at his sudden burst of energy before trailing after him.
"Hello, Professor Oak!" Ash called out the moment the screen lit up.
"I'm here, I'm here," Oak replied, calmly mixing some strange solution in a beaker. "What's gotten you so worked up this time? Did you catch another rare Pokémon?"
"I've arrived on Cinnabar Island, but I haven't seen Blaine anywhere."
"I already told you the Cinnabar Gym is closed," Oak said, not looking up.
"I know, but I still wanted to try my luck. But something weird is going on. The Gym isn't just closed, it's a ruin now. And the League hasn't said anything about revoking Blaine's status as Gym Leader."
Ash leaned closer to the screen.
"And Nurse Joy here also said Blaine used to be a researcher, and that the reason he left the Gym was because of his research. So I wanted to ask, Professor Oak, do you have any information about Blaine?"
Professor Oak's hand stopped mid-stir. A hesitant expression crossed his lined face.
Finally, under Ash's intense stare, Oak sighed.
"That Joy shouldn't have told you that. This is League-classified information."
"Being a researcher is that classified?" Ash raised an eyebrow. "And Joy didn't tell me at first either. She only said the same rumor everyone else repeats, that Blaine got tired of rookie challengers. But after I took off my mask, she told me the real version. See? My face does have its uses."
The truth was, Ash hadn't taken the mask off for fame.
He wanted Joy to know he wasn't some random kid pestering the Gym Leader, and maybe that would get her to reveal Blaine's whereabouts.
He hadn't expected the conversation to turn out quite like it did, but the result was the same: Joy gave him the real intel.
But she couldn't tell him everything.
Fortunately, Professor Oak clearly knew more.
"The information you heard is correct," Oak said. "Blaine is indeed a researcher. And not just any researcher, his status is in no way inferior to mine. Our fields differ, of course, but in terms of expertise, we're equals. His project simply cannot be made public, which is why very few people know about it."
Ash, Misty, and Brock all exchanged incredulous looks.
Blaine? A researcher on the same level as Professor Oak?
But Blaine's biggest reputation in Kanto was being the "Fire King," a Fire-type Specialist whose strength was said to nearly rival a normal member of the Elite Four.
A man that strong… was also a secret researcher?
Actually, it wasn't entirely unheard of, after all, the man on the screen was himself a former Champion who had retired to pursue research.
What felt strange to them was that…Do all powerful Trainers eventually become researchers?
Professor Oak did. Blaine too. Was this some kind of hidden career path for the strongest?
Ignoring their stunned faces, Oak continued:
"Blaine's field was genetics. Genes, the fundamental codes that determine everything about a Pokémon. They are deeply complex, and this type of research can't be conducted openly because of… obvious ethical concerns."
"At first, his work was harmless, extracting genetic samples from different Pokémon and studying their distinctions. But later, Blaine proposed something far more extreme."
Oak's voice lowered.
"He believed that by fusing multiple Pokémon genes together, he could replicate and create the strongest Pokémon in the world, a Pokémon capable of challenging gods."
Ash, Misty, and Brock stiffened. Pikachu's eyes went wide.
Fusing genes?
Creating Pokémon?
That went beyond taboo, it was outright forbidden, no matter the region.
And Blaine had seriously proposed such a thing to the League?
"Of course the proposal was rejected," Oak said. "Shortly afterward, Blaine withdrew from academic research entirely and focused on being a Gym Leader."
"But not long ago… the League discovered something."
Ash swallowed. "Found… what?"
"That Blaine never stopped his gene-fusion experiments." Oak paused. "And worse, he succeeded."
The room fell silent.
Oak continued, voice grim:
"According to the League's intel, Blaine used gene-fusion technology to create a Pokémon with strength comparable to a god. But the League has found no details about what kind of Pokémon it is."
"And after the truth came to light, Blaine disappeared."
...
Stones PLzz
Read 30 chapters ahead @keepsmiling 818 p@reon