"That's natural. Leaf's Nidoqueen has been training with my Onix," Red explained, ignoring Gary's increasingly suspicious look.
'What's going on here?'
"Red, weren't you incredibly busy during that time? How did you still have time to train with Leaf?" Gary asked, then suddenly his eyes widened with realization. "Ohhh, I see."
"What? What happened!" Misty exclaimed, immediately intrigued. Gossip involving Red and Leaf made her absolutely giddy with excitement.
Ash and Brock tried to appear nonchalant, but their burning gazes betrayed their suppressed curiosity.
"You're all reading way too much into this," Red said with exasperation.
"Although I was focused on training, I'm not so cold-hearted that I can't help with sparring sessions. I initially helped Ash train too, but this guy woke up so late every day that I realized it was hopeless and gave up on him."
At this revelation, the embarrassed Ash inevitably received contemptuous glances from Misty and Brock. Everything Red said was completely accurate.
Only when Butterfree first returned did Ash briefly commit to Red's morning training regimen, but he'd abandoned it after just a few days.
"Wait a minute! If that's the case, why didn't you train with me, Red?" Gary suddenly felt slighted. How could he have been overlooked like this?
"You never asked me," Red said matter-of-factly, revealing the simple truth.
"Oh... right..."
Gary immediately felt mortified and could only whistle awkwardly to ease the uncomfortable moment.
In truth, Gary had initially assumed Red was too busy, so he hadn't actively sought him out for joint training, accidentally missing an excellent opportunity.
Of course, part of it stemmed from Gary's stubborn pride—he didn't want Ash catching him seeking help and teasing him about it.
Thinking about this, Gary sighed with regret, though he felt inexplicably better knowing Ash, that lazy rival, hadn't trained much either.
"Hey, what's with that look, Gary!" Ash immediately noticed something off and protested.
"Nothing. Just pitying someone's laziness," Gary taunted.
'You two idiots.'
Red regarded Ash and Gary—who were about to bicker again—with a mixture of pity and amusement. Neither clearly recognized Leaf's true current strength.
According to Red's assessment, Leaf's abilities definitely surpassed both Ash's and Gary's at this point.
This wasn't merely due to natural talent, but because of her relentless dedication. As a girl traveling alone on foot, that commitment alone exceeded both of theirs.
"Jigglypuff is unable to battle! Therefore, the winner of this match is Leaf from Pallet Town!"
The referee's declaration rang across the arena.
"The fourth trainer from Pallet Town has beautifully claimed second-round victory! Can the former Land of Champions recreate past glory? Only time will tell!" the announcer proclaimed enthusiastically.
As soon as the match concluded, numerous TV station personnel swarmed Leaf, hoping to extract information worthy of headline news.
Resigned to her fate, Leaf answered several challenging questions in succession.
She thought she was handling it well until a female reporter thrust a microphone in her face while her cameraman aimed the lens directly at her.
"So, contestant Leaf, what are your feelings toward Lord Red—your neighbor, companion, and rival?"
"Wh-what?!"
Leaf's face immediately flushed crimson as she lowered her head shyly, never expecting such a loaded question.
"Well... I've actually known Red since childhood. At first, he was quite distant with me..." Leaf stammered nervously, gripping the hem of her clothes, terrified of saying something that could be misinterpreted.
"I think we should rescue Leaf from the fire," Gary remarked, watching Leaf's flustered state. He nudged Red's shoulder meaningfully, signaling with his eyes for Red to intervene.
"Naturally."
Red's eyes glowed azure blue as he activated Teleport, appearing beside Leaf in an instant. Under the shocked gazes of Leaf and the surrounding staff, he grasped her hand and vanished with another Teleport.
"Beautiful!" Gary exclaimed sarcastically. "Though that's not quite what I had in mind!"
Near Evening
After everyone successfully passed their second-round matches, they dispersed and bid farewell, returning to their respective accommodations.
However, Gary watched with a knowing smirk as Red and Leaf departed together, only now realizing they were sharing the same room. What an interesting coincidence.
"Hey Gary, why are you looking at Big Brother and Leaf like that?" Ash asked, genuinely confused about Gary's expression.
"Dead-last Ash, you're still too naive," Gary mocked, the comment immediately setting Ash off. He reached for Gary's shoulder, ready to challenge him to a Pokémon battle right then and there.
But private battles between contestants were strictly prohibited—serious violations could result in disqualification.
"Alright, alright, Ash, don't be so impulsive," Brock intervened, pulling his friend back.
Half an Hour Later
After returning to their accommodation, the flustered Leaf immediately rushed to the bathroom to splash water on her face and compose herself.
"Red, I might not be able to have dinner with you tonight," Leaf said apologetically, bowing slightly before turning to her computer desk. She opened previously recorded battle data, comparing it with her handwritten notes as she began analyzing potential Pokémon lineups for upcoming matches.
"Like this... then this..." Leaf muttered, gradually entering her analytical trance and unconsciously tuning out Red's presence.
"What a dedicated fool," Red remarked affectionately.
To avoid disrupting Leaf's concentration, Red quietly activated Teleport. Under the startled gaze of restaurant staff, he calmly explained his purpose and ordered a delicious beef curry rice to-go, ensuring Leaf wouldn't go hungry.
After returning with the meal, he gently placed it on her desk along with a note reminding her to eat it while still warm.
"Beep beep beep..."
As Red stepped quietly into the hallway, his Pokédex suddenly chimed with an incoming notification.
Red checked the device and found a call from Ice-type Elite Four member Lorelei.
"Looks like my starting lineup just got more interesting," Red murmured, gazing thoughtfully out the nearby window as various strategic possibilities formed in his mind.