After Professor Cerise begged her repeatedly, Koharu finally agreed not to tell her mother.
Only then did the professor wipe the cold sweat that wasn't even on his forehead.
"By the way, if Gengar shows up again, let me know. I think it only attacked us because it mistook us for intruders."
"But we've been living here for a while already."
"Uh… maybe Gengar was just out eating dinner?"
Ash's eyes narrowed. "That Gengar is strong, but don't worry. Its nature isn't bad. Otherwise, it wouldn't just pull pranks."
One researcher suggested, "Maybe we should have the League deal with it. After all, the professor already bought this house."
Ash immediately shook his head.
"I've got a feeling that Gengar and I are connected. I'll handle it myself. If it comes down to it, I'll let it live at my house. My mom's home alone anyway—she could use the company."
Everyone stared at him, stunned.
[Delia: What nonsense is this child saying?]
[Audience: Ma'am, you really don't want your son making promises he can't keep, do you?]
"Ash, um… could you maybe put me down now?" Koharu's ears flushed red.
Being held for so long, she could feel her body temperature spiking.
"O-Oh, sorry." Ash chuckled sheepishly.
To thank him for his help, Professor Cerise handed Ash two tickets—
Tickets to the World Coronation Series Finals!
"Really?! That means I get to see Champion Leon's crowning moment!"
The one squealing in excitement wasn't Ash, but Koharu. Even as a newcomer to Pokémon battles, Leon's reputation as the strongest Champion was legendary.
Ash, however, didn't even blink.
Strange. Way too strange.
Koharu's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Ash was obsessed with battling—how could he not care about the most famous tournament in the world?
"Ash, aren't you interested in watching Leon's battle?"
"Huh?"
Ash shot Koharu a look, as if she'd just asked if water was wet.
"Who's Leon? And what's this World Coronation thing?"
Cerise, Koharu: ???
Researchers: ???
Audience: ???
A global tournament every Trainer dreams of entering—yet a former regional Champion didn't even know it existed?
[Aaron: No way. Ash doesn't know the World Coronation Series? This is the tournament that crowns the strongest Trainer!]
[Volkner: Yeah! And Leon's the strongest of the strong—he's undefeated since the very start!]
[Ash: Ehh? Is there really a tournament like that? I thought every region just had a League Conference.]
[Misty: Idiot! You just never paid attention!]
[Mustard: Classic Ash—so focused on battling, he ignores the rest of the world. Maybe that's why he keeps getting stronger.]
[Gary: Then here's the real question: Leon—undefeated from his debut—or Ash, who needed six regions before finally winning in the brand-new Alola League. Which of them feels more like a legendary Trainer?]
Hisss—
The chat went silent. Gary had hit a nerve.
Yeah… they'd never really compared them that way before.
Ash may have fought with all his heart—but Leon carried an entire region's pride as its undefeated Champion.
[Gary: Which is why I've got a bold guess. Everything we've seen so far was just build-up! The real legendary Trainer is about to appear!]
[Green: Correct. That would be me.]
…Sorry, who are you again?
On screen—
After Koharu patiently explained, Ash finally understood what the World Coronation Series was about.
"So it's a battle to decide the world's strongest Trainer? I'm fired up now! Pikachu!"
Ash's eyes gleamed. Since returning from Alola, he hadn't felt this kind of burning excitement in his chest.
He was ready.
"Pikachu!"
Pikachu, his eternal partner, needed no words. Their eyes met—and they both understood.
"Let's go. The finals start tomorrow. We need to get to Wyndon City."
Koharu grabbed Ash's hand, face flushed with excitement, and the two of them dashed out the door.
…Well, not through the door. The door had already been smashed apart by Gengar earlier.
"Come back soon~" Professor Cerise called, watching their figures fade into the distance.
He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.
His daughter didn't need her dad anymore.
But he quickly hardened his expression. Before Koharu returned, he had to erase all evidence of his "cheap haunted house" blunder.
Otherwise, his family status would sink below Yamper's!
There was a direct flight from Vermilion City to Wyndon.
Ash eagerly booked the earliest departure.
"This is amazing! The eight strongest Trainers in the world get called the Masters Eight—and even Champion Cynthia and Champion Steven are among them!"
"Huh? The finalist is Mr. Lance?! Incredible!"
Ash leaned closer to Koharu.
"So that's Leon—the strongest Champion you mentioned? He does look tough! I can't wait to see the ultimate showdown!"
All the way, Ash chattered non-stop, too hyped to contain himself.
He'd thought nothing could push him to his limits after becoming a Champion.
But now—this. A tournament for the strongest of the strong!
That title of "World's Strongest Champion"? Ash was determined to claim it.
His hands shook as he scrolled feverishly through his Rotom Phone, pulling up every bit of info on the finals.
Until—
He froze.
The section about Lance read:
"Strongest Kanto Elite Four Member."
"Wait, what? After all these years, Mr. Lance still hasn't become Champion?"
That single line detonated the livestream chat.
Audience: Did Ash really just say that out loud?!
As for Lance himself, his shiny red Gyarados wasn't the only thing red right now.
And no, we're not talking about "seeing red." Totally not.
[Lorelei: Little Lance, I told you if I said you'd never be Champion, you'd never be Champion.]
[Bruno: Lol, now I'm curious—who was Kanto's Champion back then?]
[Steven: Mr. Lance is strong indeed. If you'd like, why not come to Hoenn? I'll have Wallace step down. The Champion seat is yours.]
[Wallace: ?! Excuse me, did you even ask for my opinion?!]
[Steven: Your opinion doesn't matter. Bringing Lance to Hoenn would be an achievement worthy of praise.]
[Professor Oak: Champion Steven, openly poaching others isn't exactly proper, is it?]
In Sinnoh, upon seeing Steven's message, Cynthia's eyes sparkled.
So that's possible too?
Then why not just recruit Ash directly into the Sinnoh League?
He might not have shown the full extent of his potential yet—but Cynthia believed in him.
She had a hunch: the "legendary Trainer" foretold on the screen could only be Ash.
It was a gamble—but one worth taking.
[Cynthia: Ash, why don't you come to Sinnoh and join our League?]
[Serena: !!!]
[Serena: Champion Diantha, hurry! If inviting Ash requires a price—I'll be it!]
…Hold up! Serena, that scheme of yours just exploded right in my face!
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