Mr. Lu was stunned.
“This is the Orange Badge you forgot to take last ti when you had to leave in a hurry.”Ash scratched his head and grinned. “Good thing Uncle Surge reminded —so I brought an extra just in case!”
Lt. Surge crossed his arms. “Oh? Didn’t think you’d actually rember!”
To save Lu Ye from having to make a special trip to Vermilion Gym right before the tournant,Lt. Surge had prepared an extra Orange Badge and entrusted Ash to pass it along when the ti was right.
And now, with Lu Ye just having gotten the Pewter Badge,This was clearly the perfect mont.
The tall, broad-shouldered Lt. Surge ruffled Ash’s hair and laughed heartily:“Not bad, kid! Good instincts this ti!”
“Well then…”Brock, now back in his green-and-yellow jacket, squinted and smiled.“You’re just about done collecting Kanto’s badges, right?”
“Not just about.”Lu Ye held the badge and smiled bitterly.“They’re already all collected…”
“That fast?” Brock was surprised, then quietly nodded in understanding.
As a top-tier challenger,Lu Ye had likely faced Gym Leaders giving it their all.But as soone from the Donghuang Alliance, he’d probably already challenged other regions’ leagues.To beat eight Gym Leaders and earn their respect within two months… wasn’t impossible.
He just didn’t expect Mr. Lu had even gotten the Green Badge from Viridian City.
There must’ve been a fierce match between him and Green.
Brock smiled and shook Lu Ye’s hand.“Congratulations, Mr. Lu!”
Lu Ye laughed hollowly.Glancing down at the two badges in hand, his heart was a ss.
Who was so underhanded that they sniped
at Badge #7 like that!?
Then he recalled that innocent mont—taking the badge from Ash with a smile.And realized the truth.
Oh. I backstabbed myself.Great.
“Hehe.”Ash bead, his happiness clearly rubbing off on Lu Ye.It reminded Ash of all the tis he’d earned badges himself.
Looks like Mr. Lu’s really satisfied this ti!
“Congratulations, Mr. Lu.”Marnie offered a soft and sincere smile. “Just in ti for the League.”
Ali shivered, flashing back to the PTSD of the P1 Grand Prix.Mr. Lu’s really gonna go to the League and wreck people…Poor Kanto rookies! o(╥﹏╥)o
Lu Ye clutched his chest.
He never imagined the flag he just raised… would fall this quickly.How did I collect all the badges so fast?! (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
Thinking back… none of these Gym battles were even that serious!
At Saffron Gym, Sabrina used her dad’s Alakazam…At Cinnabar Island, the elderly Blaine couldn’t even command Entei properly…He even fought an open-format match right here in Vermilion Gym…
And the supposedly hardest badge—Green’s—had been practically handed over by Boss Giovanni.
“Do Kanto Gym Leaders not care about badges anymore?” Lu Ye muttered.It was starting to feel just like Ash’s early TV days.
All the Kanto badges were freebies…
Who knew this little Vermilion Gym…Would host a three-way tag team betrayal from Brock, Lt. Surge, and Ash!?
Lu Ye sighed heavily.“Thanks, Brock, Ash.”
“No need to thank .”Brock crossed his arms, brows stern but content.This Pewter Badge was a symbol of our manly friendship!
“I only helped a little.”Ash scratched his cheek, looking a bit shy.“It was mostly Uncle Surge reminding —otherwise, I would've forgotten too!”
Lu Ye’s hopeful gaze dimd as he looked over at Lt. Surge.
“Hm…”Lt. Surge rubbed his chin.“No need for thanks—just stay and help rebuild the gym—”
Brock interjected:“It’s ti for the second half of the eating contest. We should get going.”
Marnie gasped.“You’re right. That battle was so intense—I didn’t realize half an hour already passed…”
Ash: “Let’s hurry back!”
Watching the group retreat like the wind, Lt. Surge stomped his foot.
“HEY! Do you have to run off so fast!?”
Lu Ye led the charge, smirking.You want
to lend you my VIP renovation contractor contact?Not a chance!
Still to co:That fool, Mr. Squinty Eyes, Gold…
I’ll rember this betrayal forever—not even Arceus can stop !
Lt. Surge looked toward their fading silhouettes, words caught in his throat.
“Captain…”Sausage-lipped Tony popped out and gently advised,“A house can be rebuilt, but your health is what really matters!”
Lt. Surge turned to stare at the crumbling ruin that was once Vermilion Gym, twitching.
Mr. Lu? Can’t beat him.That squinty-eyed guy? Ground-type wrecks Electric—also no chance.That kid from Pallet Town? Monster.
The burly blonde man in a green vest took a deep breath.
That hedgehog from Johto…!I’ll rember this, Gold!
Back at the eating contest venue.
Lu Ye strolled alongside Gengar, deep in thought.
“Gengarr~~”Gengar humd a tune as he slipped two new badges into a shiny new Badge Case.
Click!Perfect fit. The complete set glead brilliantly!
“So pretty,” Marnie said sincerely.
“I’ve got one too!” Ash said proudly, holding up three fingers.“I already have three badge cases!”
Aside from the Orange Islands and Battle Frontier, Ash had journeyed through Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn.And with the Ever Grande Conference happening soon—sa ti as the Indigo League—Ash would be heading to Hoenn in a few days.
Lu Ye glanced at Ash’s smug look.
So what if you have seven badge cases? You didn’t win a championship until Alola!
Still… sothing bugged him.
Gengar, why do you even have a badge case!?
The Special Pokédex, sure—Professor Oak gave him that.But even the badge case—did you steal that from Oak too!?
“Gengarr!”Gengar admired the gleaming case under the sunlight, then shook his head.
Not enough. Nowhere near enough!I need more! More badges!!
The system task panel updated:
Reward: Key Stone
The Key Stone, essential for ga Evolution,Was the final reward for collecting all eight badges.
Lu Ye looked away, deciding to check it out later at ho.He exhaled lightly.
Well, damn. So the Key Stone and ga Stone ca together, huh?
At least that ant he didn’t have to buy a ga Stone separately.
Still…ga Evolution drained the Trainer too. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to handle it yet.
Sturdy-as-ever Blastoise would probably need a few days of recovery.As for the League… honestly, to Mr. Lu, it felt more like a Baby Cup.
Instead of competing, maybe he should plan a post-Spring-Festival trip to Sinnoh…And look for Cynthia.
Lu Ye nodded thoughtfully.
Then Ash suddenly said,“Mr. Lu, you joining the second half of the eating contest?”
“Mhm. Gonna cheer on Gengar. Maybe we can grab third place,” Lu Ye said offhandedly.
With Ash’s Snorlax and human vacuum Marnie,The top two were basically locked in.
Lu Ye was just here to watch—and third place was good enough.
“In that case, I’m going all out!”Ash grinned and rolled up his sleeves.“Miss Marnie—let’s battle it out!”
Grrr—
Ash: “Eh?”
Marnie blushed bright red, glancing away.“L-let’s head backstage first.”
Ash: “Was that your stomach just now, Miss Marnie?”
Marnie: “NO it wasn’t!!”
In the second half of the eating contest, Lu Ye wore a somber expression.
The dishes before him looked bland and tasteless.
I’m such a fool…I thought once I got the Pewter Badge, I just had the Orange Badge left.Little did I know—I’d end up getting that in Vermilion City too!!
Lu Ye muttered,These guys… did they plan this ahead of ti?
But what’s done is done.
Right now, he needed to get ho and feed Blastoise a Revival Root.And maybe take Duck Duck to the Pokémon Center,See if they could reinforce his cracked leek shield.
While Lu Ye was deep in thought, the announcer shouted:
“The winner of this year’s Eating Contest has been crowned!”
Team Rocket’s trio stared, dumbfounded, at the mountain of empty plates stacked beside Marnie.
“S-so amazing!!”
Marnie clasped her hands and said softly,“Thank you for the al~”
Ash lay on Snorlax’s belly, rubbing his round gut, letting out a belch.Snorlax, having done its best, had already drifted off into a satisfied sleep.
“And in third place!”The announcer bead,“Is Mr. Lu and his partner, Gengar!”
“Gengarr~ ヽ(￣▽￣)??”Gengar, still glowing from his badge haul, was in a great mood—and had a healthy appetite.Even being picky, he’d still secured third place.
“Well done,” Lu Ye said.
“Gengarr~” Gengar grinned proudly.
“And now—it’s ti for the award ceremony!” the announcer continued.“Our guest will present the bronze prize!”
“The third-place prize includes: one month of free gourt als——And a sponsored reward from Yuhong Departnt Store.”
“Move Tutor TM: Mystical Fire!”
Lu Ye: ???
As the cheers erupted, a guest stepped forward and handed a small shiny disc to Gengar, smiling warmly.“Congratulations.”
“Gengarr! (??`▽????)??”Gengar blinked—then his eyes lit up.
Yes! A new move to study!
Lu Ye’s face twitched.
How many tis today……have I been backstabbed like this?!
I’m out here—
Lined up…Holding a ticket…To get stabbed in the back.
Today’s been a f***ing disaster.
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