"Pikachu, give him the final..."
Ash was about to command Pikachu to deliver the final blow when he suddenly felt his hands being pulled by Brock's younger siblings.
"His younger siblings are pulling my hands and feet, reducing my will to fight."
"Could it be that all of this is because of my kindness, creating such an illusion for me?"
Ash closed his eyes, still feeling that Brock's younger siblings were holding him back from giving the next command, a feeling that made his conscience feel guilty.
"No, Ash, these are real people."
Xiao Xia couldn't stand Ash's self-hypnotizing act anymore and reluctantly spoke up to remind him.
Hearing Xiao Xia's reminder, Ash finally opened his eyes and looked at the little rascals clinging to him.
"You're not allowed to bully the Onix that my brother worked so hard to raise!"
Goro hugged Ash's neck, preventing him from bullying the Onix that Brock had painstakingly raised.
"I'm not bullying it, this is a match!"
Ash couldn't lay a hand on these little rascals, so he could only patiently explain to them that this was a match and not him bullying Onix. Being falsely accused like this made him truly want to cry without tears.
"You all stop! Ash is right, this is a 'fair and square' official match."
It was Brock who stepped forward to help Ash, emphasizing the words 'fair and square'.
However, Brock's younger sister, Ruko, didn't accept Brock's explanation: "No, no, Big Brother loves Pokémon the most."
"That's why Big Brother stopped Onix just now!"
Saburo continued along with Ruko's words, and these words undoubtedly pricked Ash.
Ash also remembered that it was indeed Brock who had stopped Onix's next move, preventing Pikachu from being more seriously injured. He gritted his teeth and shouted at Pikachu: "Return, Pikachu!"
Although Pikachu was a bit confused, he still obeyed Ash's command and returned to his side.
"Why did you do that, Ash? Our match isn't over yet."
Brock was somewhat puzzled; his match with Ash wasn't over, so why would Ash call Pikachu back?
Ash gently put Hachiki down from his body and looked at the confused Brock opposite him, saying seriously: "The Gym's leaking water was an accident, so it shouldn't count. Therefore, if I won, it wouldn't be a victory based on strength."
"I'll wait until next time to defeat you fair and square!"
After saying that, Ash walked out of the Gym coolly, completely disregarding Brock and the others' reactions.
"This kid..."
Brock watched Ash's retreating figure, somewhat gritting his teeth.
"Sigh, he finally managed to win by luck, but he just has to play the hero."
Xiao Xia looked at Ash, who didn't even look back, feeling helpless. He had a stroke of luck and was about to win, but he actually gave up. Xiao Xia really couldn't understand it; anyone else in this situation would be overjoyed, but Ash... "Well, that's just Ash."
Yu Feng wasn't surprised by Ash's actions. In fact, if Ash had truly disregarded everything and taken the victory, Yu Feng would have to seriously reconsider whether he should travel with this Ash.
Indeedee appeared beside Yu Feng at some point and handed him a cup of black tea. Yu Feng took the black tea, blew on it, and began to drink.
"Hmm? When did she appear? Never mind."
"It's as if you know Ash so well, but you've only known him for less than a month."
Xiao Xia was a bit surprised; she hadn't heard the sound of a Pokémon being released. When did Indeedee appear? However, Xiao Xia disagreed with Yu Feng acting as if he understood Ash so well.
After all, from their time together, Xiao Xia knew that Ash and Yu Feng hadn't known each other much longer than she had.
"Maybe Ash and I have known each other for twenty years, you know? I'm going to find Ash, make sure you follow along."
Yu Feng drank the rest of the black tea, returned the cup to Indeedee, and then, along with Indeedee, disappeared in front of Xiao Xia.
"What twenty years?! You're only ten! Seriously, is having Psychic powers so great?!"
Xiao Xia stomped her foot, watching the vanished Yu Feng. What twenty years? He and Ash combined were only twenty years old.
But Psychic powers really are convenient, you can do whatever you want.
By the river... Ash and Pikachu were walking along the riverbank.
"I know my actions were unfair to you, Pikachu, after you worked so hard to Charge."
"Pikachu?"
"Are you comforting me?"
Ash apologized to Pikachu, feeling bad. After all, Pikachu had worked so hard to Charge for him last night, but today he had stubbornly given up the victory.
Pikachu gently comforted Ash. As a Pokémon, he just needed to unconditionally support his Trainer; other things weren't that important to him.
"I actually think you did the right thing."
Yu Feng suddenly appeared beside them, as if he had been walking with them all along.
"Oh, it's Yu Feng. You don't have to comfort me; I really was too stubborn this time."
Seeing that it was Yu Feng, Ash relaxed. He still felt that it was his fault this time, and Pikachu not blaming him gave him a strange sense of guilt.
"I don't just think you did great, I think this is truly you."
"And look behind you."
Instead of lecturing him as Ash expected, he simply pointed behind him, telling him to see who had arrived.
"Hey, Ash, wait a minute."
"Ash, you forgot this."
Brock saw Ash stop and quickly ran to his side, breathing heavily. Once he had finally caught his breath, Brock extended his hand, holding the Pewter Gym's Gray badge.
"This is... the badge, proof of defeating a regional Trainer?"
"I can't accept it, because I didn't even defeat you. I forfeited the match."
Ash was slightly stunned by Brock's action, then his eyes dimmed, and he turned his head away. After all, he hadn't actually defeated Brock.
"No, you actually won, both in battle and in your love for Pokémon."
"Actually, I think cultivating Pokémon with care is more meaningful than challenging people."
"What I really want to be isn't the world's best Trainer, but a Breeder."
"But because I have to take care of my younger siblings, I can't leave this place."
"So I want to ask you to fulfill my dream for me. Will you accept this badge?"
Brock didn't care about Ash's confusion and looked at the river nearby. He had actually wanted to confide these things to someone for a long time, but he hadn't had anyone to talk to.
With his younger siblings around, he had to maintain the image of a reliable older brother, so he couldn't relax for a single day. But he saw the young man in front of him, whose passion for Pokémon was no less than his own.
He hoped Ash could fulfill his dream for him, and he once again offered the badge in his hand to Ash.
"Okay, my first badge, I'll accept it."
Ash placed his hand on the badge. He promised to fulfill Brock's dream.
"Go, Brock, go pursue your own dream."