Yes—this was Ash's very first reaction when he saw the prizes he had drawn. The results were unquestionably excellent.
Among the six styles of Marine combat, Rankyaku—the "Arashi Kick"—was already an advanced technique, and combined with the Skill Discs he had earned, the value of this draw far exceeded anything he had expected.
Even the Golden-tier items, normally extremely rare, had yielded two copies. That alone meant this pull qualified as a Black-tier reward.
There was also the Ultra-Ancient Seven-Day Travel Voucher.
If he could really return to that prehistoric era, Ash might very well alter history—perhaps even tame Pokémon far older and more powerful than anything in the modern world.
No matter which angle he looked at it from, this prize draw was absurdly profitable.
"Including the remaining one, that makes three Skill Discs. Those have to be saved for the future."
"As for the Ultra-Ancient Travel Voucher… I'll hold on to it. I'll use it only after my Magic Island becomes strong enough. And Rankyaku—since it's learned alongside Shave and Moon Step, no wonder the system judged it as a Black-tier item."
He flexed his legs slightly. Power surged through them—clean, explosive, exhilarating.
Ash couldn't help curling his lips in satisfaction. This kind of growth was intoxicating.
Still in high spirits, Ash changed into a yukata and headed for the outdoor hot spring.
Steam curled beneath the night sky as he sank into the warm water with a long, relieved exhale. A waitress handed him a chilled can of beer, which he cracked open and drank in one smooth motion.
"Ah… that hits the spot."
Even a sip of cheap beer felt unusually refreshing tonight. Perhaps it was the thrill of today's gains. Even ordinary alcohol made him feel pleasantly lightheaded.
"Hinoki Gym… A Gym specializing in Grass-type Pokémon. Looks like tomorrow's going to be interesting."
Thinking of the information he'd gathered about the Gym, Ash found himself growing increasingly excited.
Maybe it was because he had finally begun experiencing the real joy of raising Pokémon properly.
In Kanto, most of his Pokémon had sky-rocketed in power through Skill Discs, skipping the struggle and growth stages entirely—so he had hardly felt the satisfaction of cultivating them step by step.
But this time was different.
Kirlia, Eevee, Murkrow—these were Pokémon he had trained himself.
Their strength was rising rapidly, but not to the absurd degree granted by Skill Discs. Their battles carried genuine tension and real improvement, and it made Ash's blood burn with anticipation.
In Johto, three great families held the top positions:
The Ida family, the Nan'ya family, and the Sato family.
Ida was the strongest, Nan'ya second, Sato last—but all three held immense influence.
If Ash wanted to reach the top of the Johto League, he would inevitably cross paths with them.
The Johto League would never willingly allow a trainer from another region to seize the championship of their homeland.
Long ago, Kanto and Johto were once a single continent—later split apart. Their cultures, Pokémon ecosystems, and even battle philosophies remained closely intertwined.
Out of Johto's eight Gyms, several were bound to be controlled by these three families or raised by the League.
But Bellflower Gym clearly wasn't—its modest appearance and Aso's inability to break past the quasi-King level said enough.
As for the Hinoki Gym he planned to challenge tomorrow, he would judge it himself once he saw the people in charge.
Aso was old enough that, if he had family backing or League sponsorship, he should have already reached King-class or at least quasi-Champion class. Being stuck at quasi-King meant something was fundamentally wrong.
And Ash doubted he was the only one who saw it—any trainer stronger than Aso would notice the same thing.
As for Bellflower Gym's special status… that must have been a concession Azu negotiated with the League.
What price he paid for that privilege was none of Ash's concern.
After soaking in the hot spring for quite a while, Ash returned to his room, took Sabrina out for a quiet dinner, and the two slept soundly afterward.
The Next Morning
"Sabrina, get up. If you don't wake up, I'm leaving you behind."
Ash called out while brushing his teeth. It was already eight in the morning. Sabrina's psychic energy was close to breaking into a new stage—it would likely happen within days.
"Mmm… I'm not going. Call me when you're challenging me. You're not going to lose anyway."
Her lazy voice drifted from the bed, muffled by her pillow.
Ash shook his head helplessly.
After washing up, Ash stepped out of the hotel alone. In a small town like this, the Hinoki Gym wasn't hard to find—any passerby could point the way without hesitation.
Standing before the massive greenhouse structure, Ash grew certain that the Gym Leader behind this place was anything but ordinary. The greenhouse stretched across an area the size of at least three football fields, taking up more than half the forest surrounding Hinoki Town.
Constructing a building of this scale required enormous financial resources. From this alone, Ash could tell the Gym Leader likely belonged to one of the three major families of the Johto region. As for the League, Ash dismissed that possibility immediately.
Even trainers nurtured by the Pokémon League would never be afforded the budget to erect something this extravagant. A greenhouse of this size was nothing short of a statement—bordering on flaunting wealth. The League had power, certainly, but they still cared about managing expenses.
Ash entered the enormous greenhouse. Rows of fruit-bearing trees grew inside, mixed with seasonal flowers and lush plants that shouldn't even be blooming at this time of year. Several Grass-type Pokémon moved among the foliage, including seemingly weak ones like Pineco and other cocoon-like Pokémon resting on branches.
"Are you the challenger for today?"
The sudden voice of a child made Ash look up toward the canopy of a giant tree.
A boy—no more than twelve or thirteen—sat perched atop a thick branch, legs dangling casually as he stared down at Ash with confident curiosity.
"I'm Ash from Pallet Town in Kanto. Are you the Gym Leader here?" Ash raised a brow, half-amused. Officially, a Pokémon Trainer needed to be at least fifteen to receive a Trainer license. Yet this kid sitting on a treetop was clearly younger than that.
"No need to doubt," the boy replied. "I am indeed the Gym Leader of the Hinoki Gym. Satobi. You can call me Abi."