Chapter 87: A challenge

"If I were the principal, I definitely wouldn't allow these trainers to enter the school. Letting them in only tarnishes the noble atmosphere of our school!"

A girl nodded repeatedly, agreeing with the elegant Giselle's statement.

In fact, not only her but also many of the students around her shared the same opinion. From their perspective, these wild trainers had no business being here. They weren't qualified!

Ash, who noticed their comments, couldn't help but frown slightly. Even Pikachu, sitting on Ash's shoulder, showed a hint of displeasure.

However, Ash decided not to argue with them, knowing it wasn't worth his time.

Originally, Brock had been smitten by the younger but noble and beautiful Giselle. However, after hearing her harsh words, the crush he had melted away instantly.

Misty, on the other hand, was more annoyed. In her mind, the students should feel embarrassed by their own lack of strength, yet they were the ones mocking her and her friends.

She felt the need to say something in return.

"Just ignore them, Misty…" Ash noticed her reaction and gently grabbed her hand, shaking his head slightly.

"But... they…" Misty, while still held by Ash, felt frustrated. What right did these students have to look down on them?

They weren't even aware that their own Pokémon Research School hadn't produced a single graduate in two years. With that level of skill, how dare they insult others?

Though Ash wasn't interested in confronting the students, it seemed the students had no intention of leaving Ash and the others alone.

Their taunts continued, especially after noticing Ash holding Misty back. Their arrogance only grew.

"See? These trainers don't even have the guts to stand up to us," a boy scoffed, looking at Ash with disdain.

"Of course not. We are noble students of the Pokémon Research School! How could wild trainers like them dare to challenge us?"

Another girl lightly covered her mouth with a fan, laughing softly as if she found her own words amusing.

The group's laughter filled the air, and Ash began to feel more irritated.

Thinking of this, Ash loosened his hold on Misty and stepped forward to confront the group.

"Oh, here he comes. Couldn't hold it in, huh?" a student chuckled, still not taking Ash seriously.

"Is this really the behavior of students from the world-renowned Pokémon Research School?" Ash asked calmly, now standing in front of the group.

"What do you mean by that?" Upon hearing Ash's remark, the students reacted as if he'd struck a nerve, much like annoyed kittens.

Being criticized by a wild trainer for their lack of class was an insult to them.

"If you truly had class, you wouldn't be speaking like this in front of people. No… even behind their backs, you wouldn't say such things,"

Ash said, shaking his head slightly. "No wonder your school hasn't had a single graduate in two years."

"What did you say?!" The students were furious. Ash had hit them with an undeniable truth, leaving them unable to refute his claim.

All they could do was grit their teeth and glare at him.

"Quiet!" At that moment, the noble and elegant Giselle finally spoke. She stepped forward, raising her hand slightly to calm the group.

With just one word, she managed to silence the rebellious students.

Ash looked at her with a hint of curiosity. This girl held such high regard among her peers that a simple command from her could bring them to order.

Giselle's gaze swept over Ash and his friends, lingering on Ash. "You must be a trainer challenging the League, correct?"

Ash didn't reply, keeping his eyes on Giselle with an indifferent expression, unaffected by her beauty.

Giselle was indeed very attractive. In fact, she was one of the most beautiful girls Ash had encountered since arriving in this world.

Even Misty and her sisters couldn't compare.

However, this wasn't merely a matter of appearance. In terms of looks, the difference between Giselle and Misty wasn't significant.

What truly set Giselle apart was her noble demeanor.

But Ash wasn't impressed by such traits. He preferred girls like Misty, who were cheerful, lively, and kind.

Giselle, on the other hand, looked at Ash with subtle intrigue. She was surprised to see someone her age remain so calm and unaffected by her presence.

"So what?" Misty didn't know what Ash was thinking, but seeing Giselle's confident demeanor made her feel a bit insecure.

She quickly stepped forward to defend Ash, glaring at the other girl.

"Since you're challenging the League, you must be quite strong,"

Giselle said, glancing at Misty before dismissing her. She acknowledged that Misty was pretty but considered her no competition.

"My name is Giselle, the top-ranked trainer in the Kanto branch of the Pokémon Research Academy," Giselle introduced herself with a light smile.

"So?" Ash patted the back of Misty's hand, still gazing indifferently at the girl who called herself Giselle.

"So…" Seeing Ash remain so calm, Giselle frowned slightly but quickly recovered her composure, maintaining her elegant smile.

"If I were to challenge you to a battle, you wouldn't refuse, would you?"

She raised her head and puffed out her chest, looking at Ash with pride.

She wanted to show this trainer the vast difference in skill between the students of her prestigious academy and those "wild" trainers from the outside.

"You want to challenge Ash?" Upon hearing Giselle's challenge, Misty and Brock exchanged surprised glances.

They both found it amusing since Ash was, by far, the strongest among the three of them.

Among the group, Ash was the clear powerhouse, followed by Brock. Misty, with her expertise in Water-type Pokémon, could hold her own against Brock but wasn't at Ash's level.

Giselle's decision to challenge Ash seemed odd to them. After all, Ash was their best battler, yet she chose him over the others.

However, Giselle's choice wasn't entirely illogical. She had observed Pikachu on Ash's shoulder.

Pikachu, by appearance, didn't seem particularly strong. Based on her assessment, Pikachu's strength appeared to be at the average level.

On the other hand, Misty and Brock were harder to gauge. 

She knew Brock was the current Pewter City Gym Leader, and a Gym Leader's strength was not to be underestimated. Misty's abilities remained a mystery.

Given that, challenging Ash—with his seemingly ordinary Pikachu—seemed like the best option.

Unfortunately for her, she didn't realize that among the three, Ash was actually the strongest trainer by far.

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Adios