Chapter 188: Indigo Plateau

"Mmm~"

"Ron, I never expected you to be such a great cook. This is truly surprising!"

Professor Oak couldn't help but praise him after taking a bite of the delicious meal in front of him. The aroma alone was enough to captivate him instantly.

Beside him, Gary nodded vigorously, shoveling food into his mouth with enthusiasm.

Having a grandpa who only knows how to make instant noodles... Do you have any idea what I've been through all these years? Pickled vegetable noodles for breakfast, tonkotsu ramen for lunch, braised beef noodles for dinner, and stir-fried noodles for a midnight snack... Can you even imagine that life!?

"Mmm! The food is absolutely delicious!"

Ash, cheeks stuffed full, couldn't resist chiming in.

At first, Ash's main goal had been to spend more time with Larvitar. However, this meal—and the unexpected company of Machamp and the others—turned out to be a delightful surprise.

Truth be told, Ash had always had an affinity for strong and imposing Pokémon like Machamp and even Team Rocket. He completely ignored adorable Pokémon like Bellossom and the elegant yet powerful Gardevoir. It's no wonder so many female protagonists later on found themselves frustrated—what a dense guy!

The only one feeling left out was Gastly. To avoid being noticed, it had to wait until they returned to their rooms before getting its share of the delicious meal.

After finishing their meal, Ash and Gary took on dishwashing duties, while Ron accompanied Professor Oak in taking care of the Pokémon, continuing their earlier conversation.

They talked late into the night, and it wasn't until past ten that Ron finally returned to his room.

As Gardevoir stood watch, Ron released Gastly, gently patting its head to soothe its mild resentment before offering it a hearty meal.

The next morning.

At dawn, Ron woke up and followed his usual routine, finding an open space for his morning training. To his surprise, Professor Oak was already awake, tending to the Pokémon.

After instructing Machamp and the others to continue their training, Ron assisted Professor Oak, using the opportunity to deepen his understanding of Pokémon.

Reading about something is never as good as experiencing it firsthand. Only through practice can knowledge truly become one's own.

With someone as knowledgeable as Professor Oak guiding him, Ron wasn't about to waste such a rare opportunity—many people would dream of learning from him firsthand.

Before this, Professor Oak had only heard about Ron and held a mild appreciation for his actions. However, after spending time with him, he came to recognize Ron as a truly exceptional Trainer—not just in terms of strength but also in character, interpersonal skills, and an unquenchable thirst for Pokémon knowledge.

Despite only spending a single day together, Professor Oak had grown to respect Ron even more.

From now on, if Ron ever needed assistance, Professor Oak wouldn't hesitate to lend a hand.

Having impressed everyone with his dinner the night before, breakfast also fell into Ron's hands. Gary was so moved that he nearly cried.

Shortly after breakfast, Ron prepared to set out.

His visit to Pallet Town had two objectives: meeting Ash, the future protagonist, and establishing a connection with Professor Oak. With both goals achieved, it was time to head to the Indigo Plateau for the upcoming Pokémon League.

"Big bro Ron, you have to do your best! I'll be cheering for you in front of the TV!" Gary called out as they bid farewell.

In less than a day, Gary had been won over by Larvitar and Ron's cooking, and calling Ron "big bro" was becoming more natural.

The thought of returning to a life dominated by instant noodles added a hint of sorrow to his tone.

"Yeah, yeah! I'm really looking forward to seeing you win, Ron!" Ash cheered enthusiastically, unburdened by Gary's deeper concerns.

"They're right, Ron. Make sure to be cautious in your battles and aim for victory in the Pokémon League," Professor Oak added, his words carrying a deeper meaning.

From his observations, it was clear that Ron's Pokémon were strong—strong enough to compete for the championship. Not to mention, Ron had developed an astonishing ability to train Pokémon to achieve incredible speed.

The only thing to be wary of was the underhanded tactics of certain individuals within the Pokémon League.

Professor Oak despised these people. Their corruption had weakened the League over time, allowing organizations like Team Rocket to rise in power.

Unfortunately, even with Professor Oak's influence, he was powerless against the entrenched families controlling the League. All he could do was place his hopes in the promising young Trainer before him.

"Don't worry, I'll be careful and give it my all! Just wait and see—I'll be bringing home that championship trophy!"

With a final wave, Ron set off for the Indigo Plateau.

To save time, he had Gardevoir use Teleport to help him travel faster.

Since evolving and reaching its current level of power, Gardevoir's psychic detection range had expanded to a staggering 1,200 meters. This also meant a significant increase in both the distance and frequency of its Teleport usage.

Combined with Ron's Fighting Aura, his travel speed reached an astonishing level.

By the afternoon, Ron had arrived at the vast grasslands surrounding the Indigo Plateau, where numerous Trainers—just like him—had gathered for the preliminary selection matches.

Even more prevalent than the participants, however, were the countless spectators who had come to witness the grand event.

Every year, with the start of the Indigo League Conference, countless people would contribute a substantial amount of League currency to support the event.

This time, Ron chose not to have his Gardevoir use Teleport to rush ahead. Instead, like everyone else, he walked slowly toward the Indigo Plateau, where the tournament was being held.

The gentle breeze brushed against him as he moved forward. The small black dot in the distance gradually became clearer, just like the goal he had set for himself when he first became a Trainer—once vague, now sharply defined.

This was not Ron's final destination. Rather, it was a new starting point—one that would lead him to even greater heights and an even broader future.

But before that, he might as well claim the Indigo League Championship first.

After entering the Pokémon Center at Indigo Plateau, Ron presented his Pokédex and was granted complimentary accommodations, a courtesy provided to all participants of the tournament.

Once he had chosen his lodging, he proceeded to register for the Indigo League.

First, his information was recorded through his Pokédex. Then, he presented his eight Gym Badges, which underwent a specialized verification process to ensure their authenticity.

The Pokémon League had hosted the Indigo Conference countless times and was highly experienced in handling such procedures.

In just a short while, Ron successfully completed his registration.

When he returned to his room, he noticed that no one had come by in his absence.

This made one thing clear—the officials within the League had likely decided against using underhanded methods. Instead, they were confident that the opponents they had arranged would be strong enough to defeat him outright.

As for whether he would be matched against them, Ron wasn't concerned in the slightest. If they couldn't even manage that much, then they wouldn't have gone through the trouble of trying to take him down during the Indigo League in the first place.

With everything settled, Ron began his pre-tournament preparations, training with his Pokémon between his room and the practice facilities—waiting patiently for the Indigo League Conference to begin.

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