Chapter 157: Silph Co.

After leaving Saffron Gym, Ash and his group returned to the Pokémon Center. On the way, Ash glanced at the four Badges neatly placed in his badge case, a satisfied smile appearing on his face.

Among the four Gym Challenges he had completed, Saffron Gym's battle was the most thrilling. It had been his toughest fight yet, pushing him to his limits. From this battle, Ash had learned valuable lessons—insights that, once analyzed, would undoubtedly contribute to his growth.

Beside him, Misty looked visibly displeased. Her frustration had nothing to do with the battle but rather with what Sabrina had said while handing Ash his badge.

"I like you very much... In the near future, you will definitely stand with me..."

Misty gritted her teeth, stealing a sharp glance at Ash. Even though she knew that Sabrina's words might not have carried a romantic meaning, the way she said it irritated Misty.

"That... Miss Sabrina probably didn't mean it like that..." Brock, noticing Misty's growing agitation, tried to calm her down.

From Brock's perspective, Sabrina's words weren't about personal feelings but rather about Ash's potential—a way of saying that Ash would soon rise to her level in terms of strength. However, the way it was phrased was too misleading.

"Yeah, Misty, I think you're just overthinking it..." Ash added with a helpless shrug. He hadn't felt any special meaning in Sabrina's words, nor did he think she was interested in him.

Misty immediately turned to him, eyes blazing. "What do you mean, I'm overthinking it?! That's exactly what she meant!"

Deep down, she knew Sabrina hadn't been confessing anything. But still...

She clenched her fists slightly, a new sense of urgency settling in her heart.

Who was Sabrina?

She was the powerful Gym Leader of the renowned Saffron Gym—a trainer whose name was known across the Kanto region. And Misty? At this point, she was just one of Ash's traveling companions, not even a Gym Leader in her own right.

If Sabrina truly felt something for Ash, with her status and strength, wouldn't anyone pick her over Misty?

It was a realization that stung.

Misty always claimed to be the most beautiful girl in the world, but if she truly believed that, then why did she feel so threatened?

She lacked confidence.

Ash, of course, didn't understand any of this. He simply continued to reassure Misty, offering gentle words until she slowly began to calm down.

Even so, a thought lingered in her mind—

If Ash was destined to rise higher and higher, she needed to train harder to stand by his side.

She had to catch up.

A Day in Saffron City

After returning to the Pokémon Center and handing over their Pokémon to Nurse Joy, Ash made a suggestion.

"How about we take the day off? We can explore Saffron City and then continue our journey tomorrow."

However, Misty immediately declined. "I won't be going. You two go ahead. I have training to do in the afternoon."

Ash blinked in surprise. "Training?"

Misty usually loved shopping and would never pass up a chance to explore a big city like Saffron.

But now, after meeting Sabrina, she was feeling the pressure to improve herself. She wasn't going to waste time browsing shops—she needed to get stronger.

Without waiting for a response, Misty turned and left, heading toward the training field.

Ash exchanged a confused glance with Brock.

Brock, however, quickly understood what was happening.

The appearance of Sabrina had shaken Misty, giving her a sense of urgency she hadn't felt before.

He sighed softly, watching Ash's clueless expression.

Ash was brilliant in battle but completely dense when it came to emotions.

Still, Brock didn't bother explaining. This was something Ash needed to figure out for himself.

Later, Brock mentioned he was going to visit the breeding center in Saffron City, leaving Ash to his own devices.

With nothing else to do, Ash waited for Nurse Joy's call. After about half an hour, he retrieved his Pokémon and then went to check on Misty.

Misty's Determination

When Ash found Misty, she was in the middle of a fierce battle against another trainer.

Instead of interrupting, Ash decided to observe.

Her opponent was strong, but Misty was holding her own, showing impressive skill and determination.

By the time she won the match, Ash felt a surge of pride.

Afterward, the two sat down to eat.

During lunch, Misty suddenly said, "Don't follow me around this afternoon. You'll just distract me."

Ash froze, fork halfway to his mouth.

"What? But I was planning to help you train," he said, frowning.

Misty shook her head firmly. "I want to become stronger on my own."

Her eyes were serious—she had been thinking about this a lot.

Sabrina had become so powerful through her own efforts.

If Sabrina could do it, then so could she.

Ash studied her for a moment, realizing she wasn't angry or being stubborn. She was genuinely serious.

"Alright," he finally said, nodding in agreement.

After lunch, he stayed to watch another one of Misty's battles, but then decided to leave her to her training and go explore the city on his own.

Exploring Saffron City

Saffron City was one of the largest and most prosperous cities in Kanto.

The Trainer Street near the Pokémon Center was buzzing with activity, filled with vendors selling various items. The crowds were even bigger than the ones in Vermilion City, and the selection of merchandise was vast.

However, most of the items didn't interest Ash.

Despite receiving a 10,000 Pokédollar reward from the Alliance after the Rampole Incident, he wasn't keen on spending it all on random trinkets.

Still, he bought two small souvenirs—one for Misty, and the other to send back to his mother, Delia.

After leaving Trainer Street, Ash found himself near one of the most iconic buildings in Saffron City:

Silph Co. – The Heart of Pokémon Technology

Silph Co. was the largest manufacturer of Pokémon-related technology in the world.

From Poké Balls to healing sprays, status condition remedies, and other key innovations, the company played a huge role in shaping the modern Pokémon era.

Before the invention of Poké Balls, Pokémon were referred to as "War Beasts," and capturing them was a far more dangerous and difficult process.

The earliest Poké Balls were handcrafted, requiring skilled artisans to split an Apricorn in half and install special capturing mechanisms inside.

However, over time, the founder of Silph Co. developed a technologically advanced version—what we now recognize as the modern Poké Ball.

The current President of Silph Co., now in his third generation of leadership, had expanded the Poké Ball line to include various specialized models, each suited for different situations.

And now, the company was rumored to be developing something groundbreaking—

A Poké Ball that could capture any Pokémon with absolute certainty.

A Poké Ball so powerful that no Pokémon could resist it.

The Master Ball.