I, Gary, Want to Become a Pokemon Master

Chapter 470 - 470: Temporary Leader

"I should have been gentler…"Gary muttered under his breath as he stared at the massive hole in the Viridian Gym's wall.

The jagged edges of stone and concrete looked almost like the aftermath of a small explosion. Dust still lingered in the air, swirling faintly in the dim lights of the battlefield. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

This was going to cost a fortune to repair.

The Pokémon League always covered structural damage to the gym building itself, but the battlefield was another matter entirely. As the newly appointed Gym Leader—even if only temporarily—Gary would have to shoulder those costs.

The title of Gym Leader sounded glamorous, but looking at the broken battlefield now, Gary realized it came with responsibilities that weren't quite so glorious.

Ash leaned casually against the railing, Pikachu perched on his shoulder. He glanced at the damaged wall, then at Gary. "Well, looks like you've got your hands full here. Since everything's settled, I should head back home."

Gary turned to him, his expression softening. "Yeah, you should. Aunt Delia's been asking about you constantly. She misses you."

Ash blinked, caught off guard. "Mom…?"

Gary nodded. "While I was in Pallet Town, she dropped by my grandpa's lab every few days. She kept asking if you'd returned. Every time she saw me, she was reminded of you. I guess seeing me made her feel like she was seeing her own son in a way."

Ash's eyes softened. "I see…" He looked down for a moment, then smiled faintly. "Alright then. Pikachu, let's go home."

"Pika!" Pikachu chirped, raising a paw in farewell.

Gary smirked. "Take care, Ash. Don't slack off."

"Same to you! Later!" Ash called back, waving as he headed toward the exit.

The gym doors closed behind him, and silence settled once again.

Scott, who had been leaning against the far wall this entire time, adjusted his sunglasses with a grin. "Gary, don't forget our agreement. You promised me you'd challenge the Battle Frontier."

Gary crossed his arms. "Relax. I'll go in two months. I just need to get this gym running first."

"Good." Scott's grin widened. "I'll hold you to that. The Frontier Brains aren't opponents you can take lightly."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

Satisfied, Scott gave a casual wave and made his way out of the gym.

Gary exhaled once Scott disappeared. In truth, he didn't need Scott's reminder. The Battle Frontier was already on his mind—not because of Scott's invitation, but because of his own ambitions. And… because of the strange "system" guiding his steps. The rewards it promised were far too tempting to ignore.

Besides, there was still plenty of time before the Lily of the Valley Conference in Sinnoh. If he wanted, he could sweep through the Frontier Brains and then head to Sinnoh to collect badges—all in just a few months.

But for now… the immediate problem was this wrecked battlefield.

"Alright. Let's clean this place up."

Gary unclipped his Poké Balls, summoning several of his Pokémon onto the ruined arena floor. "Blastoise, Arcanine, Electivire—help me clear the rubble."o back down. Even with restrictions, he would show challengers why he was a three-time League Conference champion.