Pokemon: My Pokemon Has a Tailed Beast Template

Chapter 285 285: Anxiety Before the Tournament

"Ash, hurry up!"

Misty was extremely anxious right now.

Ever since Sakura told her about the Gym Exchange Tournament, she hadn't been able to calm down at all.

Nobody understood the abilities of her three sisters better than she did.

They were all style and no substance.

On the surface, they looked glamorous and elegant, but in reality, their actual battling ability was terrible.

Sending them into a Gym Exchange Tournament was basically suicide.

At this moment, Misty was filled with complaints toward her sisters.

If they hadn't neglected their duties all these years in favor of water ballet performances, the Cerulean Gym would never have ended up facing possible expulsion.

But family was family.

When the critical moment arrived, she still had to step in and help them.

Seeing how worried Misty was, Ash didn't dare waste any more time. After quickly washing up, he immediately prepared to leave.

"Misty, calm down. Nothing bad will happen," Brock tried to reassure her.

No one understood Misty's feelings better than Brock.

If he ever heard that the Pewter Gym might lose its official status, he would probably be even more anxious than she was now.

"There's still time before the exchange tournament starts," Brock said seriously.

"We'll definitely make it in time."

"What you need most right now is to stay calm. Panic only makes things worse. Only by calming yourself down can you truly perform at your best during the tournament."

"I know what you mean, Brock," Misty said helplessly.

"But when it concerns something this important, it's impossible not to panic."

"The most important thing right now is getting to Indigo Plateau as quickly as possible so I can meet my sisters and discuss a plan."

"Don't worry, Misty. Everything will work out."

"Pikachu!"

After hearing the encouragement from her companions, Misty finally managed to calm down slightly.

Thankfully, she still had friends by her side.

Otherwise, she truly wouldn't know what to do.

"It's raining."

Outside the hotel window, a gentle drizzle steadily fell from the night sky.

Sam's mood had rarely been this peaceful.

"Since when did you become so sentimental?" Erika teased with a smile.

Besides Sam, the only other person in the room was Erika herself.

After being apart for so long, the reunited couple naturally had many things they wanted to talk about. So after nightfall, Erika had quietly slipped into Sam's room.

Curled up comfortably in Sam's arms, Erika's mood instantly improved.

All the stress from her family and the tournament seemed to disappear for the moment as she enjoyed this rare period of peace and quiet.

After chatting casually for a while, the topic naturally shifted toward the Gym Exchange Tournament.

"Sam, what do you think the outcome of this tournament will be?"

As one of Kanto's Gym Leaders, Erika naturally cared deeply about Kanto's side.

On the surface, this appeared to be nothing more than a simple exchange tournament between regions.

But as the daughter of a prestigious family, Erika understood very clearly that the true meaning behind the competition went much deeper.

This was essentially a struggle between Kanto and Johto.

Although the two regions had merged under one League, the question of dominance still mattered greatly.

Whether future development would prioritize Kanto or Johto directly affected the interests of every Gym Leader participating in this exchange tournament.

Resources were limited.

If Kanto received a larger share, then Johto would naturally receive less.

And vice versa.

That was why this exchange tournament was incredibly important to everyone involved.

"Leader Koga really chose the worst possible time to leave," Erika complained softly.

"If he were still participating, Kanto's chances of winning would be much higher."

What should have been a guaranteed victory had suddenly become an uncertain match.

Her frustration was understandable.

"You can't really blame Leader Koga," Sam replied calmly.

"He'll most likely become one of the next Elite Four members soon."

"In that situation, it makes sense for him to avoid participating in something like this."

Unlike Sam, Koga was practically guaranteed to become part of the next Elite Four.

Whether in terms of strength, reputation, or status within the Pokémon League, Koga was already fully qualified.

Once someone reached that position, their perspective could no longer remain focused solely on Kanto.

Sam could understand Koga's decision perfectly.

If Sam himself were officially confirmed as an Elite Four member right now, he probably wouldn't participate in this tournament either.

"What?!"

Erika looked genuinely shocked.

"Are you serious?"

There had been no public announcement regarding Koga becoming an Elite Four member. This was the first time Erika had heard about it.

"Yes," Sam confirmed casually.

"With his strength, becoming part of the Elite Four is only natural."

"I see…"

At that moment, Erika finally understood why Janine had appeared in the tournament instead of Koga himself.

Late at night, Sam didn't try to stop Erika from leaving.

After sharing a lingering kiss, he watched her quietly sneak out of the room.

Seeing Erika tiptoe away like a thief almost made him laugh out loud.

Maybe others wouldn't notice her secretive behavior—

But there was no way it could escape Sabrina's psychic senses.

Meanwhile, in another room, Sabrina, who had silently been paying attention the entire time, finally let out a quiet sigh of relief after sensing Erika leave Sam's room.

At last…

She could finally get some sleep.