Join my p@treon for more chapters
[email protected]/Tempest_29
Ash didn't know what the bodyguards were thinking, but even if he did, he wouldn't have changed his attitude.
Although Charles held a position of great authority, he had no pretensions whatsoever. His famous catchphrase was "I can't stand it anymore!"
What couldn't he stand? Simply put, he couldn't stand when people acted overly formal around him. When he first met Ash and the others in the past, both Brock and Misty had been intimidated by his status. But Ash's straightforward behavior, showing no concern for social formalities, had impressed him greatly. He'd even personally agreed to let Ash serve as a torch bearer.
Ash didn't know what the bodyguard was thinking. He simply listened to Charles's question, glanced toward Viridian Gym in the distance, and spoke.
"No!" Ash responded firmly.
What use would Moltres's flames be to Giovanni? This was obviously Jessie and James acting on their own. Giovanni had even possessed Moltres itself in the past—someone like him wouldn't take a mere flame so seriously.
"Oh? Why are you so certain?" Charles's interest was piqued after hearing Ash's words. He seemed genuinely curious about the reasoning behind Ash's statement.
"It's just a flame from Moltres. It's of no practical use to him," Ash responded calmly. Of course, he was speaking from Giovanni's perspective.
"What are you saying? That's the sacred fire! Without it, there's no way to hold the League Conference!"
While Ash said this matter-of-factly, others didn't share his view. After hearing Ash's words, one of Charles's bodyguards couldn't help but speak up.
After all, Charles was someone who had protected the sacred fire for decades. Ash's words seemed somewhat disrespectful, though Charles himself remained silent.
"It's just a formality. Isn't the important thing about the League Conference that it's a place where Trainers work hard and finally prove what they've achieved?"
"As long as that spirit still exists, the conference can continue even without the torch. Are Trainers participating in the competition to prove their strength, or just to see a torch?"
Seeing the angry expression on the bodyguard's face, Ash remained composed. The torch itself was meant to convey a spirit.
"You..." The bodyguard heard Ash's words but didn't know how to respond.
"Hahahaha! After all these years, someone finally understands the true meaning of this torch relay!"
However, at that moment, Charles stopped the bodyguard and then laughed heartily.
"From the very beginning, when I decided to establish the Pokémon League Conference, I decided to include the torch relay ceremony."
"But many people don't understand what the purpose truly is. Over time, people have come to regard it simply as a sacred ritual."
"In truth, my original intention was that I hoped this undying, passionate spirit could be passed on forever."
Officer Jenny and the bodyguard beside him looked surprised to see Charles laughing so heartily, but after listening to his explanation, they gradually calmed down.
"However, Ash..." After expressing his thoughts, Charles looked at Ash seriously.
"Although the spirit is more important, the passing of the torch over the years has also become an inspiration to Trainers!"
"When the torch passes through each city, it's like encouraging those Trainers who carry dreams in their hearts."
"Just as Trainers and Pokémon are inseparable, the sacred fire is also inseparable from that connection. That's why I must get it back!"
Charles's expression grew serious. Perhaps they could simply light another fire as a replacement, but the spirit of continuity was actually just as inseparable as that flame itself.
The flame of Moltres would never be extinguished, and the spirit of passing it forward couldn't be extinguished either. No matter what, he had to retrieve the sacred fire. Otherwise, the League Conference wouldn't be able to start on schedule.
Ash felt deeply moved after listening to Charles's words. The president was right—the sacred fire had originally been just a formality.
But gradually, this format had become a source of belief in the hearts of many Trainers. Every time the flame passed through cities, everyone knew that the League Conference was about to begin again.
Many people who hadn't yet become Trainers would be inspired to join the ranks. This was one reason why Trainers remained so prevalent throughout this world.
Caw!
At that moment, a sound came from the sky above. Ash looked up and saw that Pidgeotto had returned.
"Did you find them?" Ash asked immediately upon seeing Pidgeotto in the sky.
Caw!
Pidgeotto nodded in response, then changed direction to show the way.
"Follow me!" Ash didn't waste any time. He called out to Brock and Misty, and the three of them immediately took off running.
"Ash, wait! President, please stay here for a moment. We'll definitely bring the sacred fire back!"
Officer Jenny tried to call out to Ash, but the three of them had already left.
Officer Jenny could only ask Charles to remain where he was. After all, he was quite elderly, and with his special status, they couldn't risk anything happening to him.
After saying this, Officer Jenny led several police officers to follow Ash and his friends. Seeing this scene, Charles stood there silently for a moment before speaking.
"Let's go there too!"
"President... Officer Jenny asked us to wait here!" The bodyguards were stunned upon hearing this, then spoke in somewhat awkward tones.
It wasn't that they were afraid to go—it was that the president's safety was far too important. They were shocked that he wanted to follow along.
If anything happened to the president, they couldn't bear the responsibility.
"As the guardian of the sacred fire, when something like this happens, how can I just watch young people take risks while I wait here safely?"
What Charles disliked most was when others constantly emphasized his status. He had always been dedicated to nurturing young Trainers.
Now, seeing Ash and the others working so hard to help, he felt concerned. Even though Ash was certain this matter had nothing to do with Giovanni, if it somehow did involve the Team Rocket boss, it would still be very dangerous.
Despite the fact that Ash had once defeated Giovanni at Viridian Gym, he couldn't view someone like Giovanni through an ordinary lens.
"President, please be careful!" Charles ignored the bodyguards' attempts to dissuade him and walked straight ahead. Seeing this, the bodyguards had no choice but to follow him.