Early the next morning, Ron awoke naturally, his biological clock pulling him from sleep.
The night before, after gently declining Lily's feelings, he had accompanied her on a long walk. By the time he finally saw her home, the hour was already late, and Ron decided against returning to the tail end of the banquet.
After a simple wash-up, he stepped out of his room.
Due to the previous night's revelry, most people were still sound asleep, saving Ron the trouble of disguising himself before heading out.
Upon the conclusion of Ron's award ceremony, Flint and Volkner were preparing to return to the Sinnoh region. They informed Ron of their intent to challenge the Elite Four and encouraged him to catch up as soon as possible.
To this, Ron could only offer a faint smile and a noncommittal response. After all, becoming an Elite Four member required more than just having Pokémon at the Elite Four level—it necessitated a Champion-level Pokémon to even stand a chance.
At present, Ron wasn't even at the pseudo-Elite Four level yet. The gap between him and the Elite Four was still vast.
"Ron, you're so slow! We almost had to leave without saying goodbye."
"Hey, Flint, watch your wording. Besides, our dear Champion had a beautiful companion last night. It's no surprise he woke up a little late."
Volkner shot Ron a knowing look, the kind all men understood.
Though Ron was only about fifteen, people in this world matured early, and certain things weren't exactly out of the question.
"You two, seriously... Especially you, Volkner, don't spread nonsense. Lily and I have nothing going on.
"If you push me too far, I might just record this and send it to the Sinnoh League. Let's see if you can still become an Elite Four member then."
Despite both Flint and Volkner possessing strength far beyond his own, Ron always found it easy to talk with them, feeling oddly at ease in their company.
"Alright, alright, I'll drop it."
"You've got a lot on your plate coming up, so there's no need to see us off. We'll head to the airport ourselves."
"But do remember—once you've settled down, come visit us in the Sinnoh League."
Volkner's tone turned serious.
With their upcoming Elite Four challenge, it would likely take a long time before things settled down for them.
If they succeeded, they would have to take over the responsibilities left behind by the previous Elite members, familiarize themselves with procedures, and learn how to fulfill their roles properly. This would further extend their period of adjustment.
Even if they failed to become Elite Four members, Volkner and Flint planned to take up positions as Gym Leaders, honing their skills while preparing for another attempt.
Regardless of the outcome, both paths required at least one to two years of dedication, meaning their days of freely traveling together with Ron were coming to an end.
Ron, too, had his own battles to fight. He had merely temporarily deterred certain individuals from making a move against him, but their greed hadn't been eradicated.
To truly secure his position, he needed to achieve even more and grow even stronger.
According to Flint and Volkner's estimation, no matter how fast Ron progressed, he would need at least one to two years to reach the Elite Four level.
In other words, it would be a long time before they would meet again.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of everything quickly. But you two had better give it your all—I expect two Elite Four members to greet me when I arrive in Sinnoh."
Ron knew that according to the original storyline, Volkner never managed to become an Elite Four member. However, at this moment, he sincerely hoped his friend would seize the opportunity and achieve that goal.
"Then we'll borrow your words—rest assured, we'll take care of everything!"
Seeing Volkner's confident smile, Ron didn't say anything more. He simply wished them well.
"You too."
They exchanged a final glance before Flint and Volkner turned and walked away.
Ron watched as their figures gradually disappeared from sight before turning back toward his room, preparing to receive his own rewards.
As they walked across the Indigo Plateau, Flint suddenly turned to Volkner with a serious expression.
"Volkner, I have a question for you."
"What is it, Flint?"
Seeing Flint's sudden change in demeanor, Volkner also grew serious.
"I want to ask you… why did you say that since Ron had a beautiful companion last night, it wouldn't be surprising for him to wake up late? Did they battle Pokémon until the early hours?"
Eyes gleaming with curiosity, Flint stared at Volkner, eager for knowledge.
"…Damn it! I should've known better than to expect anything from you!"
Letting out an exasperated roar, Volkner decided to drop the subject entirely.
How was he even supposed to respond to that? Should he tell Flint he was too innocent, or that Volkner himself had too much of a dirty mind?
"Come on, Volkner! Answer me!"
Ignoring Flint's shouts, Volkner quickened his pace.
Meanwhile, back in his room, Ron hadn't been waiting long before a knock came at the door.
Standing outside was a tall, bronze-skinned man clad in a martial arts uniform.
Seeing Bruno, Ron finally understood why every high-ranking Ranger, from captains to elites, seemed to be a muscular giant. This man was the source of it all.
"Allow me to introduce myself—I am Bruno, a current member of the Elite Four, and I oversee Ranger operations."
Bruno's voice pulled Ron back to reality.
Despite his casual tone, Ron maintained a respectful attitude when facing an Elite Four member.
"Hello, please, come in and have a seat."
After inviting Bruno in, Ron moved to pour him a cup of tea, but Bruno waved him off, getting straight to the point.
"I'm here to deliver your Indigo League Champion rewards and to discuss your future plans."
"Let's start with the rewards. First, each of the six Pokémon you used in the tournament will receive a year's supply of top-grade PokéBlocks. Additionally, you'll be given twenty TM discs of your choice and one hundred thousand contribution points."
Hearing this, Ron was very satisfied. The top-grade PokéBlocks and contribution points alone were already incredible, not to mention the twenty TM discs.
"Now, regarding your future… I've heard that after the Indigo League, you intended to join the Rangers. Does that still hold true?"
Bruno's piercing gaze locked onto Ron.
For talents like Ron, it was impossible for Bruno not to be interested. However, his personality dictated that he wouldn't resort to bribery or coercion—he would respect Ron's choice.
That being said, if Ron did decide to join, Bruno would not hesitate to invest resources in training him.
"My decision remains unchanged—I want to become a Ranger!"
Meeting Bruno's sharp gaze, Ron declared his intent with unwavering resolve.
"Good. According to League regulations, with your abilities, you can directly start as a Ranger Captain. As your strength grows, we will prioritize your promotion."
"If you're ready, pack your things. I'll personally train you while I have the time."
"Yes, understood!"
Feeling a surge of excitement, Ron exchanged contact information with Bruno.
Opportunities to receive training from an Elite Four member were rare, and he wouldn't miss this chance. But before that, there was one more thing he needed to do—say goodbye to Lily.
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