"Ten junior trainers… That's not going to be easy to recruit!"
Staring at the newly updated task in his system interface, Renjiro fell into deep thought.
In this world, junior trainers weren't just random amateurs. Becoming a junior trainer meant stepping onto the path of true Pokémon mastery — and that came with enormous benefits. Most junior trainers were hired as sparring partners for the wealthy or served as assistants for established trainers. The pay? Easily ten thousand Alliance coins a day.
If one achieved the rank of junior trainer, money would never be a concern again — unless, of course, Team Rocket came knocking with an offer or demand that couldn't be ignored.
Renjiro sighed. Getting existing junior trainers to join Team Rocket on their own accord would be nearly impossible. No one in their right mind would leave behind such a stable, lucrative life to risk their neck with the Rocket syndicate — unless, of course, they had no other choice.
"It seems the only path forward is to train ten junior trainers myself," Renjiro muttered, determination flashing in his eyes.
Ten junior trainers. It sounded daunting, but Renjiro had confidence in his abilities. He'd fought his way up so far — this was just another mountain to climb.
Pushing the thought aside for now, Renjiro shifted his focus to something that sparked his curiosity even more: the newly unlocked Battle Value Mall in his system.
"The system — open the Battle Value Mall," Renjiro commanded softly.
Instantly, a translucent interface appeared before his eyes, listing various items with their corresponding battle value costs:
Poké Ball Crafting Manual — 500 battle value
Thunder Stone — 20 battle value
Fighting Z-Crystal — 500 battle value
Big Malasada — 5 battle value
Porygon Design Theory and Manufacturing Technology — 30,000 battle value
Super Potion — 1 battle value
Mysterious Key — 500 battle value
In the upper right corner of the interface, a countdown timer ticked down — 5 hours 14 minutes remaining before the shop refreshed its stock.
Renjiro's gaze fixed on one item that stood out far beyond the rest:
> Porygon Design Theory and Manufacturing Technology — 30,000 battle value
His breath caught for a moment. Porygon… The first artificial Pokémon created by modern science. In this world, researchers had long dreamed of matching the genius of ancient civilizations that had crafted Pokémon like Claydol and Golurk. Despite all their efforts, no one had succeeded in replicating such creations.
If he could get his hands on this technology — if he could create Porygon — it would shake the very foundations of the Pokémon world. The scientific community would be in awe, and Team Rocket's technological edge would leap forward.
But then reality struck him.
"Thirty thousand battle value…" Renjiro whispered bitterly.
After all his recent battles — fighting tooth and nail, risking his life against hunters and criminals — he had barely accumulated just over 2,000 battle points. At this rate, it would take him at least half a month, perhaps more, of nonstop battle to save up the points needed. And that assumed nothing went wrong along the way.
Still, Renjiro wasn't about to let this opportunity slip through his fingers. His fingers moved swiftly as he selected the Lock On function for the Porygon technology.
Locking an item prevented it from disappearing when the shop refreshed, but at a cost: 50 battle points per day would be consumed to maintain the lock. If the balance fell below 50, the lock would automatically break, and the item would vanish in the next refresh.
"I'll get it — no matter what," Renjiro vowed to himself.
He closed the mall interface, pushing aside the tantalizing image of Porygon's data and the promises it held. His focus returned to the present. His body still ached, and he was in no shape for battle — at least not yet.
From his system backpack, Renjiro retrieved a Potion spray, a standard healing item for Pokémon. But in this world, many trainers knew it could be used on people too — with surprisingly good results.
"It's all on you now, Potion," Renjiro muttered grimly, staring at the canister in his hand.
Tomorrow was the college entrance exam — an exam that would decide his future. If his body failed him, he'd miss his only chance to register for the trainer department, delaying his plans, delaying the Mewtwo Project, and putting everything at risk.
Slowly, he began peeling off the bandages that covered his wounds. As the gauze came away, it pulled at scabbed flesh, reopening parts of the injuries. Blood seeped out. Renjiro clenched his teeth, but a hiss of pain escaped him.
Three deep, ugly gashes ran across his torso, souvenirs from Weavile's brutal final strike. Compared to all his other wounds, these were the most severe.
Without wasting another second, Renjiro aimed the Potion spray at his injuries and pressed down.
"Aaaargh!"
His scream echoed through the hospital room. The spray felt like acid, burning as it soaked into the raw flesh. His entire body trembled from the shock of it, sweat pouring from his brow as he fell back onto the pillows, breathing heavily.
Moments later, the door burst open. A nurse rushed in, alarmed by the sound.
"What happened? Are you alright?!" she demanded.
Renjiro forced a weak smile. "I'm okay, nurse. I just… moved wrong and aggravated the wound. Couldn't help but cry out."
The nurse frowned, unconvinced. "A grown man, screaming like that over a bit of pain…" she muttered under her breath. But seeing that Renjiro wasn't in immediate danger, she simply shook her head and left the room, closing the door with a soft click.
Alone again, Renjiro let out a long sigh. That was close.
To his relief, the Potion was already starting to work. The burning pain began to fade, replaced by a gentle, cooling sensation. He felt his body begin to relax. If the healing continued at this pace, he might just be able to make it to the exam.
I've done all I can. Now, it's up to fate.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Shuangyang City…
---
In a quiet residential neighborhood, Li Mengxue's family gathered around the dinner table. The atmosphere was warm and supportive as they enjoyed a rare peaceful meal together.
"Vivi, try not to be too nervous tomorrow," said Li Fei, her father, as he passed her a dish. "Just do your best. That's all that matters."
"I know, Dad." Li Mengxue gave him a small smile, though she felt the weight of the coming exam pressing down on her. The college entrance exam was the turning point in every young trainer's life.
Then, as if remembering something, Li Fei's brows furrowed. "Oh — about Renjiro. I heard some news at the bureau today. He might not be able to take the exam after all."
Li Mengxue paused, chopsticks hovering mid-air. "What happened to him?"
She tried to sound casual, but a flicker of curiosity crossed her face. After all, Renjiro was the only one her age who had defeated her so soundly. She had been looking forward to facing him again, to see how far she'd come.
Li Fei sighed. "You remember that Salamence attack in Shuangyang Street? They finally tracked down its trainer — Qiu Guocheng, a hunter who's been on the wanted list for over ten years. But by the time the team found him… he was already dead."
Li Mengxue's eyes widened slightly. "You're saying… Renjiro killed him?"
Li Fei nodded. "Exactly. Took him down — but not without cost. He was badly injured. They say he's still in the hospital. Poor kid's lucky to be alive."
Her father shook his head in amazement. "I tell you, Vivi — that boy's something else. I've never heard of a high school student bringing down a hunter of Qiu Guocheng's level. Incredible."
Before Li Mengxue could reply, her mother lightly nudged Li Fei. "Enough, dear. Let's eat. Don't talk so much about others right before her exam. She needs to focus on herself."
Li Fei blinked, realizing his mistake. "Right, right. Let's eat."
But Li Mengxue wasn't upset. She understood. She wasn't jealous or discouraged — if anything, she felt inspired.
Don't compare yourself to others, she reminded herself. Focus on surpassing your own limits.
As families across the Yanhuang Region shared similar scenes — parents offering encouragement, students steeling themselves for tomorrow — Renjiro lay in his hospital bed, staring at the ceiling, silently planning his next move.
---