"Sooo satisfying Satoru Bye-bye~"
"Yeah, see you tomorrow."
After finishing her exquisite matcha parfait, Kaname Raana patted her full stomach with satisfaction, a cheerful smile on her face. She waved goodbye to Satoru and skipped away from the cozy spot.
They had already exchanged contact information, so Satoru didn't insist on her signing the team roster. After all, it's not like Raana would ghost him after he bought her two matcha parfaits.
[Host, Host, I suspect that woman just wanted to scam you.]
"I don't really see a problem. We connected through our Pokémon battle just now, so it's fine. Raana would never trick me."
Satoru had complete faith in Raana. He firmly believed there was no opponent whose heart couldn't be reached through a Pokémon battle.
As for the reason? Belief needs no reason!
The key was Incineroar. If he could get on good terms with Raana, he might find out where to catch one. He wanted the universe's number one Pokémon for himself.
Besides, for some reason, Satoru could feel that Raana had been holding back. She clearly hadn't used her full strength in the last battle. For instance, using Flame Charge when she could have used Shadow Claw.
Although he had also held back to some extent by using a baby Pokémon like Froakie, that was only because he wanted to train it.
After yesterday's battle, he knew his Raichu was strong enough. So, for the High School League, it was best to raise the levels of all his Pokémon as much as possible to maintain a certain balance.
Why did Raana hold back?
Satoru couldn't figure it out.
[Host, if you want an Incineroar, isn't it simple?]
"You have a secret plan?"
[Just have your Raichu and her Torracat make an egg, right? (o?o)??]
"...I don't think so. At the very least, Raichu would have to agree."
A cold sweat trickled down Satoru's neck. He felt that Furiko was truly unreliable.
She wasn't wrong, gender aside. Raichu and Torracat are both in the Field Egg Group, so they could produce an egg.
But a mouse and a cat having an egg? What kind of dark humor was that?
The two Pokémon would probably start fighting the moment they met.
"Forget it. I'll head back first. I've met my quota anyway."
With that, Satoru turned around, preparing to meet up with Anon.
"Satoru~"
"Anon?... And Soyo."
Just as he took a step, Satoru saw Anon waving, and also noticed Soyo standing next to her.
For some reason, he felt like he ran into Soyo often. This training center was huge, but even at school, he would frequently encounter her.
[Host, if you ask me, that bit— I mean, that girl definitely likes you. She's secretly following you.]
Impossible. Absolutely impossible. Furiko, stop looking at people with such a perverted gaze. Soyo is definitely seeking me out for a Pokémon battle.
[...Satoru really is an idiot.]
While the two were conversing, Anon and Soyo had already approached.
Satoru stopped his inner dialogue with Furiko.
"What's the relationship between you two?"
The moment they met, Soyo lifted her head, her intense gaze fixed on him.
It was just like a girlfriend's interrogation, sending a shiver down the nearby Anon's spine. She suddenly had a feeling about Soyo's emotions toward Satoru.
It was as if Soyo had used Mean Look, trapping Satoru in a state where he couldn't escape.
Is it legal for a trainer to use Mean Look? Oh wait, that means I can use Growl too~
"We just met. If I won, Raana would join our team, so we had a Pokémon battle."
Satoru didn't overthink it and told her the truth.
"Is that so That's great" Upon getting her answer, Soyo's expression brightened, and a gentle smile appeared, making Anon want to comment.
Soyo-san, how is your face-changing skill so powerful?!
Why are you so blatant with your feelings?!
Is it because she's as dense as Mutsumi?
After a while, Satoru learned that Soyo had also joined the team and heard about what had happened between the two.
"Well, the team is basically formed. Let's go check out the gym first."
Since the team members were mostly decided, Anon suggested they go sightseeing at the Celadon Gym.
Satoru and Soyo had no objections. As they approached the Celadon Gym, Soyo told them a lot about it.
Celadon Gym: The official gym of the Kanto region, specializing in Grass-type Pokémon. The Gym Leader is Minami Morishita. Successful challengers receive the Rainbow Badge.
The previous Gym Leader, Erika, was focusing on her perfumery work, so she temporarily handed the gym over to the actress Minami Morishita. But recently, Minami herself became too busy with work and kicked the job over to her daughter, Wakaba Mutsumi.
As a result, many trainers had been coming to challenge the gym. After all, how could they not beat a mere student?
Helpless, Soyo had given her friend Mutsumi an idea.
"Crush the challengers without mercy and make the battles public. That way, fewer trainers will come."
"I see. So being a Gym Leader is such a casual thing?"
Soyo's explanation of the Celadon Gym's situation left Anon dumbfounded.
Satoru didn't care about this. Although the fusion of reality and the Pokémon world confused him at times, hearing the name "Celadon Gym" still made him wonder.
"Should I wear a dress to get in?"
He recalled the anime, where Ash was banned from the Celadon Gym for criticizing perfume and had to sneak in disguised as a girl. He began to wonder if he needed a similar strategy.
As for Soyo's comment about the Gym Leader not being dedicated, Satoru had already experienced that in the Paldea region.
Almost every Gym Leader in Paldea was focused on their own hobbies rather than the gym, except for one particular corporate drone!
A certain corporate slave Gym Leader named Larry not only had to serve as a Gym Leader but also as a member of the Elite Four. Due to long-term exhaustion, his voice was always weak, and his signature move was the corporate-slave-special, 'Facade'. It was just too absurd.
It showed how mentally draining being a Gym Leader could be.
Especially now, with the number of trainers increasing and the High School League being established, the goal was naturally to protect the Gym Leaders.
Otherwise, who could handle dozens of challengers every day?
Even a stall team probably couldn't hold up!
"No way, there have been 10 trainers already, and none of them have beaten her?"
"Hey, hey, isn't Wakaba Mutsumi too strong? Maybe we should give up for now."
"Yeah... this isn't a battle for a gym badge, this is a whole other level of strength..."
Upon entering the gym, the spectator seats were already full. Satoru and the others could only stand and watch Wakaba Mutsumi's battle. From the whispers in the crowd, they could gather that since school ended, Mutsumi hadn't lost a single match, which served as a deterrent.
Normally, a Gym Leader would adjust their strength based on the number of badges a challenger had, but Wakaba Mutsumi had no intention of doing so.
Interesting. Let me see the power of a Gym Leader going all out.
Satoru's fighting spirit ignited. Just then, in his line of sight, a black-haired girl walked up to Wakaba Mutsumi.
"A battle with me should be fine, right?"
"And you are?"
Wakaba Mutsumi asked with a plain expression.
"Yahata Umiri, an Ace Trainer. I currently have five gym badges. You'll be my sixth."
The girl named Yahata Umiri confidently took a Poké Ball from her pocket.
Satoru had heard of her. She was famous at Niji-no-Hane Academy. Despite being a first-year high school student, her strength was considered among the top ten. More importantly, there was a rumor that she was currently farming points for 30 different teams.
"Fine. Let's begin."
"Come out, Drapion."
With a wave of Yahata Umiri's hand, the round sphere traced an elegant arc in the air and landed precisely on the battlefield.
"ROAR—!" Drapion appeared on the battlefield with an arrogant and imposing posture. Its body was enormous, like a moving mountain, and its sharp carapace glinted coldly in the light, sending shivers down the spine.
It gave Satoru only one thought.
Whoa, General Paul!
-------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get access to early chapters by joining my Patreon!
Find me at My : pat*eon*com/RuneA
I, Herta's Fiancé, the Universe's Number One Male Fist (114 Chapter (Simulpub-Full) )
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Succubus in Sixth Street (260 Chapter)
Reborn in Type-Moon, My Sister is Aoko Aozaki (230 Chapter)
MyGO!! A Story Voiced by Me (100 Chapter)
BLEACH: Blade of Purification (110 Chapter)
Konoha: Starting the Game as Yoriichi (280 Chapter)
My Real Job is Spying on Konoha, but I'm Also its Hokage (110 Chapter)
The Pinnacle of the Navy! Starting from Being Captured by Garp (130 Chapter)
Watching Yu-Gi-Oh! short videos is making the veteran players lose...(60 Chapter)
Uma Musume : The Trainer Who Just Wants to Live (162 Chapter)
Zenless Zone Zero The Random Kamen Rider (130 Chapter)
Genshin Impact: It All Began With Me Being Stepped On by Arlecchino (90 Chapter)
Naruto: I Can Synthesize Summoning Beasts (60 Chapter)
Demon Slayer: The Great Swordsman's System, Disciple of Yoriichi (90 Chapter)
My Wife is a General, but I'm an Emanator of Abundance! (100 Chapter)
Type-Moon: My Nine-Fold Path (90 Chapter)
Uma Musume: They're Peeking at My Diary, and All of Tracen is Panickin (75 Chapter)
The Wild History of Type-Moon world (50 Chapter)
Reborn in Conan, But I Refuse to Be the Bad Guy (60 Chapter)
Ruan Mei is begging me to go back? But there's no going back anymore (70 Chapter)
Just a Slacker at Tracen Academy (70 Chapter)
Survival in Blue Archive (40 Chapter)
Kimetsu no Yaiba: Doma Wasn't Hated Today, Either (50 Chapter)
The Vibe of This Chat Group is a Little Off (50 Chapter)
If there's a particular novel you're enjoying on Patron, please give it a 'like' so I know to focus on it.