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Chapter 8 - I'm Not a Pokémon Succubus! - 8

The next day, Ai Xia woke up bright and early.

As a trainer who focused on both wild battles and formal matches, Ai Xia held himself to strict standards. Physical training was the most basic form of discipline for him—even during breaks, he never skipped his daily morning routine.

Exercise was an activity that brought him joy.

Haaah~

After patting his cheeks to wake himself up and finishing his morning wash, Ai Xia quickly settled his breakfast.

Changing into light, comfortable clothes, he made sure to prepare enough Poké Puffs and energy drinks for his Caterpie's bowl before heading out. Once the little guy woke up, he'd obediently eat and start his training on Dragon Ascent and other techniques. Honestly, as his trainer, Ai Xia didn't need to worry too much.

A Caterpie with talent, discipline, and a personality that seemed to mirror his own? A kid like that was rarer than finding a needle in a haystack...

So, honestly? Ai Xia was more than satisfied that his starter Pokémon was a Caterpie.

The bond between a trainer and their Pokémon was simple.

Most of the time, if they just clicked, they'd be partners for life.

Pokémon were a trainer's—no, humanity's—best companions.

They were pure, kind creatures. Though they possessed intelligence rivaling humans, their hearts were uncomplicated and sincere. Once they chose someone, even if that person didn't treat them the best, these innocent little spirits were willing to give their loyalty and affection unconditionally.

But if a trainer truly cared for their Pokémon? Then, in return, their Pokémon would repay that love a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand times over.

Caw!

Standing by the roadside, Ai Xia watched as a flock of Spearow and Taillow soared overhead, their wings beating against the sky as they flew toward the sun, gradually disappearing behind the white clouds.

The trees lining the street, their branches thick with leaves, housed Pokémon who hadn't joined the migration—gentler birds like Pidgey and Pidove preferred nesting in these tall, evergreen trees.

A few sly-looking Rattata occasionally darted through the bushes below, no doubt scheming about where to score their next big meal.

Meanwhile, from the shadows of the alleyway, a couple of Meowth watched them with predatory interest.

Occasionally, an Oddish with vibrant green leaves on its head would pop up from the rich soil, offering cheerful smiles to passersby near the flower beds.

Ai Xia returned the smile, deftly pinching the center of the Oddish's leaves. The little Pokémon let out a pleased sound, its body tingling with delight.

Mmm~

Leaving the Oddish to its business, Ai Xia jogged the rest of the way to the park entrance.

This was his favorite spot for morning workouts—and also a popular place for kids and elderly folks to relax.

Splash—!!

Under the small bridge, elegant Goldeen and Seaking danced through the water, gliding gracefully along the narrow artificial river toward the lake.

Occasionally, a dopey Psyduck would mistake them for family, waddling adorably as it tried to follow the school—only to be left behind due to its sluggish swimming speed. Eventually, a watchful Golduck would track it down by scent and drag it back home.

Too bad the park didn't have any Unovan Swanna—that would've made the scene even more comical...

Ai Xia stepped onto the bridge, brushing past the flow of people coming and going.

In this world where humans and Pokémon lived in harmony, everyone—young and old—walked alongside their partners.

Together, they painted a dreamlike picture.

Haaah~

An hour later, his usual routine complete and his body glistening with sweat, Ai Xia plopped onto a park bench to rest, watching the steady stream of people and Pokémon passing by.

The park was getting livelier.

It was graduation season, so aside from him, most of the newbie trainers had already received their starter Pokémon.

Eager youngsters loved showing off their partners, and the park—with its public training grounds—was the perfect place for it.

Before the system showed up, Ai Xia used to bring Caterpie here too, exchanging tips and experiences with other trainers.

Ah...

Leaning back on the bench, he stretched his arms toward the clear blue sky, feeling the weight on his shoulders lighten.

Maybe this was the gift this world—this world of humans and Pokémon—had given him, a true Pokémon enthusiast.

"Yo, how's your prep for the 'Rookie Cup' going?"

"Eh, I'm not gunning for rankings. Just doing my best—having fun's what matters."

"Well, watch me and my partner take the crown! We've been grinding hard for this!"

Nearby, a group of trainers and their Pokémon were chatting about some rookie tournament.

The Rookie Cup was an annual beginner-level competition open only to fresh graduates, where they could enter with their registered starter Pokémon.

It wasn't hard, but since these kinds of events were often covered by the media, they were a great stage for trainers who wanted to show off.

Basically, a yearly spectacle with some influence.

Ai Xia had signed up for it too, initially.

Since the tournament started a month later, he'd been confident he could evolve his Caterpie into a Butterfree by then.

With a Butterfree that had mastered a solid set of moves under his command? Slaughtering a rookie competition would've been child's play.

What kind of strategies could trainers who'd only had their Pokémon for a month even pull off?

A Butterfree alone might've been overpowered in that bracket.

Ai Xia had been sure of his victory.

Then the system showed up and ruined his plans...

Even if he could still compete normally, using a Compound Eyes Butterfree Hypnosis strategy to torment newbies was probably off the table now. What a shame.

"Let's go."

Standing up, Ai Xia headed for the park exit, making his way home.

On the way, he stopped by a specialty Pokémon shop to stock up on Bug-, Flying-, and Dragon-type food. The price of the last one nearly made him see stars.

Being a trainer was expensive.

At least he could make his own Poké Puffs, though—thanks to his skills, he could whip up high-quality ones without wasting ingredients. Ai Xia was a Pokémon Care major, after all, and he'd already earned his Junior Breeder certification in high school. Nutrition and diet were no issue for him.

Plus, aside from buffing Caterpie and dumping annoying quests on him, the system had actually been helpful in other ways.

[Foreign Languages Lv.3] – You can fluently speak and understand multiple languages. Daily conversation? Easy. Exams? You could pass them in your sleep.

[Poké Puff Crafting Lv.3] – You can skillfully turn nutritious Berries into high-quality Poké Puffs. Your deep understanding of ingredients prevents waste and mistakes. The quality is more than enough to fully sustain a Pokémon's energy needs.

These two skills were rewards from completing the *[Become a 10K-Follower Streamer]* and [Obtain a Starter Pokémon] quests. Since he'd already finished them, the system had handed them over upon activation.

The first one meant Ai Xia could travel to any region without worrying about language barriers.

The second gave him the confidence to raise Caterpie well without breaking the bank.

Thanks to these, his resentment toward the system had mildly decreased... At least it wasn't completely designed to mess with him.

"Hey, you guys hear about the disaster in Hoenn?"

"Ugh, yeah. All because of that team—what were they thinking, trying to expand like that? Now look what happened."

"Word is a giant green dragon descended from the sky and drove off two other monsters. Like a deity. If it sticks around, things should be fine now."

As he neared home, the chatter of some elderly neighbors reached his ears.

Being from the Yan region, these superstitious folks clearly held Rayquaza—a dragon Pokémon—in unusually high regard. Almost like it was some kind of divine being.

Ai Xia's smile turned a little stiff.

Those old-timers probably had no idea what really happened that day... but he did.

A god?

Try him and Caterpie getting caught in the crossfire.

Just then, the elders noticed him and called out warmly.

"Uh... yeah, hi."

Forcing a smile, Ai Xia waved before quickly retreating into his house.

But as he disappeared inside, the elderly intel network kicked into high gear, discussing something even he didn't know about yet.

"Hey, didn't some girl come asking about this kid the other day?"

"Yeah, she looked a few years older. Pretty thing—could she be his girlfriend?"

"Ah, kids grow up so fast... But that girl? Felt familiar. Like I've seen her on TV before."

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