Chapter 37: Wealth Flows In
"Don't be so stingy," Lorelei said with a gentle smile. "Let me experience your luxurious estate life first. Seriously, who designed this place? It's absolutely perfect. I've been here for two days and I don't want to leave."
Ryan was speechless, but he had to admire the League architects' work. He led the two women to explore the aquarium on the first floor. Despite there being another floor above, the entire aquarium remained bright even without artificial lighting.
The advanced lighting system utilized natural light refraction and reflection to illuminate the space perfectly.
Ryan continued the tour. Walking through the aquarium felt like strolling along the ocean floor. The surrounding scenery was beautiful, though unfortunately, there were no Pokémon yet. After the brief tour, Ryan and the others arrived at the back of the estate.
It was close to the sea and covered a large area that the League's architects had directly transformed into four distinct zones: rocky terrain, grassland, forest, and beach. These four zones were spacious enough for various Pokémon to thrive. Ryan also discovered that the aquarium's massive filtration system connected directly to the ocean. He knew that the League had allocated the nearby waters to him, genuinely intending to build a massive Safari Zone facility in Pallet Town—one that would serve trainers across Kanto.
Why was the League working so tirelessly to help Ryan? Simply because he had demonstrated an ability to identify Pokémon potential that impressed even the Elite Four. The League had immediately begun earnestly helping Ryan build his breeding facility.
After exploring the backyard, Ryan ascended to the second floor. The main residence was truly luxurious: elegant décor, exquisite furniture, and spacious living areas—it was the home he had always dreamed of!
Arriving in the master bedroom, the comfortable king-sized bed made Ryan reluctant to leave, but he hadn't finished exploring the entire house yet. The residence consisted of a master bedroom, three guest bedrooms, a modern kitchen, two full bathrooms, a fitness room, a study, and a spacious living room.
After touring the house, Ryan and his friends went outside to view the grounds. Ryan also released his Pokémon, letting them choose their preferred resting spots. The design was incredible—whether indoors or outdoors, everything created an immediate sense of comfort and tranquility.
At noon, the automated kitchen prepared a sumptuous lunch. Lorelei and Lillie devoured it eagerly, practically speechless with delight. It was truly exceptional cuisine.
After lunch, Ryan and the others visited Professor Oak. Ryan suggested bringing his stored Pokémon back to his estate, and Professor Oak readily agreed. All the Poké Balls he'd left at the lab were packed up and carried back to the villa by his Machamp. Ryan also presented Professor Oak with his completed Pokédex—with the exception of a few Legendary Pokémon entries, it was comprehensive. Professor Oak was deeply impressed.
Lillie also left her Clefairy at Oak's Research Lab for him to study. They could visit anytime, so there was no rush. Besides, the League support team would be arriving in a couple of days, bringing all the necessary equipment, including video phones and a Pokémon Storage System terminal.
Returning to the estate, Ryan began strategizing how to prepare for the upcoming Indigo League Championship. The good news was that Lorelei was taking extended leave and planned to stay with Ryan for several more days. Ryan already had formidable training partners—what more could he ask for?
Ryan's current main team consisted of: Charizard, Sylveon, Beedrill, Greninja, Nidoking, Crobat, Mewtwo, Dragonair, Gyarados, and Aerodactyl.
With the exception of Charizard, Sylveon, and Greninja, the rest were all championship-caliber, with Mewtwo being in a league of its own. Since League rules allowed only six Pokémon for the tournament, he needed to make strategic choices.
He reluctantly ruled out Dragonair and Gyarados. Gyarados hadn't received intensive training yet, and while it might be ready for future competitions, it would be stretched too thin for the Indigo League. The same applied to Dragonair—its strength wasn't quite tournament-ready yet.
The finalized roster consisted of Charizard, Sylveon, Beedrill, Greninja, Nidoking, and Crobat, with Mewtwo and Aerodactyl as alternates. His subsequent training would focus on these Pokémon, aiming to reach peak competitive form before the Indigo League. This would provide the most stable chance of success. After all, he had learned from various sources that Lance's protégé, Clair, would also be participating and was considered incredibly strong. Ryan had no intention of becoming overconfident.
The next day, the League support team arrived and began helping Ryan construct the necessary facilities. For the following week, Ryan lived contentedly. He would wake up, eat breakfast, and go fishing by the sea. At noon, he would check the construction progress and test communication systems. In the afternoon, he would train his Pokémon, with Lorelei serving as his sparring partner.
Lorelei's Pokémon were so devastatingly powerful that Ryan began questioning his own abilities—the strength gap was enormous. This only fueled his competitive spirit. Despite repeated defeats, he kept fighting, his skills and tactical understanding growing steadily.
Thanks to Ryan's current status as a respected figure in the League, Lorelei's extended stay wasn't just recreational. First, it served as protection against potential Team Rocket retaliation, and second, having one of the Elite Four personally train him was an invaluable opportunity. Otherwise, why would an Elite Four member spend their time battling a rookie trainer daily?
Within a week, the entire facility was nearly complete, and Ryan announced the Safari Zone's grand opening. His fishing expeditions had been incredibly successful. Ryan hadn't stocked the facility with only championship-caliber Pokémon—that would be unrealistic and unsustainable. Instead, over 200 intermediate-level Water-types and over 30 advanced-level Water Pokémon were placed in the aquarium.
Most were kept in the main aquarium, with a few scattered around the outdoor habitats. At the grand opening, Professor Oak brought a group of Pallet Town residents to show their support. The League also promoted the event, attracting trainers and tourists from across Kanto.
Admission was 200 Pokédollars. If visitors formed a bond with a Pokémon that was willing to join them, they could register it for an additional fee. Ryan had set the prices at 50,000 for intermediate-quality Pokémon, 1,000,000 for advanced-quality, and 10,000,000 for championship-caliber specimens. Rare species would be priced individually.
These prices, approved by the League, were actually quite reasonable. Intermediate-quality Pokémon, when properly trained, could become solid team members for serious trainers. Advanced-quality Pokémon were sought after by Gym Leaders and Elite trainers. As for championship-caliber Pokémon, even Champion-level trainers competed for them, as they could become true ace partners with proper development. Honestly, the prices were almost too low.
Ryan didn't mind. His Safari Zone was essentially a League-sponsored public service. Ryan was merely the operator and manager, but it didn't matter—at least he had a stable income source, and the revenue would more than cover his expenses.
The first three days were free admission to generate word of mouth. Soon, people began successfully partnering with Pokémon from Ryan's facility. Based on the quality assessment charts he had posted, many visitors were willing to pay the fees. Some lucky trainers managed to bond with high-quality Pokémon, which immediately generated tremendous excitement.
Thousands of tourists and trainers flocked to the facility daily, hoping to find their dream Pokémon. The entrance fees alone brought in substantial daily revenue, and Ryan couldn't have been happier.
(End of Chapter)
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