"Is Asama-kun really just a student like us?"
"With how strong he is, he's probably the best in our class already. I wonder how he'd compare with Togawa from Class B…"
"I really want to see that match!"
The crowd buzzed with excitement. Satoshi's victory stirred something deep in Chihaya Anon's heart.
If I can form a team with him… wouldn't that put me in the spotlight too?
Lucky~ It was the right call to talk to him earlier~
The truth was, Chihaya Anon was pretty vain.
And right now, she was very much ready to invite Satoshi to join her team.
[Mwahaha~ That's the power of my Host! You see that, you bunch of normies?!]
"Don't get carried away. This is the power of my Pokémon and me."
Satoshi wasn't in the mood to entertain his system. Calmly, he walked over to the practical class teacher and collected his points.
"Bow before the awesome might of the Practical Class Instructor!"
The teacher hung his head in shame, recalling his earlier theatrics with a creeping sense of secondhand embarrassment. He was now locked in a private spiral of regret.
After receiving his points, Satoshi left without another word.
We've all had our chūnibyō phases. If he had lost, he would've been just as embarrassed.
Times like this called for forgiveness.
"Asama-kun~!"
Just as the teacher-student interaction wrapped up, Anon ran over, beaming with joy, ready to close the distance between them.
"Um… Asama-kun…"
But before she could get there, Takamatsu Tomori reached him first, rushing over in a flustered hurry.
"After school… could I spend some time with you?"
She spoke with her head bowed low, voice soft and shy, like a budding flower still afraid to bloom.
Both Satoshi and Anon were momentarily stunned into silence.
"…Huh?"
…
After school, the three of them—Satoshi, Anon, and Tomori—walked together. By now, Satoshi had a clearer picture of what Tomori wanted.
Put simply, she had realized how weak she was and wanted to become stronger. She hoped to train under someone she could learn from.
Satoshi figured it made sense she would come to him—but what he didn't understand was why she had to pick him in particular.
"Because… you beat the teacher, and… the teacher's really busy."
"Poka~ poka~"
Tomori clutched her Piplup tightly, glancing up at him with the pleading eyes of a small animal.
So I look like I have too much free time?
Well… he kind of did.
Even if Tomori's words were meek and uncertain, Satoshi couldn't exactly argue.
He wanted to squeeze in another Pokémon battle to help them both grow stronger—but then remembered Froakie had already battled twice. No way he was throwing Raichu at a baby Piplup.
Piplup: I'll lose!
A familiar memory floated through his mind.
"…That aside, why is Anon so fired up? Does she really want to battle me that badly?"
He turned to look at her—her face practically glowing with excitement.
Strangely enough, after hearing Tomori's request, Anon seemed even more enthusiastic.
"A team!"
She bounced over to them without a hint of concern for personal space.
Her mind was flooded with fantasies of all the attention and admiration they'd receive.
Satoshi was strong, Tomori was cute—if she could team up with both of them, they'd become the center of attention. They'd stand at the top of the class. The brightest stars.
For someone like Anon, who thrived on being admired, it was a temptation she simply couldn't resist.
"What about the team?"
"How about the three of us form one? Me, Satoshi, and Tomori. Once we get more members, we'll qualify for the High School League! We can do this!"
"Hmm… I see."
Satoshi nodded.
The entry requirements for the High School League were strict: either 5,000 points as an individual, or 15,000 as a team—plus a certain number of event wins.
Right now, Satoshi only had 1,500. A long way from qualifying. But as part of a team? That changed everything.
Teams provided more opportunities, resources, and a faster path to qualification.
And frankly, getting that many points solo would take serious time and effort. A team meant sharing the load—and enjoying the synergy and camaraderie along the way.
For Satoshi, the offer was tempting.
And if the team had a rich girl… maybe he could mooch off her training gear.
[Host, did you forget about me? Aren't I your rich lady system? Hmph~]
You're not a rich lady. You're a crazy lady.
He tuned Furiko out and kept thinking.
Teams were about more than just sharing wins—they were about sharpening each other's skills. Teammates could spar, strategize, and help each other grow.
And once they hit the point threshold, they could access wild zones and the Eco Dome to catch Pokémon together.
Of course, there was a downside: if even one member failed too many battles, the whole team could lose their League eligibility.
But in recent years, the League had been heavily encouraging team formation—to build stronger defenses against criminal groups like Team Rocket.
Supposedly, Team Rocket had infiltrated almost every city already.
"…Yeah. I'll join your team."
Satoshi had no reason to refuse. Anon's face lit up even more.
As the cheerful extrovert she was, she casually closed the distance between them—but didn't seem to realize she might end up being the weakest member of this team.
Perfect! Satoshi~ LOVE~
Next, Anon turned her gaze toward Tomori.
She knew that if they could recruit such a sweet, innocent-looking girl, their team's popularity would skyrocket.
But Tomori, standing quietly between them, looked unusually downcast. Her head kept drooping as if she'd lost her spirit.
"I don't have a team anymore…"
"Really? Then why not join ours?"
"…I don't want to."
"Huh?"
"It'll just end in failure again…"
In the sunlight, Tomori's face looked pale. She lowered her head, speaking in a soft, broken voice, and the pain in her words was clear.
Satoshi and Anon exchanged glances, unsure how to respond.
But then Satoshi smiled gently, his voice calm and steady.
"I don't believe it'll end in failure. No one knows the outcome. I want to become a Pokémon Master. Maybe it sounds ridiculous to others, maybe it won't work—but I want to go all the way."
"The important thing… is what you want, Tomori."
His honest words hit like a soft wind against their hearts. Both Anon and Tomori flinched slightly.
To become a Pokémon Master…
It sounded like a fantasy. But coming from Satoshi, it didn't feel like a joke. His sincerity gave it weight.
"Piplup probably agrees, don't you?"
Satoshi bent down and gently patted Piplup's head, his touch full of warmth and quiet strength.
"Poka?"
"Poka! Poka!"
At first, Piplup looked confused—but under Satoshi's unwavering gaze, its expression grew firmer. It nodded.
"I…"
Tomori was just about to say something, when—
"Geez~ Satoshi! Let's go train together—bring Tomori too!"
Anon grabbed both of their hands and started running, completely overrun with anticipation.
"Ah—!"
"Poka?"
"Anon, where are we going?"
Satoshi stumbled forward, being dragged along.
"RING! That area just got a bunch of new training fields. As students, we can rent them at a discount. Plus, there's a Grass-type Gym nearby! We should totally check it out!"
Grass-type Gym?!
Satoshi's whole body shivered with excitement. He couldn't suppress the thrill bubbling inside.
Now this is the heart of the Pokémon world—a Gym!
Who's the Gym Leader? Can I battle them?! I want to so bad!
---
Rainbow Wing Academy — Breeder Track, Class 1-A
"Mutsumi, are you substituting as Gym Leader again today?" Nagasaki Soyo finished organizing her books, gently closed the last one, and slipped it into her bag.
She turned to her friend Wakaba Mutsumi, who was sitting not far away, raising a questioning brow.
"Yeah… are you coming too, Soyo?" Mutsumi nodded faintly, her gaze calm and unreadable.
Her mother was the official Gym Leader of the Tamaki Rainbow Gym—and also a well-known actress. So whenever she had time, Mutsumi filled in for her.
"I'm tracking my boyfriend today. No time," Soyo replied matter-of-factly, but with an oddly unshakable determination.
"…Huh?"
Soyo… are you talking about your boyfriend?
Wakaba Mutsumi tilted her head, a flicker of doubt crossing her otherwise serene face.
But Soyo wasn't surprised by the confusion. Her heart was already burning.
Satoshi apparently beat the practical teacher today… too bad I didn't get to see it.
Luckily… I had someone snap a photo of him being cool.
Soyo smiled sweetly and saved the photo she'd just received.