It really is the Rocket Team!
Natsuhiko kept a straight face as he went to the so-called Human Resources Department, holding the certificate given by Supervisor Lotto, to complete the middle-rank certification.
The basic salary for an Intermediate Trainer is exactly double that of a Junior Trainer, reaching 16,000 Alliance coins, and the price per sparring session has also doubled to 800 Alliance coins per hour.
Most importantly, the commission for each Intermediate Trainer sparring session has reached 30%.
In other words, after each sparring session, Natsuhiko and Weedle will receive 240 Alliance coins, tripling the 80 Alliance coins they earned per session as Junior Trainers.
With such a huge increase, it is no wonder 0413 reacted so strongly to Natsuhiko's promotion to Intermediate Trainer.
This is the difference between a monthly income of around ten thousand and forty to fifty thousand.
The gap is too large.
After obtaining his middle-rank certification, Natsuhiko has effectively joined the ranks of the middle class in the Goldenrod City standard.
If everything goes smoothly, his salary is already sufficient to support Weedle's training and even train another Pokémon.
Of course, all this is predicated on maintaining the original training standard for Weedle, using Intermediate Energy Blocks mixed with MooMoo Milk and ordinary milk.
If more investment is to be made in Weedle's training, whether another Pokémon's training can still be afforded remains to be seen.
He obtained a reward for this cleaning task from the Finance Department, totaling 3,200 Alliance coins, which means he cleaned up sixteen threatening wild Pokémon, among which the five Spearow contributed a lot.
"Next time I go out, I must bring a few Pokéballs."
With this thought, he returned to his room.
Throughout, he did not show much smile or excitement, and after confirming that it was indeed the Rocket Team controlling the Silver Pokémon Battle Club behind the scenes, Natsuhiko felt no small amount of pressure.
The Rocket Team and the League are at odds.
No matter how he might dislike the League's various systems, Natsuhiko had to admit that the League is the legitimate ruler of this world, and standing against the League is clearly not a wise choice.
"However, in the entire Kanto Region, the Rocket Team's influence is not much weaker than the League's. As far as I know, Nancy, the Psychic Dojo Leader in Goldenrod City, is probably a cadre of the Rocket Team, right?" Sitting on the chair, his thoughts surged.
In such a big city in the Kanto Region as Goldenrod City, the Rocket Team has already infiltrated to the level of the Dojo Leader, who is almost equal to the highest authority in the city, showing how much hidden power the Rocket Team has in those unseen places in Goldenrod City.
"It's not just the Dojos in Goldenrod City; even the largest company in the Kanto Region, Silver Company, is also backed by the Rocket Team."
Natsuhiko even felt that if the Rocket Team wanted, they could completely pull Goldenrod City out of the League's territory and become the actual controllers themselves.
Provided they can withstand the League's mad counterattack.
He shook his head slowly, "The Rocket Team's sphere only goes as far as the Kanto and Johto Regions, while the League controls seven or even eight regions. Just the Champions and Elites together number in the dozens, the gap is too large."
However, the Rocket Team is still developing well and growing stronger because they have strong internal strength, and similar organizations exist in other regions too. The League can't concentrate its efforts on just one.
It's a strange balance.
"I am not very opposed to working for the Rocket Team as long as the money is enough. Given my current situation, I can't find a job elsewhere that offers a higher salary, so I can't move for now, and I can only take it one step at a time."
Natsuhiko had to admit, he was quite satisfied living here.
There's a place to live, food to eat, he can train using various equipment, and he can earn quite a bit of money. There are even sophisticated instruments to analyze Weedle's condition, understanding Weedle's changes and the direction for future enhancements.
Whether for the League or for the Rocket Team, he thought very clearly: whoever offers greater benefits, that's whom he can choose.
Even if it makes him seem a bit opportunistic, without enough resources to train his Pokémon, all empty promises are a joke.
Of course, the League doesn't rate him now, nor might the Rocket Team in the future, but that doesn't mean they won't later.
He, a Trainer at the grassroots level, doesn't have the right to choose.
At this thought.
He remembered that the data report on Weedle given by Supervisor Lotto had not been looked at yet.
Taking out the report, he skimmed it, and Natsuhiko's face showed surprise.
"Choosing me for the middle-rank certification, could it be because of this report? The so-called cleaning number, turns out to be not that important."
It reads...
Trainer: Natsuhiko
Pokémon: Weedle
Body: Excellent
Speed: Excellent
Technique: Excellent
Reaction: Superior
Momentum: Superior
Overall Rating: Excellent
Power Assessment: Excellent (?)
Evaluation: Compared to wild Weedles, it is an extremely outstanding presence with significant potential for Weedle; changes in the body need special attention.
Note: Of great observational value! Suggested to retain.
Looking at the simple evaluation on this report, and the last four words in red, "suggested to retain," he was in a daze.
After a while, recovering, he glanced at Weedle playing and rolling on the bed, noticeably larger than a normal Weedle.
Muttering, "So, it really is due to Weedle."
Can two Tree Fruit bring such a big change?
Weedle's previous assessments were mostly average and superior, where "reaction" and "momentum," these relatively subtle evaluations, were superior, raising Weedle's overall evaluation.
Now these assessments haven't changed, but aspects like "body" and "speed," directly expressive of the physique, have all received excellent ratings.
Meaning, Weedle's potential has more than doubled.
And this is with only the preliminary digestion of two Tree Fruit, without fully realizing all of their effects.
"If training continues, Weedle surely has even more room for improvement..."
The final power assessment of Weedle has reached "Excellent," although with a question mark after it, there's no doubt last night's adventure was a night of transformation for Weedle.
No wonder so many wild Pokémon went crazy over those two Tree Fruit.
"This impulse was worth it."
Putting down the report, Natsuhiko breathed a long sigh of relief.
At the same time proving again, each Pokémon has its unique characteristics and talents; it's just that some Pokémon's talents have been unearthed while others haven't.
However, he cannot become complacent because of this; he and Weedle have just set out on this path and are far behind other Pokémon and Trainers.
Weedle needs to continue training, even at a higher intensity, and he needs to read more books.
This incident proves that if he hadn't read some books and gained knowledge of Insect-type Pokémon Tree Fruit, he wouldn't have been able to make an accurate judgment.
His advantage is in understanding all Pokémon and some battle techniques combinations, but relying on these advantages alone to become an excellent Trainer is obviously not enough.
He needs more.
"0451, a member wants to book you for a whole day."
At this time, Anai's voice came through the notification bell on the wall.
Natsuhiko: "..."
"Book," that word, is fittingly used.
"Got it." He took a deep breath and stood up.
It should be Kenji calling him to Dense Wood Forest again.
But now he's an Intermediate Trainer, and the price is a whole double what it was before.
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Sorry for the late update this morning; some things came up.
100 votes reached for this month's ticket, so there's an additional update today. Once it hits 200, there will be more. Keep at it, everyone!
Lastly, whether you like the Rocket Team or don't, no need to rush, the story has just begun. Watch as I unfold it slowly.