By the time Tetsuya returned to Ecruteak Gym, it was already five in the morning, and the sky was beginning to lighten.
He quickly made his way back to his dormitory. Now all he had to do was act like nothing had happened.
Tetsuya lay down for two hours. He needed to recover his stamina. Today, Ecruteak City was bound to be anything but peaceful.
An hour later than their usual wake-up time, Tetsuya, Raine, and Ryuto began eating breakfast at almost the same time. No one sensed anything unusual.
Although they noticed that Tetsuya's Gastly had evolved, Raine and Ryuto didn't know that the evolution was triggered by poison. Since Gastly had long reached the level to evolve, they weren't particularly surprised.
However, Tetsuya still had matters on his mind. He didn't start any new move combination training and simply focused on improving move proficiency.
Right now, Tetsuya had with him three Noctowl and two Magcargo he'd brought from the mausoleum. He had originally planned to sell them on the Black Market, but now he had to wait until this storm blew over.
---◓---
Around noon, Matsuba returned to Ecruteak Gym with Morty. When he saw that Tetsuya, Raine, and even Ryuto were all diligently training, he felt quite pleased.
In the afternoon, Officer Jenny arrived at the entrance of Ecruteak Gym with several guards. Naturally, Koga was with her.
Officer Jenny, unlike Koga, didn't act rudely. She sent someone in to notify Matsuba properly.
Matsuba brought Tetsuya, Morty, Ryuto, and Raine to the Gym entrance.
The Jenny Family's influence had long spread throughout the major regions, serving as city law guards. Their Family operated a specialized facility for training Growlithe, and every year they supplied the League with high-level security personnel and assistant Growlithe. They were one of the most relied-upon Families in the League, and every Officer Jenny was respected in their city.
Officer Jenny was the first to speak. "Leader Matsuba, this is Koga, the student of Elite Four Hattori Tōkichi. He lost an Arbok last night at the Pokémon Center, and I'm currently investigating the matter."
"Huh? If it was lost at the Pokémon Center… why come to my Ecruteak Gym?" Matsuba asked. At this point, he still had no idea what had happened the night before.
Officer Jenny responded, "Leader Matsuba, you may not know. Although the Poké Ball was lost at the Pokémon Center, we reviewed the Center's surveillance and found no clues. And my Growlithe couldn't detect the scent of any suspicious person either."
"…Then it has nothing to do with my Gym, does it?"
Matsuba's words put Officer Jenny in an awkward spot.
That's when Koga stepped forward. "I spent the most time here yesterday, so this place is the most suspicious!"
Matsuba turned his gaze to Koga and asked, "Oh? And what were you doing here?"
"I, I…"
Koga stammered, obviously unwilling to admit that he had spent the day provoking others outside Ecruteak Gym. Even Tōkichi wouldn't lightly offend a Gym Leader, let alone his student. There was no way Tōkichi would pick a fight with Matsuba over someone like Koga just for this.
Seeing Koga hesitate, Ryuto jumped at the chance. He immediately said to Matsuba, "Sensei, it was this guy. Yesterday, he was blocking Trainers outside our Gym. Raine, Tetsuya, and I tried to stop him, but he beat all three of us using some super strong Arbok! Fuaaah~ We're sorry, Sensei! We really embarrassed you…"
After Ryuto finished speaking, Matsuba's expression darkened visibly. Officer Jenny hadn't known any of this, but now she realized the situation had touched Matsuba's bottom line.
Matsuba gestured wit his arm arm and said, "Officer Jenny, please leave. As you've heard, my three unworthy pupils were all defeated by him. To say they stole his Arbok… they probably don't even have the capability!
I'll be reporting this to the League today. I want to see how that 'Elite Four' Tōkichi plans to explain this open provocation against an official Gym."
At those words, Koga dropped to his knees in fear. If Matsuba really reported him to the League, he could very well be stripped of his Trainer status, or even be expelled by Tōkichi!
Koga still hadn't dared report the stolen Arbok incident to Tōkichi. His vanity had been in full swing yesterday… he paraded that Arbok around all afternoon, without a clue who might've taken interest in it. Now it was gone. Truthfully, it all came down to his own disregard of his mentor's warnings.
At this point, the chance of recovering Arbok was close to zero. Years of effort had gone up in smoke!
Naturally, Koga felt bitter and resentful. If he returned now, he would definitely face severe punishment from Tōkichi, but at least he wouldn't lose his Trainer license or draw the League's attention.
Publicly provoking a Gym was the same as disrespecting the League. A charge like that could ruin him for life!
Koga had timed his challenge knowing Matsuba was away, hoping to use the opportunity to spar with a few Trainers to polish himself, then leave Ecruteak City the next day. Matsuba would never have found out.
But he never expected things to turn out like this.
"Leader Matsuba, please forgive my youthful ignorance. I… I beg you, show mercy and spare me this time!"
Koga's tears flowed as he pleaded.
At that moment, Tetsuya felt a surge of satisfaction. 'Koga, oh Koga… who would've thought you'd fall to your knees like this? Even if Matsuba let you off this time, climbing your way to the Elite Four like in the last life won't be so easy now.'
"Tch… If you dare show your face in Ecruteak City again, I will make you pay…"
Matsuba said coldly, then turned and went back into the Gym.
"T-Thank you, Leader Matsuba! Thank you!"
Koga even kowtowed at the Gym entrance in gratitude. Only after Matsuba disappeared did he finally leave. He now knew Arbok was gone for good, and even Officer Jenny was at a loss. 'Was all of this... necessary? Just a show?'
Since the theft had occurred at the Pokémon Center, and the Joy Family's influence exceeded that of the Jenny Family -even Tōkichi wouldn't risk offending them- it was impossible to cause trouble for the Center.
And now with Matsuba's order, Koga couldn't stay in Ecruteak City any longer. But deep inside, he swore that he would get everything back…
As Tetsuya watched Koga's defeated figure fade into the distance, he suddenly realized this "rival" of his, even at such a young age, wasn't so simple. The battle had only just begun!
In order to keep his Trainer status, Koga had knelt and begged Matsuba in front of everyone, throwing away all his so-called dignity.
At such a young age, to already have that level of humility and adaptability; it was no wonder he had achieved so much in the last life.
But this time, with Tetsuya in the picture, things wouldn't go so smoothly for Koga.
Back inside Ecruteak Gym, Matsuba's face still looked troubled. After all, having a young punk disgrace his Gym left a bitter taste.
'Hattori Tōkichi… you've really gone too far!'