"Miss Joy, please help me process a travel permit. Oh, and make it a three-year permit. Thank you."
Leaning against the counter, Kael held his helmet in one hand while lightly tapping the marble surface with the other.
"Certainly, sir." Nurse Joy smiled and nodded. "A three-year travel permit requires a processing fee of 30,000 Pokédollars"
"Just charge the card." Kael handed over a bank card emblazoned with a Poké Ball emblem. Ten thousand per year wasn't unreasonable. The longest duration available for a regional travel permit was three years. With it, one could enjoy free meals and lodging at Pokémon Centers everywhere—but medical treatment was not included. Healing Pokémon still required separate payment.
The food was buffet-style, and the accommodations were shared dormitories. Unless absolutely necessary, Kael had no intention of eating at a Pokémon Center.
...
Cerulean City lay in the northern part of the Kanto region, a coastal city bordered to the north by a river's estuary, to the south by Saffron City, and to the west by Mt. Moon. It was one of only two cities in Kanto connected by roads on all four sides—the other being Saffron City. As a world-famous international metropolis, Saffron naturally possessed the most developed and comprehensive road network in the region.
Cerulean City was a mid-sized city, far larger than Viridian City. As a popular seaside resort, it was something of a shopper's paradise. Beaches and bikinis were practically its calling cards.
The Godbird motorcycle sped along the highway toward Cerulean City. From the forests lining the road came the occasional cry of wild Pokémon, while overhead, Pidgey and Spearow cut across the sky toward the woods on the opposite side.
This world had always been vast and sparsely populated. To be honest, Kael had been riding for nearly an hour since leaving the road near Pewter City, and he hadn't seen a second car the entire time—aside from a cargo truck that had passed earlier. There was scarcely any sign of human activity. The surface area of this planet was roughly three times that of Earth in his previous life, and each region was comparable to an entire continent. Human civilization occupied only a tiny fraction of the world as a whole.
Moreover, people here placed great importance on living in harmony with nature. Destroying forests or polluting rivers were serious crimes under League law—offenses severe enough to land someone in prison for life.
The reason Kael was heading to Cerulean City was because he had received a rather interesting bounty mission the night before. It had been posted by Cerulean Gym itself. The task was simple on paper: serve as a temporary Gym Leader at Cerulean Gym for three days. The pay was 30,000 Pokédollars per day, totaling 90,000 Pokédollars.
To be honest, ninety thousand in cash wasn't all that tempting. But the special reward attached to the mission was far more enticing—so much so that it was hard to resist.
That reward was a TM for the Water-type move "Surf."
In the League's official rating system, Surf had a power value of 90, with a market price ranging from 650,000 to 800,000 Pokédollars, depending heavily on the region and the local environment.
Because the mission rewards were so attractive, a large number of Trainers and bounty hunters had already signed up. As a result, Cerulean Gym had scheduled practical combat evaluations for applicants on the 15th and 16th—that is, today and tomorrow.
The final winner—whether a Trainer or a bounty hunter—would become the actual executor of the mission. However, there was an important condition: during the three-day period of guarding the Gym, the executor was not allowed to lose a single Gym battle. If even one loss resulted in the Cerulean Gym's Cascade Badge being issued, the executor would be paid only for that day and immediately dismissed.
On the bounty hunters' official website, Kael was still listed as a Bronze-ranked hunter. In truth, his mission count and completion rate were already sufficient for Silver, but because he still lacked an officially issued Elite Trainer License from the League, he remained stuck at this rank.
Bronze-ranked hunters could only accept B-rank or lower missions.
Silver-ranked elite hunters were eligible for A-rank missions.
Above them were Gold-ranked hunters, who could take on S-rank bounties.
Bronze. Silver. Gold.
These were the official tiers of the bounty hunter world.
...
As the Water Capital of Kanto, Cerulean City was filled with pools and small lakes both inside and outside the city. Whether domesticated or wild, Water-type Pokémon could be seen playing freely in the water, creating a uniquely tranquil atmosphere.
Cerulean Gym was the city's landmark structure. Covering more than ten thousand square meters, it resembled a massive circus tent, topped with a colorful canopy. Above the main entrance stood a gigantic statue of a Seel.
Maybe I should consider catching a Water-type Pokémon of my own, Kael thought as he stood before the Gym.
After all, if he ever took on missions that involved oceans or rivers, a powerful Water-type Pokémon would be an invaluable asset.