The Matter Was Settled

The Middle-aged Man fled the underground passage in a dishevelled state. Looking at the vast sunken forest before him, he retreated another few steps with lingering fear, glaring resentfully and sorrowfully at the completely collapsed entrance to the Underground Research Institute.

Clutching the only remaining Poké Ball in his hand, the Middle-aged Man felt an indescribable desolation. He had been nothing more than an ordinary Trainer, yet in his youth, he too had dreamed of becoming an Elite Four Champion.

But after setting out with his Starter Pokemon, Teddiursa, to collect Gym Badges, he had spent three whole years before finally stumbling his way onto the battlefield of the Johto League's Silver Conference.

Yet only then did he realize how weak and ignorant he was, a person with neither connections nor remarkable talent, before peers overflowing with geniuses and backed by deep foundations.

Under the guidance of a "kind-hearted person," he learned for the first time that the Pokemon he had once treasured possessed varying talents that determined their eventual achievements.

It wasn't that I was incapable. You were simply too weak!

He disposed of all the Pokemon with mediocre talents, giving some away and selling others. After gathering a sum of money, he bought high-talent Pokemon at clearly marked prices with the help of that "kind-hearted person."

Other than Teddiursa, which had possessed Elite talent from the start and had accompanied him all along, the Pokemon at his side had been replaced batch after batch. Once he discovered that their strength had genuinely improved, he became even more unrestrained.

This time, he had finally used the network of connections he had accumulated over many years to obtain the high-paying job of guarding this secret Underground Research Institute. Through it, he had acquired his first Pokemon with Pseudo-Elite Four talent! As long as I raise this Wooper with Pseudo-Elite Four talent, my strength can slowly snowball and grow just like before!

The rest... doesn't matter! The Middle-aged Man wiped the lingering attachment to his Starter Pokemon, Ursaring, from his eyes and firmly turned around and left.

"Doesn't matter? So your life doesn't matter either?"

Sato leaned against a tree, looking somewhat exhausted. Beside him stood an extremely rare Psychic-type Pokemon.

Alakazam!

"You..." The Middle-aged Man's entire round of mental preparation had gone to waste. He had never expected the demon-like man not to have been buried alive, but to be waiting here for him so leisurely.

Although Sato was far from relaxed at the moment, with injuries large and small covering his body and his clothes tattered beyond repair, in the other man's eyes, he still looked utterly at ease. "Haunter, kill him!"

Without another word, Haunter, whose strength had been preserved most completely, quietly emerged from the Middle-aged Man's shadow. It licked its lips excitedly as a Shadow Claw plunged straight into the man's body.

"No, don't..."

Sato's expression did not change in the slightest. He calmly watched as the Middle-aged Man, utterly unable to resist, fell to the ground. There was not a single wound on his exterior, but Haunter's Shadow Claw had already completely shredded his insides.

Haunter was somewhat excited. It only needed one lick to consume the Middle-aged Man's soul, but after glancing at Sato, it ultimately held itself back.

"Alakazam!"

Alakazam did not even blink at the actions of Sato and Haunter. As a Psychic-type Pokemon with an IQ exceeding 5,000, it would never be so naive.

"Though I don't know why you lived there, this area won't be safe for a short period of time. Find somewhere hidden and live well."

"Alakazam!"

Alakazam nodded at Sato. It had saved him because Sato had released it, allowing it to raise its child.

As for actively following him, that might have been possible if it were a Dark Type Pokemon. But Sato, who radiated Dark-type Energy from head to toe, was absolutely the last person Alakazam wanted to be near.

"Swoosh!"

Alakazam used Teleport and left. Sato did not dare delay either. He quickly searched the Middle-aged Man, took away the cash, Poké Balls, and a few valuable items he could carry, then skillfully buried the body and slipped away.

When Sato returned to the competition grounds of the National Park, he looked no different from when he had left.

But if the Middle-aged Man failed to report in for a long time, the matter of the Underground Research Institute would definitely be discovered. To avoid exposing himself, Sato could only endure his considerable injuries while also catching a decent Bug-type Pokemon. Only then could he minimize suspicion toward himself.

Near evening, Sato walked out with a Park Ball in hand as excitedly as most of the other participants, then handed over the Beautifly he had caught.

While waiting for the judging, Sato sharply sensed an investigative gaze upon him. He remained silent, and only after the gaze withdrew did he pretend to chat with the Trainer beside him and turn to look toward its source.

"So they really are Alliance People..."

Two people dressed in Pokemon League investigator uniforms scanned the participants with probing eyes, appearing somewhat ostentatious.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. I said the Pokemon League must sponsor this Bug-Catching Contest."

"Hey, I've entered the Bug-Catching Contest several times. I know about this..." A local Bug Catcher beside Sato enthusiastically recounted bits of gossip he had heard, drawing the attention of those around them.

Sato withdrew his gaze and pretended to listen with interest, paying no attention to the two investigators searching for a needle in a haystack.

In the end, Sato was somewhat astonished to be told that the Beautifly he had caught had won first place in this Bug-Catching Contest. Even Scyther, which could firmly hold first place as long as one was caught in the past, had now become mere decoration.

Sato secretly shook his head. The staff of the Bug-Catching Contest had clearly made up this gimmick solely to attract more participants.

Even if he had not caught Beautifly, perhaps a Cascoon could have won.

The first-place reward for this Bug-Catching Contest was a Dusk Stone of decent quality. Along with the Beautifly, Sato had no reason to refuse it.

Nothing Happened Overnight. Sato got up early, packed his luggage, and quickly left the National Park, settling down in a nearby small town at random.

With the help of the town's only miserly doctor, Sato had his bent bones broken and reset. The pain was naturally considerable, but he just had to endure it until it passed.

After returning to the resident's home where he was staying, Sato briefly sorted through what he had gained during this period of time.

A Beautifly with ordinary talent but rarely seen in the Johto Region, a Wooper with Pseudo-Elite Four talent, a Dusk Stone, several thousand in cash, and some items such as Bug Spray.

After thinking it over slightly, Sato had no intention of keeping Wooper. While the evolved Quagsire possessed excellent resistances, its dull personality did not suit Sato at all.

Furthermore, Wooper's Water-type talent was at the Pseudo-Elite Four Level, but its Ground type talent was merely at the Normal Level. With Sato's high standards, he did not think much of it.

Finally, the Middle-aged Man was one of the Pokemon League's people, so Wooper's existence must have been recorded. Using it openly would be no different from exposing himself.

Snowy mountains stretched as arrows shot at white deer; smiling, heroes wrote tales beneath green mandarin ducks. The martial world remained, yet its great heroes were gone.