Fuchsia City, Kanto.
The setting sun gradually sank into the distant mountain forests, but the sounds of Pokémon training still rang out now and then from the Fuchsia Gym.
"Venomoth, use Double Team!"
In the spacious training ground, Koga stood atop a wooden post, his arms folded across his chest and his gaze fixed ahead.
"Venomoth!"
With a flutter of wings, Venomoth moved swiftly, several identical figures appearing above the training ground.
The next second, a dozen or so kunai-shaped training tools flew in from different directions.
Venomoth kept changing position, nimbly dodging every attack.
"Very good."
Koga nodded in satisfaction.
"Next, use Stun Spore."
Venomoth flapped its wings, and pale yellow powder swiftly drifted toward the center of the training ground.
Just as the powder was about to cover the training target, Koga suddenly raised a hand.
"Stop!"
Venomoth immediately adjusted the frequency of its wingbeats and rose upward.
The ventilation system along the side of the training ground activated, drawing the powder that had yet to settle into specialized filtration equipment.
A few seconds later, the training ground was calm again.
Koga leaped down from the wooden post, making almost no sound as he landed.
"Thanks for your hard work, Venomoth."
"Venomoth!"
Venomoth flew to his side, gently fluttering its wings.
As the Fuchsia Gym's Leader, Koga had always placed great importance on his Pokémon's daily training.
Especially Poison-type Pokémon.
Poison-type moves had considerable tactical value, influencing opponents through various status conditions, but they also came with numerous limitations.
The direction in which powder spread, airflow, the layout of the battlefield, and the movements of the opposing Pokémon could all affect the final outcome.
These details were extremely important in Koga's eyes.
After all, what ninjas did best was use their surroundings to create opportunities.
"That will be all for today."
Koga recalled Venomoth and turned to leave the training ground.
Just then, a burst of light footsteps suddenly came from outside the door.
"Father!"
A girl's voice rang out.
Koga turned his head and saw his daughter, Janine, running in excitedly with a magazine in her arms.
The girl wore a ninja outfit, her hair tied into a neat ponytail, and undisguised excitement filled her face.
"Janine?"
Koga was somewhat puzzled.
"Have you finished today's training?"
"I have!"
Janine immediately straightened up.
"I've finished Venonat's basic training and all the Ninjutsu exercises you assigned yesterday!"
"Very good."
Koga nodded.
"In that case, why are you in such a hurry?"
"Because I found something really interesting!"
Janine held up the magazine in her arms.
"Father, have you read Pokémon Adventures lately?"
"Pokémon Adventures?"
Koga thought for a moment.
"A manga?"
"Yes!"
Janine nodded repeatedly.
"It's a really popular Pokémon manga lately! Several of the apprentices at the Gym are reading it!"
Koga had little interest in it.
He was usually busy with Gym affairs and also had to guide his daughter's training. Even in his free time, he preferred studying Ninjutsu and Pokémon training.
As for manga, he had not seriously read any in years.
"If you enjoy it, there's no harm in reading it during your breaks."
Koga spoke casually.
"But don't let it interfere with your training."
"Oh, Father!"
Janine stamped her foot.
"That's not what I'm talking about!"
She hurriedly opened the magazine and found a page.
"Look!"
Koga lowered his head.
In the panel, a man wearing a ninja outfit stood in a dim corridor.
The man had sharp eyes and a stern face, with a Venomoth beside him.
Koga froze for a moment.
"This is..."
"Doesn't he look just like you?"
Janine asked excitedly.
Koga took a few careful looks.
He really did.
His hairstyle, expression, and even his ninja outfit all bore some resemblance to Koga's.
Especially that Venomoth.
The artist had depicted the Pokémon's wings and body structure in exquisite detail, and even its posture as it flapped its wings was quite accurate.
"It's well drawn."
Koga gave his assessment.
At that, a mischievous smile immediately appeared on Janine's face.
"Father, don't be so quick to praise it!"
"Hmm?"
"Keep reading!"
Koga turned the page as instructed.
Then his movements stopped.
The ninja in the manga took off his outer cloak, revealing a black uniform underneath.
A conspicuous red letter was printed on the uniform's chest.
R.
There was also a character introduction beside it.
[Team Rocket Executive-Koga.]
"..."
The training ground suddenly fell silent.
Koga stared at the manga without speaking for a long time.
Team Rocket?
Me?
He looked at the character introduction again, then lowered his gaze to the black uniform.
After confirming that the name printed there really was Koga, he slowly raised his head.
"Janine."
"Yes!"
"Are you certain this character was modeled after your father?"
"Of course!"
Struggling to hold back her laughter, Janine pointed at the panel.
"Look, he has the same name, the same face, and even uses pretty much the same Pokémon!"
"And he's a ninja in the manga, too!"
At that point, Janine finally could not hold back her laughter.
"Hahaha!"
"Father, you look like a villain in the manga!"
Koga: "..."
He looked down at the manga with a somewhat complicated expression.
As a Gym Leader certified by the Pokémon League, he naturally knew what kind of organization Team Rocket was.
In recent years, Team Rocket's illegal activities had occurred from time to time throughout Kanto.
He had never expected that he would one day be drawn as an executive of an organization like that.
And judging by the manga's description, he even seemed to be a fairly high-ranking executive.
"Janine."
"Hmm?"
"Do you think your father normally looks like a villain?"
"Well..."
Janine carefully sized up her father.
A black ninja outfit, a serious expression, and that gaze that seemed ready to test her Ninjutsu at any moment.
The girl was silent for a moment.
"Father, you really are pretty scary most of the time."
"..."
"Especially when you're checking the results of my training!"
Janine added.
Koga sighed softly.
It seemed his usual image really was a little too stern.
Still, he was not angry about it.
Over the years, Koga had met quite a few traveling Trainers and had also heard of stories with characters based on Gym Leaders.
As long as they were not deliberately spreading false information, there was nothing inherently wrong with artistic creation.
He casually flipped to the front of the magazine and soon found the publisher's fiction disclaimer.
"I see."
Koga nodded.
"It seems the publisher has already considered such issues."
"Father, aren't you angry?"
Janine asked curiously.
"Why would I be angry?"
"Because they drew you as a Team Rocket executive!"
Koga glanced at his daughter.
"Surely your father wouldn't go challenge the author to a duel over a manga?"
Janine gave it some serious thought.
"If it were you in the past, you really might have."
"Janine."
"Haha, I'm joking!"
The girl quickly waved her hands.
Koga shook his head helplessly and returned his attention to the manga.
To be honest, he was now rather curious instead.
Just what sort of manga artist would think of making the Fuchsia Gym's ninja Gym Leader a Team Rocket executive?
With that thought, he continued turning the pages.
Before long, a Pokémon battle appeared before his eyes.
The Koga in the manga was commanding Venomoth against several young Trainers who had broken into a secret facility.
The two sides were fighting in a narrow corridor.
Venomoth used Double Team to confuse its opponents, then flew up to the top of the corridor and released a large cloud of Stun Spore.
"Hm?"
Koga's gaze suddenly sharpened.
Holding the manga, he began studying the panels closely.
After noticing the powder, the young Trainer in the manga immediately ordered his Pokémon to retreat, trying to put some distance between them.
However, the corridor offered limited space, and Venomoth held the high ground.
As its wings kept beating, the powder spread down the corridor, gradually sealing off the areas the opponent could pass through.
"Interesting."
Koga stroked his chin.
"This author even knows how to use narrow terrain to restrict an opponent's movements."
Beside him, Janine immediately perked up.
"Right! I thought this battle was really exciting too!"
Koga did not answer.
His gaze remained on the manga.
On the next page, the young Trainer ordered his Pokémon to break a vent on one side of the corridor to avoid the powder.
The airflow changed, swiftly carrying the slowly spreading Stun Spore to the other side.
A gap opened in Venomoth's blockade.
Koga in the manga did not panic either.
He immediately ordered Venomoth to reposition, using the afterimages created by Double Team to distract the opponent and buy time to adjust its position.
The two sides fought a tense battle of offense and defense around the narrow corridor.
Koga read with considerable attention.
As a Poison-type Gym Leader, he knew very well how powder moves worked in actual combat.
These moves could often create excellent tactical opportunities.
However, wind direction, distance, and the opponent's response would also affect their effectiveness.
The Trainer in the manga used a vent to change the direction the powder spread, which was quite a reasonable approach.
As for the Double Team that followed...
"This part is a little exaggerated."
Koga pointed to one of the pages.
"Double Team creates afterimages to confuse the opponent. If the enemy predicts which direction Venomoth will move in, simply adding more afterimages may not help."
Janine quickly leaned closer.
"Then what would you do, Father?"
"Here."
Koga reached out and tapped a corner in the panel.
"Have Venomoth use the corner to block their line of sight first, then change its flight altitude."
"If the opponent keeps chasing, it can use that chance to circle around to the side."
Janine looked at the panel and thought carefully for a while.
Then her eyes lit up.
"So that's another option!"
Koga smiled faintly.
"In a ninja's battle, the key is making it hard for the opponent to predict your next move."
"Oh!"
Janine quickly noted that down.
However, she soon noticed another issue.
"Father, since you think some parts could be improved, why are you still reading so closely?"
Koga turned a page.
In the panel, Venomoth was suddenly emerging from the shadows, the gusts from its wings sending the surrounding dust flying in all directions.
The artist had used a low-angle view, vividly depicting Venomoth's movement as it lunged at its opponent.
"Because there are quite a few things in this manga worth studying."
Koga answered.
"The author has some understanding of Poison-type Pokémon's characteristics, and also considers the battlefield, distance, and how moves work together during battles."
He flipped back a few pages.
"Especially Venomoth's movements."
"Look here. The angle of its wings and its posture in flight are both drawn very accurately."
Janine lowered her gaze to look.
That was indeed the case.
The Venomoth in the panel even showed the subtle movements of its beating wings.
"I heard from the apprentices at the Gym that all these drawings were done by a Smeargle."
Janine suddenly said.
"Smeargle?"
Koga was somewhat surprised.
"Yes!"
Janine nodded.
"The manga's author is called Masuda Senbei, and his Smeargle does the drawing."
"I heard that Smeargle is incredibly good. It can draw any Pokémon so vividly they look alive!"
Koga examined the panels again.
Naturally, he knew about Pokémon like Smeargle.
They were skilled at painting with their tails, and some could even create quite complex designs.
However, the quality of the manga panels before him went far beyond ordinary drawing.
Depicting Pokémon's movements so accurately clearly took a great deal of observation and practice.
"Quite a unique pairing."
Koga offered his assessment quietly.
Seeing that her father seemed genuinely interested, Janine hurried to tell him more.
"And this manga has been really popular lately!"
"I heard the first collected volume is already on sale, and lots of readers in Celadon City have been going to bookstores specifically to buy it."
"Father, if you like it, I can buy a copy tomorrow!"
Koga considered it.
"That would be fine."
"Really?"
Janine immediately grew excited.
"Then I'll go buy it tomorrow!"
"However..."
Koga suddenly raised his head.
"After you bring it back, you'll have to analyze that battle again."
"Huh?"
Janine's smile instantly froze.
"Father, why does even reading manga have to become training?"
"Since you enjoy it, you should learn something from it."
Koga answered as though it were only natural.
"Especially those tactical arrangements. Try thinking about how you would respond with your own Venonat."
Janine looked aggrieved.
If I'd known this would happen, I wouldn't have shown Father the manga!
However, seeing Koga still turning the pages so attentively, she could not help laughing again.
Her father usually always looked stern.
It was rare to see him so interested in a manga, and rather amusing.
"Oh, right, Father."
"Hm?"
"If you really met that Masuda Senbei, would you settle the score with him?"
Koga raised his head.
"Settle what score?"
"For drawing you as a Team Rocket executive, of course!"
Koga looked at his manga counterpart, dressed in a black uniform.
After a brief silence, he gently shook his head.
"Let's see how the story develops first."
"If I get the chance, I'd actually like to discuss Pokémon battles with this author."
Janine was a little surprised.
"You even want to meet him?"
"Why not?"
Koga turned the magazine to the copyright page.
[Author: Masuda Senbei.]
[Art: Smeargle.]
He glanced at the credits, then recalled the battle in the corridor he had just read.
Both the use of Poison-type moves and the Trainer's assessment of the terrain showed that the author had put considerable thought into these aspects.
A few details had even surprised him, a Gym Leader who specialized in Poison-type Pokémon.
Koga put down the manga, looking thoughtful.
"This Masuda Senbei seems to know a lot about Pokémon battles."