Although it was considered a restriction, Albus did not force Will Young to stay inside the Poké Ball. He managed his time carefully, ensuring that whenever he was free from classes, he would go out with Will Young. In the mornings, he jogged along the riverbank while Will Young fished in the pond.
"Phew…"
After running for thirty minutes, Albus stopped to catch his breath, sweating profusely. He gazed at the warm glow of the setting sun in the distance, deep in thought about his future.
Rather than settling as a teacher for the rest of his life, he longed to become a traveling trainer, adventuring across the world like Ash Ketchum. However, being a trainer without family support or a Pokédex made this path incredibly difficult.
As a time traveler, Albus was at a disadvantage on both fronts. In this world, he had no background, no official identity, and the League would never hand a Pokédex to someone like him.
"Trainer..." Albus muttered, glancing at Will Young. Taking a deep breath, he made up his mind—he would save money for a few years before setting off.
As Conway once said: There is no road in this world. But if enough people walk in one direction, it becomes a road.
According to what he had learned, besides the highest-level League competitions, there were many smaller tournaments scattered across the region. These competitions often came with generous prize money to attract trainers.
He could earn money while traveling, moving from Adelaide City to the Hoenn League Conference.
Alternatively, there was another path—becoming a Pokémon Breeder.
If he passed the League's certification exam, he could become a professional breeder. Trainers would then seek him out to create training programs for their Pokémon, paying him well for his services.
And, of course, there was a third path—entering the Contest Circuit and becoming a Coordinator, much like a celebrity. With enough fame, people would eventually approach him for sponsorships and advertisements.
For most people, the breeder route was the hardest. The profession demanded deep knowledge of Pokémon, along with expertise in pharmacy, botany, and other scientific disciplines. Only those with exceptional intelligence could succeed.
Albus lay on the grass, watching the sky turn shades of orange and pink.
Before choosing his path, he needed a Pokémon capable of battling.
The League did not have strict rules about catching Pokémon before the age of ten, but a trainer could only register officially and travel once they turned ten.
It was similar to the legal age requirement for entering an internet café in his previous life—strictly enforced yet widely debated.
As for Ash's situation in the anime, Albus speculated that the "ten-year-old rule" was more of a ritual—an official coming-of-age moment when one received their first Pokémon and embarked on a new journey.
A month passed quickly. As soon as he received his salary, Albus began searching for his first Pokémon.
He considered Magikarp, Feebas, and other Pokémon found in the Amazon Forest—ones that didn't require excessive resources but had strong potential.
After his classes each day, Albus and Will Young ventured into the forest. Besides the Master Ball containing Will Young, Albus carried two standard Poké Balls.
A Poké Ball cost 200 dollars at the Poké Mart. When he first heard the price, Albus nearly slapped his thigh in excitement—he had unknowingly saved 400 dollars by scavenging discarded Poké Balls.
Thanks, Pokémon Hunter!
The Amazon Forest was home to many wild Pokémon. The most common were Caterpie and Wurmple, but Albus wasn't interested in catching them.
Though Butterfree and Beautifly were adorable after evolution, their larval forms creeped him out. He had an aversion to soft-bodied creatures.
A thirty-centimeter-long, wriggling green caterpillar? No thanks!
He still remembered the first time he encountered a Caterpie crawling over him. The slimy sensation lingered in his mind, making him shudder. He couldn't help but imagine its soft body squishing in his hands…
"Ugh!"
Albus shook his head, forcing the thought away as he averted his gaze from a Caterpie resting on a nearby tree.
Other common Pokémon in the area included Seedot, Taillow, Shroomish, and Nincada. Near the river, he often spotted Lotad and Azurill.
Unfortunately, they were incredibly cautious. Before he could approach, they would leap into the water and escape.
"Well, this is awkward..."
Albus and Will Young stood dumbfounded by the riverbank.
Since Will Young refused to initiate battles, the usual method of weakening wild Pokémon before capturing them was not an option.
That left only one alternative—capturing Pokémon that couldn't resist.
But…
Albus imagined Magikarp and Feebas. Though they had immense potential, they were virtually useless in battle before evolving.
Feebas was even harder to evolve. In the games, it required a Beauty stat of 170 or an item-based trade evolution. However, the real world did not follow game mechanics.
As far as Albus knew, researchers in this world had yet to discover how Feebas evolved into Milotic.
Wild Milotic were so rare that recorded human encounters were few and far between.
Even though Albus had a unique ability—his "golden finger"—he hesitated to use it for anything beyond identification. He feared accidentally creating another Will Young.
That left him with only one realistic option…
Just then, a soft cry came from behind.
"Ralts!"
Albus turned and saw the Ralts he had encountered before, standing a short distance away.
Its bright, gem-like eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Albus scanned the surroundings but saw no sign of its father, Gardevoir.
He knelt and asked, "Did you sneak out