Chapter 15
If there really is a protagonist, Ash will either participate in the two-year system at the beginning and then switch to the unlimited system, or the League will change the competition format in the future, making it different from how it is now.
Tetsuya pondered.
It was probably because Ash was still very young. After all, back then, Professor Oak often appeared on TV giving lectures and didn't look that old.
From what Brock said, it seemed like today was their first Gym battle, and they were still far from being experienced trainers.
Thinking too much, Tetsuya shook his head.
For him, the goal was clear—to perform well in the unlimited competition system of the Johto Conference two years from now.
But first, he had to consider how to approach the Pewter Gym.
His performance today should be fine. Overall, he came across as an ordinary trainer, except for his outstanding talent in breeding and a bit of good luck.
Tetsuya closed his eyes, replaying the night's conversation in his mind.
As long as he didn't expose Zero's ability to detect potential, no matter how strong his training skills were, people would simply chalk it up to natural talent. There wouldn't be too much danger, and the benefits would far outweigh the risks.
"The biggest takeaway today is knowing that a Pokémon's potential can be improved later in life," Tetsuya thought to himself.
Yes, during their conversation, he wasn't sure if Brock had done it on purpose or if it had just slipped out, but he had accidentally revealed this crucial piece of information.
Tetsuya had speculated about it before, but no one had ever confirmed it, so he had always been guessing.
After all, according to legend, Ho-Oh had evolved three Eevee into the three Legendary Beasts and revived them. So, it wasn't impossible that some extremely rare treasures or techniques could enhance a Pokémon's potential.
But Brock only confirmed the theory—he didn't reveal any specific method.
Tetsuya could imagine how difficult it must be. If it were easy, those elite families wouldn't still struggle with finding high-quality Pokémon to train.
"But as long as the possibility exists, Zero can analyze the method and substitute materials for it. Even if the results won't be as good as the original, it'll still be much better than nothing," Tetsuya thought. "Not every Pokémon hatched from an egg is going to have talent far superior to others of its kind. I'll have to catch some ordinary Pokémon to cover my tracks."
"Before, I was worried that weaker Pokémon would become dead weight in the long run, wasting resources since they couldn't keep up with training. But now… if I can improve their potential over time, I can pick Pokémon based on utility rather than just raw talent."
Though the cost would be higher, it was a necessary step.
At first, Tetsuya had considered simply catching Pokémon for temporary use and then releasing them when they were no longer useful.
A lot of trainers did that.
Lower-quality Pokémon would eventually lag behind, unable to keep pace with their trainers. Some ended up in breeding facilities, left alone after their owners paid a fee. Others were simply released back into the wild to make room for stronger Pokémon.
But as Tetsuya bonded with his Pokémon, one after another, he found himself unable to follow through with that idea.
Maybe it was because he had hatched them from eggs himself. Maybe it was because he was an orphan in this life. But to him, his Pokémon weren't just tools—they were family.
The thought of abandoning a Pokémon he had nurtured for two or three years, or even longer, felt unbearable.
So, Tetsuya was always extremely careful when choosing which Pokémon to train.
Now, with Brock's confirmation, he felt relieved.
This meant he didn't have to worry as much about discarding Pokémon. As long as a method existed, Tetsuya was confident that Zero could find a way to optimize it.
The real concern was if no method existed at all. Zero couldn't just create one out of thin air. After all, enhancing potential was essentially a form of evolution, and Zero wasn't that powerful yet.
"So… I can start preparing for my third Pokémon?" Tetsuya thought idly while browsing the forums.
But there was one problem—money.
Looking at his bank balance, he suddenly felt a wave of sadness.
"I need to start taking on bounty missions soon," he muttered.
The thought of how far away he was from affording his third Pokémon made him sigh.
Making money as a trainer was really not easy.
After finalizing his plans for the next few days, he collapsed onto his bed and quickly fell asleep.
Today had taken a lot out of him—pretending to reveal some of his skills while carefully hiding others, trying to extract valuable information from Brock without making it too obvious.
It was exhausting.
"This is hell," Tetsuya sighed to himself. "Life really forced me to become the kind of person I hated as a kid."
...That night passed without words.
—
Early in the morning, after finishing his training, Tetsuya walked out of Viridian Forest with two Pokémon by his side.
He was holding a Poké Ball in his hand.
"I really got lucky today. A Pichu with such an unusual pattern on its chest—and it hasn't evolved yet."
Tetsuya was in a great mood. It felt like his luck had improved ever since he set out on his journey.
Don't get him wrong—he didn't intend to raise a Pikachu like Ash's. That was unrealistic.
Even Raichu wasn't exactly a top-tier Pokémon, and evolving it required a Thunder Stone, which made it not very cost-effective.
The real reason he caught this Pichu was simple—it was adorable and highly sought after by noblewomen.
The Pichu he had caught had a distinct feature—its chest fur formed an upside-down heart shape, different from the usual jagged pattern.
Pikachu clans lived in groups in Viridian Forest, functioning as a large extended family. Pichu evolved through friendship, and nothing built friendship faster than family bonds. Combined with the ease of leveling up young Pokémon, most Pichu in the wild evolved quickly into Pikachu under the care of their parents and relatives.
That's why it was rare to see a Pichu at all, let alone one with a unique pattern.
Once a Pichu evolved, these distinctive fur patterns usually disappeared, making it nearly impossible to breed for the same result.
And noblewomen loved rare Pokémon like this. They adored having cute, unique Pokémon as status symbols at social gatherings.
A normal Pichu would fetch a slightly higher price on the black market, but a rare, distinctively marked Pichu? That could go for a small fortune.
"Wow, I was just thinking about money, and this little guy shows up," Tetsuya grinned as he walked down the road. "Maybe I really am the protagonist."
No matter who gets such an unexpected windfall during morning training, they would be as happy as Tetsuya—it was like picking up money off the street.
As for what to do if Pichu evolves after being raised?
There's an item in this world called the Everstone, which has a rather niche use—it prevents Pokémon from evolving.
Typically, pet Pokémon like Pichu are given an Everstone to keep them from evolving.
The catch? While the Everstone isn't exactly rare, it's still fairly expensive.
Pichu also has a habit of discharging electricity when excited, so it needs specialized training from a breeder. Otherwise, getting randomly shocked—while not painful—would definitely be embarrassing.
Another expense.
All Tetsuya could say was that those noblewomen sure had expensive hobbies.
But what did that have to do with him? All he needed to know was that the Pichu he had just caught could net him around five million yen.
"Today is a good day," Tetsuya hummed a little tune as he walked.
He arrived at a small wooden house on the outskirts of Pewter City and pulled a mask from his bag to cover his face.
Following a secret signal, he tapped his foot on the ground in a specific pattern.
A moment later, a hidden compartment in the floor slid open, and Tetsuya stepped inside.
A narrow passage stretched below, dimly lit by faint overhead lights.
After walking for a while, he reached the end, where the space suddenly opened into a wide underground hall. A dozen small, locked rooms were scattered throughout the area, surrounded by shadowy passageways much like the one he had just exited.
A masked figure clad in black approached, silently motioning for Tetsuya to follow him into a small room.
Inside, another masked individual sat at a table.
Tetsuya sighed internally. Was this some kind of nesting doll setup?
But outwardly, he remained composed, maintaining an air of cold detachment. Without a word, he placed Pichu's Poké Ball on the table.
The masked man said nothing, simply releasing Pichu and observing it closely.
The little Pokémon looked around in confusion but was swiftly recalled before it could react.
"4.8 million," the man finally spoke, his voice carrying an odd, static-like quality, as if distorted by an electronic device.
Tetsuya didn't care and simply nodded in agreement.
It was slightly below his expected price of five million yen, but selling here meant a quick and guaranteed transaction.
Seeing his approval, the masked man produced an anonymous bank card, tapped a few buttons on a device, and handed it over.
Tetsuya checked the balance on his watch—4.8 million. Satisfied, he turned to leave.
As he stepped out of the room, another masked figure—possibly the same one from earlier—gestured for him to follow.
Tetsuya was led down a different shadowy corridor, emerging into another wooden house that looked almost identical to the first.
Removing his mask, he stepped outside and checked his surroundings. He was far from his original entry point.
"Wow, all-black outfits and masks, and even a randomized exit route. This black market purchasing point is really something."
Yes, this was a black market drop-off location. While there was only one major black market in the region, purchasing points were spread across every city, sometimes even multiple points in a single city.
Simply put, people could sell their Pokémon or items at these locations, but the price was lower than if they sold them directly in Celadon City's black market.
The main advantage? Convenience. Traveling and setting up a stall took time, after all.
But if you wanted to buy Pokémon or eggs, tough luck—you had to go to the black market itself. These drop-off points only bought; they didn't sell.
As for running into someone you knew? Unlikely. The black market had strict oversight on each passageway. Tetsuya wasn't sure exactly how it worked, but the system had clearly been refined over time.
After returning to the Pokémon Center, he handed Charmeleon and Pidgeot's Poké Balls to Nurse Joy for healing.
As for himself, he headed to the Pokémon Café to grab some breakfast. Early morning training had left him starving.
Just as he sat down and started eating—
A familiar black-gloved hand landed on his shoulder.
Tetsuya froze for a moment before turning around.
Sure enough, it was Brock, holding a sandwich and milk in his hands.
"Morning, Tetsuya!" Brock greeted cheerfully, taking a seat across from him.
Tetsuya looked at him, speechless.
"You're the heir to Pewter Gym, and you eat breakfast at the Pokémon Center every day like you live here? What a joke."
Brock either didn't notice or chose to ignore the look he was getting and casually started eating his sandwich.
An awkward silence settled over the table.
Neither of them knew how to start a conversation.
Finally, Brock broke the tension. "I came to see you today about something important."
Tetsuya motioned for him to continue.
"I told you yesterday that I'm the future successor of Pewter Gym. Yesterday was my first time observing a Gym battle as part of my training."
Brock paused for a moment, looking at Tetsuya.
"After our conversation last night, I realized you had a lot of potential, so I went back and spoke with my father about it. He had our staff evaluate and report on you."
Tetsuya smirked. "Oh? And what exactly did that report say about me?"
Brock relaxed slightly at his reaction.
In this world, it wasn't uncommon for wealthy families to invest in talented trainers from humble backgrounds, and many trainers were happy to accept such sponsorships.
After all, no matter how talented a trainer was, without financial backing, it was difficult to climb the ranks. Accepting funding in exchange for favors down the line was just part of the game.
As long as you became strong, the favors owed weren't a big deal—just normal business transactions.
The investment-to-benefit ratio was usually fair, too.
However, there were still trainers who insisted on making it on their own. They feared being indebted to someone or losing their independence, so they refused sponsorships outright.
Brock didn't think Tetsuya was that type of person.
From their conversation yesterday, it was clear Tetsuya understood his own capabilities and future prospects. The report even noted that he had already accepted initial investment from the Joy family.
But there was always the possibility that he wouldn't want sponsorship from Pewter Gym.
That had worried Brock a little.
After all, this was his first time suggesting an investment in a trainer, and his father had tasked him with handling it personally.
Tetsuya's reaction reassured him. At least he wasn't outright rejecting the discussion.
Taking a deep breath, Brock organized his thoughts and continued, combining his own perspective with the report's findings.