Nothing unusual happened during the night.
Early the next morning, Aaron got up and made breakfast for everyone.
When the others gathered, they were greeted by the rich aroma of food already on the table. Their appetites kicked in instantly, and they tore through the meal in no time.
Out in the courtyard, Aaron released his four Pokémon, leaving everyone stunned.
A tall, imposing Sceptile with a single eye, noticeably larger than others of its kind—standing at a full two meters.
A massive, slightly dopey yet adorable Snorlax—and a Shiny one at that.
A huge Gyarados, with dragon horns and four limbs, its enormous body stretching over eight meters.
And finally, a black Greninja with those unmistakable deadpan, fish-like eyes.
Lyra swallowed.
Every one of his Pokémon was exceptional.
Thinking back to last night, it really did feel like Aaron had been holding back… If that Gyarados had been sent out, she might have lost even more badly.
She had no idea that the seemingly lean Greninja was actually the strongest among them.
Looks can be deceiving—and that goes for Pokémon too.
The others released their own Pokémon, and soon the courtyard filled with them playing around together. Aaron took out some Energy Cubes and started feeding everyone's Pokémon.
The moment the cubes appeared, they drew immediate attention. The Pokémon crowded around him, eager for more.
Aaron handed out a few to each one. After eating, every Pokémon looked satisfied.
"Hey… what are those? The Pokémon seem to love them."
Lyra glanced at the Energy Cubes in his hand, curiosity getting the better of her.
"These?" Aaron replied casually. "My own recipe—Energy Cubes."
"They love them."
Without hesitation, he took full credit for what the system had given him.
"Got more?"
"Sell me some. I want to give them to my Pokémon as snacks."
"I'm out."
"They're a pain to make. I can only do small batches—once they're gone, they're gone."
There was no way he'd share them. These were for his own Pokémon.
"Hmph… fine."
Lyra flicked her twin ponytails and walked off with an annoyed huff.
Aaron: "…"
Simon walked over with a grin and addressed everyone.
"Guys… I just got some news. There's a Bug Catcher Contest happening nearby today."
"If you're interested, first place gets a mystery reward and 500,000 in cash."
That immediately caught everyone's attention.
The moment Yuri heard "500,000," his eyes lit up.
"I'm in! Of course I'm in!"
"No way we're missing this!"
Aaron was tempted too. Even though he already had a decent amount of money, more was always welcome.
"Ding~ Quest triggered: King of Bug Catching!!"
"With a perfect chance like this, how could you miss it!?"
"You—go join the competition and show everyone what you've got!"
"Win the Bug Catcher Contest to complete the mission…"
"Rewards: Flash Step (Shunpo) (Skill Card) ×1, Random Zanpakuto Ability ×1, Pokémon Candy (Elite) ×4…"
The long-awaited system notification rang in his ears, instantly firing him up.
He raised his arm.
"Let's go… we're taking that reward."
Since Aaron had already decided, the others had no objections. They didn't lack money—it was just for fun.
Lyra's eyes flickered with calculation. If she could beat Aaron in the contest, she might win back some pride.
Everyone boarded Simon's luxury coach and headed for the venue.
...
At the edge of a dense forest, a platform had been set up with a long banner overhead.
"Bug Catcher Contest."
The words stood out in bold.
The grassy field was already packed, mostly young Trainers drawn by the prize, with others just there to watch. Many wore sun hats and carried bug nets, their faces full of excitement.
They were all here for one thing—
500,000.
For an average Trainer, that was a serious amount of money.
By the time Aaron and the others arrived, even they were surprised by the size of the crowd.
"Damn… this many people!?"
"They're all competition. This won't be easy."
Yuri stared at the packed venue, clicking his tongue.
"You?"
"You'd be lucky just to get a participation prize."
Victor shot back with a sneer.
"Damn it… fine. Let's compete. See who catches more."
Yuri fired back.
"Deal. Loser works for the winner."
Victor didn't hesitate.
"Oh? You've got guts. That eager to be my employee?"
"Then I'll make it happen."
"Get lost. I'm the boss here."
"What did you just call me!?"
"Boss."
"Yeah, that's right. Know your place."
"Yuri, I'm going to kill you!"
"Help! My employee's rebelling—I should fire him on the spot!"
"I should've gotten rid of you earlier!"
"Bastard… stop running! I'll shut you up for good!"
...
The two of them went right back to bickering like usual.
Yuri really did have a sharp tongue—Aaron knew that better than anyone. He couldn't help wondering how anyone had put up with him all this time. It couldn't have been easy.
At this rate, Yuri was bound to get himself beaten up sooner or later.
Aaron and the others got out of the vehicle, registered at the sign-up area, and secured their spots in the competition.
"Beep, beep, beep…"
"Hello, Trainers!"
"Welcome to the Bug Catcher Contest, hosted by Sealine Bug Valley Co., Ltd.!"
"First place will receive a mystery reward and a cash prize of 500,000!"
"Second place: 300,000!"
"Third place: 100,000!"
"All participants will receive a free Caterpie Lollipop!"
"They're delicious!"
...