"Only four moves are allowed in this evaluation battle! The match ends when one Pokémon loses all its stamina! Battle—Begin!"
With the referee's command, the battle officially started.
Rei Akagi and Fantinaissued their orders almost simultaneously.
"Gastly, Taunt."
"Charmander, Smokescreen!"
On the battlefield—
Charmander's tail flame surged as it stared at Gastly's mischievous grin. It took a deep breath, thick smoke already gathering in its throat.
But in the next instant—
Dark-purple Dark-type energy coiled around its body like a venomous snake. An inexplicable surge of fury rushed to its head.
The Smokescreen got stuck in its throat.
Taunt.
Status moves sealed.
"What?!"
Melissa's pupils shrank as she clenched her fist slightly.
Opening with Taunt?
Isn't he afraid I'll just go straight for an attack?
Her usual strategy against rookie trainers had always worked flawlessly.
Yet today—it failed.
Did he read my command?
No… it must be luck.
"Cough—cough—!"
With its move interrupted, Charmander coughed violently.
"Whoa, he predicted it! This is supposed to be a rookie certification battle, right?"
"Hold on, let me say it—this rookie's got some skill."
"Not just some. A lot."
"I told you he might not lose to Melissa!"
Outside the field, shocked voices erupted.
But Rei Akagi remained calm.
His eyes narrowed slightly as he gave the next command.
"Gastly, Confuse Ray."
"Charmander, dodge!"
Fantinashouted anxiously.
But Charmander simply couldn't react.
It was still coughing.
From Gastly's gaping abyss-like mouth, a twisting rainbow-colored beam shot out and splashed directly onto Charmander's face.
"Wuh…?"
Charmander's vision exploded into swirling colors.
Dizzy and disoriented, it suddenly scratched itself, trying to regain clarity.
But the effect had already taken hold.
Charmander became confused.
Suppressing the anxiety rising in her chest, Fantinashouted sharply:
"Snap out of it! Use Dragon Breath forward to create dist—"
"Gastly, move in. Shadow Ball, straight to the face."
Rei Akagi responded calmly with a faint smile.
The confused Charmander instinctively gathered Dragon-type energy near its snout.
But Gastly had already drifted above its head like a phantom.
A sphere of ominous dark energy rapidly condensed.
With a sinister grin, Gastly slammed it directly onto Charmander's face.
"Gaaaas—ly! (The heavens themselves decree my rule!)"
BOOM—!
Shadow Ball collided violently with the half-formed Dragon Breath.
The explosion's shockwave pushed Gastly lightly backward.
When the smoke cleared—
A spiral-shaped crater remained on the battlefield.
At its center stood Charmander, swaying with stars spinning in its eyes.
Critical Hit!
Cold sweat formed on Melissa's back.
She stared in disbelief at the man across the field—hands casually in his pockets, expression calm and relaxed.
Move prediction.
Battlefield control.
The tempo of the fight…
It was textbook perfect.
You call this a rookie trainer?
The confusion couldn't be undone now.
She could only gamble.
"Charmander! Outrage!"
She shouted hoarsely.
This was her final chance to turn the battle around.
"It's over."
Rei Akagi's tone remained calm, forming a sharp contrast with Melissa's desperation.
"Gastly—Hex."
Hex.
If the target has a status condition, the move's power doubles.
Amid eerie ghostly laughter, Gastly melted into its own shadow like ink dissolving in water.
The next moment—
Charmander's shadow suddenly boiled.
Countless black, viscous tendrils burst out, wrapping tightly around it and dragging it downward.
"Wuuu—!"
The crimson glow of Outrage flickered under the restraints—
Then vanished completely.
Charmander's eyes rolled back.
It collapsed among the shadowy tendrils, completely unconscious.
"Battle over! Charmander is unable to battle! Gastly wins!"
The referee's announcement rang clearly.
"Holy crap, he actually won! Fantinadidn't even get a chance to fight back!"
"Gastly didn't even take damage! Is he here to reverse-smurf the smurfers?! Bless this hero!"
"Wait wait, move aside! Let me see what happened—what?! I'm late? It's already over?!"
"See?! I told you! I! TOLD! YOU! He'd win!"
Human joy and sorrow rarely align.
Fantinaquietly recalled Charmander.
Ignoring the noisy crowd, she walked expressionlessly toward Rei Akagi.
Damn it…
Look at those ugly faces.
They weren't like this before. Why didn't I realize how noisy these people were…
"Congratulations. You've passed the Novice Trainer certification. Please show your League ID—I'll update your trainer data."
She paused.
Her gaze became complicated.
"…Are you really a rookie trainer?"
After years of smurfing rookies—
She had finally encountered a piranha.
Not only that—
The fish was ridiculously handsome.
System Notification Reminder:
"Battle mission complete! Reward obtained:
'Move Combinations and Tactical Analysis — Pokémon Language Edition'
(The perfect bedtime reading!)
Please retrieve it from Storage Space."
Rei Akagi glanced at the system notification and handed over his ID.
Gastly slowly floated back onto his shoulder.
Meeting Melissa's probing gaze, Rei Akagi curled his lips into a faint smile.
"Take a guess."
Later That Evening
The sunset painted the streets with warm golden light.
Rei Akagi carefully adjusted his arm so the sleeping Gastly resting in his embrace would lie more comfortably.
The little guy had been active nonstop since its birth.
It was exhausted.
Extra dinner tonight.
A reward for the hero.
After buying ingredients and returning to his room at the research institute, Rei Akagi gently placed Gastly on the bed and tucked it under a blanket.
Then he tied on an apron and began cooking.
"Chili… cooking wine… salt…"
"Hm? Gastly, why are you awake?"
"Gaaaas~ (Smells so good~)"
Gastly floated into the kitchen, drool stretching from its mouth as its eyes sparkled with longing.
"Hungry, huh? It'll be ready soon."
Rei Akagi turned off the stove and plated the food.
After wiping his hands on the apron, he took out the beautifully bound bedtime reading book from the system space and handed it over.
"Read a little storybook first. Dinner will be ready in a moment."
"Gaas? (A storybook?)"
Gastly caught the book with its tongue and flipped through a couple of pages.
Its eyes widened instantly.
"G-Gaaaas! (A… a military strategy manual!)"
It suddenly looked up at Rei Akagi, eyes shimmering with emotion.
Father Emperor has entrusted me with such a supreme military text!
What trust! What affection!
Rest assured! I shall conquer the world for you!
Dinner Time
Rei Akagi stared silently at Gastly—
who was simultaneously:
crying emotionally,flipping through the "military manual" with its tongue,and devouring food at hurricane speed.
"…."
Something seemed wrong with his Gastly.
Not sure yet.
Better observe a bit longer.
"Gastly."
Rei Akagi set down his chopsticks and asked casually:
"Can you tell me… how you woke up?"
The other guardians in the Ancient King's Tomb were still asleep.
Only the young Gastly had awakened early.
As its family, Rei Akagi needed to understand any potential risks so he could protect it.
"If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine. Just think of it as casual chat."
"Gaaas? (Woke up?)"
Gastly tilted its head, pausing its reading as it tried to recall.
"Gaaaas~ (I think… I woke up because something was making noise inside the box~)"
A box?
Rei Akagi frowned slightly.
In his mind appeared the jade coffin glowing faintly within the mausoleum's distortion world.
If Gastly had been born there…
Then one question remained.
Who… opened the jade coffin?
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