Tetsuya breathed a sigh of relief as he walked out of the nest. He was lucky—there was a freshly shed Arbok skin.
This place is actually quite suitable for finding Arbok and making some money, he mused.
That being said, there were probably only these two Arboks in the area, and their territory was vast.
It's a shame Pidgeot can't search the forest this freely all the time. This was only possible because there weren't many Flying-type Pokémon inhabiting this region.
Back in town, he headed straight to the trading center to sell some not-so-fresh snake skins.
"A portion of Arbok shed skin that's about half a month old is worth 150 Alliance Coins per gram. This batch weighs 1,182 grams, bringing the total to 177,300 Alliance Coins.
Then, there are two packages of Arbok shed skins that are about a month old, worth 100 Alliance Coins per gram. These weigh 2,032 grams in total, amounting to 203,200 Alliance Coins.
That brings your total to 380,500 Alliance Coins."
The staff member rattled off the prices efficiently before sighing. "You're quite capable. It looks like you completed mission 0519, and you even managed to bring in some extra income."
Tetsuya smiled and replied modestly, saying he had just been lucky. Then, he collected the money and left.
At the appraisal department of the Bounty Hunter Center, he took out the only fresh Arbok shed skin for evaluation.
For long-term mission items that require a certain level of quality, an official appraisal was necessary before submission. The reward varied depending on the item's condition.
Tetsuya could make his own judgments, but the League wouldn't recognize anything without an official verification of course.
Once the appraiser handed him the report, he returned to the manual service counter to submit the task. After swiping his ID card, the mission payout was automatically transferred to his account.
Checking his balance, he saw 400,000 Alliance Coins had been added. A solid payday. If that second Arbok hadn't just shed its skin, he would've been lucky to get 300,000, given its average strength.
Leaving the Hunter Center in a good mood, he glanced at a notification on his watch. His Leaf Stone had arrived, picked up by Brock.
At the same time, Nurse Joy from the Pokémon Center sent him a message about a package waiting for him in a locker, ready for pickup with his ID.
Three pieces of good news in one go. Not bad, even if a bit coincidental.
On the way, he stopped by the black market trading point to sell the three Ekans he had caught—one elite-level and two standard ones. Due to their species' particularities, they only sold for 3.2 million Alliance Coins.
All in all, nearly 4 million in earnings today. It's really easy to make money when you have strong Pokémon.
Although Tetsuya only had two elite-level Pokémon, their power made them stand out.
According to the League's statistics, 60% of registered civilian trainers were novice-level, 35% were standard trainers, and only the remaining 5% had reached elite status or beyond.
Among standard trainers, nearly 80% only owned ordinary-level Pokémon with no elite-tier ones.
It might sound exaggerated, but when you break it down, it makes sense.
Most people complete basic studies around the age of ten before moving on to advanced education.
That's the first hurdle. Many people don't have the academic performance or qualifications to continue, forcing them into basic jobs like the previous generations.
In the League system, having food and shelter isn't an issue, but living comfortably is another story.
Even owning a Pokémon isn't guaranteed—students with poor grades aren't even allowed to apply.
The next stage is finishing school. Those who qualify for advanced studies can graduate in as little as four years, or as many as six. Not everyone is as talented as Tetsuya.
And even then, graduating doesn't make you a trainer—it only gives you the qualification to become one.
The first step? Getting a Pokémon.
There are four main ways:
Inheriting a Pokémon from your parents.
Buying one on the black market.
Receiving one from an official breeding center, provided the League verifies your qualifications.
Catching one in the wild—risking your life in the process.
The first and fourth options are the most common. But wild-caught Pokémon often prove fatal for novice trainers. And even if you inherit one, your parents' Pokémon might just be low-potential ones like a Caterpie.
The second and third options require financial backing, with the black market being the more accessible route.
The third option, obtaining a Pokémon from the League, depends on your family's tax history and criminal record. If you meet the requirements, you can receive a randomly assigned Pokémon of at least standard potential—though usually a common species.
But getting a Pokémon doesn't make you a real trainer.
Not all Pokémon can evolve, and even those that can require proper training. Otherwise, what would be the point of professional breeders?
Poor training can ruin a Pokémon's potential, leaving it permanently stuck in an undeveloped state. Without the right feeding regimen, even a Caterpie might never reach its Metapod stage, let alone become a Butterfree.
The League doesn't hand out this knowledge. Advanced education doesn't include hands-on Pokémon training.
Wild Pokémon can evolve due to natural adaptation, but their growth is inefficient. That's why trainers prefer to raise Pokémon from eggs, ensuring controlled development. Most wild Pokémon reach their final forms with their potential already capped.
So, at the start, most new trainers struggle to train their Pokémon. Many make no progress, or worse, they weaken their Pokémon's potential through improper methods.
Only a small number of lucky trainers—those with naturally strong Pokémon or personal talent—can push past these limits.
But even then, many of them waste potential due to inexperience.
Compared to them, Tetsuya was already ahead in the game.
Of course, this situation doesn't apply to trainers from wealthy families. They receive early education at home, tailored training plans, and guidance from experienced professionals. They also get to practice handling Pokémon much earlier.
In a way, the Pokémon world had created a highly rigid society, where upward mobility was rare.
But at least things were improving—slowly but surely.
In recent years, thanks to the reforms of Chairman Dharmalanchi, things have significantly improved.
Before his leadership, the Alliance was more of a formality, with the major families being the real power behind the scenes. However, Dharmalanchi, who came from a commoner background, used his formidable strength to pressure these families and enacted sweeping policy changes. As a result, more and more talented trainers from humble origins have emerged in recent years.
Tetsuya is a prime example. Previously, trainers were only allowed to choose one advanced knowledge course—there was no option to study three fields, let alone receive reduced tuition fees. Without the foundation provided by Pokémon Science, Pharmacology, and Berry Cultivation, Tetsuya's ability to properly train Pokémon early on would have been severely hindered.
Had he not received this education, his entire trajectory as a trainer might have taken a drastically different turn.
But for now, Tetsuya had no time to dwell on such matters. He lacked the strength to get involved in politics, and it wasn't his concern at the moment.
Shaking off these thoughts, he focused on his next goal—the training ground at White Cape. He was eager to see firsthand what made this place so revered among trainers.
After walking a considerable distance, the pristine white sand gave way to jagged black reefs. Finally, he arrived at the so-called training ground.
A massive gap in the coastline stretched before him, glowing golden under the setting sun. The waves that had seemed calm at the water's edge suddenly transformed into a raging tide as they funneled through the narrow passage, crashing violently into the inlet. The high tide was in full force, and in the distance, waves towering over ten meters surged toward the shore.
Yet, even these weren't the strongest tides. Further along the cliffs, powerful ocean currents continued to push the waves higher, their relentless force shaping an environment perfect for intense Pokémon training.
Scattered across the beach, Pokémon trained according to their abilities. Weaker ones remained in shallower waters, bracing against smaller waves. Stronger Pokémon ventured into the deep, using the crushing water pressure and fierce tides to hone their strength.
Despite the late hour, dozens of Pokémon were still training. Among them, a colossal Gyarados lurked beneath the surface, occasionally breaching the waves to unleash a powerful attack before diving back in. It was locked in a battle against nature itself, challenging the ocean over and over again.
Nearby, an Alakazam stood out. Holding its spoon aloft, its eyes glowed a brilliant blue as it channeled psychic energy. A massive wave surged toward it, only to halt abruptly in midair before losing all momentum and collapsing into harmless droplets.
A Magneton fired a charged beam, tearing through the oncoming waves with precision.
On the shore, trainers observed their Pokémon while casting curious glances at Tetsuya, the unfamiliar face among them.
This was the most turbulent time of the tide cycle. Even Miss Joy's manual had warned that only skilled trainers should attempt training at this hour. The others were eager to see just how capable this newcomer was.
Feeling the weight of their gazes, Tetsuya's excitement grew. The sight of Pokémon battling against the raw force of nature sent his adrenaline soaring. But his rational mind kept him grounded—he reviewed his training plan on his watch, ensuring Pidgeot could safely train here before proceeding.
"Beep!"
As Pidgeot emerged from its Poké Ball, it stretched its powerful wings and let out a sharp cry. Its size and commanding presence immediately caught the attention of the other trainers, who now watched with greater interest.
After giving Pidgeot detailed instructions and emphasizing safety, Tetsuya retreated to a secure spot near the other trainers. He had no desire to get caught in the waves—his swimming skills were decent, but these waters could be deadly.
As Pidgeot flew low over the sea, Tetsuya's concern lingered. It wasn't a Water-type Pokémon, and getting caught in the tide would be disastrous. He could only hope it would be cautious.
A new wave formed on the horizon, stretching across the water like a vast white line, dimming the fading sunlight. The sky darkened as the massive swell loomed overhead.
This reminded Tetsuya of the tidal bores he had seen on the Qiantang River in his past life. But here, in this world of Pokémon, nature's power was even more unpredictable—after all, he had no way of knowing whether this tide was simply natural or caused by a massive Pokémon stirring beneath the surface.
Pidgeot, enveloped in a radiant white glow, launched itself toward the incoming wave.
"Beep!~"
Its sharp cry pierced the sky.
Tetsuya watched with bated breath.
Today's focus was on refining Pidgeot's Brave Bird technique. Since first learning the move, Pidgeot had struggled with its speed and energy control. If it couldn't master Brave Bird now, then the even stronger Sky Attack would be far out of reach.
Unlike the game mechanics in his past life, this world had no technical machines (TMs). Pokémon naturally learned new moves as they grew stronger, but rarer or more powerful techniques required either intense training or guidance from another Pokémon that had already mastered them.
For example, advanced moves like Grassy Terrain or Trick Room weren't something a Pokémon could just pick up. They needed a skilled mentor.
Tetsuya had firsthand experience with this when he sought Brock's help in teaching his Combusken the move Rock Slide. While Onix was an excellent teacher, Brock's young Larvitar was still too inexperienced to be of much help.
Moves like Rock Slide were invaluable for expanding a Pokémon's offensive capabilities, allowing them to counter opponents they would otherwise struggle against.
Lost in thought, Tetsuya suddenly snapped back to reality.
Pidgeot had already surged into the towering wave, its energy radiating through the dusk.
The world fell silent.