I never thought that one day I would really become a League trainer.
But now, I'm no longer as simple as before. Whatever good feelings I had for the League are gone.
It's kind of funny how the world works.
Gu Yuan looked at his clothes. They felt very much like the outfits of trainers in the games.
With Charmeleon at his side, anyone who saw him would think he was a direct member of the League.
And now, Gu Yuan was about to use this identity to start his new path.
Shadow had given him two plans. After thinking it over, Gu Yuan chose the second.
He could already sense the hidden dangers inside the first.
Even if Shadow could push him into the police or investigator system, Gu Yuan would have no way to explain where his information came from.
And no matter how talented, a ten-year-old would not climb the ranks quickly. That would mean being stuck in the police system for years.
Gu Yuan preferred a free life.
If he could become the Champion, people would call him a genius.
For the sake of making their region shine, the Kanto League would surely raise him up.
As long as Gu Yuan performed well, he would quickly reach a high position.
More importantly, Shadow had not given him any specific tasks.
That meant Shadow didn't expect him to get top secret intel until he had already grown stronger. At the start, Gu Yuan's undercover life would be easy.
Of course, even if he wasn't ordered to collect information, if Gu Yuan did pick up something useful, he could still send it to Shadow.
Based on its value, Shadow would reward him with contribution points, the currency used inside Team Rocket. It was just like the League's own point system.
One contribution point was worth about one thousand League coins. That made them very valuable.
And only with contribution points could you trade for rare items or Pokémon. Money alone was not enough.
The Pokémon exchange list even included species not just from Kanto to Kalos, but as far as Paldea.
All this, Gu Yuan had only heard from Shadow. His current clearance was too low to see it himself.
It showed that the regions had already begun sharing, but only among the top levels.
As for Gu Yuan, his only true ties to the League were the anime and game series.
Watching Ash travel from Kanto through each region, entering tournaments, and reaching his dream, Gu Yuan couldn't deny that he also wanted to make a journey like that at least once.
Now that he had that chance, he would not waste it.
Shadow was satisfied with his choice.
To make his path smoother, Shadow gave him piles of files filled with trainer knowledge.
Shadow even pushed him to learn breeder skills, so he could better take care of his Pokémon.
As a loner, Gu Yuan would never travel with a breeder. That meant he had to handle everything himself.
The League limited trainers to six Pokémon for a reason. Too many, and they couldn't be cared for. That would slow down the trainer and hurt the Pokémon's growth.
Usually, travelers sent extra Pokémon to a trusted daycare.
But Shadow had warned him: you never know what a daycare might do, even the ones you trust most.
Not everyone was like Ash, who could send his Pokémon to Professor Oak. Oak not only cared for them but even helped them grow stronger.
Shadow had said that if Gu Yuan ever struggled, he could send his Pokémon to him. But Gu Yuan didn't want to trouble Shadow. So breeder knowledge became part of his studies.
For his first two years undercover, Shadow would send him resources each month to train his Pokémon.
The more Pokémon Gu Yuan caught, the more resources Shadow would give him.
In truth, Shadow had no reason to go this far for Gu Yuan.
Perhaps even he didn't know why he was doing this.
Maybe it was like Gu Yuan's feelings toward Abra. Seeing someone who reminded him so much of his younger self, Shadow couldn't help but give more support.
"Let's go. Our first destination will be Pewter City."
After centering himself, Gu Yuan released Charmeleon and the others.
Abra, as usual, stayed inside its Poké Ball to rest.
Perhaps to save time, or perhaps just because he couldn't be bothered, Shadow had dropped Gu Yuan near Viridian City once the decision was made.
The Viridian Gym, led by Giovanni, was nearby. If Gu Yuan went, he could probably get a badge easily. But he wanted to leave that Gym for last.
With the way Shadow had freely given him information and resources, Gu Yuan knew Shadow was among the very top of Team Rocket.
That meant Giovanni probably already knew he was an undercover agent.
So Gu Yuan decided to save Viridian Gym for the end. Then he could show Giovanni his strength and give Shadow some pride.
After all the benefits he had taken, Gu Yuan couldn't face himself without giving something back.
As Gu Yuan prepared to pass through the forest, a huge flock of Spearow suddenly burst out and rushed toward him.
The system's challenge function activated.
The scan showed no Junior Rank among them, so Gu Yuan ordered Charmeleon and Eevee to get ready.
"Charmeleon, Ember barrage!"
"Eevee, Helping Hand, then use Swift!"
The commands rang out. Charmeleon and Eevee attacked at the same time.
Looking at the scene before him, Gu Yuan felt like he was reliving Ash's story.
Except there was no rain. No Pikachu. No flash of Ho-Oh.
But for Gu Yuan, having Charmeleon and the others was more than enough.
The flames flew, and the battle began!