Team Snagem was a second-rate organization.
It couldn't even be compared to a massive, multi-regional criminal syndicate like Team Rocket. Consequently, its recruitment process lacked the thorough preparation of Rocket's, appearing somewhat crude instead.
The danger, however, far exceeded that of a Rocket examination.
"Your task is simple. Deep within the mines, there are fragmented jade deposits. Find a piece of jade of any shape and bring it back to me. The time limit is tomorrow morning when the sun rises."
A tall, burly man held up a piece of white jade, shouting at the crowd of thugs before him. Beside him, a Donphan—resembling a short-legged, long-nosed elephant clad in heavy armor—let out a low, rumbling growl.
Not far away.
Several bottomless, abandoned mine shafts emitted a cold, claustrophobic aura. The pungent smell of dust irritated everyone's nostrils.
"Abandoned shafts again? People are gonna die in there, aren't they?"
"Places without maintenance are death traps, obviously. Didn't two guys die last year?"
"Jade deep inside... what if we can't find any?"
"Can I just dig one up outside?"
"Worry about making it out alive first. I heard there are Pokémon inside that'll attack you!"
"No way..."
Standing in the crowd, Kashiwagi unconsciously patted the iron ingot hidden against his chest. Obtaining such a thing was effortless in Pyrite Town. With his status as an outer member of Team Snagem, a quick word at the smelting plant was all it took.
He was mostly curious about how this thing would actually come into play.
During yesterday's second simulation, his fixed talent remained the same. Among the selectable talents, "Hot-blooded Youth" was gone, replaced by [Unwavering Bond] (Will not abandon Pokémon).
Having suffered greatly from "Romantic Encounters" once, Kashiwagi would have to be brainless to go down that path again. Instead, he had opted for [Clumsy] (Rough Pokémon health management). Rough health management was something he could improve on during his journey—most Trainers started from scratch—but he couldn't stomach another romance that only dragged him down.
In the anime, from Champions to the Elite Four to Gym Leaders, how many of the younger generation were actually dating? Even Professor Kukui only got married when he was well into adulthood. That spoke volumes.
Thus, a classic Youngster from Pewter City starting with a Rattata was born. Progress was just as rocky as the Bug Catcher's; challenging Gyms relied entirely on luck and passion. The difference was that this boy caught many of the same Pokémon... multiple Rattata and Pidgey.
One might think he was selective for strong individuals, but the Youngster sent every single one of them out, distributing training and battles equally. This meant his overall strength never increased much, making progress excruciatingly difficult. Even without the weight of a romance, he ground to a halt at the sixth Gym, enduring the torture of eight consecutive losses.
Even in pixel art, Kashiwagi could tell the Youngster's mental state had shattered; he remained stuck at the sixth Gym until the League started.
Finding himself once again shut out from the Indigo Plateau left Kashiwagi speechless. He chose the "Raise one Pokémon below Lv. 30 by one level" reward along with the [Move: Endeavor] before going to sleep.
Then, he woke up full of energy for the big day.
Becoming an official member of Team Snagem wasn't just about getting a free Pokémon; the benefits and pay were far better than those for outer members. Although his freedom would be further restricted, the pros outweighed the cons. He had to give it his best.
"Kashiwagi, aren't you nervous?" A colleague's voice broke his train of thought.
Kashiwagi turned, glancing at the man's strange, Hiker-like attire. "It might be hard to move with all that gear."
"I think it's fine..." The man hopped a couple of times, looking quite light.
Fine for now, Kashiwagi thought. He adjusted his miner's helmet. To stay agile, he carried very little: the helmet, a dust mask, a manganese steel pickaxe, and essentials like water and compressed rations.
Team Snagem's entrance exams were never a secret. They liked setting artificial obstacles—releasing a few Pokémon to attack participants or setting up traps. Therefore, mobility was key.
While waiting, a commotion broke out nearby.
"A pathetic beggar like you wants to pass the exam? Don't make me laugh! Hahaha—"
The shrill mocking made Kashiwagi frown. He exchanged looks with his familiar colleagues, and they walked toward the noise together.
Where there are people, there is conflict—especially in an organization like Team Snagem that relied on martial force for status. Internal strife was constant. Poor, unconnected people like Kashiwagi were numerous in the team, contrasted by those with a bit of money or background. Both sides formed small cliques, viewing each other with mutual hostility and contempt.
This was where the importance of "huddling for warmth" became apparent.
As the group approached the source, they saw a cluster of thugs who looked cleaner and carried themselves with more arrogance than the surrounding grunts. These thugs were shoving a lean, weak-looking youth, laughing as they checked to see if anyone was watching. Seeing that the onlookers didn't dare make eye contact, they turned back with smirks.
"Oho! The leader of the beggars is here. What's the matter? Here to back up your little rat? Do you even have what it takes?"
Seeing them approach, the lead thug swaggered over with his hands in his pockets. He aimed himself straight at Kashiwagi, who was the tallest and possessed the most steady presence. Unfortunately, he was nearly a head shorter than Kashiwagi and had to tilt his head back to maintain eye contact, his face twisted in provocation.
The other thugs chuckled and let the weak youth go, stepping up to face Kashiwagi's group. Both sides glared, the air thick with the threat of a brawl.
"You'll find out if I have what it takes during the exam." Kashiwagi pulled the weak youth behind him, his eyes scanning the group as he slightly raised his hand.
The thugs flinched, instinctively taking a half-step back.
Seeing his companions act so cowardly, the leader grew furious. He sneered, "You think you're a tough guy? What good is being able to fight! In this world, you need influence and background. You little punk! Just you wait!"
With that, he led his gang to the other side.
The people beside Kashiwagi immediately relaxed and began comforting the weak youth.
"Don't be nervous. They aren't powerful enough to interfere with the exam. Relax," an older member said, trying to quell the group's anxiety.
The troublemaker's name was Shibata. His uncle was a mid-level figure in Team Snagem—a Squad Leader. Even though he still had to send his nephew through the dangerous exam, to people like them with no connections, he was already a formidable presence. Shibata would undoubtedly be granted certain conveniences during the test.
As for whether they would actively target Kashiwagi's group... that was the question.
Team Snagem was desperate for manpower. Therefore, the higher-ups set limits on internal fighting that couldn't be crossed—no killing, no crippling that would affect labor, and so on. These "tough-boned" grunts dared to stand up to Shibata partly because they didn't believe the other side would actually kill them, trusting the Snagem Executives to maintain the balance.
So far, it had worked. As long as they stayed united and fought as a group, someone would eventually intervene, and Shibata's uncle hadn't dared to do anything drastic.
However... what about the possibility of an "accident" during the exam? What if someone decided to sabotage the new blood the team needed, knowing they could cover their tracks?
To expect a small-time thug to have a sense of the big picture or to "forgive and forget" was foolish. They had their own twisted logic.
Being a victim once is terrifying enough; living in constant fear is worse. He had to find a way to end this once and for all.
Easier said than done. The exam was hard enough without the extra burden of trying to sabotage Shibata. Kashiwagi had quite a headache. The conflict had been irreconcilable long before his transmigration, ending any hopes of lying low.
Shibata's group had been lording over the outer grunts for a long time, bullying countless people and labeling the submissive ones as "spineless," until they met Kashiwagi and his united front. Kashiwagi's stubbornness had caused Shibata to lose face several times, and every brawl had been settled by Kashiwagi's physical prowess. Consequently, Shibata viewed them as a thorn in his side, looking for trouble every chance he got.
Today was no exception.
Ultimately, the neglectful, "survival of the fittest" management style from the top was the root cause. A bunch of illiterate thugs with shallow backgrounds felt entitled to do whatever they wanted. In Pyrite Town, where the law was weak and internal punishment was the only rule, scenes like this were common.
This environment had shaped Shibata's thinking. Since he had tasted the sweetness of bullying without paying a "price," and his bad behavior went unchecked, the logic of "fawning over superiors and crushing subordinates" became his core belief.
Fortunately, Kashiwagi had a strong constitution. The human body in the Pokémon world was fascinating; it could be frail and bedridden, or it could be strong enough to crush stones with a fist or snap wood with a kick, sparring with Fighting-type Pokémon or even using Moves. He was striving toward the latter and had already far surpassed his peers.
This superior physical talent was something he took great pride in.
"The examination begins! The first group heading into the shaft, step forward for inspection! If you're carrying jade, hand it over now! Don't blame me if the Donphan smells it and things get ugly!"
The examiner's roar and the Donphan's bellow echoed through the clearing.