The next day.
Naruhisa came by to visit.
The young man had escaped with only minor cuts and bruises; a single day of rest was all he needed. When he entered the room, he found Kashiwagi and Aron playing a game of catch with an empty Poké Ball.
"Eh? You're that close already?" He was genuinely surprised, having seen firsthand how much the Aron had loathed Poké Balls before.
Kashiwagi didn't offer a detailed explanation, silently watching as Naruhisa triumphantly clicked open a Poké Ball of his own.
In a flash of white light, a Pokémon appeared.
It was a strange creature—essentially a black rock sphere with a hexagonal yellow hole in the center, a long rock protruding from its head, and two sturdy stone legs. It seemed a bit panicked by the new environment and wouldn't stop shivering.
"A Roggenrola... it actually suits you quite well."
"Not bad, right? It's actually very well-behaved!" Naruhisa laughed, scooping it up. "Speaking of which, Kashiwagi, when are you going to pick your Pokémon? If you wait much longer, all the good ones will be gone."
"I'm not picking one. I chose the cash option." Kashiwagi shook his head.
Now that Aron was his partner, he needed to focus his resources on fixing its malnutrition. He also needed time to adjust to the reality of raising a Pokémon.
Raising a real Pokémon was worlds apart from the games. Anyone who had ever owned a pet knew the hassle; training one into a reliable combatant was a grueling, uphill battle.
Many grunts in Team Snagem were half-baked amateurs who lacked the patience for actual husbandry. They treated Pokémon like disposable gear in a cultivation novel—constantly "upgrading" to a new, stronger model rather than training the one they had.
This culture permeated Pyrite Town and the Orre region as a whole. Consequently, Pokémon that were powerful "out of the box" were exorbitantly expensive. Conversely, Pokémon that were considered rare in other regions but lacked immediate raw power were often ignored, even when priced high.
"Cashing out... I guess that makes sense, since you have Aron." Naruhisa nodded, then shared some news about the others.
The three they had rescued were still in bad shape and would likely be bedridden for another week or two. Of the others who hadn't met up with them on the first day, only one had passed the exam. Unfortunately, he had emerged so battered he was essentially out of commission for the time being.
Six survivors from their small group passing on the first day was a massive boost to their collective influence.
"I hope the next few days go as smoothly as ours did," Naruhisa mused.
"Mhm."
Kashiwagi nodded, watching Aron cautiously interact with the Roggenrola while he absentmindedly flipped a Poké Ball in his hand.
The previous night, he and Aron had shared a moment of mutual understanding. Progress was slow due to the language barrier, but it had brought them much closer. However, when the topic of "goals" came up, Aron hadn't been able to give him a clear answer. Or perhaps it had, and he just didn't understand yet... He hoped he'd find out eventually.
The four-day examination period concluded.
Aside from the incident on the first day, the rest of the week was unusually stable, and the passing rate increased. Several more members of Kashiwagi's extended circle completed the trial. He wasn't sure what happened to Shibata's remaining lackeys.
Ultimately, nearly a hundred new recruits crossed the threshold to become official members—about a quarter of the total applicants. It seemed like a lot, but many were repeat test-takers who had finally clawed their way through.
Consequently, Joco, acting as the current representative, was far from satisfied.
Team Snagem's official force totaled only about 2,800 men. In a city like Pyrite Town with hundreds of thousands of people, they were a drop in the bucket. Without a steady stream of strong new blood, they would remain a second-rate power, forever unable to expand their reach.
However, this executive anxiety didn't dampen the spirits of the new recruits. For many, becoming an official member was a life-changing leap—it meant the days of grueling, uncertain labor were finally over. They had every reason to celebrate.
On the day of his discharge.
Kashiwagi was packing his things with Aron when a sharp knock sounded at the door.
"You're Kashiwagi?"
The man who entered didn't wait for an answer, looking him up and down with an analytical gaze. "Decent build. You'll do. Report to the Sand Unit tomorrow. Tell your cronies who passed to show up as well—everyone who can walk better be there."
Without giving Kashiwagi a chance to respond, he turned and left.
"...It's fine," he told the confused Aron.
Team Snagem was rife with internal factions. In the Combat Department, beneath the Boss, there were three main units: Sand, Crystal, and Stone, each led by one of the three high-ranking Executives.
The leader of the Sand Unit was a massive man over two meters tall. Rumor had it he was boisterous, direct, and hated wasting time, but was relatively protective of his subordinates—a decent leader to work for.
Let's hope the rumors are true, Kashiwagi thought. He knew he didn't really have a choice in the matter. Only the Special Ops guys got to work solo like Team Rocket's James and Jessie, and those elite members were usually groomed from childhood. The fact that the Sand Unit had scouted him personally was actually a sign of respect.
After packing his gear, Kashiwagi took Aron to the Snagem headquarters to register his identity and collect his official gear.
The clerk behind the desk looked at Aron with surprise; he rarely saw grunts who already had a Pokémon before being assigned one. After all, those who could afford to catch their own usually looked down on the "standard issue" options.
"I'd like to exchange the Pokémon reward for a cash subsidy. That's an option, right?"
"Eh? Ah! Yes, of course!"
The clerk snapped out of his daze and nodded quickly. After a few minutes of paperwork, Kashiwagi walked away with 100,000 Poké Dollars and a very satisfied feeling.
The standard issue Pokémon for new members were usually Roggenrola or Geodude, with the occasional Wooper or Sandshrew. While the species varied, their market value was roughly the same.
In Orre, the currency's value was roughly equivalent to the Japanese Yen: a Poké Ball cost 200, and a Fresh Water cost 300. While most prices were standard, Pokémon themselves—being an imported commodity—were significantly more expensive than in other regions, especially in landlocked Pyrite Town. Prices were slightly lower in coastal Gateon Port or the metropolis of Phenac City.
"Our food budget just got a major boost!" Kashiwagi laughed, waving the cash at Aron.
"Ku!" Aron looked up and chirped happily.
Bronze Street.
This was where the Snagem grunts were housed—three-and-a-half-story concrete blocks with weathered, dark grey facades. There wasn't a speck of green in sight, and the roads were crumbling.
However, the infrastructure—running water, sewage, and electricity—was vastly superior to the makeshift shacks on Iridium Street. The buildings also felt sturdier, likely designed to handle the weight and activity of Pokémon.
Kashiwagi liked it here. It wasn't about the amenities; it was about the atmosphere. He could see all sorts of Pokémon playing and interacting in the streets. Back in his old neighborhood, there were only people, which had often made him forget he was actually in the Pokémon world.
"Kashiwagi! How about a big dinner tonight? Everyone wants to thank you, and we need to celebrate!" Naruhisa called out, lugging several bags of his own.
"Sure. Just let me know the place."
Kashiwagi nodded. Grunts were the bottom of the barrel, but even among high-ranking Executives, having a reliable circle of allies was vital. But social obligations... those are the hardest to manage.
Whether by design or coincidence, their whole group had been assigned housing very close to one another. Naruhisa was just two doors down.
Was this the work of that man from this morning? Kashiwagi wondered if he could use the new connection to gather intel on Ishigaki—his family, his friends, his backers, and his Pokémon team.
"Alright, let's start unpacking our new home!"
"Ku!"