Pika-Itachi held the candy in its mouth, eyes narrowed in pure satisfaction.
Gu Qiu smiled faintly.
He then took out a Pokémon Healing Spray and gently applied it to the injured Butterfree.
After every battle, he always treated the defeated Pokémon.
Viridian Forest was dangerous.
You never knew when you might encounter feral Pokémon—or worse—
Darkened Pokémon.
Darkened Pokémon were mutated variants. They harbored intense hatred toward humans and any Pokémon close to humans.
They attacked without hesitation.
To deal with them, the government had even established an Adventurers' Guild.
Schools specifically taught students:
After battle, if conditions allow, help heal wild Pokémon.
A wounded Pokémon could easily become prey.
Or become something darker.
After treatment, the Butterfree slowly regained strength—about eighty percent recovered. Full healing wasn't possible with simple spray.
Still, it was enough.
The Butterfree looked at Gu Qiu with visible gratitude before flapping its wings and flying back into the forest.
"Pika-Itachi," Gu Qiu said lightly, "we've been out long enough. Let's head back before they worry."
"Pika."
Gu Qiu was a third-year student at Viridian High School.
In one month—
The College Entrance Battle Exam would begin.
Tomorrow, the school would distribute initial Pokémon.
He had taken a week off.
Just to push Pika-Itachi from Level 59 to 61.
One week.
No reckless adventures.
No distant travel.
Just relentless grinding inside Viridian Forest.
Now—
The goal was complete.
Level 61.
Heavenly King tier.
He slung his backpack over his shoulder and headed back toward Viridian City.
His family's conditions were… decent.
They owned a small convenience store.
Monthly income: twenty to thirty thousand Poké-dollars.
Enough for daily life.
Nowhere near enough to support a professional Pokémon Trainer.
He also had a younger sister, one year below him, attending the same school.
Pokémon training burned money.
Resources.
Energy cubes.
Healing medicine.
Battle equipment.
Battles meant injuries.
Injuries meant expenses.
According to official statistics—
Dragon Nation had over a billion citizens.
True Trainers?
Barely ten million.
Elite-tier Trainers?
A tiny fraction of that.
Most people gave up.
Including his parents.
When Gu Qiu returned home—
A girl rushed toward him and jumped straight into his arms.
"Brother! You're finally back! I missed you so much!"
Her name was Gu Xin.
Seventeen.
Certified brother-obsessed.
Gu Qiu sighed helplessly.
"Xin, you're seventeen already. Stop clinging like when we were kids. It's embarrassing if people see."
"I don't care! I like my brother! When I grow up, I'm marrying you!"
Laughter filled the house.
No one took her seriously.
Gu Xin had said that since she was six.
"Brother, where's Pika-Itachi?"
She had already adjusted emotionally. Early on, she'd get upset when people teased her.
Now she didn't care.
Around outsiders, Gu Qiu usually kept Pika-Itachi inside its Poké Ball.
"Miss him?"
He rubbed her head.
"Brother! You messed up my hair again!"
She pouted.
The moment Pika-Itachi appeared—
Her entire attention shifted.
Pika-Itachi looked at Gu Qiu with lifeless eyes.
Save me.
Gu Qiu returned a silent look.
You're on your own.
At the dinner table, Gu Qiu's father spoke seriously.
"Tomorrow is initial Pokémon distribution day."
"Have you thought about it?"
The quality of one's starter Pokémon often determined a Trainer's future.
For ordinary families—
It was everything.
Gu Qiu answered calmly:
"It's fine. I'll leave it to luck."
Starter selection truly depended on luck.
His father hesitated.
Then slowly placed a bank card on the table.
"There's five hundred thousand Poké-dollars on this."
"We've saved it for years. It was meant for your future house."
"If tomorrow's Pokémon isn't good… go buy one."
Gu Qiu froze.
His father's hair had more gray than before.
Calloused hands.
Quiet sacrifices.
His chest tightened.
"You should keep it," Gu Qiu said softly.
"I have Pika-Itachi."
"He's… very strong."
He had never shown them Pika-Itachi's real power.
Not the Sharingan.
Not the Mangekyō.
Not the Heavenly King strength.
Some secrets—
Were protection.
Night fell outside the window.
Tomorrow—
He would stand at the starting line everyone else believed was the beginning.
But for Gu Qiu—
The game had already started long ago.