In the backyard of the Pokémon Center, Kuroba was putting Carvanha through another training session.
Ever since returning from the Wurmple-clearing mission two days earlier, he had immediately exchanged his newly earned League Points for the Carvanha breeding manual.
“Carvanha’s teeth are its primary weapons. Crunch, Ice Fang, Psychic Fangs… biting moves like these will form the core of its offense.”
Kuroba flipped through the breeding manual while planning Carvanha’s new training routine.
“Carvanha, today’s assignment is simple. Bite that entire reef rock to pieces!”
He pointed toward the enormous chunk of rock sitting in the corner of the pool.
Carvanha swished its body back and forth in the water, clearly protesting.
Kuroba crouched beside the pool and slowly reached into the water, running his palm over Carvanha’s rough skin.
“Carvanha, if you want to become stronger, you have to learn to endure this. Even if one of your teeth breaks, your species’ incredible regenerative ability means it’ll grow back quickly.”
Kuroba had no intention of pampering Carvanha simply because it was afraid of pain.
Carvanha was meant to become one of his main battlers—and eventually his mount when traveling across the sea.
It needed to become accustomed to pain and the exhaustion that came with serious training as soon as possible.
“Puu…”
Carvanha spat out a small splash of water, looking thoroughly wronged.
But in the end, faced with its Trainer’s uncompromising stare, it reluctantly returned to the task.
It circled the reef rock and repeatedly sank its teeth into the stone.
At the current rate of wear, destroying a rock that large would probably take most of the day.
Kuroba walked over to another pool.
Corphish was training enthusiastically inside, and the sight brought a satisfied smile to his face.
“Corphish has always been enthusiastic about training. The real problem is Dragon Dance…”
Just as Kuroba was thinking about that troublesome move, a childish voice suddenly came from behind him.
“Big Brother! Big Brother! I came to play with you!”
Kuroba turned around.
May, her hair tied into a ponytail, stood beside the pool clutching a huge stuffed toy and waving excitedly at him.
Kuroba could only sigh helplessly.
May’s family had only recently moved to Petalburg City, and Norman and his wife had been overwhelmed with preparations surrounding the new Gym.
That meant nobody had much time to entertain May.
So every few days, she came running to the Pokémon Center to find Kuroba.
Faced with the young daughter of the future Gym Leader, Kuroba could only put aside his books and training for a while.
He might as well treat it as a short vacation.
“Then again, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. May is still young, and her view of the world hasn’t fully formed yet. If I can become someone important in her heart now, then in the future…”
A bold idea surfaced in Kuroba’s mind.
With the memories of another life, his way of thinking had always been rather unconventional—almost like the Dark-type Pokémon he favored.
Wild.
Bold.
Kuroba walked over, crouched until he was at May’s eye level, and gently stroked her hair.
“May, have you eaten lunch yet? Want to eat with me at the cafeteria?”
May seemed to enjoy the attention and rubbed her little head against his palm.
“No! Big Brother, I came to invite you to my house! Mommy made lots and lots of yummy food for lunch!”
She reached out with one small hand, grabbed one of Kuroba’s fingers, and immediately tried to drag him away.
Kuroba helplessly recalled his two Pokémon.
With May tugging him along, he left the Pokémon Center.
As they passed through the lobby, he noticed quite a few people looking at him with envy.
Kuroba’s thoughts immediately began turning.
“With the Gym being established, Petalburg City has attracted quite a few visitors recently. The influential families in the surrounding area all want an opportunity to visit Norman.”
Unfortunately for them, Norman was the kind of man who devoted himself wholeheartedly to pursuing greater strength.
He had little interest in being dragged into social obligations.
So some of those people had shifted their attention toward his daughter instead.
Toward May.
“This little girl comes running to see me every few days without realizing how many people are watching her. And now they’ve started watching me too.”
Kuroba glanced down at May, who was still holding tightly to his finger, and sighed inwardly.
Fortunately, those people probably didn’t harbor malicious intentions.
After all, Norman—a powerful Trainer—was about to become the Gym Leader of this city.
…
An elegant wooden house stood amid a lush bamboo grove.
Breathing in the clean, refreshing air, Kuroba couldn’t help admiring the scenery.
“Mrs. Caroline, as expected of Norman’s wife. The bamboo grove and wooden house complement each other beautifully. Your design is genuinely impressive.”
Caroline wore a light, elegant kimono that blended naturally with the peaceful surroundings.
Her graceful bearing carried the refined air of someone raised in a distinguished household.
At Kuroba’s compliment, Caroline smiled warmly.
“Thank you, Kuroba. May hasn’t been causing you too much trouble these past few days, has she?”
May immediately puffed out her cheeks.
“I didn’t cause Big Brother any trouble! May is a good girl!”
“And it’s your fault anyway! You and Daddy have been so busy these past few days that neither of you has played with May!”
Still gripping Kuroba’s finger, May indignantly listed her parents’ “crimes.”
“Oh, really? May, talking about your parents like that isn’t what a good girl does.”
Caroline frowned, preparing to lecture her.
May immediately darted behind Kuroba.
“Big Brother, save me!”
“Uh… this…”
Kuroba found himself caught awkwardly between mother and daughter.
“Kuroba, the Gym is finally complete. Thank you for helping look after May these past few days.”
Norman looked at him for a moment before continuing.
“I remember you said you intend to challenge next year’s League Conference, right? In that case, how would you like to have a Gym battle?”
Those words instantly drew everyone’s attention.
A spark of fighting spirit appeared in Kuroba’s eyes.
“Mr. Norman, I’d be honored to battle you.”
Soon afterward, they stood on the newly completed Gym battlefield.
A mechanical chime rang through the arena.
“Ding—!”
“The upcoming battle will be an official Gym challenge with a Gym Badge at stake. The rules are as follows.”
“This will be a two-on-two battle in which switching is permitted for the challenger. The Gym Leader will send out a Pokémon first, after which the challenger may choose an appropriate Pokémon. The challenger will have the first move.”
“During battle, the Gym Leader may not switch Pokémon. The challenger may switch Pokémon freely. The first side to have all participating Pokémon unable to battle will lose.”
The referee raised both flags.
“With that, the Gym challenge will now begin!”
Kuroba stared at the middle-aged man standing across the battlefield.
An unfamiliar pressure settled over him.
Part of it came from the fact that this was his first Gym battle.
But there was another reason.
With the memories of his previous life, Kuroba knew exactly how formidable the man standing before him could become.
Norman was a powerful Trainer known for flexible, constantly changing tactics and his relentless pursuit of strength.
In Kuroba’s previous-life knowledge, Norman had used Slaking, Vigoroth, and Slakoth, employing the three evolutionary stages in very different ways and displaying an impressive range of tactics.
His philosophy of balanced development left few obvious weaknesses to exploit.
“What a troublesome opponent. My very first Gym battle, and I have to face someone like this?”
Kuroba’s expression remained calm as he took out a Poké Ball and forced down the excitement stirring inside him.
A flash of white light erupted.
“Go, Corphish!”
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