“Thank you very much, Mr.
Naoki.
You’ve brought us an exceptional talent.”
After Moon had been escorted out, the examiner turned to Naoki with a warm smile.
The Paldea League maintained a clear internal talent grading system for newly recruited Trainers.
Rankings ran from C at the bottom through B and A, up to the highest designation of S.
Each grade reflected a Trainer’s assessed potential ceiling.
An S-grade Trainer received the League’s finest treatment across the board, from development funding to training resources, because a Trainer of that caliber could reasonably be expected to reach Elite Four-level strength or above over time.
Looking at the girl’s performance just now and the Pidgeotto she had raised, her command instincts, her cultivation ability, and the depth of her bond with her Pokémon all exceeded what most Trainers achieved after years of dedicated effort.
And she had been a Trainer for less than two months.
An S was the only honest assessment.
“I’ve already sent the report to the Champion by email,” the examiner said, glancing toward the door.
“The Paldea League is about to welcome another S-grade Trainer.
I imagine the Champion will be very pleased.” She looked back at Naoki.
“You’ve done well, Mr.
Naoki.”
“I’m a member of the Paldea League.
This is what the job is.” Naoki’s tone was even, neither modest nor proud.
“Well said.”
A woman’s voice came from behind them, warm with approval.
Both Naoki and the examiner turned.
A tall, composed woman had stepped into the room.
Her bearing carried a natural authority that needed no announcement, refined and commanding in equal measure.
Her complexion was a deep brown, her face angular with clean lines, her presence carrying an androgynous sharpness that was difficult to look away from.
She wore a fitted black suit over a matching shirt, a blue and yellow tie at her collar, bright blue gloves, and black pointed heels.
The overall effect was formidable.
“Champion.” The examiner’s voice carried open reverence.
Geeta gave her a small nod, then turned her gaze to Naoki.
“You’ve done very well.”
A notification appeared on his panel.
Geeta affinity +10.
Naoki absorbed that quickly and straightened.
“Champion.”
Geeta’s expression softened into something approachable.
She had been at her desk working through administrative matters when the report came in.
An S-grade recruit was not something she received news of every day.
She had come down to see the Trainer in person.
The examiner seemed to read her intent and spoke up promptly.
She doesn’t have accommodation yet.
We’ve just arranged a dormitory room for her to rest.”
Geeta’s brow lifted slightly.
Kanto.
That was a considerable distance.
She picked up Moon’s file, read through it briefly, and gave her instructions.
“In that case, have her enroll at Naranja Academy.
The League will cover her tuition and development costs in full.
Once she’s grown into her potential, we’ll process her formal employment.”
“Yes, Champion.”
Geeta’s expression settled into a calm smile.
She looked at Naoki once more, gave him a brief nod that acknowledged his contribution a second time, and walked out of the assessment room with unhurried, measured steps.
Naoki said a polite farewell to the examiner, gathered his paperwork, and made his way back to the HR office at his usual pace.
He had barely sat down when footsteps approached.
Supervisor Sato, a man whose resting expression had never in Naoki’s experience suggested anything warmer than mild disapproval, stopped beside his desk.
His eyes, for once, held something that looked like genuine appreciation.
“Naoki.
You handled this exceptionally well.”
“League leadership has already issued a formal notice.
The girl from Kanto has been graded as an S-rank talent.
Your contribution to that outcome has been noted at the highest level, including by the Champion personally.”
“Your performance evaluation and bonus for this month have been approved and will be paid out with next month’s salary.”
“I’ll also be putting your name forward first when the next internal promotion allocation comes around.
Do good work.
The HR department takes care of people who take their responsibilities seriously and deliver real results.”
“Understood.” Naoki nodded.
One Moon had just earned him nearly 500,000 League Credits in bonuses.
More importantly, he had caught Geeta’s attention.
The Paldea League did not let talent go unrewarded.
If recruiting more players to join the Paldea League and put them to work under Geeta kept producing results like this, the rewards would only keep growing.
Though bonuses and pay raises were not his primary goal.
He needed to climb.
Every promotion brought him one step closer to Area Zero.
The problem was that a low-ranking office worker with no combat ability had no path into the business division or anything like it.
Before any of that could happen, he needed to build genuine strength and accumulate enough leverage to make Geeta take notice of him properly.
His eyes drifted to the Exp.
Share Moon had sent him.
She had a good nature, that girl. Visit g.com for the full chapter.
The kind who paid her debts.
He appreciated that.
Moon: Larry, I just met the Paldea League Champion.
She’s having me enroll at Naranja Academy first, and once I’ve grown strong enough I’ll be able to work for the League properly.
Larry: Work hard.
Moon: I will!
After work Naoki took Zorua, who had slept through the entire morning, out to find a quick lunch.
He had been planning a leisurely walk afterward, but when he pulled up Zorua’s panel out of habit, something stopped him.
A new move had appeared in her known moves list.
Return.
Zorua had learned a new move.
When had that happened?
He looked down at her.
Zorua sensed his eyes on her and immediately became very interested in something happening off to the side.
Something was not right.
Naoki thought back.
Under normal circumstances Zorua woke up with him, ate breakfast with him, and came along when he left for work.
This morning she had slept until noon.
“Did you not sleep well last night?” He reached down and picked her up.
“Wuu…”
Zorua shifted her gaze away and refused to meet his eyes.
She was avoiding the question.
Naoki kept his expression neutral and said nothing, settling her on his shoulder as though he had noticed nothing unusual.
“Was it the new environment keeping you up?”
“Wuu!” Zorua nodded with great conviction.
Yes.
Exactly that.
Nothing else going on at all.
This small creature had figured out how to lie.
“We’ll head back to the apartment in a few days then.
Give you time to adjust.”
He rested a hand on her head and left it there.
Late that night the Academy dormitory was completely still.
Zorua’s eyes opened.
She watched Naoki’s breathing until she was sure he was properly asleep, then slipped quietly off the bed, shifted into his form, picked up some banknotes and the Exp.
Share, and crept out of the room.
The moment the door closed behind her, Naoki’s eyes opened.
He had thought as much.
Zorua was keeping something from him.