Now that Lucas had found his own path as a Trainer, and the pressure on the family had eased quite a bit, Mrs.
Ember finally felt much more at ease.
“A Professional Trainer?” Evan Lane frowned.
Mapleford was a small place.
The Professional Trainers here could be counted on one hand.
Even someone like Elena Greenhill had been invited back from out of town by Principal Marcus Greenhill.
And Lucas just happened to run into a Professional Trainer in the heart of the black market?
Not only that, but this person wanted to take him as a student?
“I don’t really understand these things,” Mrs.
Ember said.
“But the child made his own choice.
I know his personality, so I’ll let him go.
He said he’ll be out gaining experience for a while and told us not to worry about him.” Although Mrs.
Ember had been quite worried at first, Lucas had said that his family would not need to send him money during this period and that his teacher had arranged everything for him.
Only then did she believe him somewhat.
“Oh, right.
Lucas also left a box for you.
He said I had to give it to you when you came.” After saying that, Mrs.
Ember stood up, took a box from Lucas’s room, and handed it to Evan.
With some doubt, Evan opened the box.
Inside was a debit card and a note.
“Evan, while I’m away, please help me look after my mother.
My father is usually working out of town, and I’m afraid something might happen to her at home with no one around to help.
The $3,000 on this card is the prize money I received from the assessment.
Consider it your payment.
It isn’t much, but I hope it can help Snivy a little.
Also, don’t worry about me.
We’ll definitely meet again someday.
Your friend, Lucas Ember.” Seeing the handwriting on the note, Evan relaxed slightly.
At the very least, Lucas was still alive.
When he flipped the note over, the PIN for the debit card was written there.
After thinking for a while, Evan realized that Lucas probably had some reason he could not explain.
He had no choice but to withdraw from school and leave.
Originally, Evan had also suspected that this so-called Professional Trainer had learned that Lucas had two starter Pokémon and had grown greedy.
But if that were really the case, the other party could have simply killed him and taken the Pokémon in the heart of the black market.
With no witnesses, there would have been no need to let Lucas return and do things that could easily expose him.
Even for official personnel, searching the center of the black market was not simple.
The black market’s existence was already something everyone tacitly accepted.
If someone disappeared there, even the authorities would be helpless.
At most, they could conduct a symbolic investigation.
After figuring out the key points, Evan smiled, took the debit card from the box, and handed it to Mrs.
Ember.
“Auntie, don’t worry.
Lucas told me about the situation.
If his phone can’t be reached, he’s probably training in the wild.
You know how Trainers often go into the wild to catch Pokémon.
With his teacher accompanying him, there shouldn’t be any danger.” “This is the $3,000 Lucas earned from the school assessment.
Although the loans can be paid off now, Lucas said this money can be used to help with household expenses.” Looking at the debit card in her hand, Mrs.
Ember did not react for a moment.
After quite a while, she rubbed her sore eyes and said, “Lucas really has grown up.
He can even bring this much money home now.” “Of course.
Lucas is one of the strongest students at school.
It’s normal for a Professional Trainer to take interest in him.
But this kind of thing can easily make people jealous, so Auntie, just tell outsiders that Lucas has gone traveling.” Mrs.
Ember nodded repeatedly.
Wasn’t that exactly right?
With their family’s conditions, they still wanted to raise a Trainer.
Plenty of neighbors had whispered behind their backs.
They all lived in the same old neighborhood, yet after hearing that her son had entered the elite class, those people still looked down on her family in every possible way.
It was obviously jealousy!
Seeing that Mrs.
Ember had finally relaxed, Evan took out his phone.
After adding her on PokéChat, he sent her the card PIN and his own phone number.
“Auntie, while Lucas isn’t home, call me if anything happens.
I’ll definitely come over right away.” After that, Evan told Mrs.
Ember some stories about Lucas at school.
Then, after politely refusing her invitation to stay for dinner, he walked out of the apartment complex.
Looking at the sky outside, which had already completely darkened, Evan suddenly wanted to go home and see his own mother too.
“Snivy, want to eat Mom’s honey-glazed pork?” The moment his voice fell, the Poké Ball at Evan’s waist shook violently.
Evan laughed loudly.
“Let’s go.
We’re heading home right now!” As Evan’s figure gradually disappeared at the end of the road, two figures suddenly appeared at the entrance of the old apartment complex.
One of them was tall and wrapped in a black cloak, making it impossible to see his face clearly.
The other was thin and looked somewhat young, but his eyes were filled with determination.
Suddenly, the streetlight came on and illuminated the two of them.
The thin figure was none other than the missing Lucas Ember!
Beside them, a yellow Pokémon floated in midair, holding a spoon in each hand.
It had also appeared without warning.
If Evan had been there, he would have recognized it at a glance.
Even among Psychic-type Pokémon, this was a rare and powerful species, Alakazam!
“Well, well.
I never expected a quiet little brat like you to have a friend like that.” “I clearly promised that I would let you leave some money for your mother, but you refused in a way that surprised me.
So this was what you were planning.” Seeing Lucas remain silent, the black-cloaked man licked his lips.
A faintly amused look appeared in his smile.
“Not answering?
Fine.
Alakazam just told me that your friend’s Pokémon is Snivy, one of the Unova starters, right?” “Judging from how he acted in front of your mother, he’s a smart one too.
Tell me, what if I took him as well…” “You dare!” Lucas suddenly turned his head, eyes wide with fury, staring hard at the black-cloaked man beside him.
His right hand instinctively moved toward the Poké Ball at his waist.
In an instant, a powerful pressure descended on Lucas’s shoulders.
He dropped directly to one knee, but his eyes remained locked on the black-cloaked man.
The Alakazam floating nearby twirled the spoons in its hands, watching the struggling human on the ground with great interest.
“Good.
Very good!
I like that look in your eyes.
That’s exactly the ruthlessness you were missing!” The black-cloaked man bent down and lightly patted Lucas’s cheek.
After letting out a strange laugh, he continued.
“You don’t need to worry.
In Team Shadow, every executive only has one recommendation slot.” “As long as you survive the trial on Shadow Demon Island, you won’t just receive the training you deserve.
Even curing your mother’s illness may not be impossible.” “But if you die on that island and waste my slot, then your friend, your family…” After saying that, the black-cloaked man suddenly burst into laughter.
The sound was sharp and grating, like a demon from hell, making a chill run down anyone’s spine.
Several Pidgey perched on the power lines were frightened into taking flight.
“Who’s there?!” Inside the security booth at the entrance of the neighborhood, the old guard heard the noise and hurried out with a flashlight to check.
But by the time his flashlight shone over, there was already no one beneath the streetlight.
“Strange.
I could’ve sworn I saw two people standing there just now.” The old man scratched his head, which barely had a few strands of hair left.
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, the hunched old guard moved like a track star and rushed back into the security booth in just a few steps.
“I always heard old apartment complexes were easy places for Ghost-type Pokémon to show up.
Turns out it’s true!”