Friday, November 9th.
Natsume was jolted awake by a series of loud howls.
"Growlithe~~ Growlithe~~"
The intermittent barking made it impossible to fall back asleep.
Furious, Natsume rolled out of bed and rubbed the dog's head in anger.
Growlithe blinked its mismatched eyes before suddenly realizing—
Ah! My move must still be unpolished. That's why Trainer is mad!
I need to keep training until I master it!
"Growlithe! (｀0｀)" It howled even louder.
Thankfully, the private villa had excellent soundproofing, sparing the neighbors from the noise.
Natsume massaged his temples.
Suddenly, he understood the true value of the "mute function" in group chats.
Come to think of it, the Pokémon world did have items that could silence opponents—
Like how Machamp's Throat Chop could prevent sound-based moves.
Natsume glanced down at Growlithe, deep in thought.
Sensing his gaze, Growlithe grinned dopily: (??▽??)
Today's agenda involved saying farewell to friends and acquaintances.
After all the support he'd received, it was only right to show his appreciation.
Landlord Misaki-neesan was visibly reluctant to see him go.
"Are you sure you won't stay longer?" she urged. "We can renegotiate the rent!"
Natsume chuckled awkwardly.
Rent isn't the issue…
It's whether the house can survive much longer!
Seeing his resolve, Misaki-neesan sighed. "Fine… I'll keep this place for you. You're welcome back anytime."
"What about the rent—"
"Don't worry about it."
The Neighborhood Committee Auntie, the security guard grandpa, and even the construction crew captain all wore expressions of regret.
The Auntie dreaded the return of stray Meowth problems.
The security guard mourned the loss of his precious trading cards.
And the renovation captain? Tears streamed down his face.
Losing such a big client…
Gengar, too, had its own social circle.
It hesitantly poked a finger toward the door, glancing at Natsume for permission.
"Let's go together," Natsume smiled.
Gengar had deep ties to the Bull Club—
From its early training days to becoming a coach, then manager.
Every step of its growth was tied to this place.
Though, if Natsume were honest…
Life might've been easier without this club.
Clearing his throat, Natsume followed Gengar inside.
Upon hearing Gengar was leaving, the receptionist slumped in despair.
"What's going on?" Natsume asked, eyeing the deserted facility.
"The boss ran off with his sister-in-law," she sighed. "We had no choice but to shut down."
Between strict regulations and sky-high maintenance costs, the club had been bleeding money.
Faced with mounting losses, the owner had abandoned everything—even the equipment.
Natsume's expression turned odd.
Despite the circumstances, the facilities were still in good condition.
With some fresh capital, the club could easily turn profitable again.
"And now even Coach Gengar is leaving…"
The receptionist buried her face in her hands. "Guess I'll start job hunting…"
Gengar patted her back sympathetically.
Natsume stroked his chin.
There might be a solution.
Taking over an established club was cheaper than starting from scratch.
Plus, the location was prime—at its peak, every training slot had been booked.
He glanced down at Gengar.
"Gengar! (??ω??)" It looked up with teary eyes.
After a moment's thought, Natsume stepped outside and called Matori.
"With all the equipment included, the transfer fee would be around 3 million Pokémon Coins," she said. "Are you planning to open a training arena?"
Next, Natsume phoned Oleana about the acquisition.
After reviewing the data, she nodded. "Training arenas are a hot investment right now."
"With proper funding, the returns could be substantial," she explained. "There's even potential for franchising."
Her eyes gleamed. "Where did you find this venue?"
Natsume coughed. "Let's not get into that!"
Oleana nodded knowingly.
Of course… The boss's business genius strikes again!
Hanging up, Natsume rubbed his chin.
3 million Pokémon Coins?
Between the game and card sales, he'd recoup that in no time.
Besides, this was Pokémon Company's first step into physical ventures.
He patted Gengar's head. "Don't worry. I've got it handled."
By that evening, the training arena had reopened.
Thanks to Matori and Oleana—two of the world's top managers—the club was revitalized in a single afternoon.
Nanami and the receptionist gaped in disbelief.
"Wait… We're not getting fired?!"
"Waaah… Coach Gengar! ??(｀Д｀)"
The renovation captain bowed deeply. "In the end, we still owe our business to you!"
Natsume waved it off. "No need for formalities."
The investment left him deeper in debt, but diversifying the company's portfolio wasn't a bad move.
Economic deficits can actually stimulate spending…
At least, that's what I'll tell myself.
With the crisis averted, Gengar officially became the arena's owner—another promotion in its storied career.
From student to coach, manager, and now boss, Gengar had once again emerged as the hero.
As Natsume slipped away unnoticed, a gentle breeze brushed past.
On the walk home, Gengar affectionately licked Natsume's face, laughing joyfully.
Floating above Natsume's head, Gengar gazed at the starry sky with a toothy grin.
Renovating the arena, buying all that equipment…
Was it all to ensure we'd have a place to train when we return to Tokyo?
Trainer's thoughts have reached me loud and clear!
Back home, Natsume checked the group chat.
Red: Natsume-sensei, you're coming to Kanto tomorrow, right?
Natsume-sensei: Wrong. It's the day after.
Erika (smiling): "It's tomorrow at 2 PM. If you two want to battle, you're welcome to use Celadon Gym."
A drop of sweat rolled down Natsume's forehead.
Red: "Actually, I plan to train at Mt. Silver a while longer."
Natsume exhaled in relief—until Red's next message:
"Once I'm done, I'll challenge you properly, Natsume-sensei!"
Sabrina (nodding): "Goldenrod City? I'll meet you at the airport."
Erika (smiling sweetly): "Since you'll be working in Celadon, it'd be best if I showed you around."
Yellow (cheering): "Yay! I'm in Goldenrod too! I'll come tomorrow!"
Natsume's eye twitched.
This is getting out of hand…
With this many people coming, Cynthia might—
Natsume's jaw dropped at the caller ID.
Cynthia: "What time tomorrow?"
Natsume (stammering): "2 PM. Goldenrod City Airport."
The calls kept coming.
After Cynthia, Matori phoned next.
"Mentor, I'll send someone to pick you up tomorrow."
Natsume paled. "Please don't! You'll blow your cover!"
"Don't worry," she assured. "Those three idiots may be useless, but they're experts at running away."
Meowth, Jessie, and James are coming too?!
Natsume's eye twitched violently. "Enough already!!"
This time, it was International Police Agent Handsome.
"Mr. Natsume!" he boomed. "Heard about your flight tomorrow on the livestream! What time?"
Natsume (deadpan): "Seriously, no need to pick me up!"
"Nonsense!" Handsome laughed. "Don't underestimate the International Police! I'll camp out all day if I have to!"
That sounds more like a threat than a welcome!
When the calls finally stopped, Natsume collapsed onto the couch, mentally tallying tomorrow's potential welcoming committee…
"Gengar, lend me your fingers!"
On the eve of his departure, Natsume—
Master-ranked Trainer, Team Rocket executive, International Police consultant,
Medical reform pioneer, 'Beat Up' strategy founder, Cynthia's rumored boyfriend—
Stared blankly at the ceiling.
His mind went utterly blank.
Outside, a gentle night breeze drifted through the balcony.
Natsume and his Pokémon lounged together under the stars.
"Just let me process this…" he murmured.
The sky was dazzling tonight.
Gengar floated midair, counting stars on its tiny fingers.
Togepi snoozed atop Natsume's head.
Squirtle remained vigilant, scanning for suspicious figures or explosives.
Growlithe just looked confused.
Sylveon's ribbon fluttered in the wind—
Though the one tied around Natsume's arm stayed perfectly still.
For some reason, Sylveon huffed indignantly.
Snapping out of his daze, Natsume looked around.
He'd gone from living alone to being surrounded by five loyal Pokémon.
So much had happened, yet it felt like no time at all.
Starlight illuminated Natsume's sharp features as a soft smile spread across his face.
"Let's embark on a new journey!"
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