[Please select your reward.]

  [1. Butterfree (Gym Leader Level)]

  [2. Raticate (Gym Leader Level)]

  [3. Pressure (Masterable)]

  As usual, there were three options. The first was the final evolution of a Caterpie—practically a signature Pokémon for Bug Catchers. The second was the evolved form of a Youngster's iconic Rattata.

  Both were… fine. If August were a rookie trainer without Gardevoir, he might've actually considered Butterfree.

  But right now, he wasn't cking Pokémon, so he skipped over the first two and focused on the third option.

  "[Pressure]… If I remember correctly, that's an Ability, right?"

  August stroked his chin in thought.

  [Pressure] was an Ability often found on Legendary Pokémon. In the games, its primary effect was to drain additional PP from an opponent's moves—pretty useless in most cases.

  But in real life, it probably wasn't that simple.

  The fact that [Pressure] was listed as a selectable reward—and specifically beled as masterable—made August wonder: Could this mean I can teach [Pressure] to my Pokémon like a move?

  With that in mind, he made his decision.

  [Option 3: Pressure!]

  The first two weren't of much use to him. No matter how he looked at it, the third option was the most enticing.

  The moment he made his choice, a surge of information about [Pressure] flooded his mind.

  It took him about a minute to process everything and fully understand what he had just unlocked…

  And when he did—

  August was completely stunned.

  This wasn't what he thought at all.

  It wasn't an ability he could transfer to his Pokémon—it was a skill that he could use himself.

  Wait… so this thing isn't for my Pokémon? It's for me?

  As for what it actually did? Well, August could only describe it as useless.

  By releasing [Pressure], he could exert mental pressure on trainers who were weaker than him.

  For most people, this might have been a useful ability.

  But August? August was a Legendary Ranger who had personally arrested over a thousand poachers. If he wanted to intimidate someone, a single look was enough to send Youngsters and Bug Catchers running for the hills.

  He didn't need some fancy [Pressure] ability for that.

  Sure, it also worked on Pokémon—but only if their strength didn't surpass his own.

  Hmm… Pokémon weaker than him, huh…

  August thought about it.

  If he went one-on-one against Pokémon in Kanto, the only ones he could definitely beat were Caterpie, Poliwag, and maybe a particurly slow-witted Slowpoke.

  "…Are you kidding me?"

  If he had known, he would've just picked Butterfree. Bug-types might have shorter lifespans, but they grew fast—properly trained, it could've been a solid team member.

  Too te now.

  Standing beside him, Blue noticed the sudden shift in August's mood and found it odd.

  Then, as if something clicked, she said knowingly, "Oh… Did you finally start feeling guilty for bullying all those rookies?"

  "?"

  August gave her a baffled look.

  How did she even come to that conclusion?

  Guilty? What a joke. Him? Guilty?

  "….."

  Seeing his expression, Blue immediately knew she had guessed wrong.

  She felt so embarrassed that she wanted to dig a hole in the ground and disappear.

  August ignored her and pushed his frustration aside.

  So what if he had picked a useless skill?

  He had chosen the wrong reward for beating a hundred trainers, but that didn't matter.

  From his experience as a Ranger, he knew one thing—if he took down a thousand trainers instead, he'd unlock an even higher-tier title.

  With renewed determination, he waved a hand.

  "Alright, let's keep going!"

  A nearby Bug Catcher, still holding the Pokéblocks August had given him, shuddered.

  A terrible feeling crept into his heart.

  He had a hunch that his fellow Bug Catchers in this area were about to have a very bad time.

  ---

  In the end, August didn't manage to reach the goal of defeating 1,000 trainers.

  For one, battling took time—he simply didn't have enough of it to challenge that many trainers.

  And two… after his previous rampage, his reputation had spread throughout the outskirts of Cedon City.

  Every trainer in the area now knew there was an absurdly strong trainer lurking nearby who was obsessed with picking battles.

  At the first sight of him, they turned and ran.

  No challengers meant no way to grind for the next title.

  "What a shame," August sighed, looking genuinely disappointed.

  Not just because he hadn't unlocked a new title—more importantly, his Dratini and Bagon were this close to evolving!

  Sure, he could rely on the [Dragon Crystal] to trigger their evolution, but nothing beat the thrill of evolving in the middle of battle.

  That logic left Blue at a complete loss for words.

  ...

  Cedon City was a massive metropolis located in the heart of the Kanto region—second in prosperity only to Saffron City, where Silph Co.'s headquarters were based.

  "What a beautiful city!" Blue excimed as she took in the view.

  August wasn't surprised by her reaction.

  After all, everyone who came to Cedon for the first time said the same thing.

  Just like Pewter City was defined by its stone aesthetic, and Cerulean City was known for its water ballet, Cedon City—home to the Grass-type Cedon Gym—was covered in lush greenery.

  The fresh, vibrant atmosphere, combined with the city's artistic architecture, made for an instantly breathtaking first impression.

  "Where to next? The Pokémon Center?" Blue asked.

  After traveling in the wild for so long, she was exhausted.

  She was already dreaming of a long, hot shower and some much-needed rest in the Pokémon Center's dorms.

  But August shook his head. "Not there."

  As part of their support program, Pokémon Centers provided trainers with free lodging and meals—a great benefit for those on a tight budget.

  However, they only offered shared rooms, and August hated sharing a space with strangers.

  While Blue looked at him in confusion, he hailed a cab and took them to the Silph Hotel in Cedon.

  The moment she saw the hotel, Blue froze.

  She never expected August to bring her here.

  It wasn't that she had a problem with it—it was just that staying here was ridiculously expensive.

  Even the cheapest rooms cost 10,000 Pokédolrs per night.

  She had spent all that time in Cerulean selling bootleg merch, thinking she had made a fortune with 65,000 Pokédolrs.

  But now that she did the math… it wasn't even enough for a week's stay here.

  Before she could snap out of her daze, August had already walked up to the front desk.

  "Two deluxe suites."

  "Wait—" Blue quickly stepped in to stop him.

  "?"

  August looked at her with a puzzled expression.

  Two rooms aren't enough?

  Does she want to share one with me?

  That's not a good idea…

  I still have Gardevoir.

  ---

  T/N: huh