Ten minutes later, Stephen held a box of Pikachu cookies in his left hand, fishing out pieces with his right and tossing them into his mouth. Meanwhile, a bag of Psyduck potato chips was tucked under his armpit.
He completely ignored the two teary-eyed, snotty-nosed peers trailing behind him and strode off confidently, his Umbreon in tow.
"Sigh, seriously, how did I forget how to make money while playing games?"
Munching on a cookie, Stephen shook his head and muttered to himself.
That's right—in his past life of Pokemon gaming, wasn't battling the main source of income as a trainer?
Sometimes, you'd even run into wealthy NPCs who'd hand over tens of thousands! Of course, there was a gap between the game and reality; you couldn't exactly rely on those methods to earn a living in this world.
But bullying elementary school kids for their snacks?
That was doable.
Sure, it's a bit unethical... Wait, what's that?
I'm also an elementary school kid?
Oh, never mind, then.
Besides, selling items was another major source of income in games. Unfortunately, over the past few days, Stephen hadn't stumbled upon anything like a "Big Nugget" while wandering Cianwood City. He hadn't even found a discarded Poké Ball. Games couldn't be fully trusted to mirror reality.
"Hey! What's your name? Next time, we'll beat you!"
The boy with the Cyndaquil yelled defiantly.
"My name is Stephen," Stephen replied without looking back.
From that day on, the legend began circulating in Cianwood City.
...
A Few Days Later, Outside the Cianwood City Department Store
Under the gaze of a crowd of onlookers, a Furret staggered weakly before collapsing after two unsteady steps, its eyes spinning in defeat.
"My Furret..."
The young man who owned the Furret looked utterly shocked. He stared in disbelief at the boy across from him—less than half his age—accompanied by a Pokémon he'd never seen before. A Pokémon that sent chills down his spine.
"F-Furret is unable to battle... uh..."
The young man's girlfriend, serving as a makeshift referee, hesitated mid-sentence.
Come to think of it, what was the name of that pitch-black Pokémon again?
"Umbreon," Stephen said, glancing sideways.
"She's an Umbreon."
"Ohhh!"
The girlfriend nodded repeatedly before smiling and announcing:
"Furret is unable to battle. Umbreon wins! And so, the winner of this instant noodle competition is... this young boy!"
"Whoa!"
"That's amazing!"
"That kid is really strong!"
"But that Pokémon is kind of terrifying... It's called Umbreon? Is it an Eevee evolution?"
"Huh? But aren't there only three Eevee evolutions?"
The crowd buzzed with discussion.
Meanwhile, Stephen walked up to the man and chuckled.
"Uncle, as per the agreement, hand over the goods."
"Tch, call me 'big bro,' you brat."
The man retrieved his Furret and reluctantly handed Stephen a plastic bag containing a pack of Typhlosion-brand instant noodles and some Pokémon food.
Indeed, these were the prizes they had agreed upon. If Stephen lost, he'd give the man a pack of Gengar gummy candy. If the man lost, he'd hand over the instant noodles and Pokémon food.
As for the Gengar gummy candy?
Well, Stephen had, of course, won it from some elementary school kids.
After days of bullying younger kids and seeing their tearful faces, Stephen—who had lived through three lifetimes—couldn't help but feel a little guilty.
Forget it. Better to set my sights on adults.
And so, this friendly match had come about.
Stephen's targets were simple: clueless young men who'd bought a ton of snacks and ideally had a girlfriend in tow.
Why?
Because when their girlfriends were present, guys often wouldn't refuse a challenge out of pride.
There was another reason, too—single-minded focus breeds excellence.
Look at the strong trainers: Red, Green, Leon, Lance... weren't they all single?
This proves one thing:
Only single people are fit to be top-tier trainers.
Are you men who reek of desperation and are obsessed with women? How can you possibly reach the top!?
"Alright, alright, here, take it."
The man handed over the goods with a gloomy expression.
"But your Pokémon is creepy. That black fur, those red eyes, and those moves—what were they called? Snarl and Pursuit? A kid your age using such a scary Pokémon... I suggest you switch to something a bit more normal."
Hearing the word "creepy" repeatedly, Umbreon lowered her head, her eyes dim with sadness.
Reaching out for the food, Stephen paused.
Sensing his displeasure, Umbreon instinctively raised her head.
Her trainer's face was filled with scorn as he declared,
"Kings have their strengths, chefs have theirs, and Pokémon have their ways of survival and battle. No Pokémon is inherently superior or inferior."
Stephen acknowledged that some Pokémon were stronger than others. Just like Star Platinum and The World were on a completely different level, or how Kricketune had a 99% chance of losing to Palafin.
But just as professions have no inherent dignity or disgrace, he didn't believe Pokémon had a fixed hierarchy. Whether it was a Caterpie or a Rayquaza, as long as he liked the Pokémon, he'd train it with care.
With that, Stephen abandoned the food and turned to leave.
"Why are you hanging your head? Lift it! You're the victor!"
Umbreon bit her lip, watching Stephen's retreating figure. Suddenly, a surge of determination filled her heart. She raised her head high, like a proud queen.
Under the fearful, awestruck, and admiring gazes of the crowd, she followed Stephen, her head held high.
...
Ten Minutes Later, Near Cianwood City's Coast
"Emmm... This stuff doesn't fill you up."
Stephen tore open the pack of Gengar gummy candy. One piece for himself, one for Umbreon. In no time, the candy was gone.
"Umbre..."
Umbreon drooped her head gloomily.
If it weren't for her...
"I told you, stop hanging your head and sighing! Lift your head! Like this!"
Standing with one hand on his hip, Stephen tilted his head back almost 90 degrees.
It appeared!
The signature pose of Boa Hancock, the Pirate Empress!
"Like this, look down on everyone who underestimates you! Like an empress! That's right, you're the Pokémon Empress!"
"Don't let the nonsense around you get to you. To me, you're the most beautiful Pokémon!"
Umbreon bit down on her lip so hard her fangs dug into it.
One second. Two seconds...
All the pent-up frustration burst forth like a broken dam. Tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.