Matsuba let out a long sigh, then said, "Now do you understand how important it is to improve your strength? You were challenged right at the door! Doesn't feel good, does it?"
All four of them, including Tetsuya, lowered their heads.
"Tetsuya, Raine… you two are fine. You're just starting out on your journey as Trainers. But Ryuto, sigh… you've been with me for so many years, and you still made such a scene during the Gym evaluation! Doesn't that make you reflect on yourself!?"
Ryuto's face turned bright red. "I… I'll make sure to train properly from now on."
Matsuba let out another heavy sigh.
"You should all train properly from now on. Ryuto, come with me later to get Tetsuya and Raine their official pupil certificates. And Tetsuya… you're leaving Ecruteak City for two months. These two months are your opportunity, so make the most of them.
Even though Mahogany Town isn't far, the trip will still take a week. Go prepare the supplies you'll need for the journey. Tonight, I'll explain the requirements of becoming an official pupil to you and Raine."
After Matsuba finished, Tetsuya nodded and left.
He was about to set off for Mahogany Town. With Swinub, his safety was somewhat secured, but there was still a lot to prepare.
Unfortunately, he still had to pay out of his own pocket…
---◓---
Back in his dorm, Tetsuya took the Poké Balls containing the three Noctowl and two Magcargo. It was time to make a move.
As for where to sell Pokémon, Tetsuya knew perfectly well.
Sure, he could sell them directly to the Black Market, but the purchase price there was only half of what they sold for. Totally not worth it.
Usually, every city had a specialized Pokémon "resale" station. These stations bought local Pokémon at lower prices and then shipped them to other regions to resell. They earned profit from the price difference and the regional trade markup.
The highest purchase price would come from these resale stations, unless you found a buyer who needed the Pokémon directly. Cutting out the middleman naturally meant a better price.
This was Tetsuya's first time visiting Ecruteak City's resale station. He had a rough idea of the value of Noctowl and Magcargo.
A scrawny middle-aged man was napping behind the counter. These kinds of resale stations usually did business with Pokémon Hunters, and the real deals happened at night. Daytime was typically slow.
Tetsuya placed the five Poké Balls on the counter and said, "Name your price."
The middle-aged man yawned and glanced over, but then his eyes lit up. "Oh~ Aren't you one of the top two from the Ecruteak Gym trainee evaluation?"
Tetsuya's brow furrowed. He was surprised that someone like this would know about the Gym evaluation. He shot back, "How would you know that?"
The man gave an awkward laugh. "Heh! Something that big in Ecruteak City? Of course I paid attention!"
Tetsuya didn't dwell on it. It wasn't that big of a deal anyway.
"…Hurry up and tell me how much these five Pokémon are worth," he said impatiently.
The "shopkeeper" looked them over and said, "Six thousand each for Noctowl, eight thousand each for Magcargo."
Tetsuya snorted. "Hmm? Do I look like a kid to you? Quoting me Black Market buy prices…? Forget it."
After saying that, Tetsuya was about to take back the five Poké Balls.
'You… you're are a kid…' The middle-aged shopkeeper quickly put on a smile and said, "Didn't expect you to have done your homework. How about adding one thousand to each?"
Tetsuya shook his head and said, "Eight thousand for Noctowl, ten thousand for Magcargo. Either you buy them or you don't. You're not the only one doing this."
"This is a bit..." The price Tetsuya quoted was indeed five hundred Pokédollars higher per Pokémon, clearly leaving room for bargaining.
While the shopkeeper was hesitating, a clerk-looking man suddenly rushed in and said, "Boss, boooooss! There's a customer out back looking for you! Says his surname is Kurusaki."
The shopkeeper suddenly became nervous and said, "You! Stay here. Without my permission, you're not allowed to go into the back!"
"Yes, boss! Then how should I buy this person's Pokémon?"
"Go with his price. Forty-four thousand total. Give it to him!" After saying that, the shopkeeper hurried into the back.
The Pokédollars were transferred directly into Tetsuya's Ecruteak Gym salary card.
Tetsuya checked the balance. Adding the previous twenty-four thousand, the card now held sixty-eight thousand Pokédollars.
That shopkeeper must have run into something urgent, letting Tetsuya earn an extra five hundred per Pokémon, 2,500 more in total. 'Kyaa… quite a stroke of luck.'
Now he needed to buy some travel necessities, and some of those items were expensive.
---◓---
The shopkeeper entered the back room, where a burly man wearing a black cloak was already seated and waiting.
"Kurusaki-sama, why did you come personally?" The shopkeeper put on a flattering smile.
"I'm checking the personnel lock-in status across various cities. How is Ecruteak City under your watch? There are only two months left this year, and the Shadow Team's trial is about to begin.
Have the three promising youths in Ecruteak City been confirmed? Are the conditions ripe for action? Report immediately!"
Kurusaki Sō was precisely the Shadow Team's chief in charge of child abductions in the Johto region.
"Yes, Kurusaki-sama. I'll report right away! The three I've identified are the third and fourth place finishers from the Ecruteak Gym evaluations, named Takuya and Haruto, and a young girl who uses Drapion, named Aurora. All three have great potential and will surely become core combat power for the Shadow Team in the future." The shopkeeper explained at length.
Kurusaki Sō nodded and asked, "Why not the first and second place?"
The shopkeeper replied, "…The first and second place have already become pupils of Ecruteak Gym. Doesn't the organization have rules forbidding action against people connected to Gym or League Families?"
Kurusaki nodded and said, "Mmm… yes. This is something our level must absolutely not violate. Touching those people would definitely bring trouble to the organization. Unless someone pays enough commission, the organization won't consider acting, and in any case, that area isn't under my responsibility. There's no need to wade into that mess."
The shopkeeper quickly smiled along, feeling that he had handled this very correctly.
Kurusaki said, "Alright. Hand over the information on the three people you mentioned. I'll record a merit for you."
"Of course, of course. Many thanks, Kurusaki-sama! I'll prepare it right away. Please wait a moment!"
Kurusaki took the files on Takuya, Haruto, and Aurora and left Ecruteak City. The shopkeeper wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. This year's task was finally complete, though it also meant that three more children from Ecruteak City would soon go missing…