Chapter 33
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the golden light of dusk cast long shadows over Vermilion City Harbor.
The S.S. Anne had finally docked.
Tetsuya stepped off the boat, stretching his limbs. It had been a long journey, and he was glad to finally set foot on solid ground.
That evening, he attended a party with other trainers his age. They chatted, played games, and exchanged contacts, forming new friendships. The next couple of days were filled with casual fun—snacking, swimming, and battling for fun.
Occasionally, when he was in the mood, he'd challenge his friends to a few 1v1 matches. He also put his Roggenrola to the test, winning some battles and losing others. At level 18, it was no surprise that it struggled against Pokémon on the verge of elite status. As for his Combusken and Pidgeotto, he decided against using them—there was no real need.
Every afternoon, he went to a designated fishing spot to try his luck at catching Pokémon, often chatting with the seasoned fishermen and learning from them. It was a peaceful routine, but by the fifth day, he was itching for something more.
In his past life, he might have endured this leisurely pace, but the experiences of this life had awakened something in him. The urge to train, to push forward, to adventure—it was too strong to ignore. Rest? What even was that?
So, the moment the S.S. Anne docked, he wasted no time. After a quick round of goodbyes, he stepped off the ship, eager to move on. He wasn't about to get caught up in endless small talk.
The feeling of solid ground beneath his feet was oddly comforting. "It feels good to be back," he murmured to himself.
His first stop was the Pokémon Center. He needed to find a place to stay, and if the Center was full, he'd have to look for a hotel or a bed-and-breakfast.
He also had another reason to be excited—his Leaf Stone was waiting for him.
Upon reaching the Pokémon Center, he asked Nurse Joy if there were any available rooms. Thankfully, there were a few left, and he quickly booked one.
After handing over his trainer ID, he brought up the item he was expecting. Nurse Joy retrieved a beautifully decorated brocade box from behind the counter and handed it to him. He discreetly checked the contents before thanking her and heading to his room.
Flashing around a valuable evolution stone in the middle of a crowded Pokémon Center would be beyond foolish. He wasn't about to make that mistake.
The Leaf Stone wasn't for immediate use—it was a step in his long-term plan. His Roggenrola only needed special rocks to grow, as no known evolution stone matched its attributes. Many Pokémon researchers believed that naturally occurring special rocks functioned as the best evolutionary catalysts for Rock- and Ground-types, often enhancing their abilities far more than conventional evolution stones.
His Combusken could technically absorb energy from a Fire Stone to accelerate its growth, but Tetsuya felt it was already progressing fast enough. Any faster, and it might struggle to control its power. Balance was key—he couldn't afford to pour all his resources into just one Pokémon and neglect the others.
That was why he had chosen the Leaf Stone as his prize. His fourth Pokémon would be a Grass-type, and he wanted to be ready when the time came. However, with Combusken and Roggenrola still needing to reach their final forms, he knew there was no rush.
Still, carrying a Leaf Stone around for an extended period wasn't exactly ideal. It wasn't the safest option.
After thinking it over, he decided to make a call.
The line rang a few times before a familiar voice picked up. "Hello, this is Brock."
"Drop the act. I know you already heard the news," Tetsuya said, rolling his eyes—though Brock couldn't see it. "I picked the Leaf Stone. I'll send it over to you later. It should arrive by tomorrow."
"Got it. No problem. Next time, just message me for this kind of stuff," Brock responded casually.
"Actually, I called for something else. The Leaf Stone is just a side thing."
Tetsuya sat down on the sofa.
Brock was quiet for a moment, then spoke again. "Right… well, first of all, what you asked about does exist."
Tetsuya perked up.
"I looked into it. The technology is real, but it's in its infancy. There's no sign of it succeeding anytime soon. The companies investing in it are keeping it on the back burner, treating it as a high-level research project. Pewter Gym has some involvement, but only in an observational capacity. After all, resurrecting fossils is basically bringing extinct Pokémon back to life—it's no small feat."
Tetsuya frowned. "I figured as much."
"I didn't even know this kind of research was happening until you brought it up," Brock admitted. "How'd you hear about it?"
Tetsuya shrugged. "I just had a hunch. Plus, I read some old research papers about similar theories."
"Interesting. Anyway, about that other thing you asked me to check with my uncle—there's some progress," Brock said, his voice picking up in excitement.
Tetsuya winced at the sudden volume. "You don't need to yell. I'm not deaf."
"Heh, my bad." Brock chuckled sheepishly. "Anyway, my uncle said he'd be willing to give your Roggenrola some pointers once he gets back. He's off in some remote region right now. It took me forever to get a hold of him."
Tetsuya's lips curled into a small smirk. "Got it. I'll send you the training plan for your Geodude later. I finished it while I was on the ship."
"Nice! Geodude's been getting a little too comfortable lately. It's about time for a tough lesson," Brock said with a laugh.
"Alright, that's all for now. I'm hanging up."
"Later."
Tetsuya ended the call, his mind racing with thoughts.
So, fossil resurrection technology was still in its early stages. No timeline for development. No clear details. It was a gamble—one that could bring in massive profits, but only if it panned out in his lifetime.
Investing in fossils now was risky. He didn't even know how much genetic material was needed to revive a Pokémon. That alone could make or break the entire market.
With a sigh, he set the idea aside. He didn't have the funds for a high-risk investment like that anyway. The best he could hope for was that Brock would remember their conversation if the technology ever bore fruit.
Still, the fossil market was bound to boom once the research succeeded. The demand for rare Pokémon would skyrocket, and the value of fossils would multiply. If he could grab just a slice of that pie, he'd be set.
But for now? It was just another money-making scheme that would have to wait.
Tetsuya leaned back on the sofa, drumming his fingers against the cushion. Vermilion City wasn't exactly an ideal place for intense training or mission work.
He had about six months until the next Indigo Conference. Time was ticking.
"Guess I should challenge the Vermilion Gym tomorrow," he muttered. If he wanted to stay on schedule, he needed that Thunder Badge.
No more delays. It was time to move forward.
After hesitating for a moment, I decided to give up.
Even though it was another 2v2 battle, the odds of winning with Ichigo and Brachycephalina were still high. However, the priority right now was completing their evolutions.
With that in mind, Tetsuya left a message for Brock: "Could you ask your uncle for me—once a Boldore evolves into a Gigalith, does it need to wait a certain amount of time before evolving into a Gigalith, or can it evolve immediately through trade?"
Even though he already knew the answer, he preferred to play ignorant.
Including the reward Brock had promised for winning the championship, Tetsuya now had over 11 million Pokédollars.
It was a significant amount, but still not enough. He would need to find more ways to make money in the future.
His head throbbed. After a week of rest, his mind felt sluggish, and his reactions were slower than usual.
Forget it. I'll rest for now and deal with everything in the morning.
Lying in bed, Tetsuya soon drifted into sleep.
...
The next morning, after completing his usual morning workout, he sent the Leaf Stone to Brock.
While running around the city earlier, he noticed that Vermilion Leaf, the bustling port city, had many interesting spots.
For instance, he passed by the entrance of a venue with a large banner that read:
"Pokémon Ping Pong! A competition for both Trainers and Pokémon! Join now!"
It appeared to be a table tennis training center. That was new to him—he had never seen this sport in this world before.
He also saw a banner outside the Pokémon School advertising a Pokémon Orienteering event.
It was clear that due to Pokémon's widespread presence in this world, even though not everyone could become a professional Trainer, most people still had their own Pokémon.
However, due to a lack of training and talent, the average Pokémon owned by civilians tended to be weak.
That didn't stop them from creating various activities centered around Pokémon.
Perhaps it was because of this culture that humans and Pokémon coexisted so harmoniously.
Of course, the world wasn't perfect. In remote wilderness areas, the law of the jungle still prevailed, where the strong preyed on the weak. But within cities under the League's jurisdiction, people generally lived happy and peaceful lives.
After passing a house belonging to a man named Sakuragi, Tetsuya turned a corner and made his way straight to the Bounty Hunter Center.
After careful consideration, he took on a B-rank mission worth 300,000 Pokédollars, leveraging his increased rank.
If he completed five more B-rank missions, his bounty hunter level would rise to B-rank.
According to what Nurse Joy had told him, once he reached that rank, he could accept three B-rank missions simultaneously, significantly increasing his earning potential.
As for A-rank missions? He wasn't strong enough to take them on yet. Not to mention, A-rank missions were rare—even in a city as large as this, only a handful appeared each year.
For most bounty hunters, long-term B-rank and lower missions were their main source of income.
Tetsuya spotted a Dodrio parked nearby, swiped his card to pay, and rode it to the outskirts of the city.
Once there, he released his Pidgeot, secured himself onto its claws, and took off toward his destination.
After flying at a "moderate" speed for about seven or eight minutes, Tetsuya spotted a coastline and a towering cliff.
This was Routes 24 and 25.
Also known as White Cape, this was the northeasternmost tip of the Kanto region. It earned its nickname due to its stunningly pure white sand.
It was also a popular tourist destination, especially for couples who often came here for dates.
If the anime was accurate, this would be the place where Bill—the eccentric Pokémon researcher—would soon summon a mysterious, giant Dragonite.
But in this world, that seemed highly unlikely.
This area had been widely recognized as an outdoor training hotspot for Trainers. Over time, it had even developed into a small town with decent facilities.
Even if Bill did become a professor, it was impossible for him to claim the entire area and restrict Trainers from entering. That would cause too much backlash.
After all, Bill wasn't a Kanto native—he was originally from Goldenrod City in Johto. That difference alone created a political gap between him and the local Trainers.
At most, he might be able to secure a small corner of the cliff for his lighthouse project.
But whether any of this would actually happen was still uncertain.
Tetsuya patted Pidgeot's claw, signaling it to descend.
Once they landed in the designated area, he unfastened his safety harness, thanked Pidgeot, and recalled it into its Poké Ball.
There were countless Trainers and Pokémon moving about.
Flying-type Pokémon were especially common in the area, with many arriving alongside their Trainers. Among them, Pidgeot was a relatively ordinary sight.
However, Tetsuya's Pidgeot stood out—its appearance was striking, and it was clearly well-trained.
A few people cast curious glances at him, recognizing his strength.
Just as he was about to leave, a Charizard landed nearby, carrying its Trainer on its back.
The crowd's attention immediately shifted, eyes filled with admiration and envy.
After all, Charizard was one of the three original Kanto starters. Reaching its final evolution meant that its Trainer was likely quite skilled.
Not to mention, Charizard was incredibly popular—it was considered a symbol of power and a dream Pokémon for many Trainers.
Tetsuya, however, paid little attention and quickly exited the landing zone. He had no time to admire others.
He would likely stay in this area for a while.
His main goal? Prepare for his Pokémon's evolutions and train Pidgeot nearby.
The town was lively, filled with shops, Pokémon Centers, inns, battle arenas, and even another bounty hunter center.
However, he wasn't sure if the missions here were the same as those in the city.
Just in case there were no available B-rank missions in this area, he had accepted one ahead of time. Otherwise, he would've wasted a trip.
Besides, with Pidgeot's speed, it would only take around twenty minutes to make a round trip. If it meant making money, he could deal with his fear of heights.
He walked into the Pokémon Center and booked a room for two weeks.
For the next fourteen days, this would be his home.
After tossing his belongings inside, he grabbed three Poké Balls and his Trainer ID, then headed out to explore the town.
He needed to wait for the various training supplies Brock had purchased for him. They were expected to arrive in the afternoon.
In the meantime, he wanted to get familiar with his surroundings.
Although he had read about White Cape on the Pokémon forums, the descriptions were vague—people only mentioned that it was a great training spot without explaining why.
To get the full picture, he asked Nurse Joy for a detailed introduction.
With that, Tetsuya set off to explore his new temporary home.