Ryuuske currently stood outside the principal's office at Celadon University—not because he was enrolling, but because he had accompanied Erika there.
"...Will you help me?"
When Erika uttered those words, Ryuuske agreed without hesitation.
Why wouldn't he? He already had a grudge against Team Rocket. Helping Erika was no different from helping himself. By becoming her ally, he was also making her his own. If his answer could ease even a fraction of the exhaustion weighing on her heart, then that alone was worth it.
The moment he agreed, he saw the tension drain from her expression, as if a knot in her heart had finally loosened. Erika immediately made the decision to accompany him on a month-and-a-half-long special training regimen to prepare for the coming crisis.
However, before that, at Erika's request, Ryuuske accompanied her to Celadon University. He had assumed she was a student here, taking a temporary leave of absence for training—but the truth left him stunned.
"Is it really that surprising that I teach here, Ryuuske?"
Walking beside him in an elegant kimono, Erika chuckled softly at his disbelief.
"At most, you should be a college student, right? I doubt there are any students here younger than you."
"Giggle~ Who said youth disqualifies someone from being a teacher?"
"No, I wouldn't bat an eye if you taught elementary school. But this is a university—and one of Kanto's top institutions at that."
Ryuuske sighed inwardly. Rich, beautiful, and an absolute genius? Erika's character setting is downright unfair. If she were a guy, she'd be the textbook definition of a protagonist.
"Such flattery is embarrassing. I only teach courses on Grass-type Pokémon here—it's the one subject I'm somewhat knowledgeable about. If I had to teach anything else, I'd be leading students astray."
Erika brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, her tone light and self-deprecating.
"'Somewhat knowledgeable' is a massive understatement. You're an outright expert."
Ryuuske didn't hesitate to call out her modesty.
"Professor Erika!"
"Professor, are you really not teaching for the next few months? Are you resigning?"
"Professor, who's this with you?"
"Wait, isn't that the famous trainer from the news?"
As they walked through the campus, nearly every other person greeted Erika. To the people of Celadon City, she was practically its living emblem—an unofficial queen. Her family monopolized the city's perfume industry, controlling half its wealth. Add her status as Celadon Gym Leader, her gentle personality, and her breathtaking beauty, and her unrivaled popularity made perfect sense.
"...I've promised my friend here to accompany him on a month-long journey, so I'll be suspending classes for a while. My apologies."
Erika's voice was soft and demure, but Ryuuske nearly choked. You're the one who insisted on coming along! And why are you clinging to my arm like this? You're just inviting misunderstandings!
He kept his mouth shut, enduring the hostile glares from onlookers. Though irritating, he couldn't deny a flicker of smug satisfaction.
Erika's phrasing was undeniably provocative—"alone," "two people," "journey." Those words alone were enough to spark rumors. In this world, it was practically common knowledge that traveling together bred romance. Countless trainers ended up together after youthful adventures.
And for this trip, Erika was temporarily leaving her university position and even filing paperwork to close her Gym for two months. The level of devotion was staggering. At this point, claiming they weren't involved would be futile.
It was then that Ryuuske realized just how devious this woman was. She's throwing me straight into the fire with no escape route!
Not that he cared. Ever since the Cerulean City incident, he'd accepted that his reputation was beyond salvaging. In this world, fame meant nothing—only strength mattered.
Ignoring the whispers, Ryuuske followed Erika out of the university. The moment they left, her expression shifted to solemnity.
"For the next month and a half, I'll be in your care, Ryuuske. Our goal isn't to defeat the enemy—it's to survive the battles ahead."
Her words might have sounded defeatist, but Ryuuske knew she was right. The power gap between them and Team Rocket was overwhelming.
That said, appearances could be deceiving. Whether any unseen forces would hinder Team Rocket's plans remained to be seen.
"Preparations are complete. Let's depart, Erika."
Having one of Kanto's top Gym Leaders as a training partner would undoubtedly yield tremendous growth—especially for his newly caught Eevee. He needed it to catch up to Gabite and Dragonair as quickly as possible. This would also be Gabite's final stage of accumulation before evolution.
Yet, Ryuuske couldn't shake the feeling that this journey would be unlike any before. Two months alone with a beautiful girl? Since arriving in this world, he'd never experienced anything like it. What might happen was beyond prediction.
Abandoning all conventional transportation, the two headed straight for Kanto's most desolate wastelands—a place teeming with powerful wild Pokémon. Only there, amidst their savage instincts, could they truly hone their skills.
While Team Rocket schemed, others sharpened their blades. The world was bracing for the storm.
——
"Only through hardship can the young truly grow. Hmm... Johto reports sightings of new, unknown Unown variants—beyond the traditional twenty-eight. It's said these Pokémon are as ancient as the world itself. What could this connection mean?"
"...According to prehistoric records, Legendary Pokémon once united against humanity. But over time, they fractured into infighting."
"Starting half a year ago, global sensors detected spatial instability. Sightings of Legendary Pokémon have surged—as if the world itself is afflicted by a terminal illness."
At Oak Laboratories, Professor Oak stared grimly at reports from around the world.
"Grandpa, what are you muttering about?"
Daisy, noticing his troubled expression, tilted her head in confusion.
"Just research matters... Daisy, I may need to travel to another region soon. Can you look after the lab for me?"
To be continued…
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