Wilson didn't linger after their conversation. He briefly explained his apprentice's situation, agreed on a meeting location, and hurried down the mountain path.
Emerson watched Wilson's retreating figure, a wave of nostalgia washing over him. The kid who used to trail behind him everywhere had finally grown up.
Then his expression shifted dramatically, and he smacked his forehead with his palm.
"Why didn't you ask more questions, you idiot! Why didn't you get the details!" he muttered to himself.
While Wilson had been there, Emerson had managed to keep his composure. Now that he was alone, his true feelings burst forth.
A crushing sense of regret settled over him. He'd agreed to Wilson's request without thinking it through properly.
Initially, he'd assumed Wilson's apprentice was male and hadn't given it much thought. He'd figured Wilson was going through some trouble and wanted a safe place to stash his student for a while.
Emerson had already mapped out his approach—when the apprentice arrived, he'd use the same training methods that had worked so well on Wilson years ago. With that successful precedent, he was confident he could handle teaching another student without breaking a sweat.
But what he never could have predicted was that Wilson—a man whose intimidating presence alone could scatter a crowd—had actually taken on a young woman as his apprentice.
It was completely out of character. Shouldn't someone as brooding and imposing as Wilson have chosen a burly apprentice who matched his own build?
"Is this guy secretly harboring some kind of softer side?" Emerson mused, stroking his stubbled chin as he mentally cursed Wilson's name.
Making a mental note of this revelation, Emerson decided that if the opportunity arose, he'd definitely need to investigate Wilson's motivations further.
He turned and headed back toward his house. A promise was a promise, and now he had to figure out how to make good on it.
His dramatic reaction had been nothing more than Emerson's way of processing stress. After spending two-thirds of the past several years living alone in the wilderness, he'd unconsciously developed this habit of talking to himself as a coping mechanism.
As for Gyarados, in the early days when he was still a Magikarp, the Pokémon couldn't survive outside of water. Emerson hadn't dared release him in the jungle—he would have been nothing more than an easy snack for any passing predator.
Later, when Magikarp had evolved and grown to his current massive size, Emerson was reluctant to let him out casually due to his shocking appearance and power.
While he could communicate with Gyarados through the Pokéball, and despite the fact that his partner was far more intelligent than others of his species, Gyarados still couldn't speak. Their conversations were limited to various roars and growls that Emerson had learned to interpret over the years.
This isolation had gradually shaped Emerson's solitary habits.
The courtyard was small, so Emerson reached his house in just a few steps. Settling into his chair, he pulled out his phone and quickly typed a message before hitting send.
"Drop whatever you're doing and come help me with something."
The response came almost instantly, as if the recipient had been waiting by their phone.
"Understood, boss."
This was Emerson's solution. Since teaching a young female apprentice posed certain challenges for him, he'd find someone better suited for the job.
The moment he'd had this thought, a particular face had immediately come to mind—pretty, intelligent, and always wearing that knowing smile.
Anna, his only subordinate.
He'd been the one to find Anna.
It had happened several years ago, when he'd ventured deep into the jungle searching for rare natural treasures. On his way back, he'd discovered Anna unconscious in the woods.
Emerson had never learned about Anna's past. She'd never volunteered the information, and he'd never pressed her for details.
He knew there had to be a story there—how else would such a remarkable woman end up alone and unconscious in the depths of the wilderness? But he hadn't been interested in Anna's secrets back then. All his focus had been on Gyarados and his training.
Out of gratitude, Anna had chosen to stay and work for him, and he'd gladly accepted her offer. But rather than keeping her close, he'd given her startup capital and asked her to handle various business ventures on his behalf.
Though he'd agreed to let her work for him, he hadn't really expected much from her. The business arrangement had mainly been his way of giving her a stable place to land.
Who could have predicted that Anna would take his initial investment and build it into something substantial? She'd gradually taken over managing all aspects of his daily life—food, clothing, housing, and transportation.
In many ways, Anna had become the first person to truly understand some of the details about his life and circumstances.
But his decision to bring Anna along this time wasn't solely about teaching Wilson's apprentice.
Emerson also intended to start revealing certain things to Anna.
Years of observation had been enough time for him to get a clear read on her character. Moreover, he'd gained insight into various powerful organizations operating in this world, and these massive entities had shown no interest in bothering with someone like him.
He was finally ready to begin putting certain plans into motion, and he needed reliable help.
Besides Wilson, Anna was probably the person he trusted most.
That's why he'd decided to include her in this operation.
In truth, Emerson's real confidence stemmed from Gyarados's impending evolution to his final form. He believed that once Gyarados completed this transformation, most extraordinary beings would be unable to pose any real threat to them.
With that kind of power backing him, he no longer worried about these concerns. Even if Anna turned out to be an incredibly skilled actress planted by some organization, it wouldn't matter in the long run.
What he planned to reveal would gradually become public knowledge anyway. Interested parties would just learn about it a little earlier than others.
After reading Anna's reply, Emerson set his phone aside.
He had no way of knowing that at that very moment, in the city at the base of his mountain, a beautiful woman was staring at her phone in contemplation.
Her long, glossy black hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail. A practical tactical vest perfectly outlined her impressive figure, while dark cargo pants and high-top combat boots made her legs appear even longer and more elegant.
Anna lounged against her sofa, trying to puzzle out Emerson's intentions.
She'd been working for him for several years now, and she knew exactly what kind of person her boss was. Usually, he either disappeared into the mountains or stayed holed up at home, rarely going anywhere else.
For him to suddenly contact her like this, there had to be another purpose behind it.
Unfortunately, her boss was frustratingly secretive and always conducted his affairs with an air of mystery. No matter how perceptive she was, without any concrete clues, there was no way to figure out his plans.
Anna pondered the situation for a while longer but came up empty. Finally, she decided to stop overthinking it.
She'd cross that bridge when she came to it. By following along, she'd eventually understand what he was up to.
She let herself sink lazily into the soft cushions, and whatever thought crossed her mind brought a mischievous smile to her lips.
But peaceful moments never last long, and Anna's phone rang, interrupting her reverie.
"Wasn't I clear enough the first time?" she answered.
Anna obviously recognized the caller, and whether annoyed at having her thoughts interrupted or for some other reason, her tone carried a sharp edge.
"No, I just wanted to tell you that next time you need something, call instead of texting."
The man clearly didn't care about her attitude and hung up after delivering his brief message.
Anna stared at her phone in disbelief.
She wanted to hurl the device across the room, but after a moment's consideration, she restrained herself.
After a long pause, Anna let out a bitter snort.
"I should never have gotten involved with you in the first place!"
A beauty like a masterpiece painting, yet no one was there to appreciate the sight.