"I'll be leaving this afternoon," Ethan said firmly into the video call, voice steady despite the disbelief in the butler's eyes. "So even if you waved a million Alliance Coins at me, I couldn't come now. I've got a journey waiting."
James frowned, but after a moment he sighed. "Fine. I'll wait for you."
The call ended, the screen went dark. The old man in the tuxedo beside James immediately scowled. "Young Master James, are you certain about choosing him? Isn't this decision hasty? His skills aren't fully proven. For someone of your standing, you must pick the best instructor possible."
James rubbed his temples, irritation flickering in his aristocratic features. "Butler, I've never had the right to make decisions in this family. I'm tired of it. Just this once—let me be willful. My intuition tells me he's the right one. Didn't you see? He just endured Primeape's fury and walked away without a scratch. That means he understands Pokémon better than anyone else."
The butler shook his head, unconvinced. But before he could reply, a servant rushed into the hall, panting with excitement. "Manager Yaan! The results from the first test are in—Staryu mastered Swift exactly after forty-five practices, just like the instructor predicted!"
The butler froze, his eyes widening. Even he couldn't deny it now. James smirked. "See? I told you he was the real deal."
Meanwhile, Ethan closed his gear, packed up his belongings, and hauled Primeape onto his shoulder. With one smooth motion, he climbed onto Charizard's back and launched into the skies toward Vermilion City.
Two hours later, the black-scaled dragon descended at the bustling port. Curious eyes followed them as Ethan leapt down, Primeape clinging to his arm.
"Thanks for the hard work, Charizard," Ethan murmured, stroking its horn. "Rest now." The dragon rumbled affectionately before vanishing back into its Poké Ball.
With Primeape tucked under one arm, Ethan produced the ferry ticket he'd purchased online and joined the line. He had thought about taking the high-speed magnet train, but just imagining Primeape losing its temper inside a crowded carriage made his blood run cold. No—better to take a ship, where walls were thicker and there was space to contain the storm.
Call it foresight.
Reality proved him right within hours.
When the ship's horn blared at departure, Primeape stirred from its nap, instantly furious at the sound. Its roar shook the tiny cabin. Ethan, who had just begun to doze, jolted upright with a curse. "Not now…"
Too late.
Primeape's fists crashed into him. Ethan scrambled for his ghostweave suit, tugging it on even as blows hammered down. The walls rattled with the noise. Crew members rushed to the door, pounding and shouting, convinced a murder was taking place.
"Stay out!" Ethan bellowed between strikes, barely keeping his breath.
Primeape raged until its anger burned itself out, then slumped onto the bed, panting. Ethan, sprawled on the floor, exhaled shakily. His system chimed.
Primeape's intimacy has risen by 1. Current score: 33. Two points until capture authorization.
Groaning, he muttered, "At this rate, tomorrow at the latest the reward will unlock."
He tried to laugh, but every muscle ached. "No idea what the first reward even is… guess I'll find out when I'm done being a punching bag."
By the next evening, the ship docked in Johto's Asakusa City. Ethan walked off the gangplank, Primeape in his arms, ignoring the bruised and bandaged crew glaring daggers at him from the deck. The second half of the voyage had been even worse—Primeape had raged again, so violently that the captain had ordered the cabin door torn off to stop the noise. They hadn't listened to Ethan's warnings, and the Primeape had promptly rampaged through the corridor, leaving half the sailors battered.
"You can't blame me," Ethan muttered under his breath as he adjusted his grip on Primeape. "I warned you not to open the door. Your own fault if you ignored me."
With a sigh, he released Charizard and took to the skies once more, heading north toward Mahogany Town—and the Lake of Rage beyond.
Half an hour into the flight, Primeape stirred again. Ethan felt the tremors start. He grimaced. "Charizard, land us now!"
The dragon dove, talons gouging dirt as it touched down in a clearing. Ethan was already pulling on his ghostweave suit, heart racing—not with fear, but with anticipation. This time, this is it. One more rage, one more capture, and the first-level reward unlocks.
Primeape's fists blurred. Ethan clenched his jaw, weathered the storm, and when the fury ebbed, hurled a Poké Ball.
A click.
The system chimed.
[Successfully captured Pokémon: Primeape.][Starting intimacy: –27. Current intimacy: +33. Net increase: 60 points. Condition met—First-Level Reward unlocked.]
Reward: Primeape's qualification upgraded to Elite-Class. Ability unlocked: Guts. Bonus: Skill Disc (one-time).
Ethan's eyes widened. "Guts…"
His mind reeled. Primeape, already a powerhouse in hand-to-hand combat, now doubled its Attack when afflicted by status conditions. Coupled with its natural aggression, it was destined to become a monster in battle.
A glowing disk shimmered into existence before his eyes, visible only to him. Six skills flickered across its surface:
Flying Knee
Rollout Slam
Focus Punch
Endure
Crush Grip
Foresight
Ethan's breath caught when he saw Crush Grip—Regigigas's signature move, an attack that could flatten foes with overwhelming force. His grin widened. "If Primeape learns that… it'll be like training One Punch Man."
Then his gaze slid to Foresight, and his smile froze.
Foresight would let Primeape strike Ghost-types, negating their immunity. Which meant—
His stomach dropped. My ghostweave suit… it uses Ghost typing to absorb blows. If Primeape learns Foresight, it'll see right through it. My shield—gone. If it rages again and figures it out, I'm dead.
Panic iced his veins. "No, no, no… Don't land on Foresight. Anything but that!"
The disk began to spin. Ethan's heart pounded. Desperation clawed at him. He snatched Munchlax's Poké Ball, releasing the little glutton. "Munchlax, luck's your specialty—boost me here, please!"
The glowing wheel slowed. Ethan held his breath, muttering under it, "Not Foresight, not Foresight, not—"
The light stopped.