Under the scorching summer sun, wild Pokémon tried to slip into the city to escape the heat—only to be turned away by an invisible, transparent barrier.
This was Saffron City in the Kanto region, a lively, bustling metropolis.
Inside the Fighting Dojo beside the Saffron Gym, a clash reserved for Fighting-type trainers had begun.
A clean-cut black-haired youth stood before a pair of hanging couplets, eyes steady, gestures decisive.
Pointing at the panting Machamp on the field, he called out in a ringing voice, "Primeape, use Rage Fist!"
On the field, the pig-monkey Pokémon with a round, fur-covered body—Primeape—glared fiercely at its opponent.
At Grey's command, veins bulged on Primeape's brow as it burst forward. Its sandbag-sized fist gleamed with a chilling, ghostly light that made the air feel like an ice cellar.
"Machamp, use Close Combat!"
The middle-aged man, Nobuhiko, spoke in a calm tone, though worry flashed in his eyes for an instant.
With its stamina nearly spent, Machamp had no choice but to go all in.
A brown radiance wrapped its whole body, a quake of Fighting-type pressure rolling outward.
All four arms engaged; it abandoned defense and charged straight into the oncoming Primeape!
Rage Fist loomed—its shadowy fist-image swelled during the sprint, growing even larger than Primeape itself!
With such a massive blow incoming, Machamp had no chance to dodge; it could only pour everything into this one move!
Boom!
Rage Fist slammed into Machamp head-on, and the shockwave made the arena creak.
Wood splinters flew. Thick smoke from the clashing energies billowed, blotting out the fighters from both trainers' view.
Grey folded his arms. A faint blue glow—Aura—washed over him, telling him where Machamp was hidden. "Nine o'clock—finish it with Seismic Toss!"
In the roiling dust, Primeape sprang up, seized the nearly unconscious Machamp, and rocketed skyward!
Wind howled; the rising silhouette tore the air, shattering the quiet.
Up above, an Earth-like sphere shimmered into view!
With brute strength, Primeape hoisted Machamp overhead, then hurled it down with crushing force!
Bang!!!
Dust geysered as the overburdened floor caved into a deep crater.
The crack of bone echoed, crisp and clear.
Slammed into the ground, Machamp couldn't resist; swirls replaced its pupils. The hard-fought match was over.
"Prriii—!"
On the field, Primeape threw back its head and howled in triumph, celebrating the win.
Clap clap clap.
Applause thundered. Nobuhiko laughed heartily:
"To reforge the glory of Fighting-types is our duty! Grey, from this day forward, you are the third Master of the Fighting Dojo!"
He took out a Poké Ball and recalled the fallen Machamp.
After solemnly handing over the dojo's details and accounts to Grey, Nobuhiko left without looking back, leaving Grey alone at center stage.
[Ding!]
[Host detected assuming office as dojo master. Pokémon Deep Training System function unlocked!]
[Since the host has just taken over the dojo, a newbie reward is issued.]
[Training efficiency up～]
Grey: !!!
He'd thought he was starting without a cheat—turns out it only activates once he becomes the dojo master!
Just like in the transmigration stories from his previous life, Grey was a transmigrator too.
Two and a half months ago, by a stroke of fortune, he arrived in this wonderful world.
He rescued a still-sniffling Mankey from Team Rocket's grunts, then joined the Fighting Dojo as a trainee.
And now, Grey had been appointed the new master of the dojo; the banner of revival had fallen into his hands.
The Fighting Dojo in Saffron City has had three masters.
The first, Koichi, was crushed by Sabrina so badly his will collapsed.
The second, Nobuhiko—whom Grey had just defeated—was preparing to withdraw deep into the mountains for secluded training.
The third, Grey himself, was worrying about how to keep the dojo afloat.
"Master, how should we prepare for the tournament in a month?"
A stylish young woman approached with measured steps and posed the question.
Her name was Bumiao, a coach-trainer at the dojo who also worked the front desk.
At the mention, Grey's expression turned solemn.
Every three years, the Pokémon League holds a grand Gym Selection Tournament to decide which facility is promoted to an official Gym.
Before Sabrina took over Saffron Gym, the Fighting Dojo's strength was unrivaled in the city; for a long time it even served as the official Gym.
Three years ago, however—
In the selection tournament, Koichi was steamrolled by Sabrina and lost the official Gym status.
They could still issue badges afterward, but only as a novelty; those badges weren't recognized by the Indigo Conference.
Only by reclaiming official Gym status would their badges count.
Time flew; three years passed in a blink, and the selection tournament had come around again.
As the new master of the Fighting Dojo, Grey was duty-bound to take part.
"As the saying goes: 'Since we're here, we may as well settle in.' Since we have to face this tournament, we'll go all out—do our best and leave the rest to fate."
It was just Sabrina. If Primeape could evolve into Annihilape within a month, Grey still had a real chance!
With that thought, Grey stood and asked, "Bumiao, what do you think our dojo lacks most right now?"
The question caught Bumiao for a moment; she thought carefully.
She was a coach-trainer, always on the floor teaching moves—so it wasn't training quality.
The dojo already had some strength, and their top-end power wasn't lacking. So what were they missing?
Seeing Bumiao fall into thought, Grey picked up a videotape and waved it in front of her.
"Name recognition. What we need most is clout. Once our dojo is famous enough, recruits won't be a problem."
Bumiao still looked puzzled. "Master, then what's your plan?"
"Beat Sabrina! Only by defeating her in the upcoming tournament can the Fighting Dojo regain official Gym status and draw the eyes we need."
"Ding-dong～"
Grey was about to launch into a rousing speech when the doorbell cut him off.
He walked to the entrance and slowly opened the door.
Standing outside was a tall, cool-aura girl.
Grey gave her a once-over.
She wore a burgundy, form-fitting top and a pencil skirt that showed off her curves.
What's more, a black bodysuit encased her figure from neck to toe—enough to set imaginations racing.
Looking closer, Grey recognized her at last.
Saffron Gym Leader—Sabrina!
Seeing her there, Grey was stunned.
In the doorway's dim light, a soft halo traced Sabrina's cold, beautiful features.
One hand rested over the opposite shoulder; her head tilted slightly down, avoiding Grey's gaze.
"Sa—"
Grey had just started to greet her when his smile froze.
As Sabrina stepped near, chaotic Psychic power surged off her like a tide!
She tilted her head back, glassy eyes meeting Grey's—she looked like she could collapse at any moment.
"Holy crap—a Psychic pulling a fake-injury scam on me!"
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