Carl pondered over the identity of the man from Westvale, considering it likely true given the prestigious name of the Summit Gym. He was supposedly linked to a legendary martial artist from the past.
"But why would Professor Oak extend such high regard to him? It's almost on par with Ash's treatment," Carl mused, intrigued by the prospect of meeting the esteemed professor. He sensed it would be interesting.
Meanwhile, back in Pallet Town at the Oak Laboratory, a scene unfolded that was both serious and comical.
"Do you understand what you did wrong?" Professor Oak sat on the couch, sternly addressing Gary, who was kneeling on the floor.
"Yes, Grandpa," Gary replied, head bowed.
"Explain it to me."
"I shouldn't have interfered in family matters."
Professor Oak rubbed his temples. "Is that why I'm upset? You're the sole heir of this family. Whether you want to become a trainer, a researcher, or manage the family business, those choices will be yours. All of this will be yours eventually."
The real issue was Gary's reckless behavior.
"Really?" Gary looked up, skeptical. "What about Ash?"
"Ash?" Professor Oak seemed puzzled. "What about him?"
"Doesn't he have any inheritance rights?"
"He isn't an Oak," Professor Oak replied, more confused. Gary's certainty made him wonder if his son might have a secret child somewhere.
"Ash isn't an Oak?" Gary scoffed, clearly disbelieving.
Professor Oak pondered the possibility. No wonder Delia often helped around the lab; maybe there was more to it.
"Alright then!" A flash of anger crossed Professor Oak's eyes.
Gary pouted. "Grandpa, from childhood, Ash has always been treated the same as me. I'm your real grandson, so why should he be on equal footing?"
"I thought he might be your secret grandson."
Professor Oak was taken aback. "What? A secret child?"
What on earth was going through this kid's mind?
Wait, this wasn't about his son but rather his grandson's wild imagination?
But he'd lived an honest life, never remarried after his wife passed. Otherwise, Agatha would have... ahem.
"Now I see."
Professor Oak had an epiphany. He hadn't given Ash special treatment; he had merely been stricter with Gary, hoping to build his character. But it seemed to have led to misunderstandings.
However, there was a reason he treated Ash differently.
"I have my reasons for being kind to Ash," Professor Oak rubbed his temples. "But it's not the sort of relationship you're thinking of."
"Then what is it?" Gary pressed on.
Professor Oak's gaze drifted to the distance, recalling memories from his youth, once thought to be dreams. Until Ash was born, and he witnessed him catching Pikachu with that person...
"Hold on!" Professor Oak snapped back to reality, raising his voice. "This is supposed to be me educating you, not you interrogating me!"
He felt a bit helpless; perhaps he was too easygoing, even with his grandson.
Gary immediately lowered his head.
Seeing his grandson so cowed, Professor Oak lost the will to scold further, waving him off. "Alright, get up. I'll tell you about Ash when the time is right, but it's not what you think."
"And it also relates to why I endorsed the XY gaming console."
"Oh, I see!" Gary leaped up, scratching his head. "I thought it was odd, Grandpa. You've never endorsed anything but your own Pokédex. This game must be extraordinary."
"And of course, your involvement means it must be grand."
"But ordering over ten million units is a bit much," Professor Oak shook his head. "However, you're right about one thing. The XY console, or rather the game itself, is incredibly valuable, with benefits far outweighing any drawbacks."
Professor Oak smirked. "This deal is foolproof, even if it benefits that Carl kid."
Gary caught the hint of dissatisfaction in his grandfather's eyes and quietly wondered, "Who exactly is this Carl? Could he be another grandson?"
"Off you go," Professor Oak suddenly lost interest in lecturing. To him, young people needed to face some hardships to grow.
As Gary left, Professor Oak tossed him a Poké Ball and a backpack.
"What's this?" Gary looked puzzled.
"A Squirtle, Mega Evolution stone for Blastoise, and various top-tier evolution stones in the backpack. Aren't you planning a journey?" Professor Oak explained.
"But it's not the official day for new trainers to choose Pokémon."
"Aren't you the one claiming I don't take care of you?" Professor Oak retorted.
Gary chuckled, pushing his luck. "Grandpa, forget the long incubation time for pseudo-legendary Pokémon. Why not even a Charmander?"
Among all starter Pokémon, the Charizard capable of two Mega Evolutions was undoubtedly the most sought after, and Gary was no exception. Although he liked Blastoise, he still had preferences.
"Tough luck," Professor Oak replied bluntly. "Champion-level Pokémon are hard to come by. This year, Charmander in Charizard Valley and near Smoky City are only Elite-level. Which would you choose?"
"Of course, Blastoise!" Gary replied without hesitation. For families like theirs, Elite-level Pokémon were not rare, but Champion-level were highly coveted.
Gary felt triumphant, thinking, "With such a strong Pokémon, let's see how that fool compares!" Little did he know, some people were born with the glow of a protagonist, like that guy with Pikachu and Charizard.
"Alright, off you go. Don't delay my gaming time!"
Gary remained silent, but he mentally noted that Carl was not simple.
Meanwhile, in Havenport at the Westvale League.
Evan Cross noticed Carl deep in thought and approached with a smile, "Carl, there's more good news."
"More?"
"Yes, after you beat Ethan yesterday, our company got a recommendation from Deputy Mayor Whitaker. Our game might get special promotion by the Westvale League."
"Oh? What's this about?"
Evan explained in detail. Deputy Mayor Whitaker, the second son of the Westvale League's branch head, was in town to build his political achievements, paving the way for future promotions. With significant resources at his disposal and the internet industry booming, gaming became a hot field. The Westvale League aimed to support this sector, and Whitaker naturally wanted a piece of the pie. Two companies caught his attention, and Carl's outstanding performance led to XY Company seizing this opportunity.
"No wonder you're so invested," Carl realized.
With Professor Oak endorsing it, league policy support, and the game's quality, success seemed inevitable.
"I'll just keep a low profile and focus on making money," Carl mused. Writing novels in his past life was exhausting, but now, reborn in this world, he had no desire to overwork. With financial freedom already achieved thanks to Professor Oak, there was no rush.
"Today is a good day, let's go." Carl waved and headed toward the villa's entrance.
"Where to?"
"To the gym, of course. Let's knock out the matches today, hopefully winning two in a row like yesterday."
"You're that enthusiastic?" Evan looked incredulous.
As Carl's companion, Evan knew him too well. Carl was the type to ace exams with minimal effort, a natural genius.
After Carl's father, Richard, passed away, Carl had become more laid-back. His newfound enthusiasm for gym matters was surprising.
"You haven't been possessed, right?" Evan half-joked.
Carl's heart skipped a beat. While not possessed, he was indeed a traveler from another world.
"Nonsense," Carl feigned calmness. "I just want to complete ten challenges quickly, so I can rest afterward."
Evan understood. "That sounds like you."
"Enough talk, let's go."
"By the way, where's Serena? What about breakfast?"
Carl knew he referred to Serena. "She didn't sleep well last night, let her rest more. The gym battle will end quickly; I'll warm her breakfast when we return."
"Didn't sleep well?" Evan grinned suggestively. "You're quite the man, Carl."
"You're overthinking it."
"Don't pretend; you let me call her Serena."
Carl had no reply.
"Just don't say anything in front of Serena."
"Understood, just a little fun!" Evan winked.
Carl resisted the urge to punch him.
"Serena."
"Serena."
With a gentle call, Serena slowly opened her eyes to find Carl's face close by.
"Mmm~"
As he drew nearer, she clutched the blanket nervously, "Too fast! We barely know each other!"
Carl was taken aback.
Despite her refusal, why were her eyes closed?
"I'm here for breakfast," he wisely switched the topic.
"Breakfast?"
Serena gradually woke up, recalling her all-night gaming session, and vaguely remembered someone trying to kiss her.
She tried to recall the dream figure's face but was abruptly awakened. Sitting up, she ruffled her hair in frustration, "That dream again!"
Memories flooded back, and she remembered the recent incident. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, wishing she could disappear. In just two days, she'd embarrassed herself repeatedly in front of Carl. Was he her bad luck charm?
She even considered running away, but the signed contract left her no choice. She had to accept her fate.
"Hey, Carl." She managed a smile.
Carl nonchalantly set down the breakfast. "Eat while it's hot. Hope you can prove yourself with your skills." He turned to leave. "You were sleeping soundly, didn't hear the knock, so I came in. If you're still tired, sleep after eating."
Hearing the door close, Serena sighed with relief. She hadn't expected his thoughtful gesture.
Oh, right! The door suddenly opened again, and Carl poked his head in, "Did I appear in your dream?"
"Ah!" Serena shrieked.
Downstairs in the living room, Evan, engrossed in his game, accidentally defeated the Growlithe he was trying to catch.