Calling it "going to school" was a bit of an exaggeration; it was really just a literacy class designed to help him recognize more words.
Despite the Orre region's advanced technology, the literacy rate in Pyrite Town was abysmally low. For an ordinary person here, having the equivalent of a primary school education from his previous life was considered impressive.
Ultimately, it was because no power strong or enlightened enough had stepped up to integrate Pyrite Town. People were left to form their own gangs and cliques, leaving the town a disorganized mess. The social environment in nearby Gateon Port was worlds apart from this place.
"A literacy class... I just hope it's not too expensive. My assets aren't exactly vast," Kashiwagi worried, patting his thin wallet. Judging by the high price of books in the shops, knowledge carried a heavy price tag.
To his surprise, the only literacy class within Team Snagem was free for official members and their children. One only had to pay for the necessary textbooks, and even those were reasonably priced.
Knowledge was actually this "cheap"!
Kashiwagi almost thought he was back in his previous life, but upon further inquiry, he realized this was a benefit provided to official members by the High Executives. Caught up in the excitement, he signed up on the spot.
However, once he stepped inside, his enthusiasm cooled considerably. A quick scan of the classroom revealed that most of the students were girls. The remaining few were boys who looked barely ten years old, clearly masters of mischief and chaos.
Team Snagem's combat divisions—the Crystal, Sand, and Rock units—did have women, such as the powerful Executive Ayana, but most girls in the controlled sectors were taught to read and write so they could become clerks or administrative support.
"Go learn your letters so you can be a clerk and help the family."
Such sentiments were common. Not that it was a bad path—support staff enjoyed higher safety and decent pay. Just look at Matori, Giovanni's secretary in Team Rocket; her status was so high that Giovanni even let her lead a special task force.
But Team Snagem wasn't Team Rocket. In this culture that worshipped violence, status was calculated entirely by raw strength.
In short, this literacy class exposed many deep-seated issues: the disdain for knowledge, the prejudice against the weak, and everything in between...
Kashiwagi suddenly felt a flicker of desire to change things—to change Team Snagem, to change all of Pyrite Town. But did he have that kind of power? And what was it that he truly wanted to do?
"Ku?"
"It's nothing."
Kashiwagi gave Aron a small smile, deciding to set those thoughts aside for now. He didn't even have guaranteed security for himself yet; thinking about such grand designs was premature.
The students and the teacher were equally shocked by his arrival. It was rare—almost unheard of—for a Snagem member to attend a literacy class. Most assumed he was just looking for a novelty and would quit by the next day.
The lone teacher knew the pattern well: once Kashiwagi's colleagues mocked him, he would likely feel embarrassed and drop out. Most did.
Read? Why bother? A strong person didn't need to read; once your status was high enough, someone else would handle the paperwork for you. This mindset was pervasive among the lower and middle tiers of Team Snagem. Little did they know that the elites were quietly hiring private tutors, planting the seeds of wisdom in their children from a very young age. The divide between the upper and lower classes was a chasm.
However.
Kashiwagi returned the following afternoon. And the afternoon after that. He brought his books and a well-behaved Aron, showing no fear of being shamed.
To have such resolve...
The teacher was stunned and decided to keep a close eye on him. If possible, he didn't want Team Snagem to waste such a promising young talent. It wasn't just about learning to read; breaking through the prejudice and ridicule of one's peers was a far more difficult feat.
What the teacher didn't know was that on Kashiwagi's first day of class, word had already reached the ears of the "Big Shots" in the Sand Unit.
"A smart man, indeed," Ryuka remarked, clearly satisfied with Kashiwagi's performance. Finding like-minded comrades in Team Snagem was a grueling task, so even a small gesture like this resonated with him.
After School.
Kashiwagi hurried home, his heart racing. Thanks to Aron's diligent battling over the past few days, the simulation countdown had shortened significantly, shifting from midnight to just after dusk.
He could simulate again soon! Maybe he'd pull a great move this time. Or maybe a sudden five-level boost for Aron? Either would be fantastic!
"I'm the Gacha God, I'm the Gacha God~"
He carefully washed his face and hands, sat on the bed, and hugged the Aron resting beside him. He waited, passing the time by reading his new textbook. Over the last few days, he had tried to gather intel on Ishigaki, but his social circle was too small and his findings were meager. He couldn't even find a place that specialized in selling information.
At the very least, he knew that guy couldn't touch him for the time being. That was enough. As long as he had time to grow, he could handle whatever came his way.
Soon, the countdown ended.
[Select your Birth Region ▽]
Kashiwagi thought for a moment and decided to change things up. He chose Johto. Gender remained Male, and Pokémon was still restricted to Random. He wondered what he had to do to unlock manual selection.
[Please draw your Talents]
He pressed the button.
Fixed Talent:
[Strong Physique] (Very healthy)
Selectable Talents:
[Clumsy] (Rough Pokémon health management)
[Impoverished] (Financial burden when raising Pokémon)
[Ruthless] (Single-mindedly focused on goals)
[Elite System] (Will not catch too many Pokémon)
Wait... is my luck finally turning? These felt... lucky! The fixed talent and the bottom two selectable ones seemed so normal! Then again, "normal" could be its own kind of trap.
Kashiwagi hesitated for a moment, then gave Aron's head a vigorous rub, trying to siphon some "good vibes" from it. He then decisively chose the last two talents.
Simulation start!
The pixel animation flickered to life. This time, the protagonist was... wait, a Camper? He blinked. The tiny figure in the green hat was the classic NPC scout.
[You were born in Cherrygrove City to a family of average means.]
On screen, the boy received his first Pokémon from his parents.
[At age ten, you received your first partner from your parents: Geodude. You believe you will go far together.]
The Camper set out from Cherrygrove. On the road, he was attacked by a bird Pokémon, but thanks to Geodude's strength, he successfully captured it.
[You caught your second Pokémon on Route 30: Spearow. Your traveling party has grown.]
After advancing a bit further, the Camper encountered a wild NPC and won the battle. Kashiwagi's eyes widened. It was going so smoothly—much better than the first two runs. Was his luck really improving?
The Camper encountered many opponents on Routes 30 and 31. Though he had his share of wins and losses, it was generally smooth sailing.
Then, the Camper reached Violet City. His first Gym challenge began.
The opponent was a boy in a kimono who used three Flying-type Pokémon: Hoothoot, Doduo, and Pidgeotto. They were perfectly countered by the Camper's Geodude.
The Camper won handily, and Geodude evolved into Graveler during the battle.
[You defeated the Violet Gym Leader, Falkner. You obtained the Zephyr Badge.]
[Your Geodude evolved into Graveler.]
Holy crap, that was perfect!
"Never has a start been so beautiful! Someone cheer for me!" Kashiwagi, though just an observer, felt so relieved he wanted to cry. The first two runs had been so abnormal they'd given him a phantom stomachache.
This is what a Pokémon Trainer looks like! You! Camper! You're the real deal!