Thinking back to the past, you were a bald middle-aged man. What more could you say?
"Besides, it's not like we just met yesterday. We all know what you were like before," Asakawa Chinatsu said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
"That's right! You ugly old man, reminiscing about the past like it's something to be proud of!" another man added, laughing wildly from a distance.
The older man, who had been interrupted before he could finish speaking, didn't seem the least bit annoyed. Instead, he chuckled disdainfully. "A bunch of sore losers. Nothing but the barking of defeated dogs."
Tetsuya found their bickering quite entertaining.
In the distance, lively girls played in the swimming pool and water park, occasionally casting curious glances toward the handsome young man sitting in the fishing area. Sometimes, they'd giggle amongst themselves before returning to their games.
"Swish—" Tetsuya pulled up his fishing rod. A Qwilfish dangled from the hook, its spines puffed out aggressively. Not bad. At least it wasn't a Magikarp.
He gave a quick signal to his Pidgeot, and with a powerful flap of its wings, the Qwilfish was sent flying back into the ocean.
Tetsuya raised an eyebrow at the old man next to him and smirked. "Old man, I've already caught my first one today. You haven't caught a single thing since I got here."
"Heh, you little brat, I caught plenty before you showed up," the old man replied, still dressed like someone decades younger than he was.
Tetsuya chuckled. "By the way, old man, what's your name? I never even asked yesterday."
"Yamanashi," the man answered casually.
Silence fell between them as Dr. Yamanashi focused on his fishing. He wasn't about to let a kid outdo him.
Tetsuya, on the other hand, suddenly found himself deep in thought. The name. The appearance. It all clicked.
Wasn't this Dr. Rowan? The esteemed Pokémon Professor from the Sinnoh region? Just a little younger than he remembered?
A small smile tugged at the corners of Tetsuya's lips. What did it matter? They had been chatting just fine before he realized it.
Casting his line back into the water, he asked nonchalantly, "Yamanashi... as in Dr. Rowan, the expert on Pokémon evolution?"
Dr. Rowan turned to him with a surprised expression. "Yes. You know of me?"
It wasn't surprising that he was caught off guard. At this point in time, he wasn't as famous as he would later become. While he had published several papers on Pokémon evolution and was well-respected in academic circles, most trainers barely knew the names behind research articles. They only cared about the discoveries themselves. Besides, Rowan had been working under Professor Oak's lab, meaning most of his research was credited to the Oak Laboratory rather than his own name.
Trainers—especially younger ones like Tetsuya—tended to focus on battles and strength, not scientific theories. That made Tetsuya's recognition of him even more unexpected.
"Yeah, I've read your papers: 'On the Possibility of Eevee's Evolution—Based on Genetic Instability,' 'The Connection Between a Pokémon's Evolutionary Forms,' and 'The Complete State Hypothesis of Pokémon Evolution,'" Tetsuya recited smoothly.
Dr. Rowan's eyes narrowed with interest. The first paper had gained some attention, but the latter two were much more niche, primarily read by dedicated researchers. The fact that Tetsuya was familiar with them meant he wasn't just name-dropping—he had actually studied them.
"Oh? And what did you think after reading them?" Rowan asked, a note of challenge in his voice. He wasn't about to let the boy off so easily.
Tetsuya leaned back slightly, considering his words. "I don't have any concrete theories of my own, but I do have a few doubts. In your Complete State Hypothesis, you propose that Pokémon, if they continue evolving indefinitely, could eventually reach a conceptual 'perfect state'—similar to legendary Pokémon like Ho-Oh and Lugia. You also suggest that these legendary Pokémon might not have pre-evolutionary forms. But if that's the case, then…"
For the moment, Tetsuya set his fishing aside. There weren't many chances to pick the brain of an expert like this, so he intended to make the most of it.
Dr. Rowan listened carefully, nodding in approval as Tetsuya laid out his questions.
The boy's thoughts weren't just surface-level observations. He had put in the effort to analyze the research thoroughly. It was rare to see someone his age take such an interest in academia, especially when it didn't directly benefit his battles.
In the Pokémon world, most doctors recognized by the Pokémon League weren't just great scientists; they were also people of integrity. The League entrusted them with the distribution of starter Pokémon, after all. And most of them were more than happy to pass on their knowledge to the next generation.
The old professor and the young trainer delved into their discussion, exchanging theories and ideas. Meanwhile, the other elders fishing nearby continued their casual chatter, occasionally glancing at Tetsuya with approving smiles. It was hard not to like a bright, eager young man who was genuinely passionate about learning.
The conversation went on for two or three hours. At some point, their fishing rods had twitched, signaling bites, but neither of them had noticed. They were too absorbed in their debate.
Eventually, Tetsuya pulled back, satisfied. He had gotten more than he'd expected from the discussion.
"That's enough for now. I need time to digest all of this," he admitted honestly.
Dr. Rowan nodded, pleased with the response. He had no problem answering more questions, but he respected Tetsuya's ability to recognize when he'd reached his limit. Knowing when to stop was a rare quality.
"Then I'll be heading out for today. Thanks for the conversation, Dr. Rowan. And to you too, gentlemen," Tetsuya said, standing up.
As he prepared to leave, he exchanged contact information with the others. They all agreed readily, happy to stay in touch.
Watching his retreating figure, one of the older men sighed. "You don't see young people like him much anymore. Looks like another rising star is about to emerge in Kanto."
No one voiced any objections. But as they watched Tetsuya disappear into the distance, they all silently agreed.
After all, those present here were either wealthy or noble, and all were top-tier trainers. While they might not be at the level of true elite trainers, their years of experience gave them a deep understanding of people.
It was remarkable that Tetsuya had such knowledge at his age, and it was clear that his Pokémon had been well-trained. He was not just talented—he was a genuinely good person.
In this case, his civilian status became a bonus.
Tetsuya hurriedly called over his Combusken and Rockruff, who had been playing nearby, instructing them to return to the room on their own. As for Pidgeot, he left it to make its own arrangements. Once back in his room, he began organizing his notes.
For the next two days, Tetsuya spent his mornings at the battlefield, observing his opponents and watching past battle videos. In the afternoons, he would go fishing to relax, build patience, and take the opportunity to continue picking Dr. Rowan's brain.
Over those two days, he learned a lot and grew even closer to his "fishing friends."
The fourth day of the S.S. Anne's voyage.
Morning.
Tetsuya opened his eyes and slipped into a black sleeveless top and sports shorts before brushing his teeth and washing his face. After giving his three Pokémon a simple meal and confirming everything was in order, he set off for the third deck.
Today's match would take place at one of the arenas there.
By the time he arrived, some people were already waiting. When they saw him, they greeted him with friendly smiles.
Tetsuya returned the gesture.
Over the past two days, he had gotten to know several people and had grown familiar with them. Most of them were quite friendly.
From their conversations, he learned that Raiji had been reprimanded by several elite trainers that night for his remarks about treating Pokémon as mere tools.
That was expected. Most trainers saw Pokémon as partners, not objects. While Raiji could think whatever he wanted, saying it out loud was bound to earn him a lesson.
Tetsuya figured he must have been properly put in his place afterward.
Soon, as the competitors arrived and the audience filled the seats, the atmosphere in the arena grew electric.
The people of this world had an almost fanatical love for Pokémon battles.
A man dressed as an announcer stepped into the center of the arena, holding a megaphone.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the annual S.S. Anne's official Kanto Gym Exchange Tournament!
As always, we will witness battles between the promising young successors of various gyms and their outstanding performances over the next two days!
The rules are simple: a single-elimination tournament, standard battle format, with each trainer allowed to switch Pokémon once. Without further ado, let's begin!
Our first match features Hai Shinsei from the Hailynn City Gym and Jinsei from PJ City Gym! Let's give them a warm welcome!"
The tournament brackets had been determined the night before. Competitors were assigned numbers 1 through 32, with the matchups set as 1 vs. 2, 3 vs. 4, and so on, dividing the field into 16 groups.
The winners of Groups 1 and 2 would face each other, determining today's top 8.
The draw for tomorrow's matches would take place later that evening.
There were 24 matches scheduled for today, and only one battlefield. Thankfully, each match was a 2v2 battle, with most finishing within ten minutes.
With breaks included, the tournament was expected to wrap up before dinner.
Tetsuya watched the first match while considering various things. His number was 21, meaning his battle would be relatively late in the day.
He estimated he'd be battling around noon—just in time for a meal afterward.
While he was lost in thought, the first round concluded, and the next matches followed one after another. Tetsuya absentmindedly stretched his arms.
It wasn't that he didn't care—he did—but with two elite-level Pokémon, he didn't need to overthink his tactics. He just needed to go all out. After all, he had spent too much money raising his Pokémon to fight conservatively.
Of course, other trainers had also invested in their Pokémon, but they couldn't match his efficiency.
With his unique advantage—his connection to Zero—his investment yielded results two or even three times as effective as others'. Most trainers had to painstakingly train their Pokémon to maximize their materials' value, but even then, they often fell short.
For now, he could dominate the competition with sheer strength.
However, he was well aware that, in the future, other trainers' investments and training efficiency would catch up. When that time came, battles would be decided by a trainer's command ability.
And that was exactly what he was working toward.
Two hours passed in boredom as he watched match after match, paying special attention to a few key opponents. Finally, it was his turn.
"Next up, we have Tetsuya from the Pewter Gym against Tienan from WW City Gym!" the announcer called.
As soon as he heard his name, Tetsuya's mind instantly recalled his opponent's information.
He stepped up onto the trainer's platform on one side of the battlefield, while his opponent took his position on the opposite end.
The crowd's murmurs grew louder as Tetsuya entered the arena.
He could hear faint whispers—
"What a handsome guy."
"So cool."
"Look at those muscles."
Although good looks were common in this world, Tetsuya's level of attractiveness—something that could rival even the best-looking people among you readers—was still rare.
Blocking out the noise, he focused as the referee signaled the start of the match. Both he and Tienan released their Pokémon simultaneously.
"Go, Rockruff!"
"Go, Hariyama!"
The WW City Gym specialized in Normal and Fighting-type Pokémon. Tienan's team consisted of a standard-tier Hariyama and an almost-elite Hitmonchan.
Of course, Tienan was also well aware of Tetsuya's strength and reputation. He knew Tetsuya was one of the four strongest competitors here, if not the strongest outright. But that didn't mean he was going to surrender without a fight.
Both trainers called out their commands at the same time.
"Stealth Rock! Then use Mud-Slap to obscure its vision!"
"Defense Curl! Roll up and guard your eyes!"
Rockruff howled as invisible rocks floated into place around the battlefield, their locations known only to itself. Any Pokémon switching in or moving carelessly would take damage from them.
Then, it scraped up dirt, infused it with energy, and flung a spray of mud at Hariyama.
Hariyama curled itself up tightly, increasing its defense and focus while shielding its eyes from the mud.
"Lower the gravity field and launch Rock Slide!" Tetsuya commanded calmly.
Hariyama lacked long-range attacks, and curling up wouldn't help much against a barrage of rock projectiles.
Tienan realized his Pokémon wouldn't be able to close the distance easily in a standard battlefield.
"High-speed movement! Circle around him! Watch out for Rock Slide!"
Hariyama lightened its body and swiftly maneuvered around Rockruff. However, suddenly, it seemed to stumble—it had triggered Stealth Rock.
That brief hesitation was all it took.
A volley of boulders rained down, slamming into Hariyama, sending it staggering.