[Pokémon: Pikachu, Level Lv5 → Lv6]
After the recent battle, Pikachu leveled up again, advancing into the Normal Tier bracket.
The mission to defeat Team Rocket was also successfully completed, and the rewards rolled in:
[Basic Rare Candies ×3 have been placed in the system inventory!]
[One-Star Potential Enhancement Mark has been placed in the system inventory!]
[Justice Reputation +1]
Basic Rare Candies: instantly raise the level of any Pokémon under level 30 by one.
"Hmm, I'll save those until Pikachu's almost level 30—best value that way."
Kazuki, an expert in leveling strategies, made the perfect plan for his loot.
"Wow! Kazuki, y-you were amazing!"
Officer Jenny rushed up to Kazuki, standing before him in a classic manga pose—tiny fists pressed to her chest, eyes filled with admiration that hadn't been there during their first meeting.
Seeing that change in her expression, Kazuki suddenly realized—
Oh? Is this the effect of my increased Justice Reputation?
Jenny was, after all, a justice-aligned profession—and his +1 in Justice Reputation would affect her perfectly.
Wait a second... the entire Jenny clan are police officers!
That means… my Justice Reputation works on all of them?
Which is basically like charming every Officer Jenny across the whole world?!
Damn, I was worried affection would reset in each region. But with this Perfect System? Absolute win.
Hoo boy—definitely gotta use Team Rocket as a regular grind spot for farming Justice Reputation.
Who could resist a whole family of uniformed police beauties?
"You're not hurt, are you?"
Misty hurried up behind him and grabbed his arm to check for injuries.
Maybe it was all the help Kazuki had given her, but she wasn't acting nearly as fiery as she had in the anime. Her flustered concern gave her a much more endearing side.
"Kazuki… your Pikachu…"
Nurse Joy also approached, her eyes wide with surprise.
"Your Pikachu's electric attack was way too powerful. No way it should have that kind of strength at this level!"
"You must've trained it very well."
Looks like Kazuki's favorability had just gone up with Joy, too.
This encounter had been a win on all fronts—defeating Team Rocket, earning Jenny's admiration, and strengthening his bond with both Misty and Joy.
Come to think of it… Team Rocket helped a lot.
Kazuki was currently surrounded by three stunning beauties, each one smiling at him.
----
Meanwhile, the infamous trio was drifting aimlessly through the sky, suspended under their half-deflated balloon.
"How did this happen?! We got beat by a little brat and an electric rat!"
"Meowth says, that Pikachu's no ordinary rodent. Its electricity was off the charts—meow!"
"Huh? You're saying that Pikachu?"
"Exactly—meow! That might be the rare Pokémon we've been searching for this whole time!"
"Ooh! Then it's settled—we're stealing that Pikachu!"
"Perfect! If we pull this off, the Boss will finally give us a promotion and a raise!"
"Meow! I want golden coins! Shiny coins for Meowth!"
"Hey, hey—quit squirming! You're gonna make us fall!"
----
Back on the ground, Kazuki's efforts had not only won him Jenny's favor but also earned him a generous reward payout.
Sure, Trainers could eat and stay free at Pokémon Centers using their Pokédex,
but still—having money on hand was always a good thing for a man.
After spending one night resting in Viridian City, Kazuki and Misty continued their journey toward their next destination: Pewter City.
To get there, they needed to pass through the vast Viridian Forest,
which was home to a variety of beginner-tier Pokémon—perfect for grinding levels for Pikachu.
In the original story, Ash had caught both Butterfree and Pidgeot here.
Though releasing Butterfree and leaving Pidgeot to wait for over a decade were heartbreaking storylines, you had to admit—the script handed out some great Pokémon.
Even when it was just a Caterpie, Butterfree had once taken down three of Team Rocket's Pokémon all by itself. That kind of potential was rare.
Sure, Bug-types had short lifespans and low overall ceiling,
but they were excellent transitional picks for early-game Trainers.
So, Kazuki fully planned to capture them—and perfect the script in the process.
Just as he was thinking this, the bushes beside him rustled.
Kazuki tilted his head and chuckled. "Oh? You're here already, 'Rayquaza'?"
"Rayquaza?!"
Misty followed his gaze—
"AAAAAAAH! BUG! IT'S A BUG!!!"
Though Misty often had a bit of a tomboyish attitude, the sight of a bug-type Pokémon instantly turned her into a full-on soft girl.
She squealed and bolted behind Kazuki, pressing tightly against his back.
It was summer, and the light clothes she wore allowed Kazuki to feel her soft chest clearly against him.
A man and a woman, alone together, traveling through the forest…
Opportunities like this came by the dozen. The Romance Side Mission would probably complete itself soon.
"Misty, relax! It's just a Bug-type Pokémon."
"Bug-type still means bug!"
Misty was practically curled up in a ball behind him. If their bond had been a little higher, she probably would've leapt onto his back.
"Kazuki, if you're not catching it, can we just go?!"
"Of course I'm catching it…"
Just as he said that, a mission triggered.
[Perfect Main Mission: Trainer's First Capture!]
[Mission Reward: Basic Rare Candies ×3]