"Thank you for your help, Mr. Hayashi," Officer Jenny said, looking as sharp and commanding as ever.
She saluted Akira along with a line of her officers.
The parents of the three rescued children were still crying, clutching their kids like they'd just been pulled from a burning building.
Their words of gratitude came between sobs, heartfelt and shaky.
Akira Hayashi, who could solo a League and still break out in hives from too much attention, awkwardly laughed his way through the praise, waving it off until Jenny finally hauled the kidnappers away.
With that taken care of, he turned toward the luxury vehicle parked nearby, where Nemona stood waiting with her middle-aged butler—Sebastian, was it?—and a jet-black car so sleek it practically whispered "rich people problems."
"That car's gotta be worth, what, a million Pokédollars easy?" Akira muttered, eyes wide as Poké Balls.
He was practically drooling. Not because he wanted it—okay, maybe a little—but because he'd just seen a video about this exact model online.
You didn't forget a car like that once you saw it.
Rich girls, man. Even their daily rides looked like they belonged in a Champion's motorcade.
Nemona noticed Akira staring and paused. She remembered his place looked kind of... vintage.
This sort of car? Her family had plenty just lying around.
She briefly considered offering it to him, but before she could say anything, Sebastian stepped forward, beating her to the punch.
The butler bowed slightly, one hand over his chest. "Mr. Hayashi, please allow me to express our family's deepest gratitude for saving the young miss."
Akira gave a sheepish smile. "It was nothing. Just happened to be there, that's all."
Sebastian's face tightened like he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I must respectfully disagree. During Miss Nemona's disappearance, her parents and her older sister were beside themselves with worry. Thanks to your intervention, a terrible tragedy was avoided."
He straightened. "Might we trouble you to visit the estate? The family has prepared a small token of appreciation and would very much like to thank you in person."
Nemona's eyes sparkled. Was Big Brother Akira going to visit her home?
Yes! Amazing!
Unfortunately for her, Akira's answer was immediate and firm.
"I appreciate the offer, but I wasn't looking for a reward. Please extend my thanks to your family, but I'll have to politely decline."
Yes, he was broke, but he still had some pride left.
Taking gifts for something he would've done anyway just didn't sit right.
Besides, there were plenty of ways he could make money with his skills—he just didn't want to take that route unless necessary.
Nemona visibly deflated. "Aww…"
She really wanted to spend more time with him.
Sebastian, ever the professional, picked up on Akira's tone. Without missing a beat, he reached into his coat pocket and handed over a gold-embossed business card.
"Then please accept this instead. My contact details are on here. Should you ever need anything, don't hesitate to reach out."
Smart guy. If Akira didn't want money, then a favor was the next best thing.
And Sebastian wasn't just any servant—he handled most of the family's private affairs. Calling him was practically the same as calling the head of the household.
This favor wouldn't disappear. It was simply deferred.
Plus, having a connection to a retired Champion-tier Trainer was the kind of investment rich families dreamed about.
Who knew? Maybe next time they had to visit a sketchy region crawling with criminal syndicates, they'd want Akira as security.
In this world, power was always in high demand.
Akira pocketed the card, waved Nemona off, and told her she was welcome to visit the farm anytime. Then he finally headed back.
Just outside his little farmhouse, about ten people were bustling around, helped by several Machoke hauling planks like it was a Pokémon gym workout.
From across the field came a booming voice Akira recognized. "Mr. Hayashi! You're back!
Akira turned to see a man in a safety helmet with a thick mustache—the kind of face that screamed "don't mess with me."
But what really earned Akira's respect?
The guy had two half-grown kids dangling from each arm and another riding on his head. A few more darted around nearby like hyperactive Joltik.
Akira stared. "No way… you're actually helping raise these kids?"
A hellish daycare scene like this would have broken Akira in ten minutes flat. But this guy? Still standing.
Respect.
The foreman approached, waving.
"Got everything sorted, so I came back," Akira said.
Then, eyeing the workers and Machoke, he asked, "So... are we starting construction already?"
The foreman grinned. "Of course! You agreed to our terms—though they were a bit rude—so we got moving right away."
Akira smiled. "In that case, I'll be counting on you for the base layout."
"You can count on the Machoke Construction Crew! Our builds are rock solid!"
The guy struck a double-bicep pose that made the Machoke puff up with pride. The kids burst out laughing.
What followed was a long but productive discussion.
With curious children watching, Akira and the foreman hashed out the initial farm plans. In the end, the Machoke Construction Crew took the job for 100,000 Pokédollars, paid upfront.
The job: divide the property into three zones—a crop field, a livestock pen, and a pond area.
Of course, that price only covered basic zoning and wooden structures. Upgrades? Those would cost extra, and Akira's account wasn't looking great.
He had maybe 300,000 Pokédollars left—just enough to scrape by. His Luxray and others would sometimes hunt to help with food, but he'd need a real income plan soon.
He sighed.
From one job trap to another. From Paldea's Academy to a startup lifestyle that felt like 007 hours—zero sleep, zero breaks, seven days a week.
Still… compared to most people building a life from scratch, he had a head start.
Elsewhere – Cabo Poco
In a beachfront villa with a garden and private sandbar, Nemona had just returned home. She found her father, Allen, and tugged on his sleeve. Her face was red as she glanced toward her older sister, Karen, who gave an encouraging nod.
"Dad… I want to become a Trainer."
Allen paused, surprised. His eyes—so similar to hers—blinked in amusement.
He crouched and smiled. "And what made our little princess change her mind? Let me guess—it's that retired Champion, isn't it?"
Nemona nodded, cheeks flushing even deeper.
"I want to be strong too. Strong like him! I'm going to aim for Champion rank!"
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Author's Note:
Hope you all enjoyed the chapter!
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