In the forest east of New Bark Town, Sato sat cross-legged beh a rge, lush tree, using Dark Energy to silently elimihe lingering injuries from his st battle.

  At the same time, he was also training his Dark Energy.

  Nighttime meditation could enhas power, but it was only effective in the early stages. Later on, the improvements would bee nearly negligible.

  If a Psychic user depleted their energy entirely, their mental strength would also be exhausted, leaving them in a state of severe mental fatigue, making it nearly impossible to fight further.

  Dark Energy, however, was different.

  It could be used to refihe body, embedding itself deep within cells, bone, and even blood. Even if it were pletely exhausted, it could be quickly replenished by drawing from fat reserves, food, and overall body nutrients.

  Every extension of Dark Energy's abilities had been something Sato developed in his past life through exterial and error. Their practicality was beyond question.

  Sato opened his eyes and saw his Pokémon—Zorua, Haunter, and Larvitar.

  He pulled out a high-end Pokémon data ser from his backpack, something he had spent a signifit amount of money on, and carefully sed all three Pokémon.

  Zorua

  Gender: Male

  Level: 28 (High Ordinary)

  Potential: Elite Four

  Ability: Illusion

  Moves: Scratch, Leer, Pursuit, Fake Tears, Dark Pulse, Fury Swipes, Sucker Punch, Scary Face, Taunt.

  Haunter

  Gender: Male

  Level: 29 (High Ordinary)

  Potential: Pseudo-Elite Four

  Ability: Levitate

  Moves: Hypnosis, Lick, Spite, Mean Look, Shadow Ball, Toxic, Curse, Night Shade, fuse Ray, Sucker Punch, Shadow Punch, Payback.

  Larvitar

  Gender: Male

  Level: 19 (Mid Ordinary)

  Potential: Elite Four her

  Ability: Guts (Increases Attack when inflicted with a status dition.)

  Moves: Leer, Bite, Sandstorm, Screech, Stomping Tantrum, Rock Slide, Dragon Dance (Egg Move).

  The fact that Larvitar had ied Dragon Dance roof of an exceptionally strong bloodline.

  In his previous life, Larvitar had naturally progressed to Pseudo-Elite Four upon fully evolving, and with more battles, reag Elite Four wasn't supposed to be difficult.

  However, before that could happen, his life had reset, f him to start over.

  Still, there was an advao raising Larvitar from scratch again—he could eliminate unnecessary training and focus purely on efficy, allowing it to grow stronger, faster.

  "Larvitar, Rock Slide is already powerful, but redug the size of the rocks slightly actually increase their impact ford improve accuracy."

  "Lar?"

  Larvitar stopped mid-sparring session with Haunter, seriously sidering Sato's advice before trying it out for itself.

  Sure enough, it worked.

  After firming the difference, Larvitar nodded in approval.

  "Now try something else—trol eadividual rock separately, making their attack paths pletely uable."

  "Lar..."

  This time, Larvitar failed, with many of the rocks colliding mid-air, disrupting their flight paths.

  "Don't rush. Start with just a few rocks and increase them o a time."

  Sato walked forward, waving Haunter off to do its own training while turning back to focus entirely on Larvitar.

  "Lar!"

  Two floating boulders crossed from opposite dires, nding perfectly at the same target without colliding mid-air.

  "As expected... its talent for Rock-type moves is terrifyingly high."

  Sato silently nodded, allowing Larvitar to gradually increase the number of floating rocks.

  When it reached nine rocks at ohe first major collision occurred.

  "Take your time. Varying the speed of each rock will naturally create uable trajectories. You don't o hit with all of them—just make sure the most painful one nds."

  "Lar! Lar!"

  As Larvitar tiraining, its excitement greould have thought Rock Slide could be used in so many ways?

  For the first time, it began to aowledge Sato's guidance.

  For Larvitar, Sato had already developed a full training pn—from now until its evolution into Tyranitar, every skill progression, nutritional intake, and eveimal evolution timing had all beeiculously prepared.

  The same was true for Zorua. Sato had already mapped out an optimized path for its training.

  Oddly enough, the one giving him trouble was Haunter.

  In his previous life, none of his Pokémon were of this particur battle type.

  Stealth, ambush tactics, and status infli—these were what Ghost-type Pokémon excelled at.

  Though Gengar could learn a wide range of elemental moves—such as Thunderbolt, Dark Pulse, Dazzling Gleam, Energy Ball, and Psychic—as well as chost-type moves like Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb.

  The truth was being a jack-of-all-trades meant being a master of none.

  Evee Four-level traiypically specialized in one area.

  For a single Pokémon to learn and master so many different attack types ractically impossible. That's why a different training pn was f in Sato's mind.

  Ohat became increasingly pelling—so much so that he couldn't shake the idea.

  Instead of training Haunter as a ventional fighter... What if he trai as an assassin?

  Of course, this didn't mean turning it into a Pokémon that killed people.

  Rather, it would lear of assassinatioh, reaissance, and the ability to deliver a decisive, lethal strike in battle.

  A Ghost-type assassin—not a bad bination.

  Transferring all the assassination teiques he had learned in his past life to a Pokémon… though Sato didn't know if it would succeed, it at least allowed him to el his past life's relentless pursuit into Haunter.

  He might not be able to walk in the light forever, but at least he wouldn't have to hide in the shadows forever either, watg as so-called dreams withered away.

  "Beep, beep, beep…"

  The ringing of a phone broke the silence.

  Answering the call and hearing the response oher end, Sato aowledged it with a single word.

  He therieved his three training Pokémourning them to their Poké Balls before turning to leave.

  -----

  "gratutions! You are now an officially registered Junior Pokémon Trainer."

  Nurse Joy smiled as she handed Sato a somein-looking trainer ID card with both hands.

  "Thank you."

  After taking another look at it, Sato still found the card's design a bit dull, so he put it away.

  Along with it, he received a Trainer's Beginner Guide, marking the end of the process.

  "Everything you o know about taking your first steps as a Junior Trainer is in the guide," Nurse Joy said cheerfully. "If you have any questions, feel free to ask me!"

  "Uood, Nurse Joy."

  Flipping through the Beginner Guide, Sato's expression remained calm, but deep inside, he felt a small surge of joy.

  Obtaining a Pokémon League Junior Trainer Card wasn't difficult.

  The problem was that Sato was still teically undoted—so he had to spend a little money and pull some strings to get it.

  For most ordinary people, registering as a trainer was much simpler.

  As long as they had at least one Pokémon that had reached Ordinary-css, they could apply at any nearby Pokémoer.

  No starter Pokémon from a professor.No Pokédex.No free Pokémoer treatments or aodations.

  This was the reality for most trainers.

  To make money during their travels, most traiook on missions, searched for rare items, or participated in performatles.

  Meanwhile, Pokémon tradied in a gray area.

  As long as a trainer didn't use illegal poag tools and caught Pokémon with standard Poké Balls, they could sell them freely. Even if someoed them, unless caught i, there was no legal sequence.

  Giving Pokémon away, entrusting them to others, or depositing them for safekeeping were all widely accepted excuses.

  The key point? It was extremely profitable.

  Haunter and Zorua weren't an issue—their food ption was normal.

  But Larvitar? A Pokémon that o e mountains of food just to accumute enough energy to evolve?

  No doubt—it was a walking food crisis.

  That left only oion for making money.