Shun jotted down the plan for Mankey, then asked about the other two newcomers. "Reiji-nii, what about Staryu and Ditto…?"

"Those two are easy," Reiji waved it off. "Have them train Confusion and Gravity with my team. Ditto's mainly for disguises. Both Dittos copy well—let yours mimic your Pokémon to sharpen Transform."

"I got it, Reiji-nii." Shun reviewed his notes once more and, finding nothing unclear, finally dug into breakfast.

By then, Reiji had finished eating. While Shun cleaned up the dishes, Reiji headed to the living room, took the incubator from his pack, and gently wiped the egg.

Today was day 14 of incubation. Tomorrow, day 15, they'd finally learn whether it was Spearow or Hoothoot—one of those silly birds.

He set the egg back into the incubator to charge and glanced out at the yard.

The Pokémon had already begun morning drills after breakfast—no supervision needed.

The two newcomers, Ditto and Staryu, were splashing in the pool. He'd let them free-range a couple of days; training could wait. He didn't know Ditto had already turned into a Magikarp and was cavorting with the resident "idiot fish," both delighted.

He sat back down, pulled out his little ledger, and started tallying the week's expenses.

Starting from the 13th—

Day 13 — Expenses: two cab rides (2,000); Kingler's lesson fee (200,000); fixed match lost (50,000); Shun's wristguard final payment (8,000). (Kingler's wristguards counted earlier.) Total 260,000.

Day 13 — Income: fixed match payout 1,000,000.

Day 14 — Expenses: Shun covered the cabs; he spent nothing.

Day 14 — Income: fixed match win (50,000) + fee (500,000) = 550,000.

Day 15 — Expenses: none.

Day 15 — Income: fixed match 550,000.

Day 16 — Expenses: Croagunk 4,500,000 + three Weepinbell; Staryu 4,275,000.

Disruptor grenades + Fighting cubes + Normal cubes + a Ditto = 4,800,000.

Day 16 — Income: fixed match 550,000; drunk's 5,000; three Weepinbell; plus 2,600,000 skimmed from the ambushers.

They'd already split the ambushers' pack last night, tossing the junk into the sea via Pelipper.

Valuables: three Pokémon—Primeape, Poliwhirl , Exeggcute.

Cash: 2,600,000. Items: a Miracle Seed, a Leaf Stone (~40% purity), a Grass Gem, an Everstone, Energy Cubes (Fighting/Water/Grass), a pile of meds, Poké Balls, and a backpack…

They split as follows:

Reiji took the 2,600,000 cash, the ~40% Leaf Stone, an Everstone, meds and Antidotes, and 30 boxes of Fighting cubes.

Shun took Exeggcute, the Miracle Seed, the Grass Gem, 58 boxes of Water/Grass cubes, Poké Balls, and the space backpack.

Reiji skipped the pack itself—Shun would pass it to Grandpa to fence.

The cash counted as income; the Leaf Stone and Primeape weren't liquid yet. He figured they'd fetch ≥4,000,000—maybe more. He'd check with Grandpa later.

Four-day total expenses: 13,835,000.

Four-day total income: 5,255,000.

Previous balance: 15,807,000.

Current balance: 7,227,000.

"Whew. Close one. Almost back to broke," Reiji exhaled. He'd thought the spree—three new Pokémon—might force a bank run, but seven million remained.

He really didn't want to touch that 27 million reserve—fees made it pointless unless necessary.

There was still the fixed-match cut to come, plus sales for Primeape and the Leaf Stone—another ten-plus million likely.

"Funny how the money sloshes around and ends up the same. If only a high-grade Water Stone would drop and break me—I want one so badly…"

He sighed, flipped a page, and continued tallying feed.

Fighting cubes: 230 boxes = 2,300 cubes. At three per day, Croagunk could eat for ~766 days (two-plus years). Later, at six a day for heavy training, ~380 days—a full year.

Normal cubes: 290 boxes = 2,900 cubes. At six per day, Ditto and Farfetch'd could eat ~480 days—again, a year covered.

Staryu's Water feed: quality "Aqua-Gloss" cubes for ~833 days; one more Staryu wouldn't hurt the stock.

With Staryu, he now had three Pokémon using Psychic moves—Butterfree, Slowpoke, Staryu—so it was time to buy Psychic-type cubes for them. Pricey—not hype-price, genuinely expensive—but they could be mixed with Water cubes. One Psychic cube each per day would do.

Done with the math, he closed the notebook. The incubator had charged enough; he stowed both.

This unit needed juice every five days. Durable. Batteries worked in a pinch.

Stepping into the yard, he found the team mid-drill—and spotted Bunta chatting with Shun. He hadn't noticed when Bunta arrived.

He was about to start his own drills, but the two headed over.

"Reiji-nii, the Club League's opening ceremony is at nine. I want to go with Bunta to watch," Shun said—mostly to say goodbye.

"Nine, huh?" Reiji rubbed his chin. If they were leaving, he'd skip training—not to watch the ceremony, but to take Croagunk to the Center.

"Wait for me; I'm coming." He packed up, recalled the team, and left with Shun and Bunta.

On the way, Shun filled him in. "Reiji-nii, the Club League assigns venues by your registered typing. We registered Water-types, so we'll compete at the Water Club."

"Water Club, huh." Venue didn't matter. They weren't winning the whole thing anyway.

"What number are you?" Bunta cut in.

"Three-three-three-three. Why?"

"Then you fight tomorrow," Bunta said.

"Tomorrow?"

"Matches run by entry number. Today is up to two thousand. Tomorrow up to four thousand. Third day to six thousand… then they cut to the final 64 for the bracket."

"Heh. How many days is that?" Reiji laughed. With ten to twenty thousand entrants, they'd be at it for weeks. The clubs were dragging it out.

"No idea. I heard someone got over ten thousand. Maybe ten days?" Bunta scratched his head. It sounded exhausting.

"I'm on tomorrow, then." Reiji let the worry go. He had Shun and Bunta grab a cab; he headed for Coconut Palm Beach to drop Kingler for lessons.

Kingler had already learned Amnesia yesterday; only Swords Dance remained.

"Come quick, Reiji-nii! Don't miss our match," Shun said before getting in, eager to show results.

"I won't be late. And stash your stuff at Grandpa's first." Reiji watched them go, then mounted Pelipper for the beach.

He handed Kingler to Muta, then flew to the Pokémon Center to treat Croagunk's poisoning.

By now he trusted the lifeguard—no need to leave Pelipper as a guard.

At the Center, Nurse Joy took Croagunk. Half an hour later she called him to pay 10,000 and pick Croagunk up in the Heal Ball.

Joy had seen Poison-types poison themselves before. She warned him: if this continued, they'd have to remove Croagunk's poison sacs.

That was where the problem lay—the two expandable orange cheek sacs had developed abnormally, making the toxins too strong; Croagunk could even knock itself out.

Reiji thanked her and left. So it was the Poison talent after all. Surgery was off the table; he'd teach Croagunk to control those sacs. Poison was its sharpest blade—he wouldn't dull it.

Just like Rhyhorn's horn, limbs, and fangs were its weapons—Croagunk needed to master its venom.

After detox, he checked the time—past nine. The ceremony would be over. He wasn't going for that anyway.

Outside the Center he released Poliwhirl, slung a pack on its back and one on his own, and skipped the hood—only a face scarf. Hoods at a public event drew eyes.

He headed straight to the department store's third floor for supplies: top-tier Antidotes that could even handle Croagunk-level toxins—2,000 apiece. He bought ten (20,000).

Next door he found a Croagunk beginner-raising guide—1,000. Worth a skim.

Then he walked—no rush—to the Water Club. The seven clubs circled the Center in a convenient ring.

By the time he arrived, the opening had ended and matches were underway.

The doors were open. Entrants got in free; show your entry number and you were in. Spectators could buy day-of tickets—cheap, void on exit.

He flashed 3333 and entered a bright, expansive hall with four mid-size arenas in the center, spectator stands all around.

Four field types: Water, Grass, Ice, Rock.

Entrants queued at random. As soon as a field freed up, within five minutes, a new match began.

The stands were massive—forty to fifty thousand, easy. Finding Shun in that? Impossible.

Contestants wouldn't be in the stands anyway. Reiji flagged a staffer with a blue water-drop logo on his chest. "Where are the contestants staging?"

"Signs are on the wall. Look for yourself…" the man shrugged him off and walked away.

Good enough. Reiji followed the arrows to the staging rooms.

He noted the logos as he walked—Electric Club's golden bolt, Water's blue drop, Fighting's glove, Flying's spread wings…

(End of Chapter)

[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]

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