Chapter Six: The Country Bumpkin Goes to the City

Although nothing was said outright, Zhu Suihan could more or less guess what was weighing on their minds.

So the family would soon be divided—well, the timing seemed about right.

“In that case, this is a rare opportunity,” Professor Oak suddenly clapped his hands together. “Let’s gather everyone for a get-together, and take this chance to visit Manjin City.”

Zhu Suihan was momentarily taken aback. “If we’re having a gathering, wouldn’t it be easier to just do it in Kaji Town?”

The Professor fell silent for a while before saying, “Suihan, have you forgotten something important? We still need to go to Manjin City to get your identity documents reissued—if we’re already in Manjin, both Old Liu and I can reach out to some friends to help.”

Ah, right—he remembered now. He was still technically off the books.

Never mind that the Pokémon Center was as open and accommodating as a Buddhist monastery; people without proper identification weren’t within their scope of hospitality.

“Excellent! It’s settled then!” Professor Oak’s eyes sparkled with energy. “I’ll contact everyone right away, and let Old Liu know. We’ll all go to Manjin City together!”

Zhu Suihan smiled. In truth, he was quite looking forward to visiting Manjin City.

For the Johto region, Manjin City was the epitome of a top-tier metropolis—every industry was thriving.

And then there was the Manjin City Gym Leader, the proud bearer of the “Standard Badge.”

Come back, Whitney of Manjin! My greatest nightmare—those vivid memories of Rollout, tears inexplicably streaming down my face, the vague recollection of Miltank, and that formidable Clefairy. The Gym Leader battles were always her forte.

Rather than challenging the Gym, perhaps it would be better to consult Whitney on Miltank training. After all, depending on the quality of training, Moomoo Milk’s nutritional value could vary greatly.

“I’d better get ready too.” Zhu Suihan stroked Lapras, who was still eating enthusiastically, and stepped back into the machine room.

He had no use for the design blueprints of that “All-Ecosystem Large-Capacity Power Storage Device,” but that didn’t mean Manjin City wouldn’t have a generous buyer.

If he sold it off, it would be enough to cover travel expenses and some breeding costs.

And if all else failed, he could always find an arcade with a special emblem, and sell it to Team Rocket.

With Professor Oak’s “by the way” invitation, Old Liu took leave without hesitation. Since he had no battle appointments scheduled for the week, he simply reported his leave to the League, who would issue the necessary notifications.

Thus, Zhu Suihan found himself bewildered, seated atop a Skarmory, embarking on his first—and rather rushed—flying journey with Old Liu and the others.

He had wondered why they didn’t just pick a closer city for the reunion, only to discover that they had access to such a high-speed mode of travel!

Thankfully, he wasn’t afraid of heights.

Once the initial nervousness faded, Zhu Suihan stood up on Skarmory’s back, thrilled as he gazed at the sea of clouds and the landscape below.

The world was right beneath his feet.

Zhu Suihan spread his arms wide, embracing the sky of Pokémon.

On a side note, Zhu Suihan discovered that when riding a flying Pokémon, as long as one didn’t do anything foolish, there was no risk of being blown off by the wind.

During flight, the Pokémon naturally created a slipstream effect, like the windbreaking shield a cyclist experiences—a sort of subtle, flowing barrier.

Of course, if you tried pulling off acrobatics at high speed, you’d better have good insurance and, perhaps, a sponsorship deal with one of the world’s energy drink companies.

The kind where you provide the daredevil, and they provide the cash—enough to make your demise truly spectacular.

Zhu Suihan patted Skarmory’s hard back. “Thank you for your hard work, Skarmory.”

“Skreeee!”

With a powerful cry, Skarmory beat its wings, accelerating even more.

Sensing Zhu Suihan’s excitement, Skarmory decided to respond with even greater speed—partly out of curiosity to see if Zhu Suihan would cling to him in terror.

Just moments ago he’d been a novice rider; now he seemed utterly at ease. It was unnatural!

Even Caterpie didn’t evolve this fast!

At the Manjin City Flying Pokémon Landing Zone, Old Liu still leaned on his cane, standing beside Professor Oak, who was grimacing and clutching his back, muttering about his age.

Zhu Suihan tidied up Skarmory’s steel feathers, then took two steps back to examine its wings.

“Skree?”

Skarmory cocked its head, almost pecking at Zhu Suihan in annoyance.

What’s with that look? Are you a doctor or something?

“Nothing, just impressed by how well the rental company raised you.”

So Kanto really had this kind of “Poké Uber” service—presumably only for trainers above a certain level, otherwise safety would be a concern.

Or maybe this Skarmory was officially employed by the League itself.

Its wings were perfectly aligned, every steel feather meticulously groomed, with clear signs of careful trimming—enough to satisfy even the most obsessive perfectionist.

In other words, if this Skarmory entered a flying competition, it would easily stand out among its kind, already enjoying a significant advantage thanks to its training.

“Thank you—here, have a berry.”

Zhu Suihan pulled out a few Oran Berries from his censer—which, incidentally, was stuffed entirely with food.

Originally, Professor Oak and Old Liu wanted to prepare a backpack for Zhu Suihan—the kind of travel bag that could fit tables, chairs, and tents like a protagonist’s party would carry.

But when they saw him produce a censer from who-knows-where, they abandoned the idea. Except, of course, for Professor Oak, who took a few photos for historical research.

“Skree!”

Skarmory chirped, happily leaning in to accept the Oran Berries, precisely scooping them up with the inner edge of its wing to enjoy later.

“Oh, Suihan, you really are popular with Pokémon,” Professor Oak and Old Liu approached. “Skarmorys are known for being a bit fierce. If you haven’t earned their trust, they won’t accept gifts from just anyone.”

“Skree!” Skarmory protested. How dare you slander me, old man!

So I look a bit fierce—out in the wild, that’s called handsome!

The Dragonite behind Professor Oak gave Skarmory a calm, sidelong glance.

Skarmory took a bite of Oran Berry, brushed Zhu Suihan with its wing, and took off again.

Off the clock! See you!

Getting the new ID wasn’t anything special—just a matter of following the required procedures, though the League staff seemed the most troubled by it.

Even with Professor Oak and Old Liu vouching for him, the department head couldn’t figure out how someone could go so long without official identification.

Pokémon World’s population policies were always generous, as long as you didn’t break the law.

Even if you spent years living among Pokémon, your rights and documentation would never be denied.

When the official inquired, “Is he really already eighteen?” Old Liu fell silent.

Eighteen?

Not even a fraction of his age—what a joke.

With his new identity card in hand, Zhu Suihan was also given a map of Manjin City. Professor Oak had even marked the gathering spot for the reunion—a high-end rooftop restaurant, it seemed.

And so, Zhu Suihan was set loose, the stated reason being to help an ancient “ice popsicle” adjust to modern city life and independent living.

Lapras wasn’t exactly easy to bring out in the city, so his last line of insurance was the little bird carrying a pouch.

“Delibird.”

Delibird raised its tiny wing at Zhu Suihan, signaling that he was free to explore as he pleased. Even if he got lost, Delibird could fly him straight to the gathering spot.

Zhu Suihan glanced back at Delibird, who was strolling leisurely down the boulevard, exuding the air of an old cadre overseeing rural work assignments.

A mixture of restraint and relaxation.

Ten minutes later, Zhu Suihan, soda in hand and Delibird perched on his shoulder, fell into silence before a massive electronic billboard.

He cared nothing for the glamorous anchorwoman on the screen, but his attention was drawn to the giant “R” beside her and a familiar face with a calculated, kindly smile.

Giovanni!

“Rocket... Group?!”

He downed his soda in one gulp to steady his nerves and decided to examine the ad like an ordinary person.

In short, the Kanto region now had, aside from the renowned Silph Company, a rising star in the business world, sometimes even collaborating with the old guard.

The Rocket Group, headed by the Viridian City Gym Leader, master of the Earth Badge—Giovanni, known both for the difficulty of his challenges and his approachable demeanor toward trainers.

After all, difficulty and friendliness aren’t mutually exclusive—at least, that’s what victorious trainers claimed.

High-level dungeons offer greater rewards.

Aside from the badge, Giovanni would occasionally reward trainers with TMs or even offer tactical advice tailored to their battle style.

Among the general public, Giovanni was also known for his philanthropy, investing large sums each year in the ecological preservation of Viridian Forest.

Thanks to these lavish efforts, Viridian Forest was gradually approaching the status of Silver Mountain.

In game terms, the “starter village” area was becoming a high-level dungeon—bug catchers dared not venture too deep.

Zhu Suihan surmised that Giovanni was personally taking down poacher syndicates behind the scenes, though whether as a vigilante or a guardian of Viridian Forest was anyone’s guess.

In any case, he was wildly popular, with a massive fan base and countless accolades: “Star Trainer of Viridian City,” “Honorary Citizen,” and so on.

As for official awards, the public considered any prize with Giovanni’s name on it as prestigious by default.

Business circles, trainer circles...

Zhu Suihan munched on snacks to calm his nerves, buying an extra portion for Delibird as well.

Old Liu’s storyline had been completely cut out, yet Giovanni was thriving in two worlds at once!

And this dual prosperity was far more stable than his ambiguous double life in the original timeline—a business tycoon and an elite Gym Leader, with unmatched public appeal.

Anyone thinking of taking on Giovanni would have to reckon with the wrath of the people.

“Well, so be it.”

Zhu Suihan unfolded the map decisively. The Rocket Tower, being such a landmark, would surely be on the tourist guide—after all, they needed to profit from visitors.

Rocket Group Headquarters—it was decided!