In recent years, thanks to the reforms of Chairman Dharmalanchi, things have actually improved significantly.
Before this, the status of the Pokémon League was largely symbolic, with the major families acting as the true power holders. However, since Chairman Dharmalanchi, a man from a common background, came to power, he leveraged his formidable strength to pressure these families and enact sweeping policy changes. As a result, more and more talented trainers from ordinary backgrounds have begun to rise in recent years.
Tetsuya is a prime example of this shift. Previously, aspiring trainers could only select one advanced knowledge course—there was no option to study three disciplines simultaneously, nor were tuition fees as accessible as they are now. Without his education in Pokémon Science, Pharmacology, and Berry Cultivation, it would have been much harder for Tetsuya to properly raise his Pokémon in the beginning.
Had these reforms not taken place, his journey through this world might have unfolded in a vastly different way.
But such matters were beyond his control for now—he lacked the strength to involve himself in political struggles. Shaking off the distraction, he focused on his next destination: the White Cape training grounds. He had heard countless stories about this place and was eager to see what made it such a hotspot for trainers.
After a long trek, the landscape changed. The pristine white sands vanished, replaced by jagged black reefs. And then, suddenly, the coastline opened up before him, revealing a stunning view bathed in the golden hues of the setting sun.
At first, the waters at the inlet appeared calm, but as the waves funneled through the narrow gap, they transformed into powerful surges, crashing violently against the shore. This was high tide, and in the distance, towering waves reached over ten meters high.
Yet even these were not the strongest waves.
Farther out, near the cliffs, the ocean currents funneled even greater forces into the tides, producing even more massive walls of water.
Scattered along the beach, Pokémon trained in designated areas according to their abilities. Weaker Pokémon stayed closer to shore, practicing against the smaller waves, while stronger ones ventured into deeper waters, using the pressure and force of the ocean to build their endurance.
Despite the late hour, a few dozen Pokémon remained in training. Among them, one stood out—a massive Gyarados, barely visible beneath the surface. It surged through the water, diving into the raging waves, only to emerge moments later, facing the fury of nature again and again.
Nearby, an Alakazam wielded its spoon, its eyes glowing with psychic energy as it used Telekinesis to halt a wave mid-surge. With a sharp cry, the wave collapsed into harmless splashes against the rocky shore.
A trio of Magneton hovered close by, their bodies crackling with electricity before unleashing a powerful Flash Cannon, obliterating another incoming wave.
Tetsuya could feel the attention of the nearby trainers shift toward him. The White Cape manual had warned that these conditions were not suitable for inexperienced trainers, so they were undoubtedly curious about this new arrival.
He ignored their gazes and focused instead on the thrilling sight before him. The Pokémon battling the relentless force of nature stirred something deep within him—excitement, determination.
Still, he kept his emotions in check. First, he checked his training plan with Zero, his AI assistant. Confirming that Pidgeot could indeed benefit from training here, he finally released his partner.
With a piercing cry, Pidgeot spread its mighty wings. Larger than most of its kind, it immediately drew the attention of nearby trainers, who recognized its impressive strength.
After giving Pidgeot clear instructions on its training regimen and warning it to be cautious, Tetsuya stepped back to a safe distance, joining the other trainers observing from the sidelines. He wasn't about to risk getting caught in the waves—no matter how well he could swim, a direct hit from those waters could be lethal.
His gaze followed Pidgeot as it soared low over the water, muscles tensed in anticipation. Though he trusted his partner, he couldn't help but worry. Unlike Water-type Pokémon, Pidgeot was not naturally suited for these conditions. If it got caught in the waves, things could go very wrong.
A new wave began rolling in, larger and stronger than the last. On the distant horizon, a white crest formed, cutting through the golden light of the setting sun. As it rose higher, it cast a long shadow over the beach, darkening the world around them.
Tetsuya was instantly reminded of the mighty tidal bores he had witnessed in the Qiantang River in his previous life. But in this world, with Pokémon influencing the natural environment, one could never be certain whether such waves were entirely natural or caused by some behemoth lurking beneath the surface.
Then, with a burst of white light, Pidgeot shot forward, diving straight toward the oncoming wave.
"Beep!"
Its sharp cry echoed through the sky, carrying across the training grounds.
Tetsuya held his breath. According to Zero's plan, today's focus was on refining Pidgeot's Brave Bird technique. Since Pidgeot had only recently mastered the move, its execution was still somewhat unpolished—the energy condensation wasn't as smooth as with its other attacks.
And beyond Brave Bird lay an even greater challenge—the legendary Sky Attack.
If Pidgeot struggled to control Brave Bird, then learning Sky Attack in the future would be an uphill battle.
In this world, there were no convenient TMs to instantly teach Pokémon new moves. Instead, Pokémon gradually acquired new techniques as they grew stronger and their skills developed. However, learning more advanced moves—especially those outside their usual skill set—required direct instruction from another Pokémon that had already mastered them.
Techniques like Grassy Terrain and Trick Room fell into this category.
If a Pokémon had the potential and the move was within its learnable range, it could typically grasp it within a few days of dedicated training. Tetsuya had witnessed this firsthand with his Blaziken's mastery of Rock Slide.
During his battle against Raiji, Blaziken had used Rock Slide, momentarily surprising his opponent. While it was an uncommon move for Blaziken, it wasn't unheard of. However, few Blaziken could execute it effectively.
Wanting to further refine this skill, Tetsuya had enlisted Brock's help. His Onix was a master of Rock Slide, making it the perfect tutor. As for Geodude's attempt at Rock Slide…
Well, it was still just a kid.
The main goal of teaching Pokémon moves outside their type advantage was to cover weaknesses and prepare for unexpected matchups.
Tetsuya's thoughts were interrupted as Pidgeot collided with the massive wave, its body glowing brilliantly.
In that moment, the world seemed to fall silent.
The sun slowly dipped below the horizon, and the fiery red hues of the sunset gradually faded into the evening sky.
The tide receded in rhythmic waves.
Pidgeot landed beside Tetsuya, its body drenched and exhausted, breathing heavily. Tetsuya patted its wings with satisfaction, then took out a towel and wiped it down briefly.
After more than two hours of intense training, Pidgeot's control over Brave Bird had improved significantly—almost visibly. At the start, it could barely break through the waves and would lose its balance upon emerging, making Tetsuya's heart tighten with concern.
After all, this was the first time he had used the power of nature itself for training. It wasn't like the controlled environment of a machine—this was raw, untamed, and unpredictable.
But by the end of the session, Pidgeot had managed to break through parts of the waves. The energy from Brave Bird split the middle section of the wave just enough for it to push through smoothly.
Of course, Tetsuya knew this was only the beginning. There was still a long way to go before Pidgeot could match the mastery of Staraptor.
Right now, they were only at the foundational stage. The next goal was for Pidgeot to use Brave Bird to smash through an entire wave—just like the Magnezone had done earlier.
Once that was achieved, the next step was to further compress the energy of Brave Bird so that it gathered entirely at the surface, allowing Pidgeot to penetrate and shatter at least three waves in an instant.
This final stage wouldn't just demand energy control but also an extreme level of balance, speed, and precision.
Tetsuya hoped that during their planned month-and-a-half stay here, Pidgeot would push itself to the limit and master these techniques as much as possible.
Yes, he had decided to extend his training here for about six weeks.
His Larvitar didn't require extensive training at this stage—just a steady energy supply due to its unique physiology. However, it was unrealistic to expect it to evolve into Pupitar in such a short time.
On top of that, he also had to prepare for Tyranitar's eventual evolution.
Not to mention his Combusken. Even though it was just a few levels away from evolving, it wouldn't transform just by eating and battling—it needed to be conditioned in other areas as well. Getting a head start on preparing for its evolved form was a smart move.
Judging by how long it took Pidgeotto to evolve into Pidgeot, it would likely take about a month.
Financially, things were tight.
To put it in simple numbers, Tetsuya currently had 6.9 million yen in cash. If he did nothing for the next month, he'd probably end up in debt by one or two million.
And that was only because he had already spent eight million in advance to stockpile enough special rocks to sustain Larvitar for about two months.
Being a serious Pokémon trainer was an expensive career choice.
If it weren't for the 50% discount at Pewter City Gym and the highly efficient training methods he and Zero had developed, the costs would have been far higher.
Tetsuya estimated that if the average trainer wanted to achieve the same results as him, it would cost around 60 million yen.
And then there were those who spent 20 million and still saw no progress. Hilarious. Keep dreaming.
He thought to himself with a smirk—having cheats really did make a difference.
Of course, another reason he could afford to stay here so long was the Bounty Hunter Guild's task board.
With so many trainers gathering in this area, many people chose this place to post high-level missions first. The number of tasks was substantial, and the payouts were good.
As for challenging gyms and earning badges for the tournament, he wasn't in a hurry.
At most, it would take three or four days to travel, schedule a match, battle, and rest. If things went smoothly, he could collect the remaining seven badges in just a month.
Initially, his plan was to stay in each city for a while to take on missions and earn money. But since he could train and earn here, delaying badge collection wasn't a problem at all.
While planning his next month, Tetsuya continued tending to Pidgeot.
The other trainers around him were doing the same, each meticulously caring for their Pokémon with patience and responsibility.
There were bad people in the world, of course, but even among those who had done questionable things, most were still deeply devoted to their Pokémon.
This was why trainers like Raiji, who voiced harsh truths on the ship the other day, would inevitably face backlash. Even if what he said was technically true, people just didn't want to hear it.
In a way, the people in this world had a certain charm to them.
Tetsuya smiled. After all this time, he had truly come to appreciate this world.
It wasn't just a nostalgic memory of his past life anymore—it was something more vivid, more real.
Of course, that didn't mean he never missed his old life.
As he continued grooming Pidgeot, the bird let out a satisfied coo and nudged its large head against Tetsuya's chest, seeking affection.
He chuckled, stroking the sleek, smooth feathers on its head before gently pushing it away.
"Alright, enough of that. We've still got work to do."
His eyes gave Pidgeot a silent warning, and the bird immediately straightened up, standing obediently on the ground.
Finally, after what felt like ages, Tetsuya clapped his hands together and exhaled deeply. The grooming session was complete. It was an exhausting task, and the workload was far from small.
It wasn't just about wiping Pidgeot clean—he could've just used hot air to dry it off. This required thorough care and attention.
Checking the feather density on both sides to see if manual adjustments were needed, evaluating whether the claws' length and sharpness matched its combat style—these details all had to be carefully monitored.
A Pokémon's hygiene wasn't just about cleanliness; it was also about trust. The bond formed during these moments was just as important as the training itself.
Of course, not every part of this process needed to be done daily. Most of it was done on a rotating schedule. Tetsuya had just decided to move today's grooming session up a bit.
At least Pidgeot wasn't as massive as the Gyarados nearby. Its trainer was still hard at work, struggling to clean every inch of its enormous body, and judging by the sweat dripping down his face, he was barely halfway through.
Tetsuya watched the scene and couldn't help but imagine himself cleaning his future Tyranitar—or even larger Pokémon.
He grinned silently, then recalled Pidgeot into its Poké Ball and turned to leave.
As long as he didn't see it, he wouldn't think about it. Future problems could wait. A tactical retreat wasn't cowardly—it was just practical.
Besides, he had to get back to prepare dinner for his three Pokémon.
That was the only reason he was leaving. Definitely not to avoid reality.
The Gyarados trainer looked up just as Tetsuya walked away, wondering why he had left in such a hurry. He had wanted to strike up a conversation.