Stepping out of Evergreen Apothecary, the sky outside had already turned completely dark. Viridian City was the sort of place well-suited for retirement or a leisurely vacation—there were none of the towering skyscrapers or nonstop traffic found in international metropolises. Most of its permanent residents were elderly locals with graying hair. Still, thanks to the prosperity of the medicinal materials market, herb gatherers drawn by reputation and roaming bounty hunters alike lent this forest-ringed city a uniquely lively atmosphere.
After picking up some snacks Lulu liked and a few daily necessities at the department store, Kael rode his off-road bicycle back to his home on the outskirts of the city. It was a small European-style villa with a backyard. Viridian City had plenty of land and few people, so property prices here were laughably cheap compared to the Kanto megacity of Goldenrod City—especially in the suburbs. Money that would barely buy a restroom in Goldenrod could easily get you a duplex villa with a garden on the outskirts of Viridian.
...
After finishing his shower, Kael carried Lulu into the study, coaxed the little one to go play by herself for a while, and then sat down at his desk and opened his laptop. In his previous life, as a top student in mathematics and economics, Kael had always been highly sensitive to numbers—and he made full use of that advantage when it came to training Pokémon.
He opened an encrypted folder and double-clicked one of the files. What appeared on the screen first was a miniature 3D model of Ralts, and to its left was a distinctive six-attribute data chart.
[Ralts]
HP: D
Attack: D
Defense: D
Sp. Atk: B
Sp. Def: C
Speed: C+
Lulu had hatched two years ago from an unidentified Pokémon Egg that Kael had purchased from a group of poachers. Eggs of unknown origin were usually much cheaper than market price—but even so, it had cost him an entire year's worth of savings. Fortunately, luck had been on his side. An egg that might very well have produced a dead Pokémon had instead hatched into Ralts, a Psychic-type Pokémon that was rare even in the Hoenn region.
With Ralts' help, Kael had stepped onto the path of a bounty hunter. From the simplest jobs—gathering medicinal herbs and Berries—to venturing deep into Viridian Forest at the risk of his life in search of extremely valuable rare medicinal plants, man and Pokémon worked in perfect sync. In just two short years, they had accumulated a considerable amount of wealth.
No matter the world, money might not be omnipotent—but lacking it would absolutely leave you unable to move an inch. And "money" didn't just mean cash; it represented resources and economic power. Even elementary school kids knew that in games like League of Legends, once your economy was high enough, you could win just by basic attacks alone.
Since he had chosen the path of a bounty hunter—and the most dangerous kind, a lone wolf—Kael had to think through every detail with utmost care. Not only for himself, but also for that pure, innocent child.
At that thought, Kael couldn't help but glance back toward the corner of the study, where Lulu was happily playing, using psychic power to control a rubber ball. A faint smile lifted the corners of his mouth as he turned back and began typing on the keyboard.
First of all, a strong and well-rounded bounty hunter needed six Pokémon, each fulfilling a different role. Their selection couldn't be like that of ordinary Trainers, who chose Pokémon purely based on type matchups—or worse, appearance alone. A bounty hunter faced far more of nature's dangers and the threats posed by wild Pokémon packs, so the team had to be functionally diverse yet mutually complementary, forming a compact but perfectly balanced combat unit.
Kael divided these six Pokémon into six roles:
1. Speed Striker
(Exceptional physical attack and agility, but lacking defense—capable of instantly taking down enemies, yet also easily taken down in return.)
2. Tank
(Massive body with astonishing physical and special defense; the team's shield, though slow and vulnerable to being kited.)
3. Artillery
(Possessing terrifying single-target killing moves and wide-area damage skills.)
4. Scout
(Typically filled by Flying-type Pokémon, which excel naturally in this role.)
5. Support
(Currently filled by Ralts.)
6. Medic
(A Pokémon capable of learning healing moves—the optimal choice being Blissey.)
These six distinct yet complementary roles formed, in Kael's mind, the most ideal team composition. And right now, the Pokémon he most urgently needed as his second partner was the first type—the Speed Striker.
He hadn't cultivated a second Pokémon until now mainly due to financial constraints. Raising a Psychic-type Pokémon consumed far more resources than most other types. Kael treated Pokémon as partners who fought by his side—either he didn't choose one at all, or once he did, he would provide them with the very best environment and treatment he could possibly afford.
As for the Speed Striker role, Kael had been deliberating for a long time. His team was in dire need of a primary damage dealer, and this deficiency had prevented him from accepting certain high-paying but moderately risky missions.
Scyther—eliminated.
Kael deleted an image. The only one left on the desktop was that of a jet-black, sharp-eared, long-clawed, cat-like Pokémon.