"Tsk, you're really willing to spend money."
Tetsuya thought to himself but didn't stop his hands from piling beef and a few lobsters onto his plate.
Yes, there were normal animals in the Pokémon world, but their numbers were pitifully small.
Generally speaking, people ate technologically synthesized ingredients, which had virtually no difference in taste and texture from natural ones.
However, the restaurants here clearly stated that they used farmed natural ingredients, not synthetic ones.
Tetsuya doubted that the S.S. Anne would lie about something like this—after all, any experienced gourmet could taste the difference.
Natural ingredients weren't just scarce; they were expensive. Large-scale farming seemed almost impossible, as if the world itself didn't allow it.
The cost of food for a single day on this ship was estimated to be in the tens of millions, and the S.S. Anne traveled around the world year-round.
One could only imagine how much they were spending in that situation.
Taking a bite, Tetsuya found that while there was no discernible difference in taste and texture, the food had a distinct sense of freshness and richness.
Maybe this was what money tasted like.
As he slowly savored the flavor of nature, a shadow suddenly blocked the light in front of him.
"Hello, Trainer Tetsuya Tamaki of Pewter Gym."
Looking up, he saw a young man about his age, with long purple hair and maroon clothing, greeting him with a tray of food in hand.
"Why is it that every time I meet someone from the anime of my past life, it happens like this? Zhang Wei's fate was the toilet—does that mean mine is the restaurant?"
Tetsuya inwardly complained while forcing a smile onto his face.
"Hello, Trainer Reggie of the Cerulean Gym."
"Haha, I thought you wouldn't recognize me. Mind if I sit here?"
"Not at all."
Tetsuya was screaming internally. Why was it always the same? But to maintain a friendly appearance, he pretended to be pleased.
Reggie naturally sat down. "Let me introduce myself again. I'm Reggie from Veilstone City in the Sinnoh region. This is my first year traveling in Kanto, and I'm here to compete on behalf of the Cerulean Gym."
"Tetsuya Tamaki, from Viridian City in the Kanto region. Also my first year traveling, representing Pewter Gym this time."
Tetsuya replied casually while cracking open a lobster.
Reggie didn't seem to mind and started eating as well. "You know, we must be pretty fated to meet like this. There are only four non-heirs competing, and we're two of them."
"Yeah, what a coincidence." Tetsuya nodded absentmindedly, still unsure why Reggie had approached him.
"I assume you've read the competition info. Out of the 32 participants, I only consider you and two others to be real opponents. The rest are just cannon fodder."
Reggie said this with complete seriousness.
Tetsuya's brain filled with question marks. Wasn't Reggie supposed to be a nice guy? Why did he sound exactly like his younger brother, Paul? Did he really deserve a beating this much?
What Tetsuya didn't know was that before getting disciplined by Brandon, Reggie had a similar mindset to his younger brother—only slightly more polite.
Oblivious to Tetsuya's thoughts, Reggie continued speaking.
"But I feel like there's too much uncertainty in the reports, so I'd like to have a quick battle with you before the tournament.
A 2v2 match—you don't have to use Pidgeot, and I won't use Magmortar.
Besides..."
"Sorry, I'm busy." Tetsuya ruthlessly cut him off.
What was this guy thinking? Did he really expect his opponent to reveal their strength before the competition? Did he look that dumb?
"Huh? Why?" Reggie looked surprised. "Oh, I get it. How about this—let's put 500,000 Pokédollars on the line. It's not much, just a challenge fee."
Reggie spoke confidently. He had read up on Tetsuya and believed him to be someone who valued money above all else.
Of course, Tetsuya was speechless. Where had this ridiculous rumor come from? It had to be Brock, right?
Seemed like he needed to give Brock some battle experience when he got back.
Back in Pewter City, Brock was feeding his younger siblings when he sneezed. "Who's badmouthing me now?"
His first thought was Tetsuya. "I wonder if those reports I gave the other gyms mentioned how much he loves money."
Muttering to himself, Brock continued babysitting.
Meanwhile, Tetsuya sighed helplessly.
"First, I really don't have time. My Pokémon are currently receiving treatment, so I can't battle you.
Second, I don't actually care that much about 500,000 Pokédollars, so there's no reason for me to accept your challenge.
Third, we have a 50% chance of facing each other in the semifinals or finals anyway. Why rush?"
Was this what kids these days were like? So stubborn?
"Trainers like us should constantly challenge ourselves. The strong survive, and the weak don't deserve sympathy." Reggie declared self-righteously.
Tetsuya held his forehead. He decided to take back his previous assessment. Paul may have been an unlikable brat in the beginning, but at least he wasn't this childish.
By the way, should he record this? Maybe take a video? If Reggie ever became a normal person in the future, this could be a hilarious piece of blackmail.
"What a shame. I thought that, despite your love for money, you were also someone who enjoyed battling strong opponents. I didn't expect you to back down." Reggie sighed, looking genuinely disappointed.
Tetsuya clenched his teeth. This guy was seriously asking for a beating. Did he really think that would work as provocation?
"Trainers like us should always seek strong battles. Weak trainers and weak Pokémon aren't worth training. I think—"
As Reggie passionately preached, Tetsuya gradually realized that the people around them were beginning to stare.
Looking closer, he had a feeling that someone was about to come over and educate Reggie.
Deciding that he wanted no part in this mess, Tetsuya quietly finished his meal and slipped away.
Just as he was leaving the restaurant, he heard the faint sounds of an argument breaking out.
"You bastard...!"
Strolling along the first-floor deck, Tetsuya paid no mind to whatever was happening behind him.
Not only was he unfamiliar with Reggie, but at this moment, he was pretty annoyed with him.
Besides, he came here for a vacation, not to deal with some self-important fool.
He had better things to do with his time.
Lying on a chair on the deck, feeling the cool sea breeze, Tetsuya watched as a few Wingull and Pelipper occasionally soared across the dark night sky.
These Pokémon belonged to the sailors on board, tasked with long-range vigilance. Below the waves, many aquatic Pokémon, such as Tentacool and Mantine, patrolled the surrounding waters.
After all, the passengers aboard the S.S. Anne were either wealthy or influential, and any security incident could severely tarnish the ship's reputation. It was rumored that the ship's owner spent a fortune each year hiring an Elite Four-level trainer specializing in Water-type Pokémon, along with several other high-ranking trainers, to safeguard the vessel.
Whether that was true or not remained uncertain—no one had ever seen a top-tier trainer in action. However, several high-level trainers had been spotted now and then, lending some credibility to the claims.
Tetsuya yawned, feeling a bit drowsy. Glancing at the time, he realized only a short while had passed since dinner. To pass the time, he requested a fishing rod from a nearby attendant and made his way to a designated fishing area on the deck.
Not having any Pokémon with him wasn't an issue. If he caught a Pokémon, he could either try to capture it or ask one of the stationed trainers to release it back into the sea. An elite-level trainer and two skilled mid-level trainers supervised the area, ensuring that nothing got out of hand.
Realistically, no one expected to reel in a high-level Pokémon. The most common catches were Magikarp, Kingler, or Goldeen. If someone ever managed to pull up a full-grown Gyarados—6.5 meters long and weighing over 235 kilograms—Tetsuya would be the first to applaud them.
Even hooking a Magikarp was challenging. The average one weighed nearly 40 kilograms, and considering Pokémon had their own strength, hauling one up with sheer human power wasn't exactly easy.
This was why the ocean remained such a vast unknown. No one truly knew how many powerful Pokémon lurked beneath the surface.
With that in mind, Tetsuya cast his fishing line into the sea. The float bobbed gently with the waves as he leaned back, drink in hand, waiting for something to bite.
One minute… five minutes… ten minutes… twenty minutes… nothing.
An elderly man fishing nearby, noticing Tetsuya's patience despite his lack of a catch, struck up a conversation.
"Young man, aren't you worried about not catching anything?"
Tetsuya gave a relaxed smile, keeping one hand on the fishing rod as he took another sip of his drink. "It's fine. I'm not here to catch Pokémon—just to enjoy the act of fishing."
The old man chuckled, his voice full of energy as he popped a piece of candy into his mouth. "Haha, it's rare to see a young man with patience like yours."
"Are you on vacation, sir?" Tetsuya asked, figuring he might as well chat while waiting.
"Yeah, my kids got me this ticket, told me to go out and enjoy myself." The old man sighed, shaking his head with a knowing smile. "I think they're just too busy and wanted a break from their old man. Lucky for me, my granddaughter is on board with me. Otherwise, I'd be bored out of my mind."
Despite his serious demeanor, the way he spoke exuded warmth and lightheartedness.
"Well, you seem to be having a good time," Tetsuya joked, eyeing the old man's flashy beach attire.
"Ha! This old man exercises and fishes every day. I'm in great shape!"
A nearby fisherman, who had been listening in, chimed in with a teasing grin. "Yeah, I saw you chatting up a lady yesterday."
The group of fishermen around them burst into laughter.
"He's just afraid his wife will find out and scold him," another man added with a knowing smirk.
"Oh, get out of here! Don't talk nonsense!" The old man waved his hand dismissively, though the corners of his mouth twitched with amusement.
Fishing spots like this were mostly populated by older men. Young people and women rarely had the patience for such a slow-paced activity. Because of this, conversations tended to stay light and respectful. But now that Tetsuya had kicked off some playful banter, the mood had completely shifted.
Upon learning that Tetsuya wasn't even seventeen yet, the men around him felt even more at ease. He reminded them of their own kids—perhaps even younger. Naturally, they took the opportunity to poke fun at him as well.
"You young folks really have it easy, huh? Just lounging around, fishing for fun!"
Tetsuya held up his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, I get it! You guys gossip more than a group of aunties."
More laughter erupted from the group. Every now and then, someone would catch a Pokémon and proudly show it off, only to be met with playful jeers from the others.
Over the next two hours, Tetsuya managed to reel in two Magikarp—both at a beginner level—and promptly released them back into the sea.
Magikarp was often called the weakest Pokémon in the world. With no strength, no speed, and no battle capability, the only thing going for it was its stubborn resilience. In an entire river, only a handful of Magikarp would ever evolve into Gyarados.
Naturally, his unimpressive catches earned him a fair share of friendly teasing.
"Ding-dong~"
His watch beeped, signaling that his Pokémon's treatment at the onboard center was complete.
Tetsuya bid farewell to the older fishermen, who told him to come back again. Laughing, he assured them he would.
After he left, the conversation among the fishermen continued.
"That kid was a good one. Does anyone know where he's from?"
"I think he's here representing Pewter Gym at the Kanto Gym Gathering," another man replied. "Hey, Fu, you know Takeno—why don't you ask him?"
The man named Fu nodded. "Yeah, I heard about him. He's being mentored by Bruno's eldest son. Apparently, he's got real potential as a trainer."
"What, thinking about making him your son-in-law?" someone joked.
"Ha! Anyone who wants to marry my daughter has to beat me in a battle first!" the man shot back.
Laughter filled the deck again.
After a while, an old man stood up, shaking his head with a small smile. "Alright, I'm heading off. My granddaughter's here to see me."
"Take it easy, old man," someone called. "The night sea breeze isn't good for you!"
"Yeah, yeah. But don't you guys run away—I'll be back tomorrow to prove who's got the best fishing skills!"