Silas was in high spirits. Although it had only been a single day, it felt as if he had lived through an entire lifetime.
Walking along the outskirts of Mauville City, the familiar silhouette of the city finally came into view, and his pace quickened unconsciously.
"Phew… finally. Life in the wild really isn't easy."
Constant vigilance. Never relaxing. No wonder so many trainers avoided spending nights outside.
As the city grew clearer before his eyes, a faint smile appeared on Silas's face.
By the time he entered, it was already early morning ,around six or seven. Workers and vendors had begun their day, heading toward their routines.
Silas walked through the streets, but his appearance was far from ideal. A night in the wild had left him with a faint odor, and his clothes were worn and slightly torn, naturally drawing attention.
People whispered, but no one stepped forward.
Because anyone could tell he was a trainer.
The Poké Balls at his waist made that clear and not just any trainer, but one capable of surviving the wild overnight.
Silas clicked his tongue slightly. He had no interest in being watched like some kind of spectacle, so he quickened his pace and returned to the Pokémon Center.
The moment he entered his room, he didn't relax. He first checked everything–hidden devices, traps, anything suspicious.
Only after confirming it was safe did he finally let his guard down.
He stepped into the bathroom and took a long, thorough shower. Even though he had already treated himself and the faint scent of blood was barely noticeable, he didn't take risks.
He cleaned himself completely, inside and out, leaving no trace behind. Not even a Pokémon with a sharp nose could detect anything.
"This trip… was worth it."
Silas exhaled slowly.
"For a long time… I won't need to worry about money."
This journey had brought him plenty ,several Electric-type Pokémon, a rare shiny Pichu, a Level 36 Ursaring, and a Persian.
Not to mention Kiera's belongings, which he hadn't even sorted yet.
As expected of an elite apprentice, she had savings over 1 million Pokédollars. But it was stored in a League savings card, untouchable for now.
Silas lined up the Poké Balls neatly, sorting them by level and rarity.
If he wanted to use that money, he would need to go through the black market and crack the account and wash the funds before they could safely reach him.
Alternatively, he could sell the card directly. He'd only get about half, but it would be safe.
Silas thought for a moment, then shook his head. A loss of money was better than trouble. He had no intention of getting entangled in Kiera's death.
Aside from that, her belongings were mostly ordinary except for one thing.
A held item.
A Magnet.
It boosted Electric-type moves by 10%. A simple item, but valuable–worth close to a million.
After organizing everything, Silas mentally reviewed the entire trip. No loose ends. No mistakes.
Only then did exhaustion hit.
He collapsed onto the bed.
"Finally… I can rest."
The moment his head touched the pillow, he fell asleep.
Umbreon curled quietly beside him, guarding him.
.....
When Silas woke up again, the sky outside had turned crimson. It was already evening.
His stomach growled.
Without wasting time, he headed downstairs to the Pokémon Center's restaurant and ordered food for himself and his Pokémon.
"Hey, slow down," Silas chuckled softly. "No one's going to take it from you."
On the ground, Sandile was devouring a large piece of meat.
"Grrrk! Grrrk!"
It ate like a storm,ferocious and unstoppable.
Among all his Pokémon, only Sandile loved meat this much, and the way it ate caught the attention of others nearby.
Just as Silas finished eating and prepared to leave, someone suddenly blocked his path.
A pale young man, accompanied by two bodyguards.
He looked to be in his early twenties thin, pale, with hollow eyes. His movements were sluggish, as if drained by indulgence.
But his clothes were expensive –luxury from head to toe.
The moment he stepped forward, Sandile bared its teeth.
"GRRR!"
Combat instinct.
Umbreon's eyes turned cold-sharp, focused, ready.
The young man looked at Silas arrogantly, chin raised as if granting a favor.
"How much for that Sandile? Name your price."
Silas's expression instantly turned cold. His eyes narrowed as he glanced at the man and the bodyguards behind him.
A faint glint flashed in his eyes.
Years in the shadows. Blood on his hands. Experience.
The pressure he released was not something ordinary guards could withstand.
Without saying a word, Silas walked past them, a faint sneer curling on his lips.
Behind him, the young man froze. It took him several seconds to react.
Then he exploded.
"Damn it! Weren't you elite guards?! Why were you scared?!"
His outburst drew attention. Soon, someone reported him.
Not long after, Nurse Joy personally intervened.
The young man immediately changed his attitude—polite, submissive, apologetic.
Because no matter how arrogant he was, this was the Pokémon Center.
And his so-called "powerful family"?
Nothing in front of Nurse Joy's family.
Even his clan's head would bow respectfully here.
After being forced to leave, the young man looked around but Silas was already gone.
His face twisted.
"Find him! Now!"
For someone like him, collecting rare Pokémon was everything. Strength didn't matter—rarity did.
Uniqueness.
That was how he showed off.
That was his pride.
He hadn't even recognized Sandile at first. Only after asking someone nearby did he realize it was a rare Pokémon.
And now he wanted it.
No matter what.
The hunt had just begun.
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(End of chapter)