Not Being a Trainer This Time

Naoki shook his head and smiled, saying, ”Mr. Larry is quite remarkable too. This battle was won by using the advantage of information asymmetry. If you had known the attributes of Gholdengo in advance, the result might have been uncertain.”

If he remembered correctly, besides Staraptor, Larry also had Pokemon like Tropius, Oricorio, and Altaria.

But these are the Pokemon Larry would use when serving as a member of the Elite Four.

”Either way, you still won.” Larry looked up at the sky and added, ”It’s getting late, and today is a day without overtime, so I will take my leave now.”

Naoki: ”...”

Goodness, Larry really doesn’t dawdle at all, Naoki couldn’t help but think to himself, then he extended an invitation:

”It’s almost dark, and the Squawkabilly Flying Taxi might have stopped running at this hour. Why not stay overnight at the ranch?”

The Chief had also told him to enjoy the rural scenery at Naoki Ranch after finishing work, but Larry had his own plans.

Thinking of this, Larry shook his head and declined, ”It’s okay. Traveling to other places might be enjoyable, but returning home is the most comfortable, right?”

Naoki was slightly startled, then he understood what Larry meant.

It really suited Larry’s personality.

”Alright,”

Naoki nodded, and before Larry left, he picked up a gold coin left by Gholdengo after using Make It Rain from the ground and handed it to Larry.

”Here, for you, as thanks for helping me collect the last few ancient gold coins.”

Larry glanced at the gold coin, recalling the events that had just occurred, then reached out to accept this commemorative coin.

”This Gholdengo, I think it’s the only Gholdengo in the Paldea Region.” Larry suddenly remarked, ”At least until today, I’ve never seen a Pokemon like Gholdengo.”

”After all, evolving a Gimmighoul into Gholdengo isn’t easy!” Naoki sighed.

Larry nodded, then, carrying his briefcase, he turned and walked out of the ranch.

Walking on the country road outside the ranch, Larry paused for a long time, looking up at the vast sky and the distant horizon.

After working in society for so long, he almost forgot the feeling of roaming the world in his youth.

At that moment, Larry had an insight.

Maybe, that’s why he chose to become the League’s Flying Elite in the first place?

To spread his wings and soar freely in the blue sky, like those Flying-Type Pokemon.

But now, he’s no longer young, and those activities are more suited for energetic young people.

Thinking of this, a smile appeared on Larry’s lips, and he then took big strides forward.

The work was already done, and he didn’t need to work overtime today, so it was time to go home.

*

The sky gradually darkened, and the Pokemon Tavern was brightly lit at night.

Pokemon gathered here to celebrate the arrival of a new member at the tavern.

Naoki sat on a chair with Koraidon and several other Pokemon, watching Gholdengo being surrounded by enthusiastic Pokemon, generously scattering gold coins, momentarily unsure of what to say.

Is this the world of rich people? Giving gold coins away at the slightest disagreement.

First meeting, give gold coins; when happy, give gold coins; making a friend, give gold coins.

Gholdengo as a Pokemon is really too extravagant, isn’t it?

Beside them, Pawmot and others were equally wide-eyed, staring at the enthusiastic Gholdengo.

Having lived with Naoki for a long time, they had learned some human norms.

For example, when humans want something, they don’t steal it, they use ”money” to buy it.

Judging by Naoki’s expression, the Pokemon also understood that the gold scattered by Gholdengo was money.

They had never seen so much money on Naoki...

”Pawmo. So extravagant.” Pawmot couldn’t help but say.

Umbreon used its paw pad to pick up a gold coin from the crack in the floor and brought it to Naoki.

Naoki held it in his hand, suddenly feeling that wherever Gholdengo went, there would always be gold coins to collect.

If a Meowth that loves collecting gold coins were here, wouldn’t it just die from happiness?

Naoki Ranch, a paradise for Meowth!

An ordinary gold coin like this one is about the size of two nuggets.

And on the market, a nugget can be sold for a high price of ten thousand league coins.

This means that a single gold coin is worth five thousand league coins.

Throughout the day today, Gholdengo has given out at least a hundred gold coins.

Naoki did a quick calculation in his head, and was shocked to find that Gholdengo’s one-day cash flow reached a total of five hundred thousand league coins!

Gholdengo, although it can’t destroy the world like those legendary Pokemon, with its power, it can definitely disrupt the economic system of an entire region in a short time.

In response, Naoki could only comment with four words — terrifying as hell!

To prevent this from happening, that night, as the Pokemon Tavern was closing, Naoki sought out Gholdengo.

”Gholdengo, you can’t just throw around gold coins like this!” Naoki said earnestly to it.

”Ding-a-ling...?” However, Gholdengo was quite troubled by this.

But it liked giving coins to everyone!

Naoki saw what Gholdengo meant, he shook his head and explained, ”It’s not that you can’t give, it’s about not producing so many coins all at once.”

Naoki pointed to the scattered coins on the tavern floor: ”Look, so many coins have gone to waste.”

”Ding-a-ling...” Gholdengo looked at those coins, not wanting to waste them, but it didn’t know what to do either, so it looked at Naoki for help.

Naoki then said, ”So, from now on you should do this: only give gold coins to people or Pokemon you like, as a token of your friendship, this way you can avoid extravagance and waste.”

”Ding-a-ling!” Gholdengo’s eyes lit up; it was a great idea!

It nodded repeatedly, patting its chest in assurance, expressing that it understood and would never waste again!

”That’s more like it!” Naoki patted Gholdengo on the head, ”Then that’s it for today! Do you want to stay in the tavern or come back to the room with us?”

Hearing this, Gholdengo glanced back at the familiar tavern, then decisively chose to stay there.

”Ding-a-ling!”

”Alright.” Seeing this, Naoki wasn’t surprised, as Gholdengo obviously loved it here.

He nodded and said, ”From today, your job is to stay in the tavern as the lucky cat of the entire ranch!”

Although it didn’t know what a lucky cat was, Gholdengo liked this job.

It happily nodded, ”Ding-a-ling!”

Naoki smiled, ”Well then, goodnight, I’m going back to sleep, you should rest early too!”

”Ding-a-ling~!”

Naoki left the tavern, but when he returned to the living room, he saw the household Pokemon each holding several gold coins, even Calyrex did.

Naoki: ”...”

Alcremie happily explained, ”Mamaa!”

Calyrex translated for it, ”This is a gift from Gholdengo to us, that Pokemon is truly amazing, able to do such a thing, it reminds me of an old acquaintance...”

”Never mind, since it’s a gift from Gholdengo to you, take good care of it!”

After speaking, Naoki looked at Calyrex and asked, ”Old acquaintance?”

Calyrex nodded slightly, then explained to Naoki:

”It was a Pokemon called Melmetal. Back when I was a king in the Galar Region, I foresaw future events and gathered two Hundred Battle Heroes in advance.”

”But at the time, the Hundred Battle Heroes lacked suitable weapons, that’s when that Melmetal provided us with enough iron, which helped Zacian and Zamazenta forge the sword and shield, enabling them to successfully repel the Darkest Day.”

”Only after that, did I fall into a deep sleep due to exhaustion of power, losing memory upon awakening, with no knowledge of where Melmetal went.”

”I see...” Naoki said while recalling the details of Melmetal, comforting, ”Don’t worry, Melmetal has a long lifespan, it is definitely still alive somewhere in this world, maybe hiding in some ruins, having a nice long sleep!”

Moreover, according to Melmetal’s lore, it will never disappear.

Because when Melmetal’s lifespan comes to an end, its body will slowly rust and disintegrate.

In the end, Melmetal will become tiny fragments, which will resurrect as Meltan in its initial stage, beginning its life anew.