NOVEL WEB Chapter 4: 4
Ten minutes later, Hirito casually munched on Pikachu-shaped biscuits from a snack box in his left hand while holding a Psyduck-branded bag of chips under his right arm.
Behind him, two teary-eyed, snot-nosed kids sniffled, but he ignored them completely, striding forward with Umbreon at his side.
"Geez, how could I forget how I used to make money while playing games?" Hirito muttered, shaking his head as he stuffed another biscuit into his mouth.
Back in his previous life, wasn't battling the primary source of income for Trainers?
In the games, defeating wealthy NPCs could earn you tens of thousands of Poké Dollars.
Of course, the real world wasn't a game, so it was impossible to make a living solely off battling.
But bullying elementary school kids for their snacks?
That was a different story.
Was it a bit immoral? Maybe.
But since he was technically an elementary school student now too… it balanced out.
Still, selling valuable items was another major way to earn money.
Unfortunately, despite wandering around Cianwood City for days, Hirito had found no hidden Nuggets or valuable items lying around like in the games.
Not even a discarded Poké Ball.
Truly, the real world was cruel.
"Hey! What's your name?! We'll definitely beat you next time!"
The boy with the Cyndaquil shouted defiantly.
"My name is Takeshi 'Giant.'"
Hirito replied without turning his head.
And so, for years to come, the legend of Takeshi 'Giant' would circulate through the streets of Cianwood City…
A Few Days Later – Outside the Cianwood Department Store
A large crowd had gathered.
At the center of the spectacle, a Furret panted heavily, exhaustion evident in its shaking body. It struggled to take a step forward—before collapsing, its eyes spinning in defeat.
"My Furret…"
The young man—Furret's Trainer—looked shocked, unable to believe what had just happened.
His strongest Pokémon, defeated by a boy half his age…
And worse, the Pokémon that defeated him wasn't one he recognized.
A dark-furred, crimson-eyed creature—one that sent chills down his spine.
"F-Furret is unable to battle…"
The man's girlfriend, acting as the referee, hesitated mid-announcement.
She furrowed her brows, looking at Umbreon with visible confusion.
Because… she had no idea what kind of Pokémon it was.
"Umbreon," Hirito spoke calmly. "Her name is Umbreon."
"Oh! Oh!"
The girl nodded hurriedly and then officially declared, "Furret is unable to battle! Umbreon wins! The winner of this instant noodle contest is this young Trainer!"
"Whoa!"
"Amazing, amazing!"
"That kid is really strong!"
"But that Pokémon is kinda creepy… Its name has 'Eevee' in it—does that mean it's an Eevee evolution?"
"Huh? Aren't there only three types of Eevee evolutions?"
The crowd erupted in hushed discussions.
Meanwhile, Hirito calmly walked up to the defeated man.
"Alright, as per the bet, hand over the prize," he said with a grin.
The man clicked his tongue in irritation.
"Tsk~ At least call me 'big brother,' you unadorable brat."
Still grumbling, he recalled his Furret and reluctantly handed over a bag of Typhlosion-branded instant noodles and a portion of Pokémon food.
That's right.
This entire battle had been over instant noodles and Pokémon food.
If Hirito had lost, he would have had to hand over a Gengar-shaped QQ candy.
(Of course, the QQ candy itself had been won off another elementary school student earlier.)
But after several days of tormenting little kids, Hirito found himself… feeling a little guilty.
Even though he had lived three lifetimes, seeing their tearful faces had become a bit too much.
So, he set his next targets on adults instead.
Hirito specifically sought out men who bought large amounts of food—preferably with their girlfriends.
Why?
Because when a woman was watching, a man's pride would never let him back down from a challenge.
And another important scientific truth—
A man without love in his heart is a god at throwing Poké Balls.
Look at all the legendary Trainers—
Red, Blue, Lance, Alder…
Which one of them wasn't a single dog?
This proved something.
Only single men could reach the peak of being a Pokémon Trainer.
Men obsessed with love and romance would only ever reek of failure.
"Alright, alright, here's your prize," the man handed over the noodles, still looking displeased.
"But, seriously, kid—your Pokémon looks terrifying. This black fur, those blood-red eyes, and those moves—what were they called? Snarl and Pursuit? They're way too scary.
"You're still young, so let me give you some advice. You should switch to a more normal Pokémon."
The moment those words were spoken…
Umbreon's ears drooped.
The light in her eyes dimmed.
The clear victor of the battle… looked more like the defeated one.
Hirito, who had been about to accept the food, paused.
His hand stopped mid-air.
Sensing Hirito's shift in mood, Umbreon hesitantly looked up at him.
What she saw was her Trainer's expression darkening in disgust.
"Kings have the talent of kings, and chefs have the talent of chefs," Hirito said coldly.
"Pokémon have their own ways of survival and battle.
"There is no such thing as 'noble' or 'lowly' Pokémon."
Hirito acknowledged that there were strong and weak Pokémon.
Just like Hermit Purple and Star Platinum weren't in the same tier.
Or how Surskit could never defeat Aqua Man in 99% of cases.
But just as every profession has value, he didn't believe Pokémon should be divided into 'worthy' and 'unworthy'.
As long as he liked a Pokémon, whether it was a Weedle or a Rayquaza, he would train it to its full potential.
Hirito turned away, leaving the prize food behind.
"What are you doing with your head down?" he snapped at Umbreon.
"Lift it up! You are the victor!"
Umbreon's breath hitched.
She clenched her jaw.
Finally, she raised her head high, like a proud queen.
The whispers and stares from the crowd—whether fearful, admiring, or indifferent—didn't matter anymore.
Umbreon followed after Hirito, her posture filled with new confidence.
Sitting on a public bench, Hirito sighed.
"Emmm… this stuff isn't filling at all."
He tore open the Gengar QQ candy pack, tossing one piece to Umbreon before eating the rest himself.
Soon, the pack was empty.
"Umbreon…"
Umbreon lowered her head again, looking ashamed.
She blamed herself.
If it weren't for her…
"I TOLD YOU TO STOP LOWERING YOUR HEAD!"
Hirito put his hands on his hips and tilted his head back dramatically, almost at a 90-degree angle.
It was the signature condescending pose of the Pirate Empress!
"Like this! Step on everyone who dares look down on you!
"Like an empress! Because you are the Pokémon Empress!"
"In my eyes—you are the most beautiful Pokémon in the world!"
Umbreon's entire body shook.
One second… two seconds…
The grief she had been holding back for so long…
Burst forth.
Tears fell like a broken dam.
End of Chapter.