Pokémon: Wings Of Shadow

"What a coward!"

The bald man grumbled loudly as he and Hugo walked toward the windows.

The two men were trying to test Shiro's strength, to confirm his true abilities.

They weren't bold enough to act within the Hammerlocke Stadium, but understanding Shiro's real power was crucial for their next move.

Although the idea of attacking him while he was out to steal the Dragon Scale had crossed their minds, they were more inclined to buy it directly from him.

A legitimate transaction would raise no suspicion, and they wouldn't have to worry about being hunted down or facing retaliation for their actions.

If Shiro turned out to be weak and stayed hidden in Hammerlocke, they could pressure him into selling the Dragon Scale at a low price.

"What should we do now?" Hugo asked, looking out the window and scanning the streets below for Shiro.

"What else? We either wait and see if he leaves, or we approach him directly and negotiate a price," the bald man replied, glancing at Hugo's curly hair.

The bald man was an illegal citizen without an official identity card. While he had the money to buy one on the black market, he wasn't in a hurry.

An identity card from the black market would erase his wanted status, unless someone recognized him and continued the pursuit.

The bald man planned to commit a few more major crimes, earning enough money before buying an identity card. But that also meant he would have to stay in hiding for a long time. If he didn't use a large hood to cover his face, he could be caught the moment he was recognized at the stadium.

He also had intentions to commit crimes in Hammerlocke, but the city's strict laws made it difficult.

Enforced by the Dragon Taming family, Hammerlocke boasted one of the lowest crime rates in the region, second only to Wyndon, home to the League Headquarters and Macro Cosmos.

"Let's find a time to contact him," the man said, turning back toward the training room.

...

The next day, Shiro packed his things early and left the house.

He jogged all the way to the main street in Hammerlocke.

It was around six in the morning, and the cobblestone path had just been swept by Macro Cosmos employees, glistening with water droplets.

Only a few restaurants on the street had opened, with not even the waitstaff in yet, leaving only the busy owners preparing for the day.

Shiro entered a quaint, old-fashioned restaurant and ordered a bowl of egg noodles for 25 Pokédollars.

He placed Gastly and Rookidee on the table, setting their food containers and Pokéblocks beside them. Moments later, the restaurant owner brought the steaming bowl of noodles over, then turned to leave as the steam rose from the dish.

Soon, the sounds of slurping noodles filled the restaurant.

About twenty minutes later, Shiro finished his meal, packed up his Pokémon and belongings, and set off toward the Hammerlocke Stadium.

Taking the elevator up, Shiro noticed a decent crowd gathering beneath the giant bronze gates of the stadium. He walked straight to a male receptionist inside the passageway.

The receptionist looked up, adjusted his glasses, and gave Shiro a nod, signaling him to speak.

"I'm here to apply for the position of sparring partner. I made an appointment three days ago," Shiro said, handing over his identity card.

The receptionist swiped Shiro's card in a nearby card reader, and the screen displayed his identity information.

"Ah, Shiro, right? Please follow me." The receptionist smiled and stood up, guiding Shiro toward the basic training area, which was also the public battle arena.

At this time, the arena was almost empty, with only a few trainers scattered around. The vast space made the arena feel even larger.

The receptionist walked over to a tall, rectangular machine and swiftly located Shiro's application details. Then, he asked,

"What Pokémon will you use as a sparring partner?"

"Rookidee." Shiro answered without hesitation.

"Hm?" The receptionist paused, adjusting his glasses. "Are you sure? Rookidee is a very common Pokémon in Galar, meaning many trainers have them… and we already have a sparring partner specializing in Rookidee. You'll have to defeat him first. We only keep the strongest. You understand that, right?"

Shiro understood what the receptionist was implying. Since Rookidee was so common, anyone applying with it would have to prove themselves against a tough opponent.

His Rookidee was close to evolving, but the current sparring partner's Rookidee was likely at a similar stage.

In terms of battle experience, the existing sparring partner's Rookidee definitely had the upper hand.

But Shiro had full confidence in himself and his Pokémon.

"You should know, the current Rookidee sparring partner has held his position for three years. He raises only Rookidee." The receptionist glanced at Shiro, giving him a fair warning.

Shiro considered this for a moment before nodding.

He was well aware that such an opponent would be formidable—probably one of the best in all of Hammerlocke when it came to training and battling with Rookidee.

But that was precisely why he wanted to fight.

Only by facing a strong opponent could he identify weaknesses in his training and discover what made the other trainer exceptional.

If he lost, he could always rely on Gastly. And if all else failed, he could apply for a different job at the recruitment center.

"Are you sure you want to use Rookidee?" The receptionist asked again, adding, "If you lose, you'll only get one chance to apply with a different Pokémon. If you fail again… the stadium has no use for weaklings."

"Of course." Shiro didn't waver.

"Alright." The receptionist rapidly entered the data. "Your assessment battle will begin at seven. Our sparring partners work from seven in the morning until six in the evening. That won't be a problem, will it?"

"No."

After confirming, the receptionist typed in the final details, then let out a breath of relief. Satisfied, he gestured toward a nearby battle arena.

"Shiro, you can wait over there. Once our current Rookidee sparring partner arrives, the match will begin."

With that, the receptionist adjusted his glasses again and left.

Shiro walked to the designated battlefield, set his bag down at one end, and released Rookidee from its Poké Ball.

"Rook-ki-dee!"

Rookidee flew onto his shoulder.

Both the Trainer and Pokémon began strategizing.

...

Before long, a scrawny middle-aged man stepped out of the corridor, his sharp gaze sweeping across the area as he strode straight toward Shiro's battlefield.

Behind him followed the bespectacled receptionist.

Dressed in a simple black cloth shirt and matching trousers, the man carried an air of competence. However, his deeply wrinkled face, stretched taut like dried bark over his bones, gave him an unsettling appearance.

**

**

**

Thank you for reading! If you'd like access to extra chapters and want to support my work, you can visit my P@treon:

P@treon/SilverShark769

Your support means a lot, thank you!