Pokémon: From Pirate to Just

After Reggie admitted defeat and left the stage in disappointment, the entire arena echoed with cheers meant solely for Sieg.

The host jogged excitedly to the center of the platform and shouted into the microphone, "Let's give it up once more for contestant Dusk, who has successfully defeated his opponent and claimed victory in the arena showdown! And with this win, he's also earned our club's exclusive grand prize, the Ability Capsule!"

The organizers spared no effort in hyping up the event. They had already profited handsomely from the match, and even after it ended, they continued to drum up publicity.

Sure enough, the moment the phrase "exclusive grand prize" was mentioned, the crowd erupted again. Countless spectators turned red with envy, wishing they had been the one standing there receiving the reward.

Hidden behind his mask, Sieg's expression was filled with quiet exasperation as he was forced to play along with the host's marketing antics. Only after fulfilling the necessary formalities did he finally step down, leaving the arena to the club's staff.

He followed an attendant into a backstage room, which, aside from some basic wooden furniture, contained nothing special.

Just as Sieg was about to sit down, the door swung open.

A masked man entered, silent and expressionless, handing over an exquisite gift box without a word before turning and walking away.

Sieg scratched his head in confusion but still opened the box. Inside was a shimmering blue-violet capsule, large in size, resting quietly within the padding.

It looked dazzling under the light, and if one looked closely, they could even make out traces of genetic patterns swirling within.

"So this is the Ability Capsule? It can change a Pokémon's ability to its alternate standard one, excluding hidden abilities."

A subtle smile spread across Sieg's face. This kind of treasure could easily fetch millions on the black market.

Some Pokémon, despite their excellent potential, were often held back by their innate ability. For them, something like the Ability Capsule could be life-saving.

"Still, I don't really need it right now. All my Pokémon currently have excellent abilities, so there's no reason to switch."

His Sharpedo and Murkrow both had hidden abilities, "Speed Boost" and "Prankster," respectively, among the most sought-after in competitive circles.

His Eevee's "Adaptability" would evolve into "Synchronize" upon becoming an Umbreon, which fit perfectly with Umbreon's role as a tank.

And his Crawdaunt, well, there was no need to say more. "Adaptability" significantly boosted damage and was far superior to its other two standard abilities.

Sieg waited in the room for quite some time before a man who appeared to be a high-ranking figure finally entered. After exchanging a few meaningless pleasantries, the man got straight to the point.

"I wonder, young man, would you be interested in joining our battle club?"

Sieg put on a thoughtful expression, but in truth, he felt nothing but disdain. He knew what this offer meant, becoming one of their enforcers.

They wanted him to fight under the table, to rig matches and help them rake in profits.

Sieg didn't see himself as some kind of saint, and if cooperating with them could earn him something, he wouldn't necessarily refuse.

"But if I join, I'd just become a pawn for these people. And once I'm in too deep, I might not be able to get out. One wrong move and I'll be trapped."

No one could see Sieg's real expression beneath the mask, but eventually, he gave a polite refusal and asked not to be taken the wrong way.

The man, likely the true boss, didn't get angry. He paused for a second, then laughed and waved Sieg off, saying it was no big deal.

With that, Sieg exited the battle club, sent off with a smile.

From behind a floor-to-ceiling window on an upper floor, the boss watched Sieg's back as he left, his gaze deep and thoughtful.

"Hmph… If only it wasn't such a sensitive time right now…"

...

After the match ended, Sieg returned straight to the Pokémon Center. Although his Crawdaunt hadn't taken any serious damage, the physical toll from maintaining Dragon Dance for half the battle was still significant.

"Please take care of him, Nurse Joy~"

After handing over Crawdaunt's Pokéball to the nurse, Sieg looked around and found an empty seat in the lobby. He slowly walked over and sat down.

But before he could relax for even a few minutes, a cold and familiar voice rang out behind him.

"Hey. You're Sieg, right?"

Sieg turned around and saw Reggie, whom he had just defeated. But this time, Reggie's expression seemed a little... awkward.

Sieg smirked, "Oh? A third rate trainer like me is actually worth talking to now?"

He placed extra emphasis on the word "third rate" throwing Reggie's earlier insult right back at him.

Reggie's mouth twitched, but he held back his anger, sitting down across from Sieg and saying, "You only won the match by sheer luck. If my Staraptor had a ranged move…"

The moment he sat down, he started going on and on.

In essence, his entire argument boiled down to this: Sieg only won because he got lucky.

The more Sieg listened, the deeper his frown became. He didn't see himself as a noble soul or anything, but when it came to his Pokémon, especially those who had been with him the longest, he treated them as partners, not tools, unlike some Mushroom Pokémon meant solely for utility.

But Reggie didn't seem to reflect on his own tactical mistakes. He just kept ranting about how it was his Staraptor's fault.

Sieg finally interrupted him, his tone growing cold, "Your Staraptor fought hard. It's a great Pokémon. Honestly, you don't even deserve a partner like that. Your entire command and control during the match were hasty and indecisive"

His blunt words clearly struck a nerve.

Reggie, a man with overwhelming pride, immediately snapped back, "A Pokémon's only purpose is to win. If it loses, it deserves no sympathy!"

That one sentence revealed everything about how he viewed Pokémon, as nothing more than tools.

Even a Staraptor that has followed him for years.

Sieg was momentarily stunned, realizing there was no way to change Reggie's mind. The clash in ideology between Trainers could often be sharp and irreconcilable, so Sieg didn't bother saying more.

"Just wait until Jindai beats the crap out of you," Sieg thought, sneering inside.

At the same time, a twisted part of him couldn't help but look forward to seeing Reggie someday become a gentle Breeder, doting on his Pokémon with utmost care.

"Should I record what he just said? When he changes careers later, I can play it back for him."

After Nurse Joy called him over, Sieg took his Crawdaunt and was just about to return to his room to rest when Reggie finally revealed the real reason he had approached.

"Sieg, you got the Ability Capsule, right? Would you be willing to sell it to me? I'll pay the highest market price!"

Reggie suddenly blocked Sieg's path, his face slightly red, clearly embarrassed to ask.

Sieg raised an eyebrow and gave him a weird look. After all that arrogant lecturing just moments ago, now this guy had the nerve to beg?

"Clearly, Reggie doesn't know the first thing about human relations."

Still, that didn't stop Sieg from using the opportunity to jack up the price.