Chapter-5

"How can this be..."

The dazed bodyguard murmured in disbelief, staring at his injured Machamp. The Pokémon he was so proud of had been taken down effortlessly by the opponent.

"If you're not a master, you're just an ant," Cale thought to himself, witnessing the aftermath. Master trainers were on a different level entirely.

He recalled watching Red and Green battle against Giovani in a special episode. At that time, Red and Green had already reached championship-level strength, but against Giovani they seemed like mere children, powerless to fight back.

Meanwhile, the smarter bodyguard began to sweat. His cautious gaze darted between Cale and Giovanni. Fear—pure terror—consumed him.

He knew his colleague's strength, and they had fought together against Elite-level trainers before. But this time, his partner had been defeated in a single blow. The sheer power displayed by Giovanni's Pokémon was terrifying.

He finally understood why Cale had said earlier that they couldn't afford to buy Giovanni's Pokémon. The strength of that Rhyperior was at least at the championship level. To even suggest buying it... What was their boss thinking?

"It's your turn," Giovanni said calmly, his eyes fixed on the smarter bodyguard, signaling him to release his Pokémon.

"I..." The smarter bodyguard hesitated, realizing he was no match for them. He was just as strong as his colleague. If Giovanni could dispatch the first bodyguard so easily, he could do the same to him.

"Go back and tell your boss that not everyone is someone she can mess with," Cale said, walking up to the bodyguard and placing a hand on his shoulder. He gestured toward the Century City building in the distance. "Today's just a warning. Next time, there won't be mercy."

Cale wasn't afraid of them, but he didn't want to cause unnecessary trouble. Giovanni had more than enough power to kill both bodyguards and Lucy if he wanted to, but doing so would attract the attention of the Alliance's Bureau of Investigation. That could seriously affect Cale's future plans. After all, what parent would send their child to a school whose owner was constantly visited by investigators?

If they provoked him again, though, Cale wouldn't hold back.

With that, Cale walked out of the alley.

"This was such a letdown. I thought we'd at least get a decent fight," Giovanni said, returning his Rhyperior to its Poké Ball and following after Cale. He had been hoping for more of a challenge, but the bodyguards had been far too weak.

"The other party was really that strong?" Lucy asked, breaking into a cold sweat after hearing her bodyguards' report in her office at Century City.

"Yes, boss. That unknown Pokémon was at least championship level. My Machamp didn't stand a chance," the injured bodyguard confirmed, his voice filled with fear. The strength of Giovanni's Rhyperior was overwhelming—something that could only be truly understood by experiencing it firsthand.

"Alright, I understand. You may go," Lucy said, waving them away as she leaned back in her chair, rubbing her temples. Once the bodyguards had left, she picked up her phone and made a call.

"Help me investigate these two people," Lucy said, sending photos of Cale and Giovanni to her contact, asking for information on them.

Not long after, Lucy received a response. Along with the information, her contact gave her a warning: If you've offended them, resolve it as soon as possible.

Lucy frowned at the message but opened the files. Once she read them, everything became clear.

The details about Cale, a man about her age, were straightforward. His life was mostly ordinary, except for the fact that he had recently inherited the Hogwarts Pokémon Academy from his parents. Otherwise, there was nothing particularly noteworthy about him.

But the information about Giovanni was another story. Aside from the fact that he had just fought a female trainer in Century City, there was almost no other information about him. It was as if he had appeared out of nowhere, which usually meant someone had a highly protected or secretive background.

"Hogwarts Pokémon Academy..." Lucy murmured to herself, taking note of Hogwarts Pokémon Academy. She resolved to visit in person and apologize as soon as she could.

----

"So now that we've registered the academy, we need to buy the necessary supplies for the school and for your streaming," said Cale, glancing at Giovanni as they walked down the busy city street. The sun was setting, casting a golden hue on the surrounding buildings.

"Right," Giovanni nodded, adjusting his coat. "We'll need training equipment, teaching materials, and tech for the stream setup. The academy has to look top-notch if we want to attract students."

Cale agreed, mentally making a checklist. "We'll start with basic facilities—classrooms, training grounds, and a proper battle arena. The rest can follow."

They soon reached the main shopping district, a bustling area filled with stores catering to all things Pokémon-related. Shops lined the streets, showcasing everything from Poké Balls to advanced training machines. Trainers and their Pokémon roamed about, making deals and gathering supplies.

"We should probably head to the tech store first," Cale suggested, pointing to a large electronics shop. "Your stream setup has to be perfect."

Giovanni smirked. "Agreed. Can't afford to look bad in front of the audience." They entered the shop, browsing the rows of cameras, microphones, and streaming consoles.

After gathering the necessary streaming equipment, they moved on to a specialized store for Pokémon training gear. Cale picked up various items, from battle dummies to high-quality Poké Balls, while Giovanni ensured they had the best resources for teaching.

By the time they finished, the two were laden with bags of supplies. They caught a cab back to the academy, eager to begin setting things up.

As they approached the gates of the newly registered Hogwarts Pokémon Academy, Cale paused for a moment, admiring the old building they now called home. It had a certain charm to it, though it was clear it needed work. The stone walls were sturdy, but the grounds were overgrown, and the battle arena had seen better days.

"Well, this is it," Cale said with a smile. "Time to bring this academy to life."