Unexpected Visitors

These past few days, unless it's for a training session, Shiro had been avoiding battles with other trainers.

He knew that many were just testing him, challenging him to a battle where they would bring out their strongest Pokémon to gauge his true strength. After that, they might think about what to do with the precious Dragon Scale he possessed.

The Dragon Scale from an Elite-level Salamence had become a hot potato in Shiro's hands. While it was of little use to him, he didn't want to sell such a valuable item to the black market either.

The merchants there would undoubtedly try to drive the price down, and if he managed to get even a third of the scale's actual worth, that would already be considered lucky.

Ideally, the best course of action would have been finding a Gym-level trainer in Hammerlocke who had a genuine need for the scale. But there was a problem—Shiro lacked the connections to approach such powerful trainers.

And without the assurance of his own strength, he was worried that a Gym-level trainer might get greedy and forcibly take it from him.

Shiro didn't believe that such powerful trainers would be willing to make a fair trade with a weak trainer like him.

As for contacting Rylan, Shiro truly couldn't bring himself to take something from someone else and sell it to them again. He wasn't even sure if Rylan would buy it, and if he mentioned it, he'd definitely reveal his lack of strength and expose the truth.

However, when it came to a typical Advanced-level or Intermediate-level trainer, they wouldn't be able to use the scales either, which made it difficult for Shiro to find a suitable buyer.

So, the Dragon Scale had remained tucked away in his bag, unable to be turned into useful resources. It was a frustrating situation.

But judging by the past ten days, things weren't as bad as they seemed.

On one hand, Shiro kept his situation strictly confidential. On the other, the buzz surrounding the Dragon Scale quickly faded and disappeared. Every day, there were new events at the Hammerlocke Stadium that helped erase people's memories.

Obviously, there were still some who kept an eye on him, likely returning to the black market to check if any dragon scales were being sold.

These were the people Shiro feared the most.

Especially the reckless ones. They were hoping to score big in their next job and then use the money to buy a new identity on the black market.

Because of this, Shiro's daily routine had become even more cautious. He'd always take the safest route, and whenever a stranger challenged him, he would send them to the training area to spar with his Rookidee.

Whether he was eating at a restaurant or simply walking around, he made sure to stay in crowded places.

Today was no different.

Shiro had just left Hammerlocke Stadium, making his way back to his rented two-story house. The evening sun bathed the streets in a deep, reddish glow.

Along the way, he was greeted by a few people who recognized him as the new, quiet training partner. Most of them just nodded and waved before going on their way.

Soon, Shiro arrived at his doorstep. Just as he was about to take out his key to open the door, his hand paused.

There was a rug spread out in front of his door.

Shiro always made sure to smooth it out in one direction before he left. But now, there were a few unfamiliar shoe prints on it.

Someone had found his house.

And Shiro was certain these people were after the Dragon Scale.

It was the only valuable and conspicuous item he had.

After closely examining the keyhole and the door gap, he confirmed there was no sign of forced entry. Shiro quickly opened the door, stepped inside, and shut it behind him.

He went upstairs, put his bag aside in the bedroom, and pulled out the Dragon Scale.

Shiro had made up his mind to sell it directly and exchange it for resources that would benefit his Rookidee and Gastly. He didn't want to constantly live in fear of being harassed by those who lurked in the shadows, waiting to take advantage of him.

But if he went to the black market now, the scale would be worth a fraction of its true value.

A few days ago, he had asked Bryan if there were any other places to trade besides the black market. Bryan had suggested that he buy a laptop from the black market instead.

A laptop.

At first, Shiro was confused. He had subconsciously thought the current Pokémon world did not have things like smartphones or laptops. But then he remembered seeing the staff at the Hammerlocke Stadium using computers to record information when he arrived.

In the Pokémon world, there is a lot of advanced technology, and communication devices are abundant. However, most of them are expensive and must be bought from the black market. Ordinary residents of small towns and cities don't typically need such devices, which is why they are rarely seen in use on the streets.

The Galar region's internet is also tightly controlled by Macro Cosmos, and there is no access to search browsers for information. Everything visible is pre-arranged content.

That said, trainers outside Macro Cosmos' control, especially certain gym leaders, have set up their own websites free from the black market, allowing them to trade with each other.

In places like Hammerlocke, such transactions are even backed by the city's gym.

Shiro was planning to buy one tomorrow, which would cost around 20,000 to 30,000 Pokédollars.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Just as Shiro was brushing his teeth and thinking, he heard loud knocking on the door downstairs.

The knocking was heavy and forceful, almost like someone was banging on the door.

"Pfft..." Shiro spat out the mouthwash he had been using, wiped his mouth, then clipped all of his Pokéballs onto his waist.

Before heading downstairs, he silently released Rookidee.

A familiar voice called out from the other side of the door.

"Is anyone there? Is Shiro inside?"

Shiro narrowed his eyes.

He walked to the door and opened it slightly—just enough to get a look at the visitor.

Upon recognizing the man, he slowly pulled the door open wider.

Standing there was Hugo, the tall, thin man with long, curly orange hair. He greeted him with a smile and a casual wave.

"Shiro, my friend. Mind if I come in and have a seat?"

Hearing this, Shiro shifted his gaze to the large man in a black cloak standing behind him, his eyes silently asking for an explanation.

"Oh, this is Dorian. He wants to discuss a business deal with you. So... what do you think?" Hugo grinned, as he gestured for Shiro to let them in.

Shiro checked to make sure no one else was with them and nodded in agreement.

"Please, come in."

He opened the door fully, allowing Hugo and Dorian to step inside before shutting it behind them.

Dorian tilted his head slightly, observing how cautiously Shiro had handled their arrival.

Once inside, both men took seats on the couch in the living room.

"Just tell me what you're here for," Shiro said as he sat opposite them, not interested in any pleasantries.

He still remembered the last time Hugo invited him to a "friendly" battle in his training room.

While the stadium was safe and secure, Shiro never ruled out the possibility of encountering Psychic or Ghost-type Pokémon. Many of them possessed mind control and hypnosis abilities—without proper countermeasures, it would be no different from being dead.

This time, Hugo had brought someone with him, clearly prepared for a negotiation. The footprints on the doormat outside were likely left from their earlier scouting.

This was Shiro's home. Entering without knowing how many Pokémon he had was a risky move.

Since they had stepped inside, they had probably abandoned any thoughts of using force in the transaction. No matter how weak Shiro might seem, in his own home, he wouldn't go down silently. As long as he made enough noise, it would attract the authorities in Hammerlocke, and that would be trouble for them.

As Shiro had anticipated, Hugo wasted no time and went straight to the point.

"We want to buy the Dragon Scale you have."

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