Chapter 39: What the Heck, It's Sick?!

"So, I have to buy a Poké Ball first, then I get a chance to capture a Pokémon? And there's still no guarantee I'll succeed?"

After hearing Ryo's explanation, Old Feng's expression became strange. He couldn't help but wonder if Ryo was just trying to scam him out of some money.

Ryo noticed the look on Old Feng's face and couldn't help feeling frustrated.

"Hey, if you don't believe me, forget it."

Seriously? Do I really look like a scammer?

"Haha—"

Old Feng laughed awkwardly. "No, no, Boss Ryo, I believe you. Just give me a Poké Ball. I'll give it a try."

Even if it was a scam, Old Feng's heart was still moved by the idea. He was willing to give it a shot, even if there was no guarantee.

Ryo nodded and led Old Feng back into the wooden cabin. After receiving the money, he handed a Poké Ball to him.

"Alright, take this and head to the mountain out back. I've cleared out all the wild beasts there—only Pokémon remain."

Before Old Feng could ask any more questions, Ryo quickly added this explanation.

Hearing that, Old Feng nodded and cautiously made his way toward the back mountain.

Even though Ryo assured him that the Pokémon wouldn't harm him, he was still a little nervous. After all, he was just an ordinary man about to try capturing a powerful Pokémon.

Phew—

Watching Old Feng head off, Ryo let out a sigh of relief. "I hope he manages to gain the recognition of a Pokémon. If he succeeds, it'll open the door for ordinary people to join the Pokémon community."

He shook his head, dismissed those thoughts, and returned to his seat on the sofa.

The Sun Espeon nodded at Ryo, then quietly left.

…

Time passed quickly.

At that moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi entered the cabin through the back door.

Sensing his arrival, Ryo stood up from the sofa. "Third Hokage, did you find a Pokémon that suits you?"

Hiruzen smiled kindly. "Yes, I did."

Then his expression turned serious, and his eyes showed a hint of confusion. "But, Boss Ryo, the Pokémon I caught seems to have a problem. It's not moving at all."

"Hmm?"

Ryo raised an eyebrow. "A problem? Let it out, and I'll take a look."

He was puzzled. He had just checked on all the Pokémon earlier, and they were perfectly fine. How could one suddenly have an issue?

Hiruzen nodded, took out his Poké Ball, and released the Pokémon.

A sluggish Slakoth lay motionless on the cabin floor.

Hiruzen asked with concern, "Boss, do you think it's sick?"

He had spent quite a while in the back mountain before selecting this particular Pokémon. Not only did it seem the strongest among those present, but it also felt the most in tune with his chakra.

However, something strange had happened when he threw the Poké Ball. The Pokémon didn't react at all to his actions. Even after releasing it, it remained completely unresponsive.

Ryo glanced at the Slakoth on the floor. His eye twitched involuntarily, and he couldn't help but give Hiruzen a strange look.

What kind of luck is this? He actually managed to catch that Pokémon.

Ryo didn't know whether to be impressed or to pity him.

By raw stats, Slakoth was indeed one of the strongest Pokémon in the mountain.

But in reality, it was also the weakest—because it was too lazy to fight back.

"Boss, what's wrong?" Hiruzen asked, smiling uncertainly.

Ryo shook his head. "It's fine. There's nothing wrong with this Pokémon. Its behavior is just due to its nature."

"Huh?"

Hiruzen frowned in confusion. "There's nothing wrong?"

He found it hard to believe. This Pokémon looked like it was on its last legs, and Ryo was saying it was fine?

Ryo chuckled and suggested, "Third Hokage, why don't you buy a Pokédex? Scan your Pokémon, and you'll understand."

Without hesitation, Hiruzen nodded and bought a Pokédex. After scanning the Slakoth, the Pokédex lit up and displayed some information on its screen.

Seeing this, Hiruzen's pupils contracted slightly.

Even though he had heard about the Pokédex from others, experiencing it firsthand was still quite a shock.

But when he read the section labeled "Ability," Hiruzen's mouth twitched uncontrollably.

Ability: Truant

His mind froze for a moment before he instinctively looked at Ryo.

Ryo nodded knowingly. "Yes, Third Hokage, it's exactly what you think it is."

Hiruzen's mouth twitched again. He fell silent.

He had thought he had caught the strongest Pokémon in the mountain, one that could potentially bolster the Sarutobi Clan with a powerful new combatant.

But he hadn't expected it to have this kind of ability.

Sigh—

The more he thought about it, the more frustrated Hiruzen felt. He shook his head and let out a long sigh.

Ryo, watching the scene unfold, had to suppress a laugh. Still, he managed to keep a straight face in the end.

Ryo tried to reassure him, "Third Hokage, although this Pokémon has such a characteristic, it's actually incredibly powerful. With proper training, it could even defeat a Dragonite."

Hiruzen didn't respond. He understood what Ryo was implying.

After all, the ability was clearly stated. If he still believed Ryo after this, then his position as Hokage might as well have been bought with money.

Hiruzen nodded and calmed himself.

Even though obtaining a Pokémon was part of his plan, it wasn't the most important reason for his visit.

"Boss, what do you think of Konoha's current state?"

Hiruzen looked at Ryo intently as he asked this. This question was his real purpose for coming here.

Ryo's expression turned serious. "It's not bad. If no unexpected troubles arise, Konoha is quite a nice place to live."

Hiruzen's eyes flickered for a moment, and then he laughed. "Haha, is that so? Then I hope you'll enjoy your time living in Konoha."

Ryo smiled and nodded. "I think so too."

Seeing that, Hiruzen said nothing more. He glanced at the Slakoth on the floor, then retrieved it into the Poké Ball. He hesitated for a moment.

He was considering whether to return the Slakoth to Ryo.

After all, this Pokémon was of no help to him.

Help? Forget that. As long as it didn't drag him down, he'd already be lucky. With such a trait, taking it home would be like providing it with a retirement plan.

In the end, he decided against it. He was still the Hokage, after all. He could afford to lose this bit of money. There was no need to cause any ill feelings with Ryo over such a trivial matter.

Before leaving, Hiruzen purchased some energy cubes from Ryo, then turned and left.

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