CHAPTER 4

After leaving Birch's research institute, Aoki returned home, not in a hurry to set off.

Traveling required extensive preparation—food, supplies, and emergency essentials. Although he had planned for this moment, he still needed to finalize a few things.

When he reached his house, he noticed that the door was slightly ajar. However, he wasn't alarmed; he already knew who had come.

Upon opening the door, he saw a young girl sitting comfortably on his sofa, flipping through a book about Pokémon types.

"May, you're here again."

That's right—this girl was May, the daughter of Petalburg Gym Leader Norman and the future heroine of the Hoenn region.

Right now, however, she was still too young to start her journey. It would be at least two more years before she would receive her starter Pokémon and set off as a trainer. Even Ash Ketchum—the protagonist of Kanto—wasn't scheduled to begin his journey until the following year.

Aoki had simply started ahead of the usual timeline.

As for May, their friendship wasn't entirely coincidental. Back before his system activated, Aoki had deliberately approached her, becoming one of her closest friends.

At the time, he had no system, no significant resources, and although he was recognized as a researcher, he lacked the backing needed to climb higher.

So he had made a calculated move—befriending May.

After all, as the daughter of a Gym Leader, she was well-connected, and Norman wasn't just any Gym Leader. He was a future member of Hoenn's Elite Four, a man with both power and influence.

Not to mention, the Petalburg Gym was one of the wealthier ones.

If things had gone as planned, Aoki might have relied on this connection to gain an easier path forward.

But just when he had successfully befriended May and earned her trust, Professor Birch had delivered an Aron's egg to him. The moment he touched that egg, his system had finally activated.

In the end, fate seemed to have other plans for him.

Perhaps the universe didn't want him to rely on someone else—it wanted him to protect May instead.

"Big Brother Aoki, did you get your starter Pokémon already? Which one did you choose—Torchic or Treecko?" May asked eagerly, bouncing over to him with anticipation in her eyes. "I'm still trying to decide what to pick in the future."

Every time she was with Aoki, she felt safe.

Her thoughts briefly wandered to an incident from a few months ago, when she had wandered into the outskirts of Petalburg Woods and been attacked by a wild Seviper.

At the time, she had thought she was done for—until Aoki appeared with his Boss Lairon.

With just one devastating Iron Head, Boss Lairon had taken down the Seviper in an instant, saving her life.

Ever since that moment, May's feelings toward Aoki had changed. He was no longer just a friend—he had become someone irreplaceable to her.

"I chose Torchic," Aoki replied, retrieving a Poké Ball and releasing the Fire-type Pokémon.

The moment Torchic emerged, it immediately latched onto Aoki's leg, rubbing its soft feathers against him, as if imprinting on him through scent.

"So this is Torchic? It's so cute!" May squatted beside it, watching the small chick-like Pokémon with sparkling eyes. "I've decided—I'll pick Torchic too!"

Whether Torchic was strong or not didn't really matter to her. The important thing was that Aoki had chosen one.

If Aoki had a Torchic, then she wanted one as well.

In her mind, she envisioned their future team—Aoki's Blaziken and her own, training together, battling side by side, and maybe even… raising a new generation of Torchics.

Her face turned red as she let her thoughts spiral, but she quickly shook her head.

She was too shy to say such things out loud.

Torchic, however, felt an eerie chill.

Its small body trembled slightly, and it clung even tighter to Aoki's leg.

It didn't know why, but it felt like the girl in front of it was thinking something… dangerous.

Aoki, having awakened the power of Viridian, was able to sense Torchic's emotions clearly.

He let out a quiet chuckle.

Was May scary?

If anything, he thought she was adorable.

Sure, his original plan had been somewhat selfish—he had intended to gain an advantage by forming a relationship with May.

But now, after truly getting to know her, he found himself enjoying her company.

"May, I'll wait for you. When you get your first Pokémon, I'll take you on a journey with me," Aoki said, gently patting her head.

Of course, for now, it was impossible.

May was still too young, and Aoki's strength wasn't at the level where he could confidently protect her on a long journey.

Besides, Norman would never agree to let his daughter travel with a boy alone.

But in a year or two, things would be different.

By then, Aoki would have six Elite-level Pokémon in his lineup. He would be a formidable trainer, possibly even an Elite-ranked one himself.

At that point, even if Norman objected, what could he do?

Maybe he would even want Aoki to take care of his daughter.

"Mm! When the time comes, I'll definitely travel with Big Brother Aoki!" May nodded firmly, already envisioning their future adventure together.

Torchic, on the other hand, let out a quiet sigh of relief.

That girl's eyes had been too intense—it had been genuinely scared.

Staying with its trainer felt much safer.

That warmth Torchic felt from Aoki… was none other than the life-giving energy of the Viridian Power.

"May, why don't you stay for dinner tonight? Tomorrow, I'll take you along on a short trip, and we can pass by Petalburg Gym on the way back."

Aoki figured it was a good idea to spend a little more time with her.

Traveling alone could be dull—having company, even for a short while, was nice.

If May couldn't join him on his full journey yet, a brief trip was the next best thing.

"That sounds great!" May beamed, practically bouncing in excitement.

But then, she suddenly realized how enthusiastically she had responded.

Her face turned bright red.

Had she been too eager?

Would Aoki misunderstand?

"This… I just like spending time with you, that's all! Don't overthink it!"

"Understood, I won't overthink it," Aoki replied with a teasing smile, before turning toward the kitchen.

Since May was staying over, he figured he should prepare something special for dinner.

Fortunately, he had once unlocked a bronze-tier treasure chest and obtained excellent cooking skills—something rarely useful in the Pokémon world, but now proving to be quite handy.

Looking at Aoki's retreating figure, May clutched her hands together.

That meaningful glance he had given her before walking away…

Had he figured it out?

Had he realized how she really felt?

Sitting on the sofa, she peeked at him in the kitchen, her heart pounding.

What a perfect man.

Maybe she really did like him.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Aoki was preparing Pokéblocks alongside their meal.

Specifically, a batch for Torchic—Fire-type Pokéblocks designed to not only enhance nutrition but also refine its control over fire energy.

He also made Rock-type and Steel-type Pokéblocks for Boss Lairon.

A balanced diet was key to maximizing a Pokémon's potential.

And if Aoki wanted to reach the top, every small advantage counted.