How Dare You Tarnish My Good Name!  

"The Untold Story of Ryuuske and XXX Women" 

"The Rising Star Trainer of Kanto Region Actually..." 

... 

 Ryuuske could already imagine the kind of sensational headlines the media would come up with. Regardless of whether the claims were true or not, as long as it boosted sales, these so-called "uncrowned kings" of journalism would write anything. 

At this moment, Ryuuske felt like he'd been screwed over royally. Aside from Sabrina, who had the right to question his character? Ever since transmigrating into this world, he had been a law-abiding, upstanding citizen. Sure, he'd killed people before—but they were terrorists, individuals without human rights. 

As the crowd around him grew more agitated and the girl named Shiranui cried even more pitifully, Ryuuske finally lost his patience. He tossed a Poké Ball, and in a burst of smoke, a three-meter-tall Gabite appeared. 

With its razor-sharp fangs, blade-like claws, and a vicious, bloodthirsty glare, Gabite's presence instantly silenced the surrounding clamor. 

For a brief moment, the scene was dead quiet. Then, after that short pause, the previously gathered crowd immediately scattered in panic. Summoning such a terrifying Pokémon in the middle of the street was no different from brandishing a forty-meter-long blade—naturally, the onlookers fled in fear of getting hurt. 

"Everyone's gone. Still putting on an act?" 

 Ryuuske couldn't be bothered to explain himself. His livelihood didn't depend on his reputation. As long as he had strength, what did it matter if his name was dragged through the mud? It was the same logic as how the words of the wealthy were treated as gospel. 

"Who said anything about acting? I really was crying my heart out, you know~" 

Shiranui lifted her head, her delicate makeup smudged from tears. She panted lightly, seemingly having overexerted herself from her dramatic performance. 

The girl pulled out a tissue and dabbed at the corners of her eyes. Two faint tear streaks still lingered on her fair cheeks. Though her eyes were still slightly red, the earlier heart-wrenching sorrow had vanished, replaced instead by a mischievous, impish grin. 

"Why do you look like you want to eat me alive? It's not like you're at a loss here, Ryu~ After all, I sacrificed my own reputation and innocence too~" 

Shiranui winked at him, her voice dripping with saccharine sweetness as she fidgeted coyly, as if embarrassed. 

But Ryuuske wasn't fooled. A girl who could casually throw around words like "pregnant" and "abortion" was hardly the shy, demure type. 

"Your 'innocence' isn't worth as much as my reputation. And we're not close enough for you to call me so familiarly." 

Leaning lazily against Gabite, Ryuuske spoke without a hint of urgency, as though nothing had happened at all. 

His calmness, however, only made Shiranui uneasy. 

"Comparing a girl's innocence to money is a bad habit, you know~ We might not have been close before, but now we've met! And soon, we'll be very close~" 

Giggling, Shiranui took two steps forward, her movements ingratiating. A faint, orchid-like fragrance wafted into Ryuuske's nostrils. 

"I have no interest in getting familiar with liars and thieves. Besides, what 'innocence' did you sacrifice? If anything, I'm the one who lost face here." 

 Ryuuske eyed the girl up and down. She was about his age, with porcelain skin and a charming, delicate beauty. Her soft, pleading gestures were undeniably alluring. 

Honestly, the outrage from the crowd earlier probably stemmed partly from the fact that such a pretty girl had supposedly been "knocked up"—mixed with a fair dose of envy. 

"Eh?! You actually have feelings for me?!" 

Shiranui gasped in exaggerated shock, clutching her chest protectively. 

"You're the one who claimed to have sacrificed your innocence. I didn't see any of that, but my reputation did take a hit because of you." 

Tilting his head, Ryuuske narrowed his eyes, considering how best to apprehend the girl in front of him. 

"People aren't that stupid. Once they think it over, they'll realize I was lying. At worst, you'll end up in some tabloids—it won't really damage your reputation." 

Shiranui laughed sweetly, as though she were the one comforting him despite being the instigator. The sheer audacity left Ryuuske torn between amusement and exasperation. 

"So, Miss Con Artist, aren't you afraid of getting caught?" 

"Don't call me 'Miss Con Artist'—just Shiranui is fine~ Besides, I won't be staying in Cerulean City for long. Even if they figure out I scammed them, what can they do? By then, I'll be long gone~ Still, I should thank you, handsome. If you hadn't scared them off with Gabite, I wouldn't have been able to escape so easily." 

Fluttering her big, expressive eyes, Shiranui gazed at him with a coquettish pout. 

"Don't mention it. Since it was my fault your scam got exposed, it's only fair I helped you out." 

 Ryuuske smirked coldly, while Shiranui responded with an ingratiating smile. 

"Aww, now I feel bad. So, to repay you—how about—" 

Swaying her slender frame, she glanced up at him with a bashful, hesitant look before biting her lip, as though wrestling with some internal dilemma. 

Just as Ryuuske waited to hear what she'd say next, her expression suddenly sharpened. 

"—Now's my chance!" 

In a flash, she hurled a Poké Ball—one that had clearly been modified, as it released a thick smokescreen that instantly obscured Ryuuske's vision. 

Without a word, Ryuuske's Gabite flexed its abdomen and unleashed a powerful gust of wind, dispersing the smoke in an instant. The sound of splashing water reached his ears, and when he looked over, Shiranui was already perched on a Squirtle's back, blowing him a kiss. 

"Bye-bye, handsome~ Thanks for everything! Next time we meet, I'll give you a proper reward~" 

Cerulean City's waterways were a labyrinth, and Squirtle's surfing speed was nothing to scoff at. Once she rounded the corner, catching her would be next to impossible. 

"You think you can run?" 

 Ryuuske unhooked a Poké Ball from his waist. Under an eerie ripple of energy, it levitated midair before vanishing from sight. 

"Psychic?!" 

Shiranui hadn't expected Ryuuske to possess psychic abilities. Instantly on guard, she scanned the riverbanks— 

And sure enough, a Poké Ball materialized in the air right in Squirtle's path, releasing a Dratini. 

"Don't hesitate, Squirtle! Watch out for Dratini's Thunderbolt! Speed up and charge past it!" 

Having watched Ryuuske's battles, Shiranui knew this Dratini could use Thunderbolt. Her face paled—if Squirtle got hit, it'd be crippled, and escape would be impossible. 

One thing she hadn't lied about was being a Trainer. But after seeing Ryuuske's matches, she knew full well she stood no chance against him. 

"Squirtle!" 

With a determined cry, Squirtle kicked into high gear, trying to outrun Dratini before it could unleash its attack. 

"Good thinking. But who said Dratini only knows Thunderbolt? Dratini, Ice Beam—cut her off!" 

At Ryuuske's command, a pale blue light gathered in Dratini's mouth. Instead of aiming at Squirtle, it fired the Ice Beam at the water ahead, freezing the river into a solid wall of ice! 

"Squirtle, slow down! Be careful!" 

Shiranui screamed in panic. Squirtle's face mirrored her alarm, but it was too late—its speed was already too high to brake in time. 

THUD! 

A dull crash echoed as Squirtle's head slammed into the ice wall, cracking its surface. The impact sent Shiranui flying off its back, and with a pained yelp, she crashed onto the brick pavement lining the riverbank. 

Her arms and legs stung—probably scraped raw—but before she could even pick herself up, a shadow loomed over her. Ryuuske had closed the distance in an instant. With a sinister grin, Gabite raised the blunt side of its claw and brought it down hard on the back of her neck.

To be continued…