Dreams and Foundations

As the last few people left, Renji Takahashi heard the familiar voice of the system echoing in his mind.

"Entrusted a plot character with a Pokémon, reward: 1000 points, Bronze Exclusive Treasure Chest ×1!"

"Entrusted a plot character with a Pokémon, reward: 1000 points, Bronze Exclusive Treasure Chest ×1!"

"Entrusted a plot character with a Pokémon, reward: 1000 points, Bronze Exclusive Treasure Chest ×1!"

"Entrusted a plot character with a Pokémon, reward: 1000 points, Bronze Exclusive Treasure Chest ×1!"

The voice rang out four times in a row. Renji couldn't help but feel a bit of joy rising in his chest. Four treasure chests at once—that meant he could combine them into a silver one again. Not bad. Not bad at all.

He turned his gaze toward the ryo in his hand. With the money earned from Kakashi and the others earlier, he could finally afford to furnish the wooden house a little. His original dream of a quiet, safe life seemed to be slowly becoming reality. But… it wasn't enough. There was still a long way to go when it came to financial stability.

Renji sighed lightly. "It seems that relying solely on plot characters isn't sustainable. I need to entrust Pokémon to ordinary people as well."

While ordinary folks didn't offer as many points, they still paid money for the Pokémon. And if enough people came through, the accumulation of points could rival even that of plot characters. Besides, there were far more common people than ninja.

But that wasn't the only issue.

Renji's expression grew more thoughtful. "Another problem is the current method of selecting Pokémon—it's inefficient."

Kiba's behavior earlier reminded him of something. Although Pokémon were intelligent, they still differed from humans in key ways. Some were very particular about their trainers. Some were playful. Others were cautious or hesitant. Their bonds needed time—or incentives.

Then the idea struck.

He remembered the Pokémon capture fields from the anime. What if… what if he created a zone behind the house, where Pokémon could freely roam?

Anyone who wished to gain a partner could explore the area and attempt to bond with a Pokémon. As long as it was strictly forbidden to use force, the problem of compatibility could be solved. And with Dragonite watching over the hilltop, no one could break the rules unnoticed.

His eyes lit up at the thought. "If I make people buy Poké Balls before entering, that also adds to my income."

It was almost perfect.

"Only problem…" Renji muttered, looking at the small hill behind the house, "I don't have the money to develop it yet. And ordinary people don't even know about Pokémon."

He exhaled deeply. This was still the early stage. The Shelter Requirement of the Pokémon Entrustment System was still in effect. Until he formally built the Pokémon shelter in Konoha, the system would remain partially locked. Everything had to be done step by step.

"No matter. I'll build it slowly, piece by piece."

Clenching the ryo in his hand with renewed determination, Renji turned around and returned to the backyard, Espeon trailing behind him.

Dragonite followed as well, watching curiously. It had sensed something from Renji earlier and was keeping a subtle eye on him.

Back at the open space, the Pokémon hadn't left yet. Perhaps they were still getting to know each other, hesitant to wander far. Renji smiled faintly and didn't say much. He looked down at Espeon, who was nestled by his side.

From his inventory, he withdrew a small, pure white egg. It was about the size of his fist and gave off a soft, fragrant scent. He didn't know what it smelled like exactly—just that it was comforting.

"Esp! Espeon!"Espeon's ears twitched. It raised its head and stared intently at the egg in Renji's hand.

All around him, the other Pokémon suddenly grew alert, their gazes fixed on the egg. They slowly moved toward him, drawn by something in it.

Even Dragonite gave it a glance, although it didn't react beyond that.

Renji blinked. "Is this Lucky Egg really that attractive?"

He looked at the others, who were now crowding closer. Clearly, it held some kind of aura that resonated with them.

"Well, everyone," Renji chuckled awkwardly, "sorry. This one's for Espeon."

A few disappointed sounds echoed through the yard. Renji scratched his cheek, clearly feeling a bit guilty. Then he remembered something.

He reached into his storage and pulled out the same kind of energy cubes that Hinata had used earlier.

"Here, these are for you all."

The Pokémon, seeing the familiar treats, immediately perked up again. They each took one and began munching happily.

With the tension eased, Renji crouched down and looked at Espeon. It was staring at the Lucky Egg with wide eyes.

"Esp…?"Renji smiled. "It's for you. Use it first."

"Espeon!"With a cheerful cry, Espeon opened its mouth and swallowed the Lucky Egg in one gulp.

Renji kept a close eye on it.

"Esp… eon!"

A soft light enveloped Espeon's body as it shimmered and grew slightly in size. It leapt down from Renji's arms and landed gracefully on the ground, gazing up at him with sparkling eyes.

[Pokémon: Espeon (Shiny Silver)]Classification: Sun PokémonType: PsychicAbility: Magic Mirror (Reflects all negative effects)Level: 14 (Genin)Item: Lucky EggSkills: Telekinesis, Quick Attack, Helping Hand, Psybeam, Flash

Renji crouched again and patted its head gently. "Congratulations."

"Esp—Espeon!"The Pokémon nuzzled into his hand with a warm purr.

Renji smiled. "You can eat these too."

He took out fifteen mysterious fruits and laid them before Espeon.

Its eyes widened at the sight, but the other Pokémon didn't even glance at them this time. Maybe they instinctively sensed the fruits wouldn't benefit them. After all, the system didn't allow them to gain experience or level up through Renji's direct methods unless specifically bonded.

The Lucky Egg was a rare exception. It offered long-term growth, so even unbound Pokémon had been attracted to it.

But the mysterious fruit? That was immediate level-up fuel—and only worked for Pokémon that could gain levels.

"Go on, eat them. The stronger you become, the more you can protect me."

Espeon looked up at him seriously, then nodded and began to eat, one fruit at a time.

Renji watched with pride.

No side effects. No unnatural growth.

Just progress—earned step by step.