Chapter 76: The Bug Catcher Boy Has a Big Dream

Okay, I have replaced "Ah Da" with "Ada" in the translation of Chapter 76. Here is the updated version:

Chapter 76: The Bug Catcher Boy Has a Big Dream

Hello everyone, my name is Ada, and I'm a Bug Catcher Boy.

Don't ask me what the job of a Bug Catcher Boy entails. If you ask, the answer is I don't know.

My daily task is to wear a straw hat my mom wove for me, wear the vest and shorts left over from my dad's childhood, and also carry the bug-catching net passed down through my family for generations, and stand guard on the path that new Pokémon trainers must take. Then, as soon as I see a new Pokémon trainer appear, I have to charge forward like a hungry wolf pouncing on its prey and, in a voice boiling with fighting spirit, demand a battle with them.

It's just that these new Pokémon trainers have no martial honor. I could handle it if they brought out starters like Treecko, Torchic, or Mudkip. Although my Wurmple isn't very strong, I could occasionally get lucky and win a match or two, which was enough to console my young, repeatedly battered heart.

However, those trainers who bring out Salamence, Metagross, or even various Pokémon I don't recognize—some called Lugia, some Darkrai, some Yveltal—to battle me... I'd just pull out my Poké Ball and they'd hit me with a five-hit lightning combo to end the battle. Such matches often made me tremble with fear.

So, after much thought, I decided to quit this torturous job and return to my personally favorite industry—being a flower farmer.

When I told my dad my thoughts, I only saw him let out a meaningful sigh, then he patted my shoulder and said, "Ada, when your dad was young, I once had the same thought as you."

Yes, my dad was also a Bug Catcher Boy when he was young. It was only as he got older that the passing new Pokémon trainers couldn't bear to bully this old man, so this supposedly "sacred and glorious" task was passed on to me.

My dad continued, "Do you know why I've always stuck with this profession, and even demand that you also take up the same profession?"

"There's a secret to it."

He lowered his voice and whispered into my ear, "From my grandfather's grandfather's grandfather... 's grandfather, a legend has been passed down: it is said that the mysterious Pokémon that circles in the world's ozone layer evolved from a certain unknown Bug-type Pokémon that our family has taken care of for generations. It's just that the conditions for this evolution are extremely mysterious. Therefore, my grandfather's grandfather's grandfather... 's grandfather and the rest of them, generation after generation, have explored and searched. Many conditions have been tested by them and then ruled out. Now, in your generation, you have a great hope of cracking this secret, and then, obtaining that unprecedentedly powerful Pokémon."

"But, can't I continue researching Bug Pokémon while working in other professions?"

"You fool! If we let others know about the results of our generations of research, wouldn't it be all for nothing, and we'd just be setting the stage for others? So we must conceal this secret. And a Bug Catcher Boy researching Bug Pokémon, isn't that just a matter of course? No one will suspect us. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"...I understand!"

And so, in the end, I couldn't quit the job of a Bug Catcher Boy. Moreover, after hearing this secret, a big dream took root in my heart:

I will raise my Bug Pokémon into that majestic Pokémon that is like a divine dragon!

Thus, my Wurmple and I quietly began all sorts of arduous special training. Regardless of sun or rain, regardless of being thrashed by various passing Pokémon trainers, we gritted our teeth and persevered, all for the day my dream could shine brightly.

However, no matter how passionately I threw myself into this dream, I would occasionally feel weary. And my method of dealing with this weariness was to find other Pokémon that looked weaker than mine and vent my emotions through battle.

Just like right now.

Shh, in front of that road sign, there's a lone, tiny Pokémon. We can try to capture it, because its protein looks to be eight times that of regular beef... bah...

I picked up my bug-catching net and took out my Poké Ball.

Ready and waiting!

…

"Ahead is... V-Verdant Leaf City?"

Rio stood in front of the road sign,踮起脚尖 (standing on tiptoe) to painstakingly read the directions on the sign.

As mentioned before, although the spoken human language and Pokémon language in the Pokémon world didn't match the pronunciation of any language from his previous life on Earth, their written text was surprisingly similar to English. Rio in his past life had practiced English well, so now, looking at the script written on this square road sign, he could still barely understand its meaning.

"Verdant Leaf City? What is this place? I've never heard of such a town in the games or anime of my previous life."

Just as Rio was racking his brains trying to recall the familiar town names from his memory, a slightly hard object "thudded" against his head.

"Ah! What was that?"

Rio cried out in pain and turned to look at the "murder weapon" that had hit him.

It was a red-and-white Poké Ball.

"Pop!" A white light flashed, and a caterpillar-like Pokémon with a red shell on its back and spikes on its shell, head, and tail popped out of the Poké Ball.

Following it was an enthusiastic human shout: "￥%#%##%"

"?? "

Rio was a bit baffled. He had just remembered that in the battle with Mewtwo, the armor he was wearing and the visor he had on were both damaged. At this moment, they were all just a pile of wreckage in his [Backpack]. And the language translator that had previously allowed him to communicate seamlessly between humans and Pokémon, because it was embedded in the visor, was also damaged along with it. In that case, as a Pokémon, he naturally couldn't understand what humans were saying.

"Mmmm, mmmm, (Pokémon Language) Come on, let's fight to the death... Hey, hey, where are you looking?"

A fighting spirit burned in Wurmple's round eyes. But what made it very dissatisfied was that this small dog-like Pokémon before it was actually ignoring it, lost in its own daze.

On the other side, Rio did indeed feel that strong fighting spirit, but...

He glanced at the brightly lit "lv6" on Wurmple's [Pokédex] panel and decided to ignore it.

Rio propped his chin with his left paw and thought to himself, "Without the translator, I won't be able to understand human language. That would be very inconvenient for my adventure in human society. What if some Team Rocket or Team Plasma falls for my beautiful face and wants to abduct me?"

This wasn't without precedent. Just look at the story of a certain Team Rocket trio... or rather, a duo and a cat, and their frenzied pursuit of a certain Pikachu.

Although they failed every time.

Shivering with a chill, Rio racked his brains for a way to solve the language barrier.

"Make a new translator? But I don't know where Professor Kamiya or Takuma are now. And I don't know anyone else who can make such a device. So, making a new translator is not a viable option?"

"What about my system? Damn it, other transmigrators have no problem communicating in various languages. How come my system doesn't have this function built-in? You could even let me pay to win and buy one!"

A certain Pokémon seemed to have forgotten its recent declaration not to be a pay-to-win, grind-loving emperor.

"Or maybe try telepathy? If I had psychic powers, telepathy could indeed achieve pleasant communication with different creatures. But where would a Fighting-type Pokémon like me get psychic powers?"

"Or maybe... try my Aura power? I remember that Aura power has a characteristic that can achieve telepathy."

An idea struck Rio. He raised his head and looked at the spirited young man in the straw hat, vest, and shorts.

So, he decided to try using his Aura power.

Rio silently recited in his heart, "Aura Power, connect!"

Silently, azure blue waves slowly rose from Rio's body. One end extended a feeler-like conduit and connected to the straw hat boy.

"%￥￥#%￥... zzzzzzzz... shashasha... Wurmple, that's it! As long as we work hard, you can definitely evolve into Rayquaza!"

The straw hat boy passionately encouraged his Pokémon.

Just like the old-fashioned radios from his previous life, Rio continuously adjusted the intensity and frequency of his Aura power. After a burst of static, he finally heard clearly what the human straw hat boy was saying.

But it would have been better not to hear. Once he heard it, Rio nearly choked on his own saliva.

"What? What the heck? Evolve into Rayquaza?"

Rio looked at the Wurmple, whose fighting spirit was now soaring thanks to its trainer's encouragement, and felt his entire worldview shatter and collapse.

"(Pokémon Language) Oh, oh, oh, I feel my whole body is full of strength! Take this, [Poison Sting]!"

The spirited Wurmple opened its mouth and spat out a sharp needle dripping with venom, shooting it towards Rio.

However, in the eyes of Rio, who had gained extremely high reaction nerves after strengthening his speed, the speed at which this needle was shot was slow enough for him to do ten sets of push-ups and then ten sets of squats before dodging it.

So, he lazily sidestepped, casually dodging the Poison Sting's attack.

"What? This Pokémon can actually dodge our well-tempered [Poison Sting]?!"

The straw hat boy cried out in surprise.

"This must be an accident! Wurmple, one more time, [Poison Sting]!"

"(Pokémon Language) Take this! Hyaa, ptui!"

The poison needle shot out again.

"…"

Rio looked speechlessly at this ridiculous trainer and Pokémon duo. This time, he didn't want to waste any more time. He leaped up, his agile figure leaving afterimages on the road. In the blink of an eye, he was close to Wurmple. He brought two claws of his right hand together and lightly poked Wurmple.

"@!"

Rio's powerful Attack stat endowed him with great strength. Therefore, without even using any moves, he poked Wurmle into having swirly eyes.

Seeing Wurmple dizzily unable to continue fighting, Rio's eyes darted around, and a mischievous smile appeared.

He mischievously whispered in Wurmple's ear, "Let me tell you a secret: only Caterpie can evolve into Rayquaza!"

"(Pokémon Language) Ahh!!—"

Ignoring the stiff-looking Wurmle and the shouting straw hat boy, Rio snickered and used [Quick Attack], disappearing from before these two in a flash of light that the naked eye couldn't follow.

…

And so, a few days later.

Many new Pokémon trainers passing the small road outside Verdant Leaf City discovered that the passionate Bug Catcher Boy their seniors had told them about was gone.

In his place, in the Verdant Leaf City Pokémon Ecological Reserve, there was a new flower farmer who loved tending to the gardens, often followed by a sad-looking Wurmple, helping to carry a watering can.

…

Hello everyone, I am Ada. My profession is a flower farmer.

Yes, I changed careers.

As for what happened to Rayquaza, you ask? Hmph, hmph...

My father and my grandfather's grandfather's grandfather... 's grandfathers were really silly. Besides being a Bug Catcher Boy, being a flower farmer, studying flowers and plants, and Bug Pokémon and the like, isn't that also a very normal and natural thing to do? Besides, as a flower farmer, I don't have to force a smile and deal with those trainers who have no martial honor, and I can also have my own quiet, private space. It's killing two birds with one stone.

My experiment is still ongoing. It's just that I don't know why, but my Wurmple, who used to be full of enthusiasm to cooperate with me in researching the mystery of evolving into Rayquaza, lately, whenever I bring up this topic, it always seems not so spirited...