I'm the Owner of the Pokémon Day Care In the World of Pokémon

Chapter 1337: Kaya

The Pioneer Corps's base was located in a corner of the Guli Mountain Range Range, where an area had been cleared for human activity. Rows of wooden houses were neatly arranged, forming what resembled a small town. Facilities such as training grounds and dining halls were all readily available.

The aircraft carrying Yuga landed on an open space in the base, a designated area specifically for parking various transportation vehicles.

As Yuga disembarked, he noticed a group of people is already waiting nearby. Leading them was a middle-aged man who appeared to be in his early forties. The man was exceptionally tall and muscular, exuding an intimidating aura that Yuga could sense even from a distance.

N leaned in and whispered an introduction to Yuga: "That's our leader, Mr. Kaya."

Upon hearing this, Yuga was enlightened and also surprised that the leader of the Pioneer Corps had come to personally greet him.

As soon as Mr. Kaya saw Yuga step off the craft, he led his group over.

"So, you must be Gym Leader Shimizu, the esteemed disciple of Mr. Kuni'o. Welcome to the Guli Mountain Range Pioneer Corps base," Mr. Kaya said heartily.

Although he was stationed in the Guli Mountain Range for years, Mr. Kaya was not out of touch with news. He had long heard of Yuga and had been curious about what kind of person he was. Now he finally had the chance to meet him.

Yuga extended his hand and replied, "Hello, Mr. Kaya. It's an honor to finally meet you. It's my privilege to witness the Pioneer Corps's strength firsthand."

"Haha, the honor is mine," Mr. Kaya said with a broad smile, shaking Yuga's hand firmly. He found Mr. Kuni'o's young disciple to be quite articulate.

"N, thank you for making this trip," the general then said to N.

Shaking his head, N replied, "It was no trouble at all; it's my duty."

Mr. Kaya nodded and said no more. He turned back to Yuga and continued, "I imagine after such a long journey, Gym Leader Shimizu, you must be tired. How about I arrange for someone to show you to your quarters first? We can discuss other matters later." It was clear the general didn't want to rush things.

"I'll follow your arrangements," Yuga agreed readily.

"Gis, show Gym Leader Shimizu to his quarters," Mr. Kaya instructed a young man standing behind him.

"Yes, sir," the young man named Gis responded, stepping forward and respectfully addressing Yuga, "Gym Leader Shimizu, please follow me."

"N, you must be tired as well. Go and rest," the general said to N.

"Yes, sir!" N saluted the general before departing.

Gis led Yuga to a wooden house while chatting cheerfully along the way. "I'm one of Mr. Kaya's guard. If you need anything during your stay, feel free to ask me at any time."

"I'll keep that in mind," Yuga replied with a smile.

Gis continued, "It's not mealtime yet, so the dining hall isn't open. You can rest first, and I'll come fetch you when it's time to eat."

When they reached the wooden house, Gis pulled out a key and unlocked the door. "This will be your lodging while you're here. It's a bit simple compared to what you're used to, but it has everything you might need."

Yuga scanned the interior of the house. Though compact, it was well-equipped with all the essentials.

This level of preparation was no small feat. Clearly, much thought had gone into the arrangements. After all, most soldiers in the Pioneer Corps were housed in shared barracks.

"This is already very good, thank you for the effort," Yuga said with satisfaction.

"As long as you're satisfied. If you need anything else, just let me know anytime," Gis said cheerfully, relieved that Yuga wasn't a difficult guest.

Previously, League officials had come to inspect the site, and their nitpicking had infuriated Gis. If it weren't for military regulations, he might have thrown them out on the spot. After all, this was the base of the Pioneer Corps, located so far from the outside world. With transportation being inconvenient, it was only natural that conditions were limited.

"This is the key to your room; please keep it. I'll be off now," Gis said, handing the key to Yuga.

Although the Pioneer Corps is a highly disciplined environment, they still value the privacy of their guests. Providing a key to lock the door was a practical consideration for guest convenience.

Yuga was indeed feeling a bit tired, so after Gis left, he closed the door and lay down on the bed for a short rest.

Meanwhile, in his office, Mr. Kaya asked his adjutant, "Any news about the three legendary giants from the team we sent out?"

Although they had already requested assistance from the League, they had not given up on their own search for the legendary giants. The teams were sent out one after another, but there had been no results so far.

The adjutant shook his head gravely and replied, "None."

Mr. Kaya sighed and said, "I wonder if this young disciple of Mr. Kuni'o will be of any help."

The adjutant, wearing a similarly grim expression, said, "Since Mr. Kuni'o sent him, he must have some skills."

Although they weren't entirely sure about Yuga's abilities, they held great respect and trust in Mr. Kuni'o.

"Let's hope so," Mr. Kaya said, lost in thought. Then, he turned to the adjutant and added, "Don't slack off on the search for the three legendary giants." He wasn't about to pin all his hopes on Mr. Kuni'o's disciple.

Though Yuga had a considerable reputation outside, Mr. Kaya hadn't interacted with him before and thus knew little about him.

About half an hour later, Gis came knocking at Yuga's door and then escorted him to the dining hall, where Mr. Kaya was already waiting for him.

The dining hall didn't prepare any extravagant dishes to welcome their far-traveled guest. Yuga ate the same food as the ordinary soldiers, as did Mr. Kaya.

Of course, the meals provided by the Pioneer Corps's dining hall were not subpar. These were soldiers, after all. Without proper nourishment, they wouldn't have the strength for the physically demanding training they had to endure.

For someone like Yuga, who was accustomed to the refined dishes created by Audino, the meals here seemed a bit crude.

However, Yuga didn't mind. This was the Pioneer Corps's base, and naturally, the conditions were more modest compared to the outside world. Besides, Yuga was no stranger to hardship, and he could easily handle simple meals.

During the meal, Mr. Kaya subtly observed Yuga. Seeing that Yuga showed no sign of discontent with the food, he was both surprised and impressed.

Yuga's presence in the dining hall drew curious glances from many soldiers. It wasn't every day that a stranger showed up in their midst, especially one accompanied by Mr. Kaya himself.

Yuga's demeanor was noticeably different from that of a soldier. It was clear at a glance that he wasn't part of the military, and the soldiers couldn't help but speculate about the identity of this guest who warranted the leader's personal attention.

Not many people knew about Yuga's arrival at the Pioneer Corps's base. Even those who were aware that a guest was expected had no idea about his exact identity.

After lunch, Mr. Kaya asked Yuga, "Would you like to take a tour around the base, Gym Leader Shimizu?"

"Absolutely! I've been wanting to see the Pioneer Corps in action," Yuga replied enthusiastically.

With that, Mr. Kaya led Yuga on a tour of the base.

Despite the limited conditions due to the location, the Pioneer Corps had comprehensive training facilities and resources. The League ensured that they were well-equipped in these areas, recognizing that these soldiers were risking their lives for the League.

When they arrived at the training grounds, Yuga was struck by the sight of the soldiers training under the blazing sun. The scene left a profound impression on him.

This was his first time being so close to soldiers.

In the military, soldiers not only had to train their Pokémon but also undergo rigorous personal training, which was no less intense than the training regimes Yuga knew about soldiers from his past life—if anything, it was even tougher.

The wilderness of the Pokémon world was fraught with danger. If soldiers weren't physically and mentally strong, their lives could be at risk at any moment.

Seeing Yuga observing the training soldiers with a thoughtful expression, Mr. Kaya suddenly asked, "Gym Leader Shimizu, would you like to come down and spar for a bit? A good way to stretch after lunch."

Yuga was stunned for a moment before grinning broadly.

"Sure!"

He could roughly guess Mr. Kaya's intentions. Sent by his teacher to help the Pioneer Corps with a problem, his abilities were unclear to them. This sparring was likely the general's way of testing him.

"With you and me?" Yuga asked.

Mr. Kaya blinked in surprise. His original intention had been for his adjutant to spar with Yuga, but he hadn't expected Yuga to directly name him.

"Yes, you and me."

Mr. Kaya thought about it for a moment and decided to agree, though he couldn't help wondering if he might be bullying the younger man.

Soon, the two of them stood on opposite ends of a battle field. The military was strict with its discipline, so although many soldiers were curious about the situation, none stepped forward to spectate.

"Both sides, release your Pokémon at the same time," instructed the adjutant, acting as the temporary referee.

In an instant, a Bisharp and an Absol appeared on the field.

The Bisharp belonged to Mr. Kaya, while the Absol was Yuga's.

...

[ Bisharp ]

Type: Dark/Steel

Ability: Inner Focus

Gender: Male

Potential: Indigo

Level: 84

Moves: Slash, Night Slash, Scary Face, Guillotine, Metal Claw, Metal Sound, Iron Defense, Sucker Punch, Iron Head, Swords Dance, Guillotine, Brick Break, Double Team, Shadow Claw, Giga Impact, X-Scissor, Roar, Quick Guard, Dual Chop.

...

This Champion level Bisharp didn't surprise Yuga. It was reasonable for him to have such a strong Pokémon.

But Mr. Kaya was different—he was utterly shocked when he saw the massive Absol standing across from him.

This... this young man might be stronger than he expected. If he didn't take this seriously, he might actually lose the sparring match.

Could his famous reputation truly be well-deserved?

The adjutant shared the same thought as Mr. Kaya.

"Ready, begin!"

At the adjutant's command, both Yuga and Mr. Kaya called out at the same time.

"Swords Dance!"

"Swords Dance!"

Blue energy swords appeared around the two Pokémon, spinning once before merging into their bodies. Their auras surged dramatically in an instant.

"Quick Attack!"

"Double Team!"

Almost immediately after completing their Swords Dance, Yuga and Mr. Kaya issued their next commands.

Absol's body gleamed with white light and disappeared from its original spot in a flash, lunging toward Bisharp. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Bisharp, however, flickered and split into two, then three, then four... Absol struck only an illusion.

"Bisharp, use Brick Break!"

Several Bisharp attacked at once, all brandishing their blades and slashing toward Absol. For a moment, Absol didn't know which direction to dodge.

"Absol, Hyper Voice!" Yuga called out.

"Rooaaar~"

In response, Absol let out a loud roar toward the sky. A burst of energy exploded outward, sending a powerful shockwave that instantly scattered the approaching Bisharp clones.

The illusions vanished one by one, revealing the real Bisharp standing directly in front of Absol.

Without waiting for Yuga's next command, Absol lunged forward and used a Superpower move, striking Bisharp with a powerful blow from its claws.

Yuga's Absol was enormous, standing over three meters tall, while Bisharp was just about the size of an average adult human. Facing Absol at such close range, Bisharp was overwhelmed by a tremendous sense of pressure.

This pressure wasn't just due to Absol's size—it also came from its Pressure ability, which was now active. Combined with its imposing physical presence, the effect was greater than the sum of its parts.

Additionally, Bisharp had just landed from its previous move and hadn't yet regained its footing, making it unable to dodge in time.

"Bisharp, Iron Defense!" Mr. Kaya called out quickly in an attempt to mitigate the damage.

Bisharp's body gleamed with a metallic sheen as it activated Iron Defense, significantly boosting its defensive capabilities. Even so, it was sent flying by Absol's claw swipe.

The extraordinary strength of Absol, enhanced further by the Superpower move, made the blow devastating.

Although Superpower move lowers the user's attack and defense stats after use, it is a tremendously powerful Fighting-type move. And since Fighting-type moves are four times effective against Bisharp's Dark/Steel typing, even the enhanced defense from Iron Defense couldn't save it from being severely injured.

Bisharp tumbled across the ground, rolling several times before struggling to get back on its feet. Its entire body was wracked with pain.

By this point, Mr. Kaya no longer held any trace of underestimation toward Yuga. He had only one thought in his mind: "As expected of Mr. Kun'o's disciple."

The two Pokémon stared each other down for a few seconds before charging at each other simultaneously.

Absol launched a Bug-type X-Scissor, while Bisharp countered with the Fighting-type Brick Break.

Boom!

The Pokémon collided and then separated just as quickly. They seemed evenly matched, but Bisharp silently took half a step back.

Though Absol's attack power had been reduced after using Superpower, Bisharp was already heavily injured from the earlier attack and couldn't perform at full strength.

"That's enough. Let's end it here—I concede," Mr. Kaya suddenly announced just as the two Pokémon prepared to strike again.

He wasn't the kind of person who couldn't accept defeat. Since Bisharp was clearly on the verge of losing, there was no need to let it suffer further injuries.

Hearing the general's decision, Bisharp seemed reluctant but obediently withdrew its attack.

"Gym Leader Shimizu, you're truly a remarkable talent at such a young age. Your strength is genuinely impressive," Mr. Kaya said earnestly after recalling Bisharp. "When I was your age, I had just barely reached the Elite level. I can't be compared to you at all."

"You flatter me, Mr. Kaya," Yuga replied humbly.

Calling him a "young talent" felt like an exaggeration—after all, Yuga was nearly 27 years old and no longer fit the label of "young."