August 21st, Friday.
Eevee perched on Natsume's shoulder, curiously eyeing the sketchbook in his hands.
The sketchbook, illustrated by Mina, depicted the move "Baby-Doll Eyes" in a comic strip format, so simple that even Natsume-sensei could understand it.
But Natsume didn't force Eevee to evolve against its will. After all, they had money now. They could afford Evolutionary stones, and if Eevee didn't want to evolve, that was fine too.
Gently lifting Eevee from his shoulder and placing it on his lap, Natsume stroked its soft fur and whispered, "Once upon a time, there was an Eevee… It lived on a desolate planet, so small that it could witness 43 sunsets in a single day…"
Eevee let out a yawn, its eyes drooping sleepily.
Natsume's lips curled into a sly grin, his plan clearly working.
He laid the sleeping Eevee on the sofa, carefully positioning it before snapping a photo titled "Eevee Dumpling.jpg."
The sleeping Eevee, curled up with its head resting on its tiny paws, looked just like a soft, fluffy rice dumpling.
"Haunter! (??﹃??)" Haunter floated nearby, drooling at the sight.
Natsume's expression shifted slightly.
"You're not seriously thinking of eating a Pikachu to evolve, are you, Haunter?!"
After uploading the Eevee photo to the chat group, the big shots erupted with excitement.
Lorelei: So adorable!!
Yellow: Dumpling, Eevee dumpling! ??(??>??
Gold: [Sinister grin of Togebo.jpg] Togebo's pretty cute too!
In the picture, Togebo held a pair of playing cards in its wings, flashing a confident smile at the camera.
Green coughed lightly. "No offense, Gold… but a Togekiss that plays cards isn't exactly what I'd call 'cute'…"
Gold and Togekiss slumped into a corner, dejected, with imaginary black lines hanging over their heads.
Wattson: @Natsume-sensei, Natsume, any chance you could send me a cheat code? I can't find one online!
Natsume was momentarily stunned.
Old Man Wattson, are you the legendary cheater I've heard about?!
Pretending to lurk, Natsume secretly opened the backend of ORAS.
Glancing at the leaderboard, he was slightly shocked.
The game had only been out for a day, and there was already someone with over 24 hours of playtime!
Who mines that obsessively? Are they trying to kill themselves?!
Even Steven, that rock fanatic, isn't this crazy!
"Could it really be… Steven?" Natsume muttered, his expression turning odd.
It seemed unlikely.
After all, not every Champion was as much of a gamer as Cynthia.
Compared to games, real-life ores probably held more appeal for Steven.
Natsume crossed his arms and nodded, convinced.
After preparing dinner for the little ones, Natsume-sensei considered reaching out to Cynthia for an intense gaming session.
But Cynthia was busy with her research.
Natsume-sensei sighed in disappointment.
If she had joined, I might've made another hundred thousand or so!
Just then, his phone buzzed.
Natsume answered, slightly surprised. "Devon Corporation?"
"Mr. Natsume, I apologize for disturbing you so late," said the manager on the other end, his tone respectful. "I was wondering if your studio would be open to an investment from Devon Corporation. We see great potential in your studio's growth…"
Natsume pondered for a moment before declining. "I'm not currently looking for investments…"
"What a shame!" the manager lamented. "Please do reconsider… Our Vice President is quite fond of the games you've created. I'm sure the offer will be more than satisfactory!"
The Vice President… likes my games?
Natsume was taken aback, his expression turning strange.
Wait a minute—
Could the person at the top of the leaderboard really be you, Mr. Steven?!
Hoenn, Mossdeep City.
Known not only for its world-famous Rocket Launch Center, Mossdeep City was also home to the former Champion, Steven.
Though he owned mansions across the region, Steven favored the one in Mossdeep City for its view of Wailmer leaping out of the sea.
The room was filled with various minerals, their beauty highlighted by the dim lighting.
A man in a suit sat upright at his computer, staring intently at the screen, occasionally nodding.
"Hmm… the artwork is meticulous, and the knowledge of minerals is quite thorough."
Pressing the directional keys, Steven mined a stone, his light blue eyes gleaming.
Life is like mining.
Before polishing, no one knows what lies hidden within the stone.
Having sat for 20 hours straight, Steven's focus remained unwavering.
After all, he had once commanded the three Regis for 22 days straight to quell the rage of Kyogre and Groudon…
A mere 20 hours…
You're underestimating the Grinding King, Steven!
Glancing at the game's playtime leaderboard, Steven noticed that the second place was held by an old man from Mauville City, Wattson.
It's like he's using cheats—his playtime keeps rising every second.
Steven brushed aside a strand of blue hair, his gaze unusually sharp.
If you're going to do something, you might as well be the best.
That was Steven's life motto.
But without a deep understanding of the game's content… the score leaderboard could easily be overtaken.
Steven pondered for a moment.
No one knows the game better than its creator.
Cynthia bought a Dusk Stone on my behalf last time. She should have Natsume-sensei's contact information.
Steven pulled out his phone and sent a message to Cynthia…
Late at night.
Squirtle lay in the fish tank, happily blowing bubbles.
Eevee had already snuggled into the blanket, its tail wagging contentedly.
Haunter hung from the chandelier, letting out an eerie chuckle. "Haunter!"
Just as Natsume was about to sleep, Cynthia called.
"I gave Steven your contact information," Cynthia said. "With his help… your Pokémon's strength should improve quickly."
Natsume-sensei was momentarily stunned.
Is that what you call help?
The former Champion of Hoenn, helping me train my Pokémon?
Natsume shivered.
This is way too scary for a late-night call!
Natsume sighed. "I was actually hoping to play with you."
"I'd love to, but I've been too busy lately," Cynthia replied, chuckling. "But… Steven's payment for playing with you probably won't be less than mine."
Steven wants to play with me?
A big question mark popped up above Natsume-sensei's head.
Half an hour later, a call from the former Champion of Hoenn answered that question.
"I'm very interested in this game, Natsume-sensei," Steven explained. "If possible… I'd like to aim for the top of the leaderboard."
Natsume was momentarily speechless.
You're strong and skilled, I get that.
But you're seriously competing for the top spot in a game too?
You're already as handsome as me, and now you're not satisfied with that?!
"Don't worry about the sparring fee," Steven said with a smile. "It's not much… but how does 30,000 Pokémon Coins per hour sound?"
Natsume slapped his forehead, grinning. "To be honest, it's not about the money. I just really enjoy mining!"
Steven felt a sense of camaraderie.
"Indeed… I can sense the creator's love for ores."
Natsume's expression turned subtle.
It's not that I love rocks… it's just that mining all night with Cynthia is fun.
Who would've thought the one I'd end up bonding with was this rich kid!
"By the way, Mr. Steven, do you have any high-quality Dawn Stones in your collection?" Natsume asked.
Sabrina's Calm Mind technique required a Dawn Stone of exceptional quality.
This seemed like the perfect opportunity to ask the rock enthusiast.
Steven nodded. "They're somewhat rare… but I do have a few."
Natsume-sensei breathed a sigh of relief.
After searching for so long, it all comes down to Steven.
Counting the Dusk Stone and Toxic Orb… this is the third time I've had to buy items from Steven!
"What's the price?" Natsume asked with a smile.
A regular Dawn Stone cost around 2 million Pokémon Coins. Sabrina's so-called high-quality one probably wouldn't exceed…
"5 million Pokémon Coins," Steven said after a moment's thought. "If you need it, I can have it delivered to your place tomorrow."
Natsume's jaw dropped.
Of course, Steven!
Your collection is more than twice as expensive!
But this thing is truly rare…
Natsume winced, feeling the pain in his wallet.
Steven: "Natsume-sensei, is something wrong?"
"Nothing… just 5 million Pokémon Coins…" Natsume said bravely.
"Please let me pay in installments, thank you!"
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