Pokémon: My Titles Know No Limits! [322]

When August opened the door, he was greeted by none other than Kamado and Cyllene standing at the threshold.

Seeing them, August’s face lit up with welcoming warmth. “Captain Kamado, it’s been a while—”

Before Kamado could get a word in, August enthusiastically grabbed his hand. “We’ve only just opened our new Team Rocket branch, and you came all the way here to congratulate us? I’m honestly flattered…”

Some Jubilife villagers passing by happened to witness this display and suddenly wore expressions of dawning realization.

“No wonder that outsider could set up an organization on Galaxy Team turf…”

“So it was with Captain Kamado’s blessing!”

“Then it should be safe for us to join Team Rocket too, right?”

Kamado: “...?”

When did I ever give my blessing? How come I don’t remember that?

But before he could respond, August had already tugged him inside the room.

Once inside, Kamado caught sight of a Gengar sweeping the floor with a duster made from a silvery feather that emitted a faint glow.

What surprised him was that this Gengar wasn’t afraid of humans in the slightest. In fact, it stuck out its tongue and made a silly face at him.

“Quit messing around…”

August gave the Gengar a light smack. The ghost Pokémon just stuck out its tongue, turned around, and continued cleaning with its goofy rhythm.

After inviting Kamado to sit, August waved Zinnia off to make tea. Then, with a smile, he asked, “So, Captain Kamado, what brings you here today?”

Kamado’s gaze lingered briefly on the Psyduck seated beside August. He went quiet for a moment, then asked seriously, “I want to know—what is it you’re really after?”

August raised a brow. “What makes you ask that?”

“You’re a traveler. You suddenly show up in Jubilife Village, and by your second day you’ve created an organization and produced these incredibly potent Pokéblocks… I don’t believe you’re doing all this just for fun. So tell me—what’s your real goal?”

August smirked. “Since you’ve asked so sincerely…”

“Then I’ll be magnanimous and answer you…”

As tea arrived, Zinnia stepped into her role like a soulless narrator, dutifully reciting the lines August had given her earlier.

August: “To protect the world from devastation!”

Zinnia: “To unite all peoples within our nation…”

She was dying of secondhand embarrassment.

August: “To denounce the evils of truth and love, to extend our reach to the stars above!”

He pointed at himself. “August!”

Then pointed at the deadpan girl beside him. “Zinnia!”

“A white hole… a white tomorrow awaits us!”

“That's right!”

“Gon-ga!”

Gengar lifted the Lugia feather duster high above its head and struck a dramatic pose, chiming in with enthusiasm.

Kamado: “……”

Are these two... a comedy duo?

At this point, Kamado figured there was no getting a straight answer out of August in this state. He changed tracks and spoke of the second reason for his visit.

“I’d like to purchase a batch of your Pokéblocks.”

August, still riding the high of his performance, asked, “Pokéblocks?”

“That’s right. Cyllene discovered that they help reduce wild Pokémon hostility toward humans. For the sake of the Galaxy Team’s expansion plans, I’d like to place an order.”

Hearing this, August looked over at Cyllene. He wasn’t surprised she’d reported this—it had been one of his goals from the beginning.

He gave a knowing smile. “Of course, though the premium blocks have to be handmade by me. I’ll also need some berries as ingredients... and actually, I was just about to head into the wilds for some training and berry gathering.”

“I could—”

Kamado had just opened his mouth when August cut him off:

“How about you assign me a field guide, Captain Kamado? Someone to help navigate and, say, oversee the Pokéblock delivery too?”

“A guide?”

“Sure. I’m just a traveler, after all—I don’t know this place too well…”

...

Kamado wasn’t entirely sure how he ended up out on the street again. All he knew was that, with just a few lines of chatter, August had somehow convinced him to assign a field guide.

And he hadn’t even seen a single Pokéblock yet.

“What do you think?” he asked Cyllene as they walked.

When it came to this sort of thing, Kamado generally trusted her instincts.

“So far,” Cyllene said thoughtfully, “this traveler named August doesn’t strike me as malicious…” She recalled the look in that shiny Gardevoir’s eyes as it gazed at August—deep trust and closeness. “A bad person wouldn’t have a Gardevoir look at them like that.”

Gardevoir could sense human emotions. Sure, someone with force could capture one, but you’d never get a look like that through coercion.

“I see.” Kamado nodded. “Then have Akari act as his guide.”

Cyllene frowned slightly. “Akari? The wilderness is dangerous, what if—”

In Hisui, the wilds were never safe.

People dying in Pokémon attacks was tragically common, even with all the camps the Galaxy Team had set up and the extensive training members received.

“A Starly that never trains will never become a Staraptor. You’ve got to trust her. Akari’s already someone we can count on.”

Kamado had seen enough of this world to know: there’s no space here for the weak. If you want to live, you have to get strong.

Cyllene hesitated… then gave a small nod.

---

“Excuse me, is Mr. August here?”

With no Eevee to pet, August had taken to fiddling with the three stubborn tufts on Psyduck’s head. At the sound of a clear voice from the doorway, he looked up.

Standing there was a girl in a Galaxy Team uniform, a white cloth cap on her head, her demeanor crisp and confident.

The moment Zinnia saw her, her eyes widened. “Platina?! Did you time-travel too?!”

“Platina? Time-travel?” The girl looked genuinely confused. “My name’s Akari, not Platina. Captain Kamado sent me to be your guide…”

“Don’t mind her,” August said, ignoring Zinnia’s look of wounded pride. “She talks in riddles. Just pretend she’s background noise.”

Then he turned back to Akari. “Well then, welcome aboard the Hisui World Championship Training Squad!”

“World... Championship Training Squad?” Akari tilted her head. She wasn’t sure what a ‘World Championship’ was, but she remained professional. “Mr. August, when do we depart?”

“No rush. First things first—what’s your Pokémon?”

She blinked. “Pikachu.”

“Pikachu? In that case, it might like this…”

August pulled out a Pokéblock he’d crafted just for Pikachu-petting purposes and handed it to her.

Akari released her Pikachu and offered it the block.

The Pikachu sniffed it once—then gulped it down in one bite.

“Pika~!”

Its little face lit up in bliss. Seeing that, Akari smiled too.

“She even smiles like Platina... are we sure she’s not just in disguise?” Zinnia muttered.

“Seriously? What would I gain by lying?”

“Excuse me,” Akari asked, blinking, “but... who is this Platina person you keep mentioning?”

August pondered. “Strictly speaking… she’s your descendant.”

“Descendant?”

Akari froze. Then a realization struck her, and her cheeks flushed bright red. Her gaze toward August suddenly changed.

Pervert!

“……”

Okay, in hindsight, August admitted that saying “your descendant” to a teenage girl did sound pretty sketchy. But technically… wasn’t it true?

“Zinnia, back me up here?”

“Abba abba,” Zinnia mumbled, suddenly pretending to be mute.

He saw the smirk in her eyes. She was enjoying this.

“……”

All right. Fine. Betray me, huh? Wait until we’re alone—just wait.

In the end, August had to pull out an old photo of him with Platina to prove his point.

Akari stared at the girl in the photo—elegantly dressed, radiant. Then she looked down at her plain Galaxy Team uniform…

For the first time, she felt a spark of interest in dressing up.

Meanwhile, Psyduck had already made fast friends with Akari’s Pikachu.

In the small room, Pikachu ran circles while Psyduck chased after it.

Thunk!

Psyduck slipped.

It was fine—barely fazed—but it had slammed its beak hard enough into the floor to leave a dent.

That, in fact, was why August had picked this Psyduck from a whole bunch of others despite its questionable IQ—its beak was insanely tough.

Psyduck got right back up, shook off the splinters, and joined the chase again.

But Gengar—who’d just finished cleaning—watched in horror as his tidy room descended into chaos. His blood pressure spiked.

“Gon-ga!”

Furious, Gengar joined the fray with a ghostly scowl. Pikachu and Psyduck both froze in place.

Then—

“Pika-pi~!”

“Gwaa~!”

They flopped onto Gengar’s sides, giggling and circling around him like he was a new playmate.

Gengar stared, stunned.

Was I… not scary? Have I forgotten how to scare people...?

...

Outside Jubilife Village

August gazed out across the vast, open plains, feeling a rush of exhilaration.

Akari diligently fulfilled her role, pointing out the terrain. “This is the Obsidian Fieldlands…”

Obsidian Fieldlands, huh? In his head, August automatically renamed it to "Blacksteel City" or something equally dramatic.

“Any powerful Pokémon out here? Preferably an alpha?”

After all, this was training. No more picking off weaklings—he wanted the real deal.

Akari, unsure of his true strength, offered a cautious answer: “Behind the Aspiration Hill ridge, there’s an alpha Shinx...”

She hadn’t even finished speaking before August waved his hand. “Let’s go!”

Ten minutes later, they found themselves staring at the Shinx.

It was massive—easily twice the size of a normal one, almost the size of a Luxray.

The alpha Shinx noticed them and growled low, eyes wary, a warning rumble echoing from its throat.

August didn’t flinch.

“Psyduck—go!”

Akari’s eyes widened as Psyduck rushed forward. She had seen it playing earlier and assumed it was just a pet.

She’d never imagined August would actually battle with it.

Is he sending it to die?!

“Mr. August, call Psyduck back!” she shouted, alarmed.

This Shinx wasn’t the strongest alpha out there, but it was still dangerous—especially for a Psyduck!

August didn’t listen.

“Psyduck, use... uh... [Headbutt]—no wait, [Brick Break]!”

Psyduck lifted its head. Its yellow bill began to glow with a pale white light.

[Brick Break]

Akari felt her heart sink. She was already reaching for Pikachu’s Poké Ball, ready to intervene.

And then—

WHAM!

Psyduck struck with its beak. Shinx’s eyes went wide as it was sent flying, groaning in pain.

August tilted his head smugly.

You really think you can beat a beak harder than concrete?

“Gwaa!”

Eyes gleaming, Psyduck charged again without needing any orders. Its gaze lit up with a blue glow—[Confusion].

Thump!

The dazed Shinx, trying to get back on its feet, was slammed into the dirt, struggling helplessly.

“Finish it—[Psychic]!”

BOOM!

The final blast hit home. Shinx collapsed, defeated.

August turned to Akari, who was staring at him, stunned. “You were saying?”

Zinnia folded her arms, smug. “Told you. I knew August had it handled.”

August shot her a sideways glance. “Oh, don’t think a little flattery gets you off the hook. When we get back, enjoy a one-month break from caring for Rayquaza.”

Zinnia turned pale. “Noooo!”

August ignored her and looked back to Akari. “Any stronger alphas? That one was a little too easy.”

Jolted out of her daze, Akari quickly responded, “Yes! There’s been reports of an alpha Buizel by the riverside!”

August casually tossed a Great Ball and captured the fainted Shinx. Then, with a nod, he said:

“Let’s move—we’ve got berries to collect too.”

---

This is a fan translation of 我，宝可梦称号大师！ by 落唯 白良. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!