Pokémon: Above the Top

Avoiding the monks he encountered, Sato, as an outsider, felt somewhat out of place in this city.

However, with the rise of Pokémon trainers as a profession and the existence of Ecruteak Gym, he didn't receive any particular attention.

Each went about their business without interfering with the other, which suited him just fine.

However, when a monk with a benevolent face and palms pressed together walked straight toward him, Sato couldn't help but frown.

"Young man, there is evil in your heart."

"..."

Since this was the monk's home ground, Sato simply stepped aside, avoiding direct confrontation, and continued toward the Pokémon Center.

Behind him, the monk who had stopped him turned to watch, his expression filled with compassion as he murmured something softly. However, he did not pursue him further.

----

At the Pokémon Center, Sato was warmly welcomed by Nurse Joy, who eagerly grabbed his hands and bombarded him with questions.

After all, Sato was the only trainer in recent years whom the Joy family had openly declared their intent to support.

This was not only surprising to the outside world but also to the Joy family itself.

"This room is reserved for important guests. You're lucky, you know?" The Ecruteak City Nurse Joy, noticeably more lively, led Sato to an luxurious room before cheerfully departing.

Gazing at the room, which was no less luxurious than a high-end hotel, Sato silently reflected that hierarchy and privilege existed everywhere—even in the seemingly most selfless Pokémon Center.

Still, as a beneficiary of these privileges, he had no qualms about enjoying them.

After freshening up, Sato went downstairs and received eight Poké Balls from Nurse Joy. After a moment of hesitation, he leaned in and quietly asked her a question.

"Sis Joy, do you know where the black market in Ecruteak City is?"

"A kid like you, asking about that?" Nurse Joy's expression darkened immediately. If it were anyone else, she might have called Officer Jenny on the spot.

"Not to hide anything—I sometimes work as a part-time Pokémon hunter. When I encounter rare Pokémon during my travels, I capture them and sell them. After all, I'm just a common trainer trying to get stronger..."

At the first half of his explanation, Nurse Joy looked furious. However, by the time he finished, she could only sigh helplessly.

With the number of trainers she interacted with daily, she was well aware of the struggles and the dark realities of the world.

She lacked the power to change the system, but for Sato, she could still offer some help.

"Hand them over!"

"Hand over what?" Sato feigned ignorance.

"Oh, come on. Give me the Pokémon you're… you know, selling." Nurse Joy rolled her eyes, extending her hand.

"Oh, oh!" Sato quickly handed over the Poké Balls containing Drifblim and Gastly, his expression somewhat uneasy.

Seeing his reaction, Nurse Joy chuckled, and any lingering doubt about him dissipated completely.

"Don't worry, I'll handle this through other channels. It'll be safer, more reliable, and you'll get more money than selling them on the black market!"

Turning around, Nurse Joy placed the two Poké Balls into a special machine. A moment later, she rushed back over and pulled Sato into a quiet corner.

"These two Pokémon have excellent potential. It'd be a waste to sell them!"

Seeing how concerned she was for his well-being, Sato felt a rare twinge of guilt.

Taking a deep breath, he smiled and said, "Don't worry, the ones I keep are even better. If you don't believe me, you can check."

He handed her Haunter's Poké Ball. With a doubtful look, Nurse Joy scanned it—and then stared at him in disbelief.

"Haunter has the lowest potential in my current team," Sato said softly.

"Where… where did you find these?"

"Actually, I…" Sato repeated the same half-truth he had told Wester, revealing just enough to Nurse Joy.

He had thought long and hard about whether to share part of his secret with the Joy family.

First, the Joy family had treated him generously and with great care.

Second, the moment he left Goldenrod City, he had been targeted for assassination. Clearly, he was under surveillance, and the urgency to grow stronger was more pressing than ever.

For a common trainer to suddenly rise to prominence, it was natural that many would take an interest

. Rather than hiding everything, it was better to reveal a partial truth and gain the trust of the Joy family, using their support to mask his real abilities—a mutually beneficial arrangement.

(TL: Not a big thing, remeber, only works with Dark-Types and the ones with negative emotions like Ghost-Types Pokémon)

Additionally, his mention of selling captured Pokémon had been a test of their stance on the matter.

He was betting on the Joy family's level of investment in him.

He was betting on their long-standing reputation for kindness, justice, and peace.

He was betting that his honest confession would earn him their forgiveness and goodwill.

He was betting on human nature.1

There was also another reason, with the Joy family's reach, they could easily uncover his past dealings with Wester. If they wanted to dig deeper, it wouldn't be difficult.

"Remember, never tell anyone about this ability of yours. I'll report it to the clan leader, and they'll help cover it up. Sato, just focus on growing stronger—strong enough to protect yourself!"

"Thank you, Sis Joy!"

"You little trickster, go on now!"

Watching her leave, Sato clenched his fists.

In his previous life, he had been alone. Even with the strength of a pseudo-Elite Four trainer, he had been nothing more than a tool for killing.

When he was first reborn, all he had wanted was to escape that fate, find his old companions, and become stronger for his own sake.

Now, he wanted more.

With the Joy family matter temporarily settled, Sato clipped his six remaining Poké Balls onto his belt and left the Pokémon Center.

Following his map, he soon arrived at Ecruteak Gym—his final destination for this journey!

Knock, knock, knock!

"This is the back entrance of Ecruteak Gym. If you wish to challenge the Gym, please register at the front."

"Hello, I'm Sato, a Pokémon Trainer. I'm here to meet Gym Leader Morty. This is my letter of introduction."

"Oh, you're here to see the Leader? Please wait a moment!"

The young man at the door took the letter, his attitude noticeably more polite. After nodding to Sato, he quickly ran inside.

Two minutes later, he returned with a smile and gestured for Sato to follow him inside.

"Thanks! What's your name?"

"I'm Kenji, but you can call me Ken. I'm just an ordinary student here under Leader Morty."

"I'm Yuga Sato. Feel free to call me whatever."

"I actually know about you! The incident in Goldenrod City made the news—you were involved in that, right? I didn't recognize you at first!" Kenji seemed simple-hearted and straightforward.

Soon, Sato was led to the main hall, where a middle-aged man with round glasses and a thin beard sat, looking at him kindly.

"How is Leader Howard doing these days?"

"The leader is in good health, though he still gets lost every day."

"Haha, back in the day…"

Morty seemed to enjoy reminiscing about past events and spent a while chatting about the older generation.

Though Morty was actually a generation younger than Howard, they had been Gym Leaders at the same time and had spent years working together, forming a solid friendship.

After a long conversation, Morty still hadn't asked about Sato's reason for visiting, and Sato took this as a sign. Without further delay, he retrieved his Poké Ball and released his recently captured Duskull.