Chapter 11
The cashier and the other customers stared in shock as Gengar stuffed the mountain of snacks, ingredients, and camping supplies into his stomach.
Traveling with a Gengar was incredibly convenient, especially one whose body seemed connected to its own storage space.
Gengar was basically a living backpack—only rounder, hungrier, and far more likely to steal your food.
Once everything had disappeared inside him, Mike nodded in satisfaction.
He gave the stunned crowd a polite smile, then led Gengar out of the supermarket.
They headed to the hotel Mike had booked online earlier.
After collecting the room key from the front desk, they went upstairs to put away their luggage.
Not that they had much to unpack.
Gengar had only been carrying one backpack. Almost everything else was inside his strange bottomless stomach.
Mike took a long, relaxing shower, then threw himself onto the bed and waited for Gengar to finish.
A few minutes later, Gengar floated out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. He stopped in front of the mirror and began admiring himself from every angle.
Mike watched in silence for several seconds.
Then he got up, walked over, and pulled the towel away.
"You’re a Gengar! Why are you even wearing a towel?"
Gengar quickly covered himself with both hands.
Mike stared at him.
"You don’t wear clothes in the first place!"
Gengar slowly lowered his hands.
"Stop showing off and come explore the town with me. We don’t know when we’ll visit Twinleaf again."
"Gar—"
[Okay.]
Mike and Gengar left the hotel and began walking around Twinleaf Town.
Mike had never visited another city in this world, but Twinleaf already felt much bigger than his old hometown.
The harbor was probably the reason.
The town had plenty of shops and hotels for travelers arriving in Sinnoh by ship from Hoenn, Johto, Kanto, and other regions before heading farther inland.
As they explored, Mike kept raising his camera to capture the peaceful town and the everyday lives of the people and Pokémon living there.
Children played with Pokémon in narrow alleys.
Men and women walked along the road with Glameow or Persian beside them.
An old man sat outside drinking tea and reading the newspaper while a Machamp rested nearby with all four arms folded behind its head.
Everything felt warm, calm, and completely natural.
Ever since Mike’s Photography skill had reached its highest level, he had become much better at finding the right angle.
More importantly, he had started noticing the small, beautiful moments hidden in normal life.
Eventually, he stopped in front of a red-and-white building with a roof shaped like a Poké Ball.
After thinking for a moment, Mike returned Gengar to his Poké Ball and stepped inside.
At the counter, he handed Nurse Joy the Poké Balls containing Gengar and Weedle.
"Of course. Please wait a moment while we restore their energy."
The pink-haired Nurse Joy accepted both Poké Balls with a gentle smile.
She wore the familiar nurse’s uniform Mike had seen countless times before.
"Chansey~"
[Please wait a little while~]
Chansey followed Nurse Joy through the door behind the counter with both Poké Balls in her arms.
While he waited, Mike looked around the Pokémon Center with open curiosity.
It was almost exactly like the Centers from the games and anime.
Normal healing was completely free.
Trainers only had to pay when their Pokémon suffered serious injuries and needed special treatment.
The Center also sold Poké Balls, Potions, medicine, and other supplies, but those naturally cost money.
Before long, Nurse Joy and Chansey returned.
Nurse Joy handed the Poké Balls back to Mike.
"Gengar and Weedle have fully recovered. Neither of them has any serious problems. They were mainly tired."
She smiled warmly.
"You’ve taken very good care of them. They’re both extremely healthy and strong."
"Thank you."
Mike accepted the Poké Balls, then turned toward Chansey.
"Thanks for helping them too."
"Chansey~"
[You’re welcome~]
Chansey’s eyes curved happily.
Mike left the Pokémon Center with a smile.
’My first time taking Pokémon to a Pokémon Center...’
’It actually feels kind of special!’
The moment he stepped outside, Gengar and Weedle released themselves from their Poké Balls.
Weedle had already become an expert at climbing Mike’s body.
Within seconds, he was sitting on top of Mike’s head like an oversized yellow hat.
Mike took both Pokémon out for a good lunch, then brought them to a café.
He found a quiet table in the corner and ordered himself an Indeedee Special Coffee.
Then he looked at Gengar.
"Want one too?"
Gengar immediately shook his head.
"Gar—"
[It’s bitter and disgusting.]
He had tried coffee once before.
The taste had nearly made him regret coming back from the dead.
"You have no taste."
Mike ignored Gengar’s opinion and told the server that one cup would be enough.
A little while later, an Indeedee carried the coffee over on a tray and carefully placed it in front of him.
"Dee—"
[Please enjoy.]
"Thanks."
Mike took a sip.
The coffee was smooth, rich, and surprisingly good.
He gave Indeedee a thumbs-up.
"Exactly what I expected from Indeedee Special Coffee. I could drink this every day."
Indeedee’s eyes curved into a happy smile. Hugging the tray to her chest, she gave him a small bow.
"Dee—"
[Your praise makes us want to work even harder!]
After Indeedee left, Mike pulled out his tablet and looked at Gengar.
"I’m going to work for a while. You can go play somewhere else, but come back before dinner."
Gengar did not leave.
Instead, he sat down beside Mike.
Mike let him stay and began editing one of the videos he had recorded in Grandma’s courtyard.
Luckily, he had prepared several videos in advance. He could upload them whenever he had nothing new ready.
Views became Viewership Points.
Viewership Points were basically money.
So Mike had to keep filming and editing.
Otherwise, with the ridiculous prices in the system shop, he might grow old before he could afford anything useful.
After working with his head lowered for a long time, Mike felt like his neck was about to break.
He reached up, pulled Weedle off his head, and placed him beside Gengar.
"Do you know how heavy you are? You’re going to crush my neck someday."
Mike twisted his stiff neck.
Crack!
The painful relief was so strong that tears immediately appeared in his eyes.
"Gar."
[Mike.]
"Hmm?"
Mike looked over.
"Gar—"
[Can I eat some snacks?]
Mike smiled and gently pulled Gengar’s cheeks.
"We bought them for you. Eat whenever you want. You don’t need my permission."
"Gar—"
[Hehe. I love Mike the most!]
"Wee—"
[I want leaves too...]
"Then eat some. They’re yours."
Mike glanced at Gengar.
Gengar nodded, opened the backpack, and let Weedle crawl inside to begin his feast.
The two Pokémon stayed quietly beside Mike, eating without bothering him because they knew he was working.
...
Once Mike finally finished editing and uploaded the video, he looked up and searched for them.
Gengar was standing beneath a tree, using his bamboo sword to poke at something hidden among the branches.
Weedle sat nearby with a leaf the size of his body hanging from his mouth, watching with great interest.
Mike narrowed his eyes.
A group of Combee were hiding among the leaves.
Apparently, they had tried fighting Gengar, quickly realized that was a terrible idea, and retreated into the tree.
"Gengar, are you bothering those poor Combee again?"
Gengar turned around.
When he saw Mike had finished working, he hooked Weedle with the bamboo sword, lifted him over one shoulder, and floated back.
"Gar?"
[You’re done?]
"Yep. The video’s uploaded."
"Gar—"
[Good work~]
"Wee—"
[Goo worf~]
"Thanks. It wasn’t too bad."
Mike looked at Weedle.
"And swallow the leaf before you talk."
Weedle continued chewing.
Mike shook his head.
Gengar had managed to sit still for a few minutes before getting bored and running off to bother other Pokémon.
Mike picked up his coffee and took a sip.
It had already gone cold.
’Maybe this kind of life really is perfect.’
Warm sunlight slipped through the leaves and fell across his shoulders and the cup in his hand.
Mike quietly watched Gengar and Weedle cause trouble for every wild Pokémon unlucky enough to walk past them.
A soft summer breeze moved through the town.
For the first time in a very long while, Mike felt completely at peace.
The wild Pokémon nearby had a very different opinion.
’Is nobody going to stop these two monsters?’
"Who’s Mike?"
A voice suddenly came from above.
Mike looked up.
A Dragonite was hovering in the air with a delivery worker riding on his back. The man wore the uniform of a shipping company.
Mike blinked, then raised his hand.
"That’s me. Who are you?"
"There you are."
The delivery worker landed nearby and climbed down. He asked Dragonite to carry a large box over to Mike.
"Hello. We’re from Paldea Regional Logistics! Yesterday, we received an urgent delivery request addressed to you. Did you place the order?"
"I didn’t—"
Mike suddenly remembered the message from the night before.
"Wait. Was it ordered by someone called Gholdengo Is Number One?"
"That’s correct. The order was placed under that username."
The worker handed him a form.
"Please check the package. If everything looks fine, sign here to accept it."
Mike looked over the box.
"Everything seems fine. I just sign here?"
"Yes, right there."
Mike signed the form and handed it back.
The worker carefully placed it inside his shoulder bag, then gave Mike a polite smile.
"Thank you for choosing our company. Could you please leave us a five-star review?"
"Sure. I already did."
"Thank you. We’ll be leaving now."
"Thanks for bringing it all the way here."
"It’s our job."
The delivery worker climbed onto Dragonite, and the two of them flew away.
Mike returned to his seat and stared at the large box in his hands.
’They really sent it?’
’Just because they want me to livestream?’
"Hooooly crap..."
"Gar?"
[Whazzat?]
Gengar had recently started copying all the weird ways Mike talked.
"It looks like some equipment one of my followers sent us."
Gengar reached out to take the box.
"I think it’s pretty expensive."
Gengar immediately pulled his hands back.
Mike laughed and pushed the package toward him anyway.
"I can’t open it. Help me out?"
Gengar’s mouth stretched into a grin.
"Gar—"
[Hehe.]
He took the box.
Then, under Mike’s shocked stare, Gengar grabbed Weedle—who was still chewing—and pushed his horn against the packing tape.
Slice.
The tape split open perfectly.
Mike stared at them.
’You can use Weedle like a box cutter?’
"Gar—"
[It’s open.]
Gengar handed the package back.
Mike did not know whether to laugh or apologize to Weedle.
"Thanks, Gengar. Thanks, Weedle."
"Gar—"
[Hehe.]
Weedle continued chewing.
"Wee—"
[No pwoblem.]
Mike opened the package.
Inside, protected by air cushions, was a high-quality drone.
Beside it was a Rotom Phone made especially for outdoor livestreaming.
Mike quickly searched online for the price and his eyes nearly jumped out of his head!
"Holy crap!"