Capítulo 53: ## Chapter 53 : Graduation
In the dimly lit study, the faint sound of pages turning and the soft rustle of papers filled the air. Chiyama, the gym leader of Ecruteak Gym, was seated at his desk, fully immersed in organizing the records for all the people who challenged the Ecruteak Gym this year. It had been a busy year, and the gym had seen countless challengers. Each one left behind a record: whether they succeeded or lost, the badges they won, and other critical data that Chiyama had to meticulously sort through. His focus was unwavering, his mind deep in thought as he processed the numbers and names in front of him.
Meanwhile, in another part of the gym, Komatsu, along with Kane, Thunderstorm and Melissa, stood before Chiyama, eagerly recounting their recent triumph. They had just successfully cleared the challenge of the fifth floor of the Bell Tower, a feat that they were clearly proud of. As they stood there, taking turns to explain how they navigated each floor, Chiyama listened intently, though his mind remained largely preoccupied. He had always kept a close eye on the progress of these four, and he had come to expect nothing less than success from them. So, when they reported their victory, Chiyama was not the least bit surprised.
He glanced up at them briefly, acknowledging their progress with a nod, but his thoughts quickly returned to the pressing matter at hand—he was currently in the midst of managing the affairs with Pryce's visit, a task that was proving to be quite time-consuming. Because of this, he simply didn't have the time to prepare any kind of special reward for them at the moment.
"You've managed to clear all five floors of Bell Tower ahead of schedule," Chiyama began, his voice calm and composed as he spoke to the group. "I must say, I'm very pleased with your progress. It shows your strength and determination. However, we still have a few matters to attend to. There are three days left before Pryce arrives to conduct the official assessment of the Ecruteak Gym. In light of this, I haven't prepared anything particularly special as a reward for your achievement."
Chiyama paused for a moment, reaching into a drawer beside him before continuing. "Nevertheless, I've arranged for each of you to receive something as a token of my appreciation for your hard work." From the drawer, he pulled out four sleek-looking cards, each one embossed with the names of the gym trainees standing before him. "These cards each contain 10,000 poke dollars. Take them, and enjoy yourselves in for the next three days. But remember, when Pryce arrives, I will need your assistance during the assessment. Be ready."
The four young trainers stepped forward and accepted the cards, the shiny surface reflecting the dim light of the library. Their names were neatly printed on each card, giving them a sense of pride and accomplishment as they took them into their hands.
"Oh, and before I forget," Chiyama added, looking specifically at Kane and Thunderstorm, who were standing slightly apart from the others, "your wages for the last three months have also been deposited into these cards. After Pryce's departure, I'll officially accept the both of you as my formal disciples."
"Thank you, Master Chiyama," Kane responded, though his words lacked warmth and appreciation one would expect in this situation. The title of "Master" didn't come naturally to him, and he struggled to say it with genuine respect. It felt more like a formality, something that was expected of him rather than something he truly believed in.
Thunderstorm, on the other hand, was much quicker to express his gratitude. "Thank you, Master!" he said enthusiastically, clearly thrilled at the prospect of becoming a formal disciple under Chiyama's tutelage. His excitement was apparent, and the word "Master" flowed easily from his lips, unlike Kane's.
Chiyama gave a quick nod of acknowledgment, though he didn't linger on the moment for long. His focus swiftly shifted back to the work on his desk, the papers still demanding his attention. "Alright, alright, off you go now," he said, waving them away with a slight smile. "Becoming an official disciple is no small matter, but we'll talk more about it after this period of work is over. For now, let me concentrate on the task at hand."
With that, Chiyama returned to his data, his head bowed as his pen scratched across the papers, leaving no room for further conversation. The four trainees understood the dismissal and quietly turned to leave the room.
However, just as they reached the door, Kane hesitated. Something had been on his mind, and now seemed as good a time as any to bring it up. "Master Chiyama," he called out suddenly, turning back toward the desk.
Chiyama looked up, raising an eyebrow in mild surprise. "Yes, Kane? Is there something more you need?"
Kane took a step forward, his voice steady as he spoke. "I'd like to apply for the final exam of compulsory education at Ecruteak Academy."
Chiyama regarded him thoughtfully for a moment, his mind briefly flashing back to the time Kane had taken the written exam for gym trainees. He had achieved a perfect score, something that had impressed even Chiyama, who rarely showed surprise at such things. It was clear that Kane had a sharp intellect and a natural aptitude for learning. Nodding approvingly, Chiyama replied, "You definitely have the ability for such an exam. I'll speak to the academy's principal on your behalf and arrange for you to take it. A certification like that will be crucial if you plan to work within the Pokémon League in the future."
Kane simply nodded in acknowledgment, his expression neutral as he accepted Chiyama's approval. He didn't say much more and quickly followed the others out of the gym. By the time they stepped into the sunlight outside, Komatsu and the others had already scattered, disappearing into the busy streets of Ecruteak City, eager to explore or spend the money they had just received.
Kane, holding his card tightly in his hand, felt the weight of it, both physically and metaphorically. It was a tangible reminder of the three long months he had spent working hard since his rebirth. Three months had passed since he had found himself in this world again, and he knew that every step he had taken thus far had been leading him to this point.
Instead of hopping onto his bicycle as he usually did, Kane decided to walk this time, his pace slow and deliberate as he moved through the familiar streets of Ecruteak City. He allowed his thoughts to wander as he took in the sights and sounds of the city, the bustling activity of people going about their day, unaware of the monumental changes that had taken place in his life.
Before long, he found himself standing in front of a place he hadn't intended to visit—the orphanage. His feet had carried him here almost out of habit, and now he stood at the gate, staring up at the building that had once been his home.
"The orphanage," Kane muttered to himself, the word heavy with emotion. He hadn't meant to come here, but now that he was standing in front of the familiar gates, he couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the memories that flooded back.
It was here that he had once been told, "You Kane, this will be your home from now on. The uncles and aunts here will take care of you, make sure you finish your education, and prepare you for the challenges of society. If you ever face difficulties in the future, remember, you can always come back here. We'll be here for you."
Kane shook his head, a bitter smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he recalled those words. Those words sounded so reassuring at the time, but now, years later, they felt hollow. As he stood there, watching a staff member lead a small boy into the orphanage, he realized that the same speech was being given to another child. It was a familiar scene, one that Kane had lived through himself.
"Looks like it's him," Kane murmured under his breath, recognizing the boy from his past. He remembered this boy well, someone who had shared a similar fate in Kane's previous life. The boy had once held great potential, inheriting a decent fortune, but had been tricked and left to rot in the orphanage. Back then, he had owned a Murkrow, which he used to assert his dominance over the other children, believing that he was destined for greatness as a Pokémon trainer.
But fate had a cruel way of dashing dreams. At the age of ten, the boy, like Kane, had been kicked out of the orphanage, and whatever ambitions he had once held quickly faded away. Kane had never heard from him again after that he assumed that the kid had died or something.
"Destiny isn't something that's handed to you," Kane mused, shaking his head as he turned away from the orphanage. "You have to forge it yourself."
Kane didn't care about such an insignificant person. He walked through the orphanage with the sole purpose of heading back home.
"I still have more than 30,000 poke dollars in cash at home, and with the 10,000 poke dollars given by Chiyama, I should be able to head to the black market."
At six o'clock in the afternoon, the black market had opened, and Kane was the first to walk in.
Naturally, Kane's goal was to find a Poison-type Pokémon strong enough to stimulate Gastly and possibly push it toward evolution.
However, finding fully evolved Pokémon in such a black market was quite difficult. Poison-type Pokémon, in particular, were dangerous, and their value was often overlooked because of the risk they posed. After all, mishandling them could lead to poisoning oneself. As such, finding a quality Poison-type Pokémon here was tough.
After browsing the entire black market, the only Poison-type Pokémon Kane could find was a weezing. It was common in the Kanto region, and it appeared to be in poor condition, looking quite weak and underfed.
Even so, the weezing cost Kane 10,000 poke dollars.
After buying the weezing, Kane also purchased a large amount of food for the Poison-type Pokémon. The weezing was in a critical state, barely alive, and its toxins were weak. Kane knew it would need a long period of training and nurturing before it could regain its toxicity and become useful.
Kane returned to the Ecruteak Gym with the weezing.
He placed the food in front of the Poison-type Pokémon and said, "Eat. You'll feel much better once you're full."
The weezing, which had been starved for days, could hardly believe what it saw. It had never tasted such high-quality Pokémon food before. With tears in its four eyes, it looked at Kane with overwhelming gratitude. In its heart, it vowed to serve this master loyally, no matter the cost.
The weezing devoured three full meals in one go.
Just as it was about to express its gratitude to Kane, it was promptly returned to its Pokéball.
The next day, Kane received a message from Chiyama, notifying him that he could now go to the academy to take the final exam. It must be said that Chiyama's influence in Ecruteak City was unmatched. Even the mayor had to show him respect and obey his orders. The academy principal, too, was eager to maintain a good relationship with Master Chiyama.
Upon receiving the message, Kane immediately grabbed his bicycle and headed toward the academy.
The academy was still on break, so it was mostly empty, save for the guard at the entrance. When Kane arrived, he showed his Ecruteak Gym trainee ID to the guard.
"You must be Kane. The dean is already waiting for you in the Academic Affairs Office. Come, I'll take you there."
The guard, enthusiastic and eager to please, led Kane through the academy, chatting with him along the way.
A simple gym trainee already commanded such attention. This demonstrated just how deeply the gym's influence permeated the city.
In the dean's office, an old man in his fifties was seated at his desk.
As the guard escorted Kane in, the dean looked up and said, "I am Minamoto Chikyo, the dean of the academy. I will be overseeing your graduation assessment today. The exam papers are already prepared for you on the table."
Kane was a bit puzzled. Why was he taking the exam in the dean's office?
Nevertheless, Kane picked up the exam paper and skimmed through the questions. They were all basic knowledge questions. Kane completed the so-called graduation assessment in less than twenty minutes.
Minamoto Chikyo then graded Kane's test on the spot.
"Full marks. Congratulations on completing your final exam."
The dean pulled a graduation certificate out of his desk drawer. It had already been stamped, Kane's academic details were recorded, and the certificate even contained a note commending Kane as an outstanding graduate.
All of it felt somewhat surreal. It made Kane think that this whole thing had been arranged beforehand. The test and the certificate had clearly been prepared well in advance.
Kane took the certificate and examined it closely, front and back, doubting whether it was real.
"Well, Kane," Minamoto Chikyo said, "you did very well, and you've earned your graduation. When you return to Ecruteak Gym, be sure to let Master Chiyama know that I, Minamoto Chikyo, arranged this for you."
Hearing this, Kane immediately put away the graduation certificate.
It must be real.
Kane glanced at Minamoto Chikyo with a knowing smile, one that conveyed that he understood exactly what was going on. "Don't worry, dean. I'll make sure to pass along your message."
"Good, good. And remember, when you make it to the league, don't forget about your alma mater."
Kane sneered inwardly. I won't forget. But not in the way the dean expected. Everyone here was simply using each other. In his previous life, when he had become a gym leader, one of the first things he had done was donate to the academy. In return, the school helped boost his public image. It was all part of the game, and he understood it well.
"Fame and fortune," he mused. These two things were inseparable, constantly feeding into one another. After achieving financial success, one sought fame. And once you had built up enough fame, even greater fortune followed.
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