“Garde~”
Hearing her name, Gardevoir waved gracefully, politely greeting everyone.
“Oh, you mean Gardevoir? She’s shiny-colored—isn’t she beautiful?” Elias smiled gently, rubbing Gardevoir’s head affectionately as he introduced her.
At this, Professor Oak’s eyes brightened approvingly.
Lucario, whom he’d glimpsed through yesterday’s video call, had already impressed him. He’d thought Lucario was Elias’s most exceptional Pokémon—yet now, he encountered an even rarer shiny Gardevoir.
Despite his extensive experience, having encountered countless Pokémon as a leading scholar, this was the first time even Professor Oak had seen a shiny Gardevoir.
“Congratulations, Elias. A shiny Gardevoir is truly rare.”
Seeing the intimacy between Elias and his Pokémon, Professor Oak’s expression grew increasingly gratified.
Clearly, Elias hadn’t neglected cultivating bonds with his Pokémon.
In fact, Oak wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination, but he felt that Elias’s bond with his Pokémon surpassed even his own with lifelong partners—Pokémon who’d battled alongside him for decades.
Yet Elias had only been traveling for a few months.
Forging such deep bonds in that short period was simply astonishing.
This reinforced Oak’s belief that Elias had immense talent as a Pokémon breeder, likely even pioneering unique methods. Otherwise, it was impossible to explain why Elias’s Pokémon were so fond of him.
The curiosity gnawed persistently at Oak, tempting him to ask directly, but considering the timing inappropriate, he held back.
Turning his gaze away, Professor Oak’s eyes now fell on Elias’s second Pokémon—Zoroark—and his eyelids involuntarily twitched.
The shiny Gardevoir was rare, but at least familiar.
Yet the fox-like Pokémon before him… He’d never seen such a creature before.
After repeatedly rubbing his eyes to confirm he wasn’t mistaken, Professor Oak reached an incredible conclusion:
Even after decades studying Pokémon, he knew undiscovered species existed, but such Pokémon usually hid deeply or had long since gone extinct.
Yet here was an entirely new species appearing casually in the lineup of a rookie trainer like Elias.
Professor Oak briefly wondered if he was dreaming.
“Elias… just where did you catch these Pokémon?”
Oak couldn’t resist asking, scratching his head in bewilderment.
Beside him, Gary mirrored his confusion, while Ash simply stared blankly.
…
At a restaurant along the pedestrian street, Elias and the others had already settled into their seats, awaiting their order.
Across the table, Professor Oak repeatedly glanced toward Zoroark, visibly itching with curiosity.
Without Elias’s explanation, Oak would never have guessed this Pokémon, clearly exhibiting Ghost-type characteristics, was an ancient form of Zoroark.
Publishing this discovery would undoubtedly shake up the entire academic community.
However, since Elias didn’t seem inclined to reveal exactly where he’d caught it, Oak decided not to press further. Everyone was entitled to their secrets, after all.
It wasn’t just Professor Oak; Gary, too, seemed deeply unsettled.
Over the past few months, he’d feverishly caught dozens of Pokémon, transferring them all to Oak’s lab in hopes of filling his Pokédex and securing some rare species. His plan had been to proudly show off his collection when he next encountered Elias.
Even if he couldn’t guarantee victory in battle, he’d hoped his impressive roster would boost his confidence.
However…
Reality proved cruel. He might have the quantity, but Elias had utterly crushed him in quality.
A shiny Gardevoir and an ancient Zoroark alone had dealt a devastating blow to his pride.
Yet what hurt Gary most wasn’t even his Pokémon—it was his girlfriends. His entire entourage seemed overshadowed by Elias’s small group.
Though Elias had just two companions, one was a stunning red-haired girl—and the other nearly made him faint from shock.
Cynthia, the renowned Sinnoh Champion, was casually traveling alongside Elias.
After careful reflection, Gary realized in despair:
Only by bringing along his grandfather, Professor Oak, could he possibly match Elias’s traveling companions.
Don’t panic… I can’t panic!
Gary reassured himself with a deep breath.
He wasn’t destined to lose this encounter. After all, rarity didn’t necessarily indicate strength.
Take the shiny Gardevoir—it looked delicate enough to burst into tears at a single punch. Pokémon like that were surely just ornamental and weak in battle.
And as for Zoroark…
Having adapted to modern times by completely changing its type indicated its ancient form likely lacked sufficient strength, forcing evolution for survival. Thus, it probably wasn’t a real threat either.
The Eevee Elias held in his arms was instantly dismissed by Gary. A Pokémon smaller than his forearm couldn’t possibly be strong.
In the end, Elias seemed to have only Lucario and Gengar as real threats.
With this thought, Gary regained confidence, his trademark smirk returning.
In comparison, his lineup seemed positively ferocious. As long as he won their battle, he could still restore his pride.
“Elias! Let’s have a Pokémon battle!” Gary declared enthusiastically, clenching his fist. “Tomorrow, right after the opening ceremony—how about it?”
Hearing this, Elias’s expression turned rather strange.
Gary was good in almost every way, except for his tendency to seek out humiliation on his own.
Beside him, Cynthia and Professor Oak also showed peculiar expressions upon hearing Gary’s challenge.
It seemed even Professor Oak could discern Gardevoir’s exceptional strength.
“Are you sure you don’t want to reconsider?” Elias gently suggested. “Maybe we could do this after the tournament?”
“No need!” Gary shook his finger confidently. “I have faith in my Pokémon.”
Elias, thinking about running now?
Too late!
—
This is a fan translation of 养老婆见多了，第一次见养boss的 by 是阴哦. 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!
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