Pokémon: Wings Of Shadow

"Two hundred thousand Pokédollars for just a regular identity card?"

Shiro was surprised. A civilian card with no special privileges sold for two hundred thousand Pokédollars?

"That's right," the man in a black cloak shrugged. "Standard price. Take it or leave it. We guarantee the card is legitimate. Whether people can afford it isn't our problem. Otherwise, how could so many undocumented people easily become legal citizens?"

Shiro paused for a moment, realizing the underlying issue. "Does this two hundred thousand also cover the removal of criminal records?"

"Of course," the man laughed lightly and continued. "What name do you want? Where do you want to be born? Anything is possible. With this League citizen card, you'll also have legal rights to travel and cross regions."

"I'll buy it." Shiro immediately pulled out the money from his bag, counted it, and placed it on the table.

"Then, what's your new name?" The man took a third of the money.

"Shiro." Shiro decided not to change his name.

"And your hometown?" He took another third of the money.

Shiro hesitated for a moment before replying.

"Hammerlocke City."

"Good. Here's your card. Keep it safe. If you lose it or damage it, we won't cover the cost. Of course, you can always go to the Pokémon Center or the police station for a replacement. It's not our responsibility." The cloaked figure collected all the money as his arms began to glow with blue light.

After a brief spatial distortion, he spread his arms, and a grayish-white alloy card materialized on the table before him.

Shiro carefully picked it up and examined it.

The front of the card displayed the Galar region's Corviknight symbol. The back showed Shiro's personal information and photo, but there was no birthdate. The age shown was seventeen.

Shiro looked at the man with a hint of doubt.

He hadn't mentioned his age to the man, and to be honest, he himself didn't know how old he was.

"Psychic power detection, completely authentic," the man explained. Then he added, "Do you need a Pokémon with better potential? To be frank, other than the Gastly bought from us, the talent of that Rookidee is quite average."

"Rooki-dee!"

Rookidee, hidden in Shiro's coat, popped out and landed on the table, fiercely chirping at the dealer.

"Its courage is commendable," the man remarked as Shiro recalled Rookidee back into its Pokéball. He continued, "What do you think? Want to buy a Pokémon with better potential?"

"No need, I can't afford it. Rookidee is just fine for now." Shiro tightened his grip on the Pokéball, ready to leave.

"Then perhaps you need some resources to train your Pokémon?" The man slowly waved his arms, and between the light of psychic energy, images of various Pokémon items and resources appeared.

...

After a long while, another finger snap echoed.

The room suddenly went dark, and Shiro was instantly back at the metal door, holding the doorknob.

He twisted the doorknob and stepped out of the room.

The Pokémon shop was still empty. The shopkeeper sat at the counter, resting his chin on his hand, looking like he was about to fall asleep.

Along with buying the identity card, Shiro also bought some resources beneficial to Gastly and Rookidee.

For Gastly, Shiro purchased several ghost-type energy crystals, each priced at ten thousand Pokédollars. He bought ten in total, planning to enhance Gastly's ghost-type abilities.

When training dual-type Pokémon, trainers usually focus on one type to improve the Pokémon's control over its energy and abilities. The other type is typically used for type advantages and broadening the range of effective moves.

Gastly and its evolutions are Ghost and Poison dual-type Pokémon, and Shiro hadn't considered strengthening its Poison abilities.

Both Haunter and Gengar have large tongues and like licking their trainers. Even though a Pokémon can control the production of toxins, Shiro wasn't willing to take the risk. He had no particular interest in the Poison type anyway.

Shiro also bought a berry that could enhance Rookidee's potential—Fly Berry. The black market dealer claimed it was a research product from Macro Cosmos, cultivated through specific breeding techniques.

Such highly specialized berries with corresponding attribute traits were very rare, and some of the cultivation methods were even irreproducible.

For this, the man charged him five hundred thousand Pokédollars.

Shiro's one million Pokédollars fortune quickly dwindled to around two hundred thousand Pokédollers.

Training Pokémon was expensive, but for Shiro, money was meant to be spent. He didn't enjoy hoarding it. Once his Pokémon were strong enough, he could either sell wild Pokémon or participate in competitions to make more money.

"Hey! Shiro!" The sleepy shopkeeper suddenly opened his eyes and called out to Shiro.

Shiro froze, then quickly realized that the shopkeeper had already accessed his identity information from the League card.

"Quick action there..." The shopkeeper rummaged through his drawer. "But you still haven't picked up something."

As Shiro wondered what it could be, the shopkeeper suddenly pulled some money—one thousand Pokédollars, the exact amount Shiro had given earlier.

The shopkeeper then slid the money across the counter and resumed his position, resting his chin on his hand and casually explained.

"Just a security deposit, of course. I'll return it when it's time. We're a reputable place."

Shiro gave a slight nod, pocketing the money before pushing the door open and stepping onto the street.

Now that he had secured his identity, he could freely use normal shops and public facilities without the constant fear of being discovered as an illegal citizen.

With the League card, he could pay a small fee to use the Pokémon Center's services. Though it wasn't as good as the free access granted to registered trainers, it was still quite convenient.

Shiro then found a clothing store, and after presenting his identity card, the shop assistant greeted him warmly and began making recommendations. Once he'd tried on a few outfits, the assistant led him deeper into the store, explaining that customers who purchased clothes could use their free shower and changing facilities.

After all, many trainers spend long periods out in the wilderness and need to buy new clothes, take a shower, and change when they occasionally return. The store had combined all of these services—just a few extra showers, simple, and low-cost.

Shiro changed into a pair of dark gray pants and a windbreaker. The interior lining was pure black and made from high-quality materials, carefully crafted with Pokémon fur. The entire outfit cost him just over a thousand Pokédollars.

Now, carrying a bag and walking down the street, Shiro looked every bit like a relaxed young traveler, far from the image of an illegal resident.

After asking around and observing the area, he stopped in front of a store with a blue sign and walked in confidently.

The sign read: "Hammerlocke Recruitment Agency."

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