strictlysupreme Chapter 393: Rich Man
Chapter 393: Rich Man
Chapter 393: Rich Man“Let’s get started!”
Larry adjusted his tie, nodding in agreement. “Right. One match to decide the winner.”
The two moved to the ranch’s battle field. Larry reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a red and white Poké Ball. Tossing it confidently, he said, “Let’s make this a real match. Show me what you’ve got!”
Naoki grinned and called Gholdengo over. The shimmering Pokémon bounded into the field, its body gleaming like a thousand tiny suns. Larry, usually composed despite his fatigue, froze for a moment.
“What kind of Pokémon is that?” he asked, his brow furrowing.
Naoki smirked. “It’s Gholdengo, the evolved form of Gimmighoul.”
“Gholdengo…” Larry trailed off as realization struck. “So that’s why you were so obsessed with those coins. I see now.”
Larry stared at Gholdengo, then at Naoki. “You’re no ordinary trainer, are you? No wonder the Chief chose you for this task. I should’ve realized it earlier.”
Naoki, slightly embarrassed, shrugged. “Let’s just get to the battle.”
Larry straightened up. “No holding back, then. Staraptor, you’re up!”
A brilliant flash of white light revealed Staraptor, its sharp eyes focused and wings poised for action. Naoki blinked in surprise. Larry wasn’t playing around—Staraptor was clearly his ace Pokémon.
Naoki felt his competitive spirit stir. Although Gholdengo had just evolved, Naoki had spent the day familiarizing himself with its moves. He was confident in its abilities, especially with its Ghost and Steel typing granting it a natural advantage against Staraptor’s Normal and Flying combination.
The real question was whether Gholdengo’s power could bridge the experience gap between the two Pokémon.
As the referee, Indeedee raised its hand, signaling the start of the match. It then blew its whistle with a sharp , and the battle began.
“Staraptor, Quick Attack!” Larry commanded.
Staraptor flapped its wings powerfully, its body blurring as it shot forward like a streak of light. It struck Gholdengo at high speed—only to pass right through.
Naoki smirked. “Normal moves don’t work on Ghost-types. Gholdengo’s part Ghost, remember?”
Larry’s eyes narrowed. “Ghost and Steel... I see now.”
Despite the failed attack, Staraptor instinctively soared to a safe distance, its sharp combat instincts keeping it alert.
Naoki seized the moment. “Gholdengo, Metal Sound!”
“Gholden~gooo!” The golden Pokémon raised its hands, and the thousand gold coins comprising its body began to vibrate. The air was filled with the deafening clash of metal against metal, a piercing cacophony that reverberated across the field.
Staraptor felt the effects of the grating reverberating in its ears, nearly overwhelming it. Instinctively, all the feathers on its body stood on end.
“Staraptor, stay calm!” Larry’s steady voice broke through the chaos. “Gain some distance and use !”
“Gholdengo, don’t give it a chance! Use !” Naoki commanded without hesitation.
The battlefield sprang to life as both Pokémon acted simultaneously.
Still recovering from the effects of , Staraptor flapped its wings hard to create some distance before channeling all its strength into a fierce attack. Its form became a blur of power as it streaked toward Gholdengo.
But Gholdengo wasn’t idle. It extended its arms with a dramatic flourish, and with a flick of its wrists, it seemed to summon a dazzling torrent of gold coins that shimmered as they appeared. Like a relentless wave, the coins surged toward Staraptor, pelting it from all directions.
Larry blinked at the overwhelming sight, muttering, “That’s… an absurd amount of gold coins…”
The torrent struck Staraptor, forcing it to the ground under the barrage. Still, thanks to its superior physical resilience, the bird Pokémon managed to rise, though clearly battered.
“As expected, there’s still a gap in strength between the two Pokémon,” Naoki thought, observing the situation.
Larry furrowed his brow and gave another command: “Hang in there! Use !”
Streams of white air trailed around Staraptor as it launched forward with incredible precision. The maneuver was seamless, almost artistic. As it approached Gholdengo, it suddenly pivoted mid-flight, twisting to deliver a powerful strike with its razor-sharp wings.
The attack landed squarely on Gholdengo’s golden body, emitting a sharp metallic clang. Gholdengo staggered slightly, clearly hurt by the move, but remained standing.
Not wanting to give Gholdengo any time to recover, Larry continued, “Now, again!”
“Stay calm, Gholdengo! Use ! Naoki called out.
Staraptor folded its wings, preparing for a high-speed, low-altitude dive. Meanwhile, Gholdengo’s golden body began to shimmer faintly as it activated , mending some of its wounds.
The timing was tight, and Staraptor was just about to make contact when Naoki yelled, “! Now!”
In an instant, Staraptor’s attack struck what appeared to be Gholdengo, sending it flying. However, as the figure hit the ground, it dissolved into smoke, revealing it was only a decoy. The had worked perfectly.
Larry’s eyes widened. “Staraptor, be careful!”
Staraptor turned quickly,
Naoki gestured to the scattered gold coins on the tavern floor. “Look at all these coins. They’re everywhere, and no one’s using them.”
“Gholdeee…”
Gholdengo’s gaze followed Naoki’s finger to the gold coins strewn about. Its expression became somber—it didn’t want its coins to go to waste either. Unsure of what to do, it looked to Naoki for guidance.
Smiling, Naoki offered a suggestion. “Here’s an idea. From now on, only give gold coins to people or Pokémon you really like. That way, the coins become a symbol of your friendship. It’ll mean more to everyone, and you won’t waste so many.”
“Gholdeee."
Gholdengo’s eyes lit up with understanding. It nodded enthusiastically, patting its chest to reassure Naoki that it would follow this new approach.
“Great!” Naoki said, reaching out to gently pat Gholdengo’s head. “Now, do you want to stay here in the tavern tonight, or would you rather come back to the house with us?”
Gholdengo glanced back at the cozy tavern it had grown fond of since evolving. Without hesitation, it chose to stay.
“Gholdee!” it chimed decisively.
Naoki chuckled. “I thought you might say that. Well then, starting today, your job will be to stay in the tavern as the lucky charm of the entire ranch!”
Although it didn’t fully understand what a “lucky charm” was, Gholdengo liked the sound of it. It nodded happily. “Gholdee!”
“Alright then, goodnight,” Naoki said warmly. “Get some rest—you deserve it.”
“Gholdeee~!”
Gholdengo chimed in response, watching as Naoki left the tavern for the night.
When Naoki returned to the living room, he stopped short. Every Pokémon in the house had a gold coin in its possession—even the Calyrex, held one.
Naoki blinked. “Uh…”
“Alcremie!” Alcremie chimed cheerfully, as if to explain.
Calyrex, acting as a translator, elaborated with its psychic connection. “These coins are gifts from Gholdengo. That Pokémon is truly fascinating—it reminds me of an old companion from long ago…”
“An old companion?” Naoki asked, intrigued.
Calyrex nodded. “Yes, a Pokémon named Melmetal. When I ruled the Galar region, I foresaw a great calamity and summoned two brave warriors to defend the land. However, they lacked suitable weapons. It was Melmetal who provided the iron to forge the swords and shields that the heroes wielded, enabling them to repel the Darkest Day.”
The legendary Pokémon paused, its gaze distant. “After that, I fell into a deep slumber. When I awoke, I had lost many of my memories, including what became of Melmetal.”
“I see…” Naoki said thoughtfully. Trying to reassure Calyrex, he added, “Don’t worry. Melmetal is said to have a long lifespan. It might be resting somewhere in this world, just like you were.”
Calyrex nodded slightly, seeming comforted by the thought.
Naoki recalled Melmetal’s lore, which described its unique life cycle. When nearing the end of its lifespan, Melmetal’s body rusts and disintegrates into tiny fragments. These fragments eventually regenerate into Meltan, the Pokémon’s initial form, starting its life anew.
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