Everyone Else Awakened, But I Just Opened a Pokémon Pet Shop

"Holy crap! What kind of contract beast is that?!"

"Isn't using a contract beast way above your own level risky? What if it loses control?!"

"That's such a cheap move!"

"And this guy's such a troll!"

"I've never seen a contract beast like that before!"

"Every year some guy tries to climb the ranks using contract beasts, and every one of them ends in failure. They always go berserk!"

Voices of doubt and protest rang out from the crowd below the stage.

In this world, contract beasts had a terrible reputation.

People saw them as dangerous, unpredictable toys. They didn't take orders well, often lost control in combat, and lacked real battle intelligence.

As a result, there was no coordination, and some even turned on their own masters mid-fight.

No one sane would rely on a ticking time bomb like that as their core fighting force.

But up on stage, Wang Tao was practically in love with his Grotle.

And when he heard those comments, he instantly flared up.

"You guys better shut up!"

He shouted angrily, voice filled with indignation.

"Don't compare those dumb, disobedient contract beasts to my Pokémon!"

"Pokémon are humanity's true partners!

Their hearts are connected to their trainers'!"

"We share a deep bond—a bond, got it?!"

Then he suddenly smacked his forehead like he just remembered something, and shrugged off his jacket.

Underneath was the shirt with bold lettering:

"This Grotle is my ace Pokémon, drawn from the legendary Su's Pet Shop!"

"It grows fast, fights hard, and would never betray its trainer!"

"Want one? Go buy it yourself!"

"Powerful Pokémon will guide Awakeners to greatness!"

Because Wang Tao was rather... robust, the stretched fabric made the text appear a little warped and fuzzy.

Off to the side, Su Bai rubbed his temples in embarrassment.

Sure, the promotion was effective…

But why did Wang Tao have to do it with such an awkward pose?!

"Sorry, Su Bai," Liu Yunshuang said helplessly, pinching her forehead.

"Your friend... he's just a bit too well-fed. That shirt's clearly too small."

Ji Wei burst out laughing.

"He's quite the character! I like him!"

"That Grotle of his looks pretty strong."

"The last opponent might've seemed a bit clumsy, but his base stats were decent."

"To take those hits without a scratch… its defense must be close to B-rank!"

Su Bai nodded in agreement.

Yes, Wang Tao's antics might be a bit silly, but the results spoke for themselves.

And already, people in the crowd were asking around about Su's Pet Shop.

If Grotle kept performing like this, it would prove Pokémon could be controlled, that they were viable companions.

Just then, another student leapt onto the stage, sword in hand.

He pointed directly at Wang Tao.

"A contract beast is still a contract beast!

There's no glory in hiding behind one!"

"You're Wang Tao, right? E-rank Knight, if I remember correctly?"

"Recall your beast and face me man-to-man! Let's have a proper, honorable duel!"

Wang Tao yawned from behind Grotle and dug lazily at his ear.

"Oh please. A D-rank bullying an E-rank and calling it 'honorable'? You just want an easy win."

"Grotle, smack him!"

With a goofy grunt, Grotle twisted its huge tail and whipped it toward the student who had been trying to sneak around for a surprise attack.

Though Grotle looked clumsy, its tail strike was anything but slow.

The challenger had no chance to dodge.

Before he could finish his sentence, WHAM!—he was launched clean off the stage!

Wang Tao stretched lazily and said,

"Next!"

"Also, I'm no longer just a Knight. I'm now a glorious Pokémon Trainer!"

"I'm going to be the Champion of the League, just so you know!"

He had spent so much time hanging out at Su Bai's shop that he had learned a lot.

Including the concept of a "League Champion," which Su had casually mentioned during tea one day.

That one offhand comment had sparked a dream in Wang Tao.

No longer did he want to be just an Awakener—

He wanted to be a Trainer Champion!

The next challenger lasted even shorter than the last one.

Another wave of buzz rippled through the crowd.

Among the spectators, a bespectacled boy stood up excitedly, hugging a chubby, awkward-looking Gible in his arms.

"Let's go, big bro Wang Tao!"

"Pokémon are the best!"

This boy was Zhang Qun, heir to one of Haicheng's wealthiest families.

Although not a student at Haicheng No. 1, he had enough clout to gain entry.

After all, many Awakeners took on part-time work with the rich to fund their gear and training.

Getting the backing of a wealthy patron was a huge advantage.

"Is that thing in your arms... a Pokémon

too?"

"You got it from Su's Pet Shop?"

"It's not a contract beast? Like, really not?"

"It won't go berserk?!"

Naturally, Zhang Qun was seated among other wealthy heirs and heiresses.

Earlier, they'd looked down on him for cradling something that looked so comically weird.

But now?

Everyone's attention was on him.

Question after question came flying at Zhang Qun.

He puffed up with pride.

"This isn't just any Pokémon!"

"This is a pseudo-legendary!"

"Once it evolves, it'll be way stronger than even Wang Tao's Grotle!"

"And yes, it came from Su's Pet Shop!"

"Don't even think of comparing it to a contract beast. This is a totally different league!"

"Not even that expensive. Just eighty million."

Su Bai glanced around the buzzing crowd.

All around, people were excitedly whispering, eyes shining with interest.

Sure, Wang Tao was a little shameless, but the promotion had worked.

Especially in Zhang Qun's circle—

These were elite customers.

The wealthiest of Haicheng's elite all mingled here.

Even if they were offered a pseudo-legendary Pokémon, they could afford it without batting an eye.

"Looks like business is about to boom for you, Boss Su," Liu Yunshuang remarked as Gortle sent yet another challenger flying.

She smiled knowingly.

"This ad campaign worked better than I thought."

Su Bai chuckled.

"Yeah, but let's not get ahead of ourselves."

"The real test will be when the official ranked matches begin."

"These early-round fights aren't a great benchmark for professional-level performance."

Ji Wei nodded in agreement.

To high-ranking professionals like them, these elimination rounds were almost like kids' sparring matches.

The power levels, strategies, none of it was up to par yet.

If today was just a spark of interest…

Then the ranked battles would be the true ignition.

And if Pokémon could perform in those matches—

Then their value would become undeniable.