I’m the Owner of the Pokémon Day Care In the World of Pokémon

"Why are you here?"

Yuga asked in surprise.

Ninetales flicked its tuft of hair and rolled its eyes. "If I didn't come, wouldn't you all have been in trouble?"

Yuga nodded. That was true. While he could undoubtedly handle the situation himself, others wouldn't have been so lucky. If the whole building had collapsed, it would've been all over the news tomorrow, and there would be no way to hold the Duel Tournament.

At this moment, Looker walked over and asked, "Gym Leader Shimizu, is this Ninetales your Pokémon?"

Yuga nodded. "That criminal is dead. You won't hold my Ninetales accountable, right?"

Looker laughed. "Of course not. This was an unavoidable situation, and we owe it our lives. Not to mention, we have you to thank for capturing the criminals and rescuing the hostages."

He had already severely reprimanded the two officers who had allowed the criminal to break free. If they hadn't been careless, such a dangerous moment wouldn't have occurred.

Luckily, Ninetales had acted in time. Otherwise, if something had gone wrong, the blame would've fallen squarely on him.

Yuga waved it off. "No need for thanks. I'm the Gym Leader of Verdanturf Town, so it's my duty to assist you in capturing these criminals."

After chatting with the officer for a while, Yuga descended from the rooftop.

Masato Shirai, who had been waiting below, saw Yuga coming down with a relaxed expression and knew the situation had been resolved successfully.

The injured had all received effective treatment, although Joyka was exhausted from the effort.

After speaking with Joyka for a bit, Yuga saw that his presence wasn't needed anymore and was about to leave when someone suddenly patted him on the shoulder.

"Hey, bro!"

Yuga turned around and saw it was Luna.

"Since when are you back? And why haven't you come home?" Yuga asked in surprise.

Luna grinned. "I've been in Verdanturf Town for several days, but I'm on a mission—classified. I can't go home."

It turned out that Luna was one of the agents sent by the Hoenn Investigative Bureau to assist the International Police in capturing the criminals. Because she had been secretly tracking their movements, she hadn't been able to contact her family.

Yuga lightly knocked her on the forehead, scolding, "Classified mission, huh? And now you're blabbering about it?"

Luna covered her forehead and chuckled. "Well, the mission is complete now!"

Yuga raised an eyebrow. "Where were you just now? I didn't see you when I arrived."

Luna explained, "There were a lot of onlookers, and the police were shorthanded, so I was helping maintain order at the scene."

"Are you done now? Will you come home tonight?" Yuga asked again.

"Of course! I came to find you because I'm finally done." Luna giggled as she hugged Yuga's arm. "Let's go home together."

And so, the two walked home together.

Yuga dropped Luna off at her house before leaving. Her aunt and uncle were puzzled about why their daughter was coming home so late, but they were simply happy to see her.

The night passed quickly. Despite the chaos from the night before, the situation had been handled swiftly, preventing any major disturbances.

The next morning, Yuga had just finished breakfast when Luna came by to bid farewell. She and the other Investigation Bureau members were to escort the criminals away with the International Police.

Seeing Luna all geared up, Yuga asked, "Are your missions always this urgent? Don't you ever get any rest?"

Luna sighed. "Well, I'm officially full-time now, so things are different. No choice—it's the nature of the job."

Yuga fell silent at her words.

After a while, he said, "Wait here for a moment."

He went upstairs and returned shortly after, holding a piece of clothing (which he had actually taken out of his system inventory).

Luna looked at the garment in confusion. "What's this?"

"It's protective gear," Yuga explained. "It can shield you from most energy attacks. With this, I'll feel a bit more at ease when you're on missions."

The gear was a reward the League had given him after the Team Flare incident.

"That amazing?" Luna asked in surprise. "You should keep it for yourself, then." As she spoke, she pushed the protective suit back toward him.

Yuga unfolded the suit and said, "I'm giving it to you, so take it. Don't be so fussy. Do you think I'm weaker than you?" With that, he began explaining how to use the protective suit to Luna.

Hearing her cousin call her weak, Luna pouted in dissatisfaction. Though, compared to Yuga, she was indeed much weaker.

"See? That's how you use it. As for the elemental gems, I'm not giving you any. You'll have to figure that out on your own," Yuga said after finishing the demonstration.

Luna folded the suit back up neatly and said, "Got it."

Yuga couldn't resist nagging, "Wear it when you're out there. Be careful in everything you do, and don't make me or your parents worry."

"Okay…"

Luna responded casually, knowing full well her cousin was only looking out for her, even if he could be a bit naggy.

After Luna left, Yuga headed to the gym. Today was the third round of the advancement matches.

However, no sooner had Yuga stepped out the door than Ninetales poked its head out and began sneaking after him.

When Yuga reached the office at the gym, Cynthia and the others asked about the events from the previous night. Although they hadn't been present, they had heard about it. Yuga gave them a brief summary.

Cynthia, who had been involved in the downfall of Team Galactic, was particularly surprised to learn that a hunter organization associated with Team Galactic had escaped to Verdanturf Town. She sighed deeply and apologized to Yuga, admitting that it was a failure on her part.

Yuga, of course, didn't blame Cynthia. He reassured her, saying it was all a coincidence and not her fault.

After chatting for a while, the group left the office as the match was about to start.

Diantha trailed behind the others and, as she reached a corner, felt something gently tug at her.

Turning her head, she saw a paw extend from the other side of the wall and beckon her over.

Having spent some time with Ninetales, Diantha immediately recognized whose paw it was. She couldn't help but laugh, both amused and exasperated.

She glanced at Yuga, who was walking at the front of the group, and silently slipped over to the corner. Sure enough, it was Ninetales.

"What do you want? And why are you sneaking around, hiding from Gym Leader Shimizu?" she asked in a hushed tone.

Ninetales poked its head out a bit further, checking to see that Yuga and the others were gone. Then it cleared its throat and, looking slightly awkward, said, "I just wanted to ask for a little favor."

Diantha had only learned much later during the movie production that Ninetales could use telepathy.

"What kind of favor?" Diantha asked, puzzled.

"My master thinks I'm only good at spending money, so I'd like to ask if you could recommend me to a director if you come across a role that suits me. That way, I can make some money to support my family." Ninetales' eyes shifted away, clearly embarrassed by the request.

Diantha couldn't help but chuckle at Ninetales' awkwardness. She found it amusing that Yuga's Pokémon would think about earning money for the household.

Seeing Diantha laugh at it, Ninetales bristled. "What's so funny? If you're not willing, just say so!"

Waving a hand, Diantha replied, "I didn't say I wouldn't help. I'll do it. I actually think you were great in the last movie; you've got real acting talent."

Ninetales perked up, visibly pleased. "Right? I thought so too! But my stupid trainer just doesn't appreciate it."

Hearing Ninetales alternately call its trainer "master" and "stupid," Diantha chuckled again.

"Oh, and don't tell my stupid trainer about this for now," Ninetales added suddenly, as if remembering something important.

"Why not? You can't go work without your trainer's permission," Diantha said, confused.

"Oh, I'm not saying I won't tell him eventually. I mean for now, just in case I don't get the part. I'd lose so much face if he laughed at me!" Ninetales replied dramatically.

"Alright, alright…" Diantha laughed again. "Don't worry. I'll keep it a secret for now."

"Thanks! I won't let you help me for nothing." Satisfied with Diantha's promise, Ninetales left happily.

When Diantha returned to the judge's seat, Caitlin looked at her curiously. "Diantha, where did you go just now?"

"Nowhere," Diantha replied, shaking her head and keeping quiet about her interaction with Ninetales. She then glanced at Yuga and asked, "Gym Leader Shimizu, your home life must be pretty lively, huh?"

"It's alright, I suppose," Yuga said, though he was confused as to why Diantha had brought this up. Since she didn't elaborate, he didn't press further.

The third round of advancement matches had 25 participants, divided into 12 groups, with one competitor getting a bye into the next round. The matches were scheduled to conclude by noon.

The remaining 13 participants proceeded to the finals, as the top 10 positions in this Duel Tournament offered generous rewards.

After the morning matches concluded, there was an afternoon break for the contestants to rest and prepare for the finals the next day.

Soon, the big screen displayed the matchups for the finals, with one participant receiving a bye into the next round. That lucky individual turned out to be the grandfather determined to win a Leafeon for his grandson.

At that moment, the grandfather was still in the audience. Seeing his fortunate bye, he was secretly delighted but maintained a proud front for his grandson. Feigning nonchalance, he said, "Hmph… Even without the bye, I could've won. It seems the heavens simply decided to deny me the chance to showcase my skills."

Hearing this, the grandson immediately looked up at his grandfather with admiration. "Grandpa, you're amazing! You're my favorite!"

Receiving his grandson's worshipful gaze, the old man's face lit up with a broad smile.

Meanwhile, the grandmother and their son and daughter-in-law, well aware of the old man's habit of exaggerating, exchanged helpless looks and shook their heads.

"Ladies and gentlemen, contestants and spectators, this morning we'll hold the final round of the elimination matches! If you can make it to the finals and secure a spot in the top 10, you'll be rewarded handsomely. Without further ado, let's start today's matches. May we invite the first group of contestants…"

The first match featured the tall and slender Shun, who had previously defeated Ayaya, and his opponent, a round-faced young woman named Hanae.

As the Rotom camera signaled the start of the battle, both contestants released their Pokémon simultaneously.

Shun's Pokémon were, as expected, two Gourgeist. However, this time, one was a average-size Gourgeist, and the other was a small-size one.

On the other side, Hanae sent out a Tangrowth and a Lurantis.

Yuga remembered Hanae because her Lurantis had been purchased from the YoYo Day Care several years ago.

As in previous matches, Shun's two Gourgeist opened with Trick-or-Treat, adding the Ghost type to their opponents, creating an additional weakness against themselves.

However, Hanae's Pokémon were no pushovers. Having made it to the final elimination round, Hanae was no amateur—in fact, she was quite formidable.

As soon as the match began, Hanae's Tangrowth started to grow rapidly. Numerous green vines shot out from its body in an astonishing display.

This wasn't Power Whip or Frenzy Plant—it was merely the basic Grass-type move, Vine Whip.

Tangrowth's natural talent lay in its ability to regenerate its vines endlessly under the right conditions. This particular Tangrowth was clearly exceptionally gifted.

Some of its vines transformed into roots, burrowing deeply into the ground to absorb nutrients continuously using Growth.

Due to its bulky body, Tangrowth was typically a slow-moving Pokémon. However, its numerous vines allowed it to reach its prey without needing to move.

Countless vines spread out from Tangrowth, blanketing the battlefield and lashing out at the two Gourgeist. The Gourgeist were forced to dart about in the air to avoid them. They used Shadow Ball to destroy vine after vine, but there were always more chasing them relentlessly.

Meanwhile, Hanae's Lurantis used Sunny Day, flooding the battlefield with dazzling sunlight. The intense rays momentarily distracted Shun, causing him to shield his eyes instinctively.

In the next instant, a massive golden blade of light appeared in the corner of his vision. With a cry of pain, his small-sized Gourgeist plummeted from the air, struck down by Lurantis's Solar Blade in a single hit.

It turned out that, at some point, the small Gourgeist had been ensnared by Tangrowth's vines, leaving it unable to evade Lurantis's Solar Blade.

Clearly, Tangrowth's role in the battle was to disrupt and control, while Lurantis served as the attacker—an attacker with extraordinary firepower.

Even though Gourgeist resisted Grass-type moves, it was still taken out in one blow.

Unfortunately, this small Gourgeist hadn't inherited the rare Destiny Bond ability, so once it fainted, it was out of the battle for good.

Recalling the small Gourgeist, Shun's face turned pale. He hadn't expected to fall into such a disadvantage so quickly. Truly, there was always a stronger opponent.

Tangrowth's vines continued to chase the remaining average-size Gourgeist, which struggled without its partner's support.

This average-size Gourgeist was evidently stronger than its smaller counterpart, performing better on the field.

It managed to use Will-O-Wisp to inflict a burn on Lurantis, halving its physical attack power. It also used Pain Split to sap half of Tangrowth's vitality.

Despite these efforts, the battle's outcome couldn't be reversed. Facing relentless attacks from two powerful opponents, the average-size Gourgeist eventually fell to Lurantis's Solar Blade.

Although Lurantis's physical attack had been halved, it simply struck multiple times—once, twice, three times—until the Gourgeist was down.