Pokemon: I'll Exchange Everything

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Professor Oak's words left Liam a bit dazed, unsure how to respond at first.

"Liam, you mentioned that you came to this place due to some kind of accident. Returning to where you came from sounds incredibly difficult. I don't know where your hometown is, but if you don't want to talk about it, I won't ask."

"Even though I'm not a certified Pokémon Professor yet, I do have a research lab. If you're willing, I'd like to invite you to help out at the lab—tidying up, taking care of the Pokémon. That way, I can focus more on organizing my research papers. From our earlier conversation, it's clear that you're very passionate about Pokémon and have considerable knowledge. That's one of the main reasons I'm making this offer. What do you think? Give it some thought; I'll even make sure you're getting paid for it."

Liam found Professor Oak's offer tempting. Even though he had his all-purpose exchange system and didn't need to worry about food, clothing, or money, the idea of staying at the lab was appealing. 

After all, with the system, he could excel in nearly any field if he wanted. But deep down, every Pokémon fan harbors a dream: to travel the Pokémon world and become a champion.

As a devoted fan, Liam was no exception. 

Being a newcomer to this world, his curiosity was endless, and there were countless places to explore and adventures to undertake. How could someone like him settle in one spot?

Still, Liam hesitated, his thoughts torn. On one side was a stable, comfortable life; on the other, a thrilling pursuit of his dreams. His conflicted feelings were written all over his face.

Professor Oak seemed to notice and was about to say more when Auntie Fumiko stepped in.

"Samuel, Liam, it's already so late. Both of you have had a long day. Let's call it a night. Go take a bath and rest early."

Her interruption left Professor Oak no choice but to chuckle and drop the topic. He smiled and urged Liam to rest, saying they could discuss things later.

Auntie Fumiko guided a dazed Liam to the bathroom door, still clutching the Pokémon egg.

"The room is ready for you, Liam. Don't overthink anything tonight. Just rest. I've placed clean clothes inside—some of Max's since you two seem about the same size. I hope you don't mind. Take your time; I won't bother you anymore."

With a soft laugh, Auntie Fumiko walked away.

Inside the bathroom, Liam splashed his face with cold water to clear his head. Staring at his reflection, a storm of thoughts swirled in his mind. Shaking his head, he decided to stop overthinking. 

After washing himself and the Pokémon egg, he changed into the clean clothes Auntie Fumiko had prepared and stepped out.

As soon as he opened the door, he came face-to-face with the cool and composed Max standing outside. Liam quickly stepped aside to let him pass.

Max gave a small nod, pointing to a nearby guest room. "Mom already set up a room for you. Get some rest after your bath."

With that, Max said no more, entering the bathroom and shutting the door behind him.

Liam chuckled to himself. He could tell Max was someone with a warm heart despite his cold exterior—probably just not great at expressing himself.

Heading to the living room, Liam said goodnight to Professor Oak and Auntie Fumiko, who were watching TV on the couch, before going to the room prepared for him. 

When he turned on the light, he saw a neatly arranged futon on the tatami mat, a summer blanket, and the air conditioner already running, making the room refreshingly cool.

Locking the door behind him, Liam placed the egg on a pillow near his head and lay down on the futon.

"Lulu, Lulu? Are you there? It's time to hand out rewards!"

With his call, a light shimmered, and a cute little sprite with fluttering wings emerged from his body.

"You finally remembered me! Seeing how much fun you were having chatting, I didn't want to interrupt," Lulu said, her tone slightly sarcastic, her cheeks puffed in mock anger.

"Hey, come on! I was always thinking about you, my adorable Lulu...and the rewards, of course. I completed the task, didn't I? Hurry up and hand them over."

Despite their short time together, Liam had grown fond of Lulu. Seeing her sulking expression, he couldn't resist teasing her a little.

"Hmph!"

[Mission Complete: Arrival at Pallet Town.]

[Reward Issued: 100 exchange points. Navigation map function unlocked.]

A robotic voice echoed in his mind. His exchange points had increased by 100, and a new map icon appeared at the bottom-right corner of his virtual interface. 

Without waiting for Lulu's explanation, Liam eagerly tapped it.

The map expanded to cover the interface, displaying the terrain within a one-kilometer radius in vivid detail. At the center was a red humanoid icon with an arrow indicating the direction he was facing.

"Nice! This will be super handy for traveling. Mom won't have to worry about me getting lost anymore," Liam said, pleased with the new feature.

Turning to Lulu, he scooped her up and gently ruffled her hair. "Thanks, Lulu. You're amazing."

The praise seemed to melt away Lulu's annoyance. She closed her eyes, enjoying the head pats.

"By the way, Lulu, you heard Professor Oak's offer earlier. Do you have any suggestions? Help me decide."

Liam hoped for a second opinion, but instead…

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[Mission Released: Samuel Oak's Path to Professorhood!]

[Objective: Stay and assist Samuel Oak in earning his Professor certification.]

[Reward: 1,000 exchange points. Personal storage space unlocked.]

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[Mission Released: Hatch That Pokémon-Egg!]

[Objective: Successfully hatch the Pokémon egg in your possession.]

[Reward: 200 exchange points. Pokémon-held item x1.]

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Liam's face darkened as though he'd just swallowed something bitter.

"I was asking for advice, not strong-arming! Do you even understand teamwork?" Liam muttered, barely suppressing his annoyance as he glared at Lulu, who floated nonchalantly.

"Don't be ungrateful. These missions are practically freebies. Professor Oak will likely earn his certification within a year, and the egg will hatch soon enough. These are easy wins."

Lulu's reasoning left Liam momentarily speechless. After all, she wasn't wrong..

"Got it? If you understand, get some rest. I've had a long day too. Sweet dreams, and may tomorrow be brighter!"

"Hey, I've noticed you've been saying that a lot lately!"

"Hehe. Goodnight," Lulu replied, vanishing.

Liam lay sprawled on the futon, staring at the ceiling. He turned off the light and thought about how this was his first night in the Pokémon world.

He was thrilled...for about a second before instantly falling asleep.