Pokemon: The Chosen Ranger

Kabu let out a satisfied sigh and smiled.

"Well, looks like I lost. That was an impressive performance, Summer. You've officially passed the Ranger exam. Congratulations."

He gave Summer an approving nod before clearing his throat, signaling to one of his apprentices. The young trainer immediately ran out of the training hall.

"You probably heard from Milo—top-performing Rangers receive a reward. And I believe you qualify."

Summer's eyes lit up. "May I ask what the reward is, Mr. Kabu?"

"Of course. The League has prepared three Pokémon eggs as rewards. Shinbo will be bringing one over for you shortly."

"A Pokémon egg?"

"Indeed." Kabu nodded. "I wasn't told what's inside, only that it's a powerful Pokémon and incredibly difficult to raise."

Powerful… and hard to raise? A single thought crossed Summer's mind—Pseudo-legendary. These Pokémon took forever to evolve, required immense effort to train, but once fully grown, possessed strength rivaling even legendary Pokémon. The mystery only made him more curious.

"Because raising it is costly, the League will provide a monthly stipend to support the Rangers who receive an egg."

Kabu's tone turned serious. "This stipend will continue until the next Ranger exam. However, if a Ranger fails to qualify for the reward in the next exam, the stipend will be revoked."

"…So this is the League's way of incentivizing Rangers to grow stronger?" Summer muttered.

Kabu gave a knowing smile. "Perhaps. But I will say this—the stipend is generous. 150,000 Pokédollars per month."

Summer's eyes twitched. That was three times his current salary. He wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. So this is what it costs to raise a powerful Pokémon…

Luckily, Sunset Forest's resources were plentiful, so raising a pseudo-legendary wouldn't be as draining for him as it would be for most trainers. He was determined to properly raise this egg into a strong Pokémon.

While Summer and Kabu talked, someone else was having a crisis.

"150,000…"

Paralysis mumbled the number under his breath. As a Ranger, his salary only increased by 1,000 Pokédollars per year of service. At his current pay rate, he'd have to work for over a hundred years to match that stipend.

He clenched his fists. No. Next time, no matter what, I'm getting that reward.

I'm going to train like crazy!

"Kabu-sensei."

A moment later, Shinbo returned, walking carefully instead of running, carrying a Pokémon egg inside a specialized incubator.

The incubator was a sophisticated device, designed to protect the egg while accelerating its hatching process. It had a sturdy base and a transparent glass dome, capable of being reused multiple times and solar-powered for efficiency.

"Here you go, Mr. Summer."

Summer took the incubator and inspected the egg through the glass. This was the first time he had seen a Pokémon egg in person since arriving in this world. The egg had a unique spotted pattern, but without further clues, he couldn't determine what species it belonged to.

"Mr. Kabu, would it be alright if I stored this egg at the stadium for now? I need to buy some supplies, and carrying it around would be inconvenient."

"Of course, that's no problem. Just tell Jenny at the front desk. She'll take care of it, and it'll be easier to retrieve later."

"Thank you, Mr. Kabu."

Summer bowed slightly in gratitude and turned to leave.

Kabu hesitated for a moment, then decided against saying anything further.

Each person must walk their own path, he thought.

If someone had told him to give up being a Gym Leader back then, he would have flown into a rage.

No—words weren't needed.

What Summer needed now wasn't advice.

It was a blessing.

Kabu smiled warmly. "Summer, I have no doubt—you'll become an even greater Ranger."

Summer paused, then turned back to him with a grin.

"I will, Mr. Kabu. Never-ending training—until the very end, right?"

Kabu let out a hearty laugh. "Hah! That's right! Never-ending training—until the very end!"

The moment Summer walked into the waiting area, the other Rangers immediately noticed the egg in his hands.

All at once, realization dawned on them.

The youngest Ranger among them had actually won the reward—just like he said he would.

"Oh! So the reward was an egg?!"

"Haha, amazing, Summer!"

"Damn, seeing a younger Ranger excel like this really motivates us veterans."

"Let me see! What kind of Pokémon egg is it?"

"Hmm… These markings… I don't recognize them."

"You're useless! Let me see… Hm. Okay, Summer, just tell us already—what Pokémon is it?"

The waiting room erupted into excitement. Some of the Rangers excitedly tried to guess the species, while others were more focused on the League's absurd stipend.

150,000 per month?! That's insane!

While they were busy discussing, Summer quickly stored the egg at the front desk and slipped away to go shopping. Thanks to the League stipend, he now had the confidence to spend freely.

He purchased a massive survival pack identical to Mido's, allowing him to carry more supplies during future time distortions. The extra weight wasn't a concern—he was confident in his strength, and a bit of added load wouldn't slow him down.

By the time Summer returned to the stadium, the final Ranger of the day had finished their exam. Curious, he asked the front desk how everyone had performed.

Aside from him, no other Rangers had won the reward today. But on the bright side, everyone except Paralysis had passed.

Kabu, meanwhile, was reconsidering his reward system. If, by the end of the exams, only one or two Rangers had won the final battle, he might adjust the distribution and award the remaining eggs based on overall performance.

With the day's events finished, Summer chose not to fly back on Corviknight but instead took the train home.

One reason was for the safety of the egg. The other?

To let Ogerpon experience a train ride for the first time.

Ogerpon was absolutely delighted. The entire ride, she pressed her face against the train window, staring in awe at the rapidly changing scenery outside—rolling farmlands, dense forests, shadowy tunnels, and vast open plains, all blending together as they sped past.

Among the passing scenery, countless wild Pokémon flickered in and out of view.

Ogerpon's eyes sparkled with excitement. Somewhere out there, one of those Pokémon might be the same species as the egg she was about to raise.

That's right—she was going to be an older sister.

For the first time, Ogerpon would have a younger sibling.

Watching her practically vibrating with excitement, Summer chuckled silently.

Of course, there was one small detail she hadn't realized.

By age, Ogerpon was actually old enough to be the "big sister" of the entire Sunset Forest.

Including him.

But imagining Ogerpon as a responsible big sister was… difficult.

A fierce protector, sure. But a loving, nurturing sister?

The mental image of Ogerpon swinging her club like a gang leader flashed through Summer's mind.

He smirked.

Well… this should be interesting.

(End of Chapter)