"Two huhousand Pokédolrs for just a regur identity card?"

  Shiro was surprised. A civilian card with no special privileges sold for two huhousand Pokédolrs?

  "That's right," the man in a bck cloak shrugged. "Standard price. Take it or leave it. We guarahe card is legitimate. Whether people afford it isn't our problem. Otherwise, how could so many undoted people easily bee legal citizens?"

  Shiro paused for a moment, realizing the underlying issue. "Does this two huhousand also cover the removal of criminal records?"

  "Of course," the man ughed lightly and tinued. "What name do you want? Where do you want to be born? Anything is possible. With this League citizen card, you'll also have legal rights to travel and crions."

  "I'll buy it." Shiro immediately pulled out the money from his bag, ted it, and pced it oable.

  "Then, what's your new he man took a third of the money.

  "Shiro." Shiro decided not to ge his name.

  "And your hometown?" He took ahird of the money.

  Shiro hesitated for a moment before replying.

  "Hammerlocke City."

  "Good. Here's your card. Keep it safe. If you lose it or damage it, we won't cover the cost. Of course, you always go to the Pokémoer or the police station for a rept. It's not our responsibility." The cloaked figure collected all the money as his arms began to glow with blue light.

  After a brief spatial distortion, he spread his arms, and a grayish-white alloy card materialized oable before him.

  Shiro carefully picked it up and exami.

  The front of the card dispyed the Gar region's Corviknight symbol. The back showed Shiro's personal information and photo, but there was no birthdate. The age shown was seventeen.

  Shiro looked at the man with a hint of doubt.

  He hadn't mentioned his age to the man, and to be ho, he himself didn't know how old he was.

  "Psychic power dete, pletely authentic," the man expihen he added, "Do you need a Pokémon with better potential? To be frank, other than the Gastly bought from us, the talent of that Rookidee is quite average."

  "Rooki-dee!"

  Rookidee, hidden in Shiro's coat, popped out and nded oable, fiercely chirping at the dealer.

  "Its ce is endable," the man remarked as Shiro recalled Rookidee bato its Pokéball. He tinued, "What do you think? Want to buy a Pokémon with better potential?"

  "No need, I 't afford it. Rookidee is just fine for now." Shiro tightened his grip on the Pokéball, ready to leave.

  "Then perhaps you need some resources to train your Pokémon?" The man slowly waved his arms, aween the light of psychiergy, images of various Pokémon items and resources appeared.

  ......

  After a long while, another finger snap echoed.

  The room suddenly went dark, and Shiro was instantly back at the metal door, holding the doorknob.

  He twisted the doorknob and stepped out of the room.

  The Pokémon shop was still empty. The shopkeeper sat at the ter, resting his on his hand, looking like he was about to fall asleep.

  Along with buying the identity card, Shiro also bought some resources beneficial to Gastly and Rookidee.

  Fastly, Shiro purchased several ghost-type energy crystals, each priced at ten thousand Pokédolrs. He bought ten in total, pnning to enhance Gastly's ghost-type abilities.

  When training dual-type Pokémon, trainers usually focus oype to improve the Pokémon's trol over its energy and abilities. The other type is typically used for type advantages and broadening the range of effective moves.

  Gastly and its evolutions are Ghost and Poison dual-type Pokémon, and Shiro hadn't sidered strengthening its Poison abilities.

  Both Haunter and Gengar have rge tongues and like lig their trainers. Even though a Pokémon trol the produ of toxins, Shiro wasn't willing to take the risk. He had no particur i in the Poison type anyway.

  Shiro also bought a berry that could enhance Rookidee's potential—Fly Berry. The bck market dealer cimed it was a research product from Macro os, cultivated through specific breeding teiques.

  Such highly specialized berries with corresponding attribute traits were very rare, and some of the cultivatiohods were even irreproducible.

  For this, the man charged him five huhousand Pokédolrs.

  Shiro's one million Pokédolrs fortune quickly dwio around two huhousand Pokédollers.

  Training Pokémon was expensive, but for Shiro, money was meant to be spent. He didn't enjoy h it. Once his Pokémon were strong enough, he could either sell wild Pokémon or participate in petitions to make more money.

  "Hey! Shiro!" The sleepy shopkeeper suddenly opened his eyes and called out to Shiro.

  Shiro froze, then quickly realized that the shopkeeper had already accessed his identity information from the League card.

  "Quick a there..." The shopkeeper rummaged through his drawer. "But you still haven't picked up something."

  As Shiro wondered what it could be, the shopkeeper suddenly pulled some money—ohousand Pokédolrs, the exact amount Shiro had given earlier.

  The shopkeeper then slid the money across the ter and resumed his positioing his on his hand and casually expined.

  "Just a security deposit, of course. I'll return it when it's time. We're a reputable pce."

  Shiro gave a slight nod, pocketing the money before pushing the door open and stepping onto the street.

  Now that he had secured his identity, he could freely use normal shops and public facilities without the stant fear of being discovered as an illegal citizen.

  With the League card, he could pay a small fee to use the Pokémoer's services. Though it wasn't as good as the free access graistered trainers, it was still quite ve.

  Shiro then found a clothing store, and after presenting his identity card, the shop assistant greeted him warmly and began making reendations. Once he'd tried on a few outfits, the assistant led him deeper into the store, expining that ers who purchased clothes could use their free shower and ging facilities.

  After all, many trainers spend long periods out in the wilderness ao buy new clothes, take a shower, and ge when they occasionally return. The store had bined all of these services—just a few extra showers, simple, and low-cost.

  Shiro ged into a pair of dark gray pants and a windbreaker. The interior lining ure bd made from high-quality materials, carefully crafted with Pokémon fur. The efit cost him just over a thousand Pokédolrs.

  Now, carrying a bag and walking dowreet, Shiro looked every bit like a rexed young traveler, far from the image of an illegal resident.

  After asking around and the area, he stopped in front of a store with a blue sign and walked in fidently.

  The sign read: "Hammerlocke Recruitment Agency."

  **

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