Let's count this one as bonus chapter. 1/8
By the time Claire returned from Tempest with Rimuru, the conversation between Ludwig, Looker, and Professor Oak had already run its course. The professor had answered the questions Ludwig raised about what kind of thing he should look for his first Pokemon while Looker clarified the expectations he had mentioned the night before.
"You started without us." Rimuru said as he walked closer to the bar behind Claire.
"Not really." Ludwig replied. "I just have a few questions regarding Pokemon."
Claire took the empty stool beside Oak before speaking again. "Anything important?"
"Well, I think most of it?" Ludwig chuckled.
Then he went through the conversation again. Not in the same order Oak had explained it earlier, but it was still close enough that the meaning stayed intact. Oak occasionally corrected a detail when Ludwig simplified something too much, while Looker only stepped in when the explanation touched the expectations he had set the night before.
Rimuru listened with both elbows on the counter and Claire with her hands resting lightly around the cup Oak had been using earlier. It's easy to tell for him who was taking this explanation seriously who just stored it or maybe cross-checking it with what they knew in their head.
By the time Ludwig finished, the explanation had turned into something closer to a summary than a lecture. Rimuru leaned back slightly."So the short version is we don't overthink it. Catch something that makes sense, train it properly, and don't make it look suspicious when we get involved in anything."
"That would be the practical interpretation." Oak said.
Claire nodded slowly, her attention shifting between Ludwig and the professor as she processed the details. "That sounds manageable. Only if, you gave us a list of pokemon that you think will fits the criteria about what we need, Professor."
"Of course we will go through that later." Oak beamed.
But then, Looker, who had been quiet through most of the explanation, checked the time before slipping the watch back into his coat. The movement was small, but it was enough to draw Ludwig's attention.
"It's about time." The agent said. "We should leave."
The four of them nodded before stepping outside together.
The door opened onto a dirt path near the edge of Pallet Town. Morning light had already settled across the grass fields beyond the low wooden fences, the breeze carrying a faint trace of ocean wind drifting inland from somewhere further south. Compared to the colder air around Ortus Peak or the busy streets of Tempest, the town felt almost too quiet. It was just like the night when they visit this town the first time. The only difference was the time.
Then, Ludwig's eyes landed on a small wooden board pushed into the ground just beside the door.
Do Not Enter.
League Research In Progress.
The lettering had been written with a thick marker rather than carved. However, it didn't diminish the fact that it was direct and an enough warning.
But still, Ludwig couldn't help but to had question in his mind. Though, it was answered rather quickly as he heard Oak's voice from his side.
"I'm the one who wrote that on behalf of Agent Looker. It should be enough. People in town are used to me studying unusual things."
Looker stepped closer to the three and adjusted the cuffs of his coat as he looked briefly toward the nearby houses. "In a larger city that sign might invite curiosity. But here, it will only discourages it."
Oak nodded once in agreement. "Most residents assume anything I mark as research is either fragile or dangerous. It saves time."
"Makes sense." Rimuru chimed. "By the way, which way should we go?"
Oak chuckled at the question. He might also felt the bubbling expectation on RImuru's voice. Then, his attention shifted toward the road that ran north from the town, a narrow stretch of packed dirt leading through open fields before disappearing toward the distant tree line.
"Remember the path I showed you guys when you first visit this town?" Oak asked, which got a nod from the three. "That road leads to Viridian city."
Looker glanced once toward the road before looking back at Ludwig. "However, walking through the path now would only eat the little time we have."
His eyes lingered there for a moment.
"I assume you have a faster method."
Ludwig looked back at Agent Looker before a playful smirk appeared on his face. "Indeed I do."
Claire had been quiet since stepping outside, but the moment Ludwig answered she turned her head toward him. But before she could said anything, Ludwig told her to shut up with his eyes.
Rimuru caught the look a second later. "Why do you look like that?"
Claire exhaled slowly before answering. "Nope, nothing."
Rimuru frowned slightly at the answer, clearly unconvinced, but before he could press further Ludwig had already stepped a little ahead of them. Then, he looked towards the path Oak pointed at before.
"So, this Viridian city is the first city after that path, right?"
"Correct. Can you bring us there?" Looker asked.
"Of course." Ludwig smiled.
"Alright. But let me remind you, we need to appear in an empty place, understand?"
"Crystal."
Just as the last syllable of his answer faded, the space around them rippled. Ludwig's vision went dark for a split second before his body moved towards the destination in rapid pace.
Then the world snapped back into place.
The dirt road was gone.
In its place stood the edge of a paved street lined with low buildings and taller trees, the distant sound of traffic replacing the quiet wind of Pallet Town. Viridian City had already begun its morning routine. Though, no one was near them to pay much attention to the five newcomers who had appeared near the edge of the street.
For a moment, no one spoke.
But then, Ludwig could hear a groan broke out one after another.
The first groan came from Rimuru.
It started as a low sound somewhere between confusion and discomfort before he bent forward slightly, one hand going to his stomach while the other braced against his thigh. "What is that…"
A second sound followed almost immediately.
Professor Oak had placed one hand against the trunk of the nearest tree, the other resting firmly on his knee as he leaned forward just enough to steady himself. His glasses had slid slightly down the bridge of his nose, though he didn't seem to notice as he took a slow breath through his mouth. "Remarkable. Though I must admit… I was not prepared for that sensation."
Looker did not say anything at first.
He had stepped a few paces away from the group, one hand covering his mouth while the other pressed lightly against the wall of the building beside him. His posture remained disciplined even while his stomach clearly disagreed with the method of travel.
"…Noted." He said quietly.
Claire stood a few steps behind Ludwig. She was upright, though both hands rested firmly on her knees while she took a slow breath and let it out again. Compared to the others she looked almost unaffected.
"See?" Ludwig asked jovially towards Claire. "Told you, you would be fine after a few more teleportation."
Claire steadied herself before letting a hot breath of air to calm herself. "I still don't like it at all."
Ludwig only chuckled at the answer. The reaction around him had become familiar enough that he no longer bothered defending the method. Some people adjusted after a few attempts. Others never quite did. Claire had fallen somewhere in the middle. She could endure it now, but that did not mean she enjoyed it.
Rimuru straightened slowly, though one hand remained pressed against his stomach while he took another careful breath. "Next time, a warning would be nice."
"You were warned." Claire replied.
"You think I'm an expression reading expert? Use your words next time."
"There will be no next time." Claire replied calmly.
Rimuru opened his mouth to argue but stopped halfway through the attempt, apparently deciding the effort was not worth the remaining discomfort.
Professor Oak recovered next. The older man pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose before straightening properly and looking around at their surroundings with renewed interest.
Looker remained leaning against the wall for a few seconds longer. When he finally lowered his hand from his mouth, his composure had returned almost completely, though he took a slower breath than usual before pushing himself upright again.
"Let's go. We waste enough time already." Looker said.
They stepped out from the quiet corner onto the main street.
Shops along the road had begun opening their shutters, and the sidewalks carried the slow but steady movement of early pedestrians. Compared to Pallet Town, the place felt larger. There were more sounds like footsteps, voices, the occasional passing bicycle, and somewhere further down the road, the hum of traffic moving through an intersection here.
Looker walked slightly ahead of the group with the familiarity of someone who had passed through the city more than once. Oak fell into step beside him, while Ludwig, Claire, and Rimuru followed a short distance behind. The earlier discomfort from the teleportation faded gradually as they moved with the flow of the street, leaving only the faint memory of the moment when the world had folded around them.
It did not take long before the building Looker had mentioned came into view.
The League administrative branch stood on a wider corner of the street, its facade built from pale stone with tall windows that reflected the morning light. Compared to the surrounding buildings it looked more official than grand, it looked precisely like a sort of place which was designed to process paperwork rather than impress visitors. A modest sign bearing the League emblem hung beside the entrance.
Looker pushed the door open first.
Inside, there was a thick quiet order of an office that had just begun its day. A row of counters lined one side of the room, each separated by waist-high partitions where staff members worked behind small monitors. A few trainers stood in line near the far end of the hall, holding papers or speaking quietly with the clerks processing their requests.
The moment Looker stepped inside, one of the employees behind the nearest counter recognized him and straightened slightly.
"Agent Looker."
The greeting was polite but restrained. Clearly not the first time the International Police had passed through the office.
Looker inclined his head once in acknowledgment before gesturing toward the group behind him. "I'm here for registration processing as discussed."
The clerk nodded immediately and turned to a terminal beside the counter. "Of course. Please come this way."
They were guided past the public queue to a smaller side counter that held a set of equipment Ludwig had only seen in passing before. A camera mounted on a stand faced a plain backdrop on the wall, while a thin glass panel rested beside a compact scanner built into the surface of the desk.
"Trainer identification requires a photograph and biometric record." The clerk explained while bringing the system online. "The process will only take a few minutes."
Looker stepped aside, leaving Ludwig closest to the counter.
"Please stand there," the employee said, indicating the space in front of the camera.
Ludwig followed the instruction without comment and faced the lens. The camera adjusted itself with a quiet mechanical hum before a brief flash of light captured the image.
This process took him back. To the memory of his first ID on Earth.
"Good." The clerk said while reviewing the screen. "Now place your hand on the scanner."
A faint grid of light moved across Ludwig's palm when he did so, the device quietly recording the necessary data before displaying confirmation on the terminal.
"Registration complete."
The process was repeated for Claire and Rimuru afterward, each step moving quickly now that the staff had settled into the routine. Claire stood still for her photograph with the same composed expression she carried through most official interactions, while Rimuru required a brief moment to adjust his posture before the camera captured his image.
Oak observed the procedure from the side with quiet interest. He did not interfere, though Ludwig noticed the professor's attention lingered on the scanning equipment longer than the rest of the room.
At that moment, three cards slid out from the printer beside the terminal. The clerk collected them first before placing them neatly on the counter.
"This is your citizen identification." She said. "These confirm your legal presence within the region."
Ludwig picked up the first card and turned it once between his fingers. The design was simple. His photograph occupied the corner while a sequence of numbers and a small digital strip ran along the lower edge.
Claire glanced at hers briefly before sliding it into the inner pocket of her coat. Rimuru held his card closer to his face, studying the photograph as though deciding whether the camera had done him any favors.
"Well, that was quick." Rimuru chuckled. But of course, there was no wonder in his tone.
"Most of the authorization was submitted in advance." The clerk replied. "Agent Looker handled the request."
Looker inclined his head slightly but said nothing. Then the clerk turned back toward the terminal and typed a few commands before speaking again.
"If you intend to register as Trainer, that process is handled through the League system."
Looker stepped forward before the others could answer.
"That part has already been arranged."
The clerk paused for a moment when she heard that, then glanced toward the documents Looker placed on the counter. After a brief scan of the authorization code attached to the file, her expression relaxed slightly.
"Understood."
She tapped a few keys and the system pulled up the records that had just been created. The photograph Ludwig had taken earlier appeared again on the monitor, followed by the biometric data the scanner had recorded.
"The League will reuse the identification data you just submitted." She explained. "There is no need to repeat the process."
Looker nodded once. "Proceed."
The terminal hummed softly while the system transferred the records to a second database. A moment later the printer beside the terminal activated again.
Three more cards slid out. But these ones were different.
The design carried the League insignia near the corner, and the identification number printed beneath it followed a completely different format from the civilian record.
"These cards are trainer identification." The clerk said while placing them beside the earlier cards. "These are linked to your citizen record and will allow Pokemon ownership registration, battle logging, and access to League facilities."
Rimuru picked his up first.
"So this one is the actual trainer license."
"Correct."
Claire examined hers once before placing it beside the other card in her pocket.
Ludwig turned the card slowly between his fingers before sliding it away as well.
In the meantime, Looker watched the small exchange with quiet approval.
"Good." He said.
Then he looked toward the entrance of the office.
"Now we can move to the next step."
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