Suddenly, a fierce-looking old man appeared at the dock. He had a long white beard, wore a straw hat, and shouted at Raj and the others.
"Ah, Grandpa, please don't worry! I'll work to pay for the boat repairs," Misty said awkwardly. "And they will too, right?" She nudged Raj, Ash, and Brock forward.
Raj sighed and rubbed his forehead before finally agreeing. Sharing joys and hardships together made them feel more like real partners. Besides, Raj had his own plans.
According to the story he remembered from his past life, Ash and his friends would soon encounter a giant Tentacruel attacking the city. If he could take advantage of the chaos, wouldn't it be the perfect time to capture it?
Meanwhile, in front of Granny Jin's shop, Team Rocket lay collapsed on the beach. The "unidentified object" that had caused the crash turned out to be their Gyarados-shaped submarine, which had gone out of control and smashed into the boat Raj and the others had been on.
"How dare you wash up in front of my store, huh? This is my territory, Grandma Jin's territory!" shouted a short, eccentric old lady in a tacky pink dress and twin ponytails.
"Oh, we're so sorry! Please, let us work here to pay for the damage!" James said with a flattering smile.
"Hmph! I don't want to work in a place like this! How could I, Jessie, stoop so low?" Jessie turned her head dramatically in disdain.
"Meowth, how are we gonna pay for the repairs, meow?" Meowth said helplessly.
Jessie froze. "…Fine! I'll do it." She gritted her teeth, lowering her head in defeat.
"My, my, my shop is quite busy," Granny Jin said, suspiciously eyeing them.
"Hahaha! Of course, of course—we're very used to being busy!" James said, still sucking up.
"Welcome, welcome, welcome! Our Ocean House has great baths and delicious ramen! Come rest up—we'll keep your belongings safe too! Welcome! Pika Pika!"
Raj, Ash, and Brock were standing outside Grandpa Liu's Ocean House, working hard to attract customers.
Just then, a couple walked by.
"Do you wanna go in?" the boy asked.
The girl wrinkled her nose. "No way! That place looks so tacky. The shop across the street looks way more stylish. Let's go there!"
They crossed over to Granny Jin's Beach House.
"Hi~ Welcome to Granny Jin's Beach House! Two customers? Please, head upstairs~" Jessie said with a grin—then made a face at Raj and the others.
"It's Team Rocket! They're working here too?" Brock said, stunned.
"Hey, at a fancy beach, you gotta visit the fancy place," James mocked. "No one's coming to your shabby shack."
"You deserve it, meow!" Meowth snickered.
"Hehehe, little brat," Jessie sneered, "even if you've got some powerful help, so what? You're still just a pretty boy! You still lost to us!"
"???"
Raj blinked. "Did she just… call me a gigolo?"
He clenched his fists. I was actually thinking of recruiting them as future subordinates—but now they've pissed me off.
Seeing Raj's silence, Ash thought he was fuming. "Raj, we can't lose to them! Pikachu, Squirtle—go hand out discount coupons! Pidgeot, roast some corn with Heat Wave! Charmander, help in the kitchen! Bulbasaur and Misty, handle the tables!"
"Haunter, Beedrill, and Koffing—help out too!" Raj said, fired up.
With the help of their Pokémon, the Ocean House quickly drew in a crowd.
"The happiness of my neighbor is my misery! It makes me so mad!" Jessie yelled, slamming her fists down.
"Leave it to me, meow," Meowth said, eyes gleaming mischievously.
He went to the beach and used a big fan to blow away Pikachu's discount coupons, overfilled the stove with gas until it exploded, and scattered banana peels all over the floor—making Bulbasaur and the others slip.
Soon, all the customers fled the store in panic. Raj and the others sat in the now-empty shop, apologizing to Grandpa Liu.
"I'm sorry… we ruined the store's reputation," Raj said dejectedly.
Grandpa Liu smiled kindly. "Don't blame yourself. I saw how hard you worked—it's not your fault."
"Your store's still deserted, old man," Granny Jin said, appearing at the doorway with Team Rocket smirking behind her.
"What are you looking at?" Raj snapped.
"Old Liu, your store's going bankrupt anyway," Granny Jin sneered. "But don't forget—you owe me money. Pay me back by tomorrow or I'll take your boat."
"Wait! That boat's all I have!" Grandpa Liu said, panicked.
"Too bad," Granny Jin said coldly and walked away.
"She said no, so no it is! Ahahaha!" Team Rocket laughed mockingly as they followed her.
"Grandpa Liu, are you really going to hand over your boat to that old witch?" Raj asked.
"I suppose I have no choice," the old man sighed. "But… sailing around the world on that ship has always been my dream."
"Then you can't give up!" Ash said firmly. "When I met my Pokémon, I realized my dream of becoming a world-class Pokémon Trainer could really come true! Grandpa Liu, you're so close to yours—don't quit now!"
"Ash is right," Brock added. "You can't give in!"
Raj fell silent, lost in thought. Ash talks about dreams… But what's mine? Am I really just meant to be a villain for Team Rocket? Since my rebirth, I've been following orders from that mysterious system, never stopping to think for myself. No… even if I am a villain, I'll be one who stands tall and proud.
"But how do we save the shop?" Misty sighed.
"There's one way to make money fast!"
Two familiar voices echoed from the door—Professor Oak and Kenji walked in, with Ash's mother behind them.
"Professor Oak? Dad? Ash's mom? What are you all doing here?" Raj and the group said in surprise.
"We'll explain later. Ash, Raj—look at this," Professor Oak said, handing them a newspaper.
"It's a beauty pageant for women and Pokémon here at the beach," Kenji explained. "Since it's a tourist spot, there'll be tons of contestants."
"Exactly," Oak added. "And if you enter, even more people will visit this store."
That night, Kenji quietly called Raj to a secluded bay.
"Raj, you've really grown up. You've matured a lot and your strength has improved immensely. I'm proud of you. Your mother would be too," Kenji said seriously, without his usual teasing tone.
Raj wanted to ask so many questions, but in the end, he only managed, "Dad, why are you here? I tried calling but you never picked up. You always look so tired… did something happen? And Mom—why haven't I ever seen her?"
Though Raj had embraced being a villain, he still longed for family warmth. In his past life, he had a home but no love, always lonely and adrift.
Kenji sighed. "I just finished some business, so I came to see you. Oak was visiting Ash, so I tagged along. As for your mother… she had something important to do. Don't think too much about it."
He looked at Raj seriously. "Listen, I know you're strong, but don't push yourself too far. Extremes can destroy you. I want you to be a man who stands tall. You're my son. And remember—your strength already surpasses Ash's. Don't show off. Until you can protect yourself, keep your true identity hidden. If anyone finds out too soon, even I might not be able to protect you."
He paused. "There are things I can't tell you yet. When the time comes, you'll understand. For now, stay low and avoid conflict with Ash. His future will be extraordinary."
After saying that, Kenji released his Pokémon and took off into the night sky.
Raj didn't even see what Pokémon it was—only that it had enormous wings. Stranger still, the system didn't give him any notification about it.
...
📢 Author's Note
Part 1 of Pokémon: Rise of the Dark Trainer! is now completed and available on Patreon!
🔗 patreon.com/Shadow_demon_007
✅ Part 1 Complete — 100+ Chapters
Join Raj on his journey through the Pokémon world as he gains the mysterious Strongest Villain System, captures terrifying Pokémon, and walks the path toward becoming the most feared villain in history.
🔥 I also have additional 18+ fanfics available for readers who enjoy exclusive mature stories. 😉
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2. Elements of Lust – ATLA & Korra Mixed Smut
3. Doraemon: Filtering with Nobi Tamako
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5. High School DxD: Rias Gremory, the Phenex Bride
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