26. Buying Magikarp

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Kai looked closely at the man in the suit and felt he seemed very familiar.

After thinking carefully, he realized it was the same man he had battled on the ship when travelling to the Kanto region!

What a coincidence.

However, the small purple Rattata from their previous battle had now evolved into a large, brown Raticate.

"Raticate, use High Jump Kick!"

"Starmie, use Tackle!"

The two Pokémon collided. While they appeared evenly matched at first, Raticate clearly had the upper hand.

As they separated, the man in the suit issued another command: "Raticate, use Hyper Fang!"

With a burst of speed, Raticate rushed at Starmie, sinking its sharp front teeth into its opponent's body.

As it bit down with all its might, the jewel at the centre of Starmie shattered, and the Pokémon fell backwards onto the ground and fainted.

A round of applause erupted from the crowd, cheering loudly for the winner.

The boy knelt to embrace his fallen Pokémon, and though the man in the suit had won, he still maintained a gentlemanly demeanour.

"This was just a small battle," he said warmly. "It seems the goddess of victory smiled on me today. Train your Starmie well, and it will surely grow stronger."

At that moment, a woman in a red tube-top dress approached and took the man's arm, her presence exuding elegance.

Victorious in battle and lucky in love this man certainly seemed to enjoy life to the fullest.

"Now then, is there any trainer brave enough to challenge my Raticate?" he called out.

Before Kai could react, Ash had already stepped forward with his usual enthusiasm.

"I'm fired up! Let my Butterfree be your opponent!"

Kai shook his head with a slight smile, opting not to watch the battle.

Instead, he greeted Misty and Brock, then walked away with Kirlia by his side.

Before boarding the ship, Kai had decided to recall his other Pokémon to avoid the noise of the crowd, leaving only Kirlia with him.

As he wandered through the market stalls, something caught his eye.

A young man dressed as a waiter was chatting with an older man selling Magikarp.

The young man had sharp, handsome features, with blue-grey, shoulder-length hair parted in the middle. His demeanour gave off a mix of charm and mischief.

"I'll tell you a secret," the Magikarp seller whispered conspiratorially. "This Magikarp can lay golden eggs!"

The young man blinked in astonishment. "Golden eggs?"

"Exactly!" the seller replied, lowering his voice. "One Magikarp lays a thousand eggs. A thousand Magikarp lay a million eggs. Imagine the profits when those million lay eggs again it's astronomical!"

Dazzled by the absurd prospect, the young man muttered, "That… sounds incredible."

Seizing the opportunity, the seller grinned. "And the best part? This Magikarp is only for 3000 Pokédollar! With just three rounds of breeding, you'll be swimming in billions!"

"Just three rounds?!" the young man exclaimed, his eyes lighting up. "I'd become a billionaire in no time!"

Kai couldn't believe his eyes. The "waiter" was none other than James from Team Rocket! And the scheming Magikarp vendor? The source of countless scams.

Kai stifled a laugh but couldn't resist stepping in. Seeing James reaching for his wallet, he coughed lightly and approached.

"Excuse me, sir. Would you sell this Magikarp to me for 500 Pokédollars?"

The vendor's cheerful façade dropped. "What? Are you kidding? This is a golden Magikarp! I won't sell it for 500 Pokédollars!"

"Golden, huh?" Kai mused, peering at the flopping Magikarp. "It looks like a regular Magikarp to me. You can find these in any river or lake. Honestly, why would anyone buy one?"

James froze, the reality sinking in. "A Magikarp you can find anywhere?"

Sensing his mark slipping away, the vendor panicked. "Hey, don't listen to him! This Magikarp is different special! It lays gold!"

Kai smirked. "If it's so special, why are you still selling Magikarp instead of becoming a millionaire?"

James snapped back to his senses. "You liar! How dare you trick me!"

With a frustrated yell, he kicked the fish tank and stormed off, pausing only to nod in gratitude toward Kai before disappearing into the crowd.

Kai smiled, satisfied, and turned to leave but the vendor quickly stepped in his path.

"Hey, kid! Why'd you ruin my sale?!"

Kai tilted his head and replied calmly, "I couldn't just stand by and watch someone get scammed, especially someone I know. If you want to sell your Magikarp, try the next unlucky customer."

Ignoring the vendor's protests, Kai began to walk away. But as the man reached out, Kirlia stepped forward, her eyes glowing ominously.

The vendor recoiled in fear and lowered his hand.

Kai's gaze shifted to the Magikarp. Based on its condition, it seemed close to evolving. Buying it might mean obtaining a Gyarados a deal too good to pass up.

"All right," he said. "I'll buy it for 500 Pokédollars."

The vendor groaned in frustration. "It was just about to sell for three thousand Pokédollars!"

Kai didn't budge. Knowing he had no other choice, the vendor sighed and relented. "Fine. 500 it is. Take it."

Kai smiled and handed over the money. As he walked away, he couldn't help but feel satisfied his good deed had also netted him a promising new companion.

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