The little rich man

"Vuull" the Alolan Vulpix let out a soft sound, its expression almost human-like. Its blue and white eyes sparkled with curiosity as it tilted its head, giving it a mischievous look.

Sasuke, now captivated, reached out and ran his hand over the soft fur of the Alolan Vulpix. The Pokémon showed its enjoyment, leaning into his touch and licking Sasuke's palm with a small tongue.

Feeling the warmth and connection with the Alolan Vulpix, Sasuke couldn't help but tremble slightly. Naruto was an orphan, and in many ways, so was Sasuke now. But unlike Naruto, who had lost his parents at birth and never knew family love, Sasuke once had everything—a loving family, parents, and an older brother. That was, until the night of the Uchiha massacre.

The destruction of his family had shaped Sasuke into who he was now. But in this moment, with the Alolan Vulpix, Sasuke felt a rare sense of warmth—one he hadn't experienced in a long time. It was fleeting, but enough to stir something in him.

"Hello, Alolan Vulpix. From now on, I'll be your partner," Sasuke whispered, a small smile forming at the corner of his lips.

"Vulpix..." The Alolan Vulpix tilted its head, its eyes still fixated on Sasuke, as it whined softly in response to his greeting.

"How much for this Alolan Vulpix?" Sasuke asked, clearly satisfied with his choice.

"Thank you for your purchase, that will be 400,000 taels," Fuji responded with a smile.

Sasuke, unlike Naruto, had control over his family's wealth—the vast inheritance of the Uchiha clan. While Naruto's finances were managed by the village, Sasuke had access to all the riches left behind by his family. This wasn't because of any generosity from the elders, but because it was part of the agreement set by Itachi himself before the Uchiha massacre.

Thanks to this, Sasuke lived comfortably in Konoha.

"400,000 taels? Here." Sasuke handed over the money without hesitation.

Fuji took a deep breath, grateful for the payment, and began packaging things up for Sasuke.

"Alright, Alolan Vulpix is officially yours now," Fuji said. "Since this is your first purchase, you also receive two boxes of energy cubes. These cubes are specifically designed for Ice-type Pokémon, like Alolan Vulpix. While it can eat regular food with you, these cubes will help it grow stronger and healthier."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Ice-type energy cubes? So, this Vulpix has an Ice attribute?"

"Exactly," Fuji confirmed. "Alolan Vulpix differs from the regular Vulpix. In the Alola region, Vulpix has adapted to living in snow-covered mountains, away from other Pokémon. Alolan Vulpix is skilled at surviving in cold climates and excels in Ice-based techniques."

"It specializes in Ice techniques?" Sasuke's smirk widened.

Unlike Naruto, who likely didn't understand the significance, Sasuke knew that Ice Release was a rare and powerful ability, considered a kekkei genkai (Bloodline Limit). According to Uchiha clan records, Ice Release was a specialized jutsu used by a specific clan from Kirigakure. While it wasn't necessarily stronger than Fire Release, being a *kekkei genkai* made it inherently more advanced than the standard elemental jutsu.

This meant his Alolan Vulpix, with its Ice powers, could be considered more advanced than Naruto's Fire-type Vulpix. The thought of surpassing Naruto in yet another area filled Sasuke with a sense of satisfaction.

"Also, would you be interested in purchasing a Pokédex?" Fuji asked, holding up the device.

"A Pokédex?" Sasuke glanced at the familiar item. "Isn't that what I just used to pick my Pokémon?"

"Yes, but that's only one of its many functions. The Pokédex can scan any Pokémon, providing detailed information about it," Fuji explained. He then aimed the Pokédex at the Alolan Vulpix in Sasuke's arms, who was starting to doze off. With a click of a button, the device displayed the information on the screen.

"Beep—Alolan Vulpix, Ice-type, Fox Pokémon.

Ability: Snow Cloak (Increases evasion in a hailstorm).

Moves: Powder Snow, Tail Whip, Freeze-Dry, Baby-Doll Eyes…"

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