The Deal with Raikou

At last, Cain was completely free from the orphanage, feeling refreshed and invigorated.

He had finally taken the first step to change his fate from his previous life. This was just the beginning; in this life, he would surely stand above the rest.

In a market near the Ecruteak Gym, Cain bought some daily necessities, two target boards, and a pair of black curtains.

Taking these items back to his dormitory, Cain began to set up his room.

To save space, the two target boards were nailed directly to the wall, and the only window was covered with the black curtains to protect his privacy.

It was already evening after tidying up, and that's when Leo came to inform Cain and Raikou that dinner was ready.

Master Yan and Morty wouldn't dine with their disciples, so the dining table had only Cain, Leo, and Raikou.

Leo was Morty's nephew and now an orphan taken in by Yan. Due to his lack of talent, he hadn't been able to make a name for himself after all these years with Yan, so he spent his days idling in the gym.

He had a lively and curious personality, always wanting to learn about the happenings in Ecruteak City.

This kind of character was destined not to achieve much in the Pokémon Trainer profession, as he was more like a reporter held back by being a Pokémon Trainer.

"Oh, right, Cain, Raikou, the master asked me to tell you to go to the lecture hall after dinner," Leo said, to which Cain and Raikou simply nodded.

Leo was disappointed, saying, "I thought the gym would be livelier with you two, but you're both like wooden planks. Sigh, looks like I'll have to keep playing by myself."

...

After dinner, Cain and Raikou walked together towards the lecture hall. They seemed like strangers, with no eye contact or interaction.

The so-called lecture hall was similar to a school classroom, where gym apprentices learned basic knowledge.

Yan stood on the podium.

"Tomorrow, we'll officially start the special training. Today, I'll take some time to explain the Ghost-type Pokémon Gastly and Duskull you have."

Yan fulfilled his responsibility, teaching diligently. However, Cain and Raikou were already well-versed in these basics, making Yan's efforts unnecessary.

"Come to my dormitory. I have something to tell you."

As soon as they left the lecture hall, Raikou quietly pulled on Cain's sleeve.

Cain smiled slightly, thinking, 'Finally, he's willing to speak.'

Raikou knew very well that the only person in the Ecruteak Gym who could stand with him now was Cain. If he continued to oppose Cain, and Cain thwarted his every move, he would never accomplish his mission.

"Let's go to the training ground."

Cain walked straight to the training ground without looking back, and Raikou had no choice but to follow him.

In fact, discussing some covert matters in such an open and spacious place was most suitable. Anyone approaching could be seen, and there was no need to worry about being overheard. Moreover, being in the open would not arouse suspicion.

"What is it?" Cain's expression remained cold.

"This is indeed a good place. You must know what I'm going to say."

Cain didn't respond, and Raikou felt that talking to this kid was exhausting.

"The Yan family has a book that can cultivate powerful Ghost-type Pokémon. We can work together to obtain it, and our future achievements will be immeasurable."

Cain looked coldly at Raikou and asked, "How do you know?"

"I...I... Just don't worry about it. Believe it or not, it's up to you," Raikou said, somewhat timidly.

"A branch of the Yan family?"

Cain snorted and replied without hesitation.

Raikou swallowed nervously, "You... really... are terrifying."

In fact, anyone with a little experience and intelligence could think of this. Since it was a secret of the Yan family, outsiders wouldn't know. And Raikou obviously seemed confident, so the information must have been passed down from an insider.

"Heh, So you just going to give me this great opportunity for free?"

Cain was playing hard to get, but in reality, Raikou's words had already confirmed his previous guess. The method of cultivating Gastly by Koga might have come from the Ecruteak Gym, and the unfilial son of Morty sixty years later.

"You're just too suspicious. If I could swallow this opportunity alone, why would I come to you? Besides, I'm under your watch every day. How could I make any move without you stopping me?"

Raikou said, somewhat annoyed.

"If we cooperate, it's a win-win situation."

Cain said, already calculating in his heart. After obtaining the book, Raikou had to die. This world only allowed one strong person.

"So, I decided that we should take turns watching Yan every day after 8 o'clock to see if there are any clues," Raikou suggested.

"How confident are you that Yan won't discover us?" Cain asked with a challenging tone.

"If this won't work either, we can still use Ghost-type Pokémon," Raikou stammered in response to Cain's question.

"Ghost-type Pokémon? Don't forget who Yan is."

Cain was genuinely worried about Raikou's intelligence. Using Ghost-type Pokémon in front of a Ghost-type master was no different then seeking death.

"This won't work, that won't work, what should we do then? We can't be Yan's disciple forever," Raikou complained anxiously.

Cain sneered, impatience and restlessness were the most fatal flaws of young people.

"Calm down. Yan, as a gym leader, his daily life is very busy. As long as we take action when he is not in the gym, we'll be fine. The Ecruteak Gym is only so big, are we afraid we can't find any clues?"

Now, Cain's mentality was completely tempered by time. He planned carefully, took action after thorough consideration, and minimized risks. Of course, he knew that he was treading on thin ice and could not afford any mistakes.

"Yes, yes, you're right. We have to cooperate."

Raikou nodded continuously.

After speaking, Cain went to the dormitory alone.

The new environment was cramped, and the bed was a single hard-bottomed bed. Although he had bid farewell to the comfortable environment and soft bed at home, it was many times better than his past experiences of sleeping outdoors.

"Alright, Ditto, our special training for today begins."

After Cain spoke to the wrist guard on his right hand, a sharp dagger appeared in his right hand.

Six meters away.

Eight bullseye

Eight bullseye

...

That's how the first night was spent at the Ecruteak Gym.

He woke up promptly at six in the morning the next day, had breakfast, and exercised until eight.

Under Leo's guidance, they began to clean the gym, tidy up the venue, and organize the rooms.

Cain and Raikou carefully wiped every corner of the floor, tables, and chairs in the inner hall. The floor was moved aside, and the tables and chairs were wiped again. They even took out the books from the bookcase for thorough cleaning.

Leo felt they were too serious, but in fact, Cain and Raikou were just paying attention to every detail.

The plan had already begun silently.

Yan's study.

Cain and Raikou looked at each other, each revealing a faint smile, ready to push the door and enter.

At this moment, Leo hurriedly stopped them: "Wait, wait, you can't go in there. That's Master's study. I forgot to tell you. That was close. I almost made a mistake again. Thank goodness..."

Leo took a deep breath, looking somewhat relieved.