Strongest Lottery System in Pokémon World

Chapter 2: Resignation

Marcel glanced around at the mess in his house. With most of the furniture crushed, cleaning everything up felt like a monumental task.

Fearing that Metagross might crush more items, he quickly returned it to its Poké Ball.

After what felt like hours, he finally finished tidying up, clearing away the broken furniture.

Ring! Ring!

The phone suddenly rang.

"Huh?"

Who would be calling him at this time?

Answering the phone, Marcel heard a strong, familiar voice on the other end.

"Marcel, the Pokédex you asked for is ready. Come pick it up when you have time."

"Pokédex?"

The word caught Marcel's attention. Searching through his newly inherited memories, he quickly recalled who the caller was.

"Dr. Oak, understood!"

As it turned out, his predecessor had reached out to Dr. Oak for assistance after realizing his future as a League Enforcer looked grim.

Having participated in Dr. Oak's Pokémon summer camp in the past, Marcel had earned the qualifications to start as a new Pokémon trainer this year.

In other words, even if he wasn't an Enforcer anymore, he could still begin his journey as a trainer!

Marcel rubbed the Poké Ball containing Metagross, a small smile forming on his lips. Perhaps leaving behind the role of an Enforcer and becoming a full-time Pokémon trainer wasn't such a bad idea.

With everything his predecessor had endured, Marcel wasn't eager to remain tied to the Alliance.

"Alright, that's settled then!"

Feeling lighter, Marcel began preparing lunch for Bulbasaur and Metagross.

---

Indigo Plateau – Kanto League Enforcer Headquarters

Ishihara Riji sat across from Marcel, his brow furrowed as he studied the young man. [T/N: I honestly don't know who this guy supposed to be, if anyone can tell, please comment on this paragraph so I can fix it.)

"Have you really decided to resign? To give up your role as a trainee Enforcer?"

He hesitated, knowing that Marcel was one of the most promising trainees in his cohort.

Unfortunately, a recent mission had gone awry. Marcel's failure to stop a Team Rocket agent from escaping had led to him being reprimanded and placed under observation. It was only a matter of time before he could resume his path to promotion.

But now, he was choosing to walk away entirely.

"I've made up my mind," Marcel said firmly. "I'm afraid I can't continue as an Enforcer."

"Is this because of the punishment?" Ishihara pressed.

He was aware of the situation's nuances. The commander leading the operation at the time had ties to an influential Alliance family. Fearing that the mission's failure would harm his own reputation, he had shifted the blame onto Marcel, an intern.

In truth, Marcel had been unjustly scapegoated.

Marcel didn't reply directly, but the faint smile on his face was answer enough.

Ishihara sighed. He could see the determination in the young man's eyes. There was no changing his mind. With a heavy heart, he signed the resignation form.

"If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to come to me. I'll help however I can," Ishihara said, handing the signed document to Marcel.

Though he couldn't undo the punishment, he wanted to support Marcel in some way.

"Who knows what the future holds?" Marcel replied with a light smile.

With that, the resignation process was complete.

---

Leaving the Viridian City's train station, Marcel took a deep breath. His next stop was Dr. Oak's research lab.

With tomorrow marking the start of the journey for new trainers, Marcel figured it would be better to pick up his Pokémon and Pokédex today.

"You agree, don't you, Bulbasaur?" Marcel glanced at his companion walking beside him.

"Bulba?"

Bulbasaur tilted its head in confusion, looking adorably clueless.

"Haha!"

Marcel laughed, unable to resist its silly charm.

Just as he was about to continue down the road, a group of people suddenly blocked his path.

"Hey, kid! Stop right there!"

The shout came from the leader, a man dressed like a gangster biker, complete with a towering pompadour.

"Hmm?"

Marcel's eyes narrowed as he studied the group. He didn't recognize them, but their posturing suggested trouble.

"You're Marcel, aren't you?" the leader barked, pointing at him.

"I am. And who might you be?"

Marcel's tone was calm, though he sensed their bad intentions.

"You don't need to know who we are," the pompadour leader sneered. "We're just here to deliver a message: 'Shut your mouth and don't say anything you shouldn't.'"

"Oh?" Marcel raised an eyebrow. "And who sent you to tell me that?"

He already had a guess. The timing and the nature of the threat pointed to one thing: someone didn't want him talking about the incident where he was scapegoated.

"Afraid I'll tell the truth and ruin your reputation?" Marcel mused aloud, his voice tinged with amusement.

If he were in their shoes, he might have been worried too. But hiring thugs to intimidate him? That was laughable.

"You think this is funny, kid?" the leader growled, his face twisting in anger.

Statistically speaking, biker gangsters were known for their short tempers and impulsive behavior. Small provocations often escalated into full-blown conflicts.

Marcel didn't see this ending peacefully, so he casually rested his hand on the Poké Ball containing Metagross at his waist.

Seeing the movement, the leader assumed Marcel was ready to fight. With a wave of his hand, his gang released their Pokémon.

Rattata, Ekans, Koffing, and more than a dozen Pokémon filled the street, drawing the attention of nearby passersby, who quickly moved away to avoid the brewing conflict.

"You were laughing at us just now, weren't you?" the leader sneered, clearly spoiling for a fight.

Marcel stayed calm, his expression unchanging.

The tension in the air thickened.