Pokemon: Bounty Hunter Alex

Chapter 167: Chapter 167. Seaside Manor

The private seaside residence Alex had reached was a property purchased from the League and built from the ground up by the owner. It served as a private estate, separate from any settlement and closed to visitors. It was exactly the kind of residence Alex envisioned for himself and the girls in the future.

It was called Seaside Manor, owned by a Champion ranked trainer. The same one who had placed the bounty on Marcus’s head. Both an official bounty and an unofficial one worth twice the price.

Once Alex reached the gates of the manor near the pier, he immediately teleported back to his house in Violet City to retrieve Marcus, who was still naked and bound, with only the ropes covering him.

He dragged Marcus across the stony ground before ringing the doorbell at the gates, activating a flatscreen that showed a well-groomed butler with black hair and a neatly trimmed mustache.

”Grantham residence. How may I assist you?” the butler asked politely.

”Bounty hunter. Here to submit a claim for Marcus Veldt,” Alex replied.

The butler’s expression shifted slightly as he narrowed his eyes, studying Alex carefully.

”Show me.”

Alex lifted Marcus’s face to the camera, causing a sadistic smile to slowly spread across the butler’s face.

”You may enter,” the butler said, his voice calm but tinged with excitement. ”Proceed to the mansion’s front door.”

The gates to the estate unlocked with a loud clang before slowly swinging open, revealing a stunning sight.

Beyond the gates stood a large mansion bigger than a gym, built in the traditional Johto style but far grander than anything found in the nearby cities. The structure was expansive, with layered, tiled roofs and wide balconies overlooking the grounds. It stood several stories tall, with sturdy stone foundations and polished wooden upper levels that gleamed under the sun. Large glass windows lined the facade, allowing a clear view of the interior halls and rooms.

In front of the mansion stretched a vast garden, meticulously maintained and covered in soft, green grass. Stone paths wove through the garden, connecting the main gate to the mansion’s front entrance and branching off toward smaller sections of the estate. Flower beds filled with native Johto blooms lined the edges, their colors vibrant but arranged with careful precision.

Hundreds of Grass type Pokémon of all kinds filled the garden, lounging peacefully in the afternoon sun. From small, docile Pokémon like Hoppip and Oddish to larger ones such as Vileplume, Venusaur, and Exeggutor, they basked in the warmth, completely unbothered by Alex’s presence. Some dozed under the shade of trees while others tended to the flowers. It was clear they were well cared for, likely part of the estate’s daily routine.

The entire scene was quiet, almost serene, with only the soft rustling of leaves and the distant cry of Pokémon breaking the silence. The mansion and its garden gave off the impression of a place detached from the outside world, private, self-contained, and controlled.

At a glance, it looked like a peaceful paradise. The garden was calm, the Pokémon lounging quietly under the sun, blending perfectly with the serene atmosphere.

However, the moment one paid attention, the illusion shattered. The sheer pressure of the Pokémon scattered across the grounds became impossible to ignore. Their presence settled over the area like a crushing weight, suffocating and inescapable. The air itself seemed to tighten, carrying an unspoken warning. Every movement, every breath carried a quiet reminder that a single misstep here could mean instant death.

Over a hundred of them were Elite ranked, their auras steady but potent. Scattered among them were three Champion ranked Pokémon, each radiating a quiet but overwhelming power that promised a guaranteed early grave from the slightest offense.

What seemed at first like a tranquil garden was, in truth, something else entirely. It was calm and beautiful, yet equally terrifying, a place where immense power rested just beneath the surface.

Alex felt a chill crawl down his spine as the flood of aura pressed against him. But there was no fear. Only excitement.

’Would we survive if we fought this horde right now? There were three Champions. Steelix could handle one. Hydreigon could take another. The last might be stalled by Arcanine using Morning Sun to buy time. The Elites would be a problem, but if we focused on the Champions first, we might stand a chance. It was possible. If I just—’

”Please proceed inside,” the butler reminded.

Alex pushed the thoughts aside, lifted Marcus onto his back, and walked inside. Business first. Everything else could wait. He was carrying 10 million League credits on his back, after all.

Still, that didn’t stop him from thinking furiously about how he would handle this horde of Pokémon as he walked toward the mansion. It was quite a distance, and he took his time, carefully observing everything around him.

In particular, he glanced back at the gates and the surrounding walls. The aura of the Pokémon was completely contained within the property, preventing anyone outside from sensing the overwhelming pressure hidden inside.

It was likely done to allow wild Pokémon to approach the territory without being driven away. Maybe it also served to minimize their impact on the local fauna. Alex wasn’t sure, but whatever the reason, the shock value alone was worth whatever those walls and gates had cost.

Alex followed the walls with his eyes, quietly estimating the size of the entire property. From what he could see, the front garden and mansion took up only about a third of the estate. That meant there was still a large portion hidden behind the mansion, completely out of view.

It could be training grounds, farmland, or perhaps even private ecosystems reserved for the owner’s other Champion ranked Pokémon. Whatever it was, it remained tucked away, far from prying eyes allowing Alex’s imagination to run wild.

After a long, leisurely 30 minute walk, Alex finally reached the mansion’s front doors.

There, the butler stood alongside a tall, mature woman with long brown hair and sharp green eyes. Behind them stood ten attendants, all handsome and well-built men dressed in sharp, tailored uniforms. They stood in perfect silence, their disciplined presence adding weight to the already oppressive atmosphere at the mansion’s entrance. It was clear they were far more than ordinary house staff.

The woman, undoubtedly the Champion ranked owner of the estate, watched him with absolute patience. However, it was not the patience of a calm or composed person. It was something colder, a quiet fury that had been freezing solid ever since her child’s death.

Her patience had nothing to do with Alex taking his time during the long walk to their mansion. It was the patience of someone who had already waited far too long, to the point where time itself had lost meaning. No matter how much longer she had to wait, it made no difference. Her object of vengeance was finally here, and she would have her revenge for the loss of her son.

”Name?” the woman asked, her voice flat.

”Alex Ashford Wattson.”

She gave a brief glance to her butler, who tapped the name on his device. A moment later, Alex received a message confirming the deposit of 10 million League credits into his account.

”Where do you want him?” Alex asked.

”On the floor will do. Thank you for your services,” she replied, dismissing him without a second glance.

Alex followed her instructions, dropping the struggling Marcus onto the floor without hesitation.

He walked back to the paved road before releasing Arcanine, immediately drawing the sharp, hostile stares of the surrounding Pokémon. Alex ignored them, mounted Arcanine, and rode toward the gates. Less than a minute later, he was outside the estate’s walls.

Rather than teleport back to Violet City, he decided to continue west toward Azalea Town. Since he was already this far south, he figured he might as well make the most of it and build up Arcanine’s and Gardevoir’s teleportation points along the way.

As Arcanine ran along the coastline, Alex checked his accounts. His funds had grown significantly over the past three months. He now had 110 million Pokédollars and 47.2 million League credits. He was a quarter of the way toward his goal of 200 million for his dream home.

”Three months for 10 million is a bit much,” Alex muttered.

If his earnings stayed at this pace, it would take another 4 years before he could afford his goal.

”I’d be 24 by then,” he calculated. ”No... I just had my birthday. I’d be 25.”

Still, Alex knew he was young. Too young, considering he was already an Elite with an extended lifespan. He wasn’t sure when he was supposed to grow old or die, but he didn’t particularly care. He was in his prime and intended to enjoy it rather than rush to settle down.

”I’ll have to reach it before Hydreigon reaches Champion rank,” Alex muttered. ”The current training grounds are already too small for her, and it’ll only get worse the stronger she gets.”

Alex spent most of the trip thinking about his future and plans until Arcanine finally reached the western side of Union Cave by the afternoon. From there, he could easily teleport to the eastern side instead of traveling through it.

For now, however, he let Arcanine continue west toward Azalea Town. They arrived about an hour later.

Azalea Town looked much like the other towns Alex had visited. It stayed rooted in tradition, showing little sign of modern development despite being an old settlement.

Alex wasn’t surprised. Johto was known for its slow-paced lifestyle. What did catch his attention, however, was the large number of Slowpokes casually wandering around the town, behaving almost like tame pets.

It seemed even the Pokémon here had embraced the town’s way of life.

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