Her sparkling, expressive eyes fluttered open, only for the glaring sunlight to make her whimper softly and squint again. It took her a long moment to adjust to the abrupt shift from darkness to blinding brightness.
Shirunai cautiously surveyed her surroundings and quickly recognized where she was.
Thankfully, it wasn't some terrifying, abandoned basement. She realized this was the outskirts of the City—lush green mountains and clear waters stretched around her, with wild Pokémon occasionally passing by.
She turned her head and saw Squirtle tied to another tree nearby, looking just as dejected as she was. As for her Ditto, perhaps because it couldn't be physically restrained, it had been put to sleep with Hypnosis instead.
But the way she was tied up was… unusual!
Shirunai squirmed slightly, her face immediately flushing red. The binding technique was the infamous "tortoise shell tie," though imperfectly executed. Still, it perfectly outlined the curves of her youthful body.
Her knees pressed into the grass, her legs and arms wrapped around the tree behind her, completely immobilized. Even the greatest escape artist in the world wouldn't be able to break free from these ropes.
What frightened Shirunai the most, however, was the uncomfortable sensation beneath her skirt. Though still an untouched maiden, she couldn't help but panic—had something been done to her while she was unconscious? But after confirming her underwear was still in place and there was no tearing pain, she managed to calm down slightly.
Something *had* been done to her body, but not the worst possible violation. Most likely, the perpetrator had merely used his hands or something similar to explore all her maidenly secrets.
While it still filled her with shame and anger as a woman, it wasn't enough to drive her to utter despair, madness, or hatred. At the very least, she could console herself into forgiving the act—giving herself an excuse to cope.
"Awake now?"
Just then, Shirunai heard the voice of the man she currently hated with a passion. She looked up to see Ryuuske approaching with his three-meter-tall Fangtooth Shark (Gabite) by his side.
Despite the humiliation and fury burning on her face, the moment Ryuuske drew near, her eyes welled up with tears. Biting her lip, she asked in a trembling, bashful voice, "...Y-you'll take responsibility, right?"
"Responsibility? Don't make it sound so ambiguous. We didn't do *anything*—how could I possibly take responsibility?"
Ryuuske's expression remained calm, but inwardly, he was uneasy.
Truth be told, doing *that* kind of thing to an unconscious girl—even if he hadn't gone all the way—still weighed heavily on his conscience. His moral and legal principles, built over more than twenty years of living as a law-abiding citizen, now pressed down on him like a mountain.
He had always been a polite, gentle-mannered gentleman around women, and this sudden shift in behavior left even *him* feeling unsettled.
(T/N: Yeah ok bro)
After coming to this world, he had gained tremendous power and learned enough about its society to know that laws were meaningless against individuals strong enough to rival nations. With Mewtwo by his side, Ryuuske was certain that no legal system could ever punish him if he chose to resist.
Mewtwo resembled a human, but it was still a Pokémon—devoid of human morality. It acted entirely based on Ryuuske's thought processes. As a Pokémon, it didn't consider Ryuuske's actions wrong.
It had no concept of good or evil and wouldn't admonish his choices. Even if Ryuuske eventually became a world-destroying madman, his Pokémon would support him unconditionally—even at the cost of their own lives.
Such was the nature of Pokémon. These adorable creatures were also the easiest to exploit by humans with ill intentions.
In this world where he had near-absolute freedom, the only thing restraining the evil desires bubbling up from within was his own self-control. External constraints were meaningless.
Unlike other trainers, who started weak and gradually grew stronger alongside their Pokémon—facing societal limitations during their vulnerable phases—Ryuuske had begun with Mewtwo, a near-unstoppable force.
Even with its current restrictions, as long as he didn't recklessly provoke stronger enemies, almost no one could oppose him. For an ordinary man from another world to suddenly obtain such power… it was only natural for dark thoughts to surface.
Before him lay an unconscious, breathtakingly beautiful girl—one whose charm could make anyone's heart race. He could do whatever he wanted to her. If he killed her and her Pokémon afterward, no one would ever know what had happened here.
Disposing of the evidence would be child's play. His Pokémon wouldn't judge him—they'd support him without question. Faced with such temptation, the fact that Ryuuske had resisted proved he was still a "human" and not a wild beast that had cast off all restraint.
Though he hadn't crossed the line that would strip him of his humanity, the girl's allure had still driven him to indulge in some… oral gratification. Consider it the price this deceitful girl had to pay—and a reward for his own self-restraint.
With a complicated expression, he gazed at the girl who was still strictly adhering to "An Actor's Self-Cultivation." For some reason, he suddenly sighed, feeling a pang of sorrow for her.
He recalled what Professor Oak had told him: When she was five years old, a giant bird of unknown origin had snatched her from Pallet Town. The fact that she was still alive was nothing short of a miracle.
A little girl—one who knew nothing of the world—had lost her parents, endured unimaginable suffering, and survived alone in society from the age of five to fifteen. The sheer number of despair-filled ordeals she must have faced was beyond Ryuuske's comprehension.
Everything she did now, no matter how repulsive or deceitful, was a necessity for a girl trying to survive alone in this world. If she hadn't resorted to such methods, how could she possibly be wearing beautiful clothes now?
How could she have become a trainer through her own efforts? The more likely outcome would have been her begging on some street corner, devoid of any hope for the future.
Whether it was disdain or pity, both were insults to her.
Shirunai met Ryuuske's conflicted gaze, her heart aching with misery and rage—yet also uneasy. Right now, she was at his mercy. Even if she had the skills to move heaven and earth, there was nothing she could do.
To be continued…