"So this is the municipal building of Dark City?"
Looking at the two-story wooden structure in front of him, Kael gave a wry shake of his head. Dark City's economy was indeed backward. Walking here from the street, he hadn't seen a single building taller than three stories.
All the architecture was uniformly wooden, the exterior walls whitewashed with lime. Yet no matter how underdeveloped it was, this was still a fourth-tier city. If he became the official Gym here, he would receive 5% of the city's annual tax revenue—let alone the funding allocated each year by the League.
There wasn't even a security guard at the entrance. Kael walked straight into this so-called "building" without any obstruction.
...
The Mayor's Office
An elderly man well past seventy, with thinning hair and thick glasses as round as beer bottle caps, sat on a wooden chair holding an oversized enamel mug.
Adjusting the reading glasses that looked as though they might slide off at any moment, the old man asked in an unhurried tone, "You're talking about the big dojo in the south of the city?"
"Yes." Kael nodded from the chair opposite him.
"Let me think… Ah, right. There is such a dojo. The owners moved to a big city 10 years ago. If I remember correctly, they donated the place to the city when they left… though my memory isn't what it used to be. Please wait a moment—I'll look through the old files."
The old man slowly rose and shuffled to the bookshelf behind him. From the bottom drawer, he pulled out a stack of yellowed documents covered in dust.
"Cough, cough—" He blew across the files, only to be choked by the rising cloud of dust. Kael stepped forward to help, but the old man waved him off.
"No need to worry, young man. I may be old and forgetful, but I can still find a document." The elder glanced at Kael with approval and said softly, "You're much more polite than those scoundrels outside who stir up trouble every day. If you really plan to open a Gym in this city, please don't harass innocent residents the way the Kaz Gym and the Yas Gym do. Life is already hard enough for them."
A faint smile curved Kael's lips. "Sir, how do you know I'm planning to open a Gym in Dark City?"
"Haha…" The old man laughed heartily. "You see these thick glasses? I may not see clearly, but I judge people well. Dark City isn't prosperous, and we don't have any famous specialties. Outsiders rarely come here to buy property—let alone a large dojo. So it's obvious you intend to open a Gym."
"I do." Kael answered plainly. "The rivalry between the Kaz Gym and the Yas Gym has already seriously hindered this city's development. Even if one of them wins, given their past misconduct, the League would never grant them official Gym status."
Hearing this, the mayor sighed deeply. "Even a child understands that, yet those two fools don't. An official Gym is meant to protect the city and its people—not to destroy and harm them."
Shaking his head in disappointment, the old man bent back down to continue searching through the pile of documents for the original deed.
"Found it!"
He stood up abruptly. Having crouched too long, his blood sugar dipped; his legs gave way and he pitched forward.
"Careful!"
Kael reacted instantly. Bracing one hand on the desk, he vaulted over it in a single motion and caught the old man by the shoulder just before he hit the ground.
Back in his wooden chair, the mayor rubbed his temples and chuckled. "Seems one can't fight old age. Just squatting for a bit and I can't handle it anymore. Thank you, young man…"
He tossed the folder onto the desk in front of Kael. "This is the original land deed left by the former owner. Take a look. If you're willing to take it over, I'll sell it to you at the original price."
Kael opened the folder. Inside, aside from the thin, yellowed deed, there was a letter. It explained that the dojo owner's son had struck it rich elsewhere and brought the whole family to live in a major city.
The old master had lived his entire life in Dark City and couldn't bear to sell the dojo to strangers. So he decided to transfer ownership to the city as his final contribution to his hometown.
It was a classic martial arts dojo—a place dedicated to teaching combat techniques to people or Fighting-type Pokémon. It covered five acres, over 3,000 square meters, with three large courtyards arranged front to back.
If such a five-acres property were located in Saffron City or Celadon City—even in the suburbs—you wouldn't even dream of affording it without over a billion in capital.
Underdeveloped places had their advantages. Compared to big cities, land here was practically being given away.
10 years ago, the dojo had been priced at 800,000, clearly stated in the transfer agreement. But considering inflation and currency depreciation, even in poor Dark City, a property of this size would now fetch at least 1.5 million.
Kael had no intention of exploiting the difference. If he wanted to manage this Gym properly, he would need to maintain good relations with the local residents and government. There were times when saving money was simply the wrong choice.
Despite the mayor's repeated attempts to persuade him otherwise, Kael insisted on paying a fair, current price. The old man genuinely liked this polite young man and didn't want him to waste so much money.
In the end, they each compromised. Kael purchased the deed for 1 million, becoming the new owner of the dojo that had stood abandoned for ten years.
Standing at the entrance and watching the boy's retreating figure, the mayor sighed. The money in his hands felt almost too hot to hold.
If this young man truly opened a Gym, he would inevitably become a thorn in the sides of both the Kaz Gym and the Yas Gym.
After competing for so many years, the sudden appearance of a third party vying for the same prize would surely unite the two against him.
The mayor's heart was heavy with worry. In the end, he could only sigh helplessly.
The boy was simply too young.
How could a 15-year-old possibly stand against those two scoundrels?