Cole moved quickly. That very night, he arranged for his men to head to Celadon City to purchase furniture. At the same time, a large pickup truck loaded with construction materials set off toward Dark City.
At dawn, just as the first rays of sunlight brushed the entrance of the dojo, two twelve-meter-long heavy trucks came rumbling out of the forest.
The roads in Dark City were built far too narrow; vehicles of this tonnage simply couldn't pass through. With no other option, they detoured, cutting across a small trail through the plains.
There was no way the trucks could cross the arched stone bridge in front of the dojo. They had to stop on the far side.
"Excuse me, are you Mr. Kael?"
A middle-aged man with dark skin and a safety helmet climbed down from the driver's seat. Climbing down with him—from the passenger side—was a Machamp. From the second truck, another burly, equally dark-skinned man got out; his co-driver was also a Machamp.
"I am." Kael gave a slight nod.
The middle-aged man laughed. "We've delivered the construction materials and furniture, but this little stone bridge won't hold the trucks. We'll have to let the Machamp carry everything across."
Cole had always held Kael in high regard—partly because of his character, partly because of his potential. Even for something as simple as a delivery job, he had dispatched the only two Machamp in his construction crew.
"Rhydon, go give them a hand."
With a flick of his Poké Ball, Kael released Rhydon. A massive figure nearly as tall as the pickup truck materialized before them.
The two middle-aged men were startled by the sudden appearance of the enormous Rhydon, but once they realized it was Kael's Pokémon, they relaxed. This Rhydon wasn't just intimidating in size—its coloration was different from the average specimen. Its entire body was pitch black, like it was clad in dark armor.
Especially those shattered-gold eyes. The two men instinctively lowered their gazes, not daring to meet its stare.
At first, the two Machamp were wary as Rhydon approached. But after a brief exchange—Pokémon communicating in their own way—the tension dissipated.
With three muscle-bound Pokémon working together, one truck of construction materials and another of furniture were completely unloaded into the dojo's front courtyard in just half an hour.
After completing their foreman's assignment, the two men bade Kael farewell and drove off. They had to rush back to the construction site—another project needed to be handed over within a month.
...
Kael had finished drawing up the renovation blueprints the previous night. A prodigy in mathematics, he possessed a keen sensitivity to numbers. Renovation required meticulous measurements and surveying, and with Rhydon and Lulu's help, he decided to handle the restoration personally.
For an entire week, the sound of machinery never ceased within the dojo located in the southern outskirts of Dark City.
When the final supporting beam was replaced, the renovation finally reached a pause.
The dojo had been utterly transformed.
The main gate had been freshly painted. The training ground in the front courtyard was covered with a new layer of waterproof dry sand. The old stone locks and stone pillars had all been replaced with modern training equipment.
In the middle courtyard, multiple varieties of Berries had been replanted. Kael held a Level 4 Berry Cultivation Certification—such fertile land would have been a waste otherwise.
The main hall in the rear courtyard—intended to serve as his future living quarters—received the greatest share of attention. Its exterior preserved the refined garden style of a classical noble estate, while the interior was designed primarily with modern comforts and contemporary décor in mind.
Kael appreciated the charm of ancient architecture, but he had no desire to live as the ancients did. He was the sort of man who could endure hardship when poor—but once he had money, he refused to mistreat himself.
A water pump, connected to blue piping, continuously drew water from the small river outside. The once-dry ornamental rock pond gradually filled.
Lotus buds that had yet to bloom began unfurling rapidly as the water level rose. In moments, their fragrance drifted over the pond in thick, lingering waves.
Celadon City was famous not only throughout Kanto and Johto for its perfumes, but also as a renowned city of flowers.
The Celadon Gym Leader, Erika, was a celebrated floral master. She owned two highly popular shops—one being the Celadon Perfume Store, specializing in handcrafted luxury fragrances.
The other was her flower shop, where she sold blooms and ornamental plants that she had nurtured herself.
Among all the Gyms in Kanto, which was the wealthiest? Celadon Gym was undoubtedly number one. Beyond municipal taxes and League funding, the daily revenue from Erika's two stores alone poured in like gold.
The special lotuses in the rock pond—flowers that bloomed upon touching water—had been purchased from Erika's flower shop. Naturally, such rare varieties came at a steep price.
Kael, however, hadn't spent a single coin. The furniture and decorative plants had all been secured by Cole under the League's banner of "reservoir construction for the benefit of farmers," attracting generous advertising sponsorship.
"With this, Feebas finally has a proper home."
Watching the pond fill, Kael unclipped Feebas's Ultra Ball from his tactical belt.
A flash of white light twisted in midair. With a flick of its tail—plop—Feebas dropped straight into the water. The little Pokémon immediately poked its head above the surface, blowing bubbles in delight. It was clearly thrilled with its new home.
Kael patted Feebas's head fondly, then retrieved a few pokeblocks from his pocket and placed them in his palm. Feebas squinted happily, lifting its tiny mouth upward and swallowing all the cubes in one gulp.
...
Front Courtyard
A blank plaque, about five feet long, lay on a wooden table. Brush in hand, Kael began to write, his strokes bold and assured. Within moments, four powerful characters took shape across the surface.
Second to the World Gym
"Not bad. Not bad at all…" He set the brush aside and admired his work. Even after years without practice, his lettering still had strength and character.
Those words would become the dojo's name.
As for why he hadn't chosen something like Number One—
Kael simply smiled.
Being the best meant standing in the spotlight. Everyone watched you, judged you, waited for you to stumble. Second place, on the other hand, was far more comfortable. The world fixated on whoever claimed the top spot. After that—second, third, fourth—most people stopped paying attention.