Pokemon: Master of tactics-Chapter 431

Alex smiled as he explained, "That's the attack name of Blue-Eyes White Dragon. You'd know that if you watched my new TV series Yu-Gi-Oh!, which will be airing very soon."

The host turned dramatically toward the camera, his voice filled with exaggerated admiration.

"Truly a master of tactics. Not only did he defeat me using my own monster, but he also seized the moment to advertise yet another product."

Alex chuckled.

"What can I say? I've never been opposed to using a few shameless tactics."

After the cameras stopped rolling, the bright studio lights dimmed slightly, and the tense atmosphere of the broadcast faded almost instantly.

Alex stood up from his seat and shook hands with the host.

"Thanks for having me," he said sincerely. "That was a lot more fun than I expected."

The host laughed. "Anytime. Just… next time, maybe warn me before beating me with my own monster."

Alex grinned. "No promises."

The host hesitated for a moment before asking, "By the way… can I keep the starter deck?"

Alex smiled as he replied, "No problem. I'm pretty happy you liked the game that much."

As Alex stepped away from the table, a few members of the crew approached him. One of the cameramen, barely hiding his excitement, spoke up first.

"Uh, Alex… I've been following your matches since the Rookie Tournament. Also, The game you showed today looked really interesting."

Another crew member nodded eagerly. "Yeah, especially the ending. I didn't see that coming at all."

Alex blinked in mild surprise, then smiled warmly.

"Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed it."

A sound technician hesitated before adding, "And, uh… good luck with Yu-Gi-Oh!. I'm definitely checking it out when it comes out."

Alex let out a small chuckle.

"I appreciate that. I hope both the card game and the show live up to the hype."

After exchanging a few more casual words and handshakes, Alex was guided toward the exit of the studio. As he walked down the hallway, he could still hear faint laughter and excited chatter behind him.

For the first time since the show began, he felt genuinely relaxed.

The interview was over. The promotion had gone smoothly.

And judging by the smiles he left behind, he'd gained a few more fans along the way.

The show had wrapped up on a lighthearted note, leaving the crew entertained. Alex left, quietly satisfied with how it had ended. There had been a few unexpected moments along the way—but nothing particularly embarrassing.

All in all, it had gone exactly the way he'd hoped.

After leaving the building, Alex stretched his shoulders and let out a quiet breath."Gardevoir," he said, "could you do me a favor and teleport me to my office at Elite Entertainment?"

Gardevoir emerged gracefully from her Poké Ball, her presence calm and familiar. Her voice echoed gently in his mind."No problem, Dad."

A soft, radiant light enveloped them. Space folded inward, and in the next instant, the world shifted.

They reappeared inside Alex's office at Elite Entertainment, the familiar scent of paper, ink, and electronics greeting him immediately. The room was quiet—almost peaceful—compared to the noise of the television studio.

After acquiring Elite Entertainment, Alex had deliberately chosen not to replace the original staff. Time was his most valuable resource, and reorganizing an entire company would have slowed production to a crawl. If Yu-Gi-Oh! was going to launch on schedule, he can not wait 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Alex was also realistic about his own limits.

Even if he worked nonstop, he couldn't design every card himself. Each one needed artwork, effects, balance adjustments, and flavor. And no matter how strong his memory was, he couldn't possibly recall every card from his original world in exact detail.

So he focused on what only he could do.

He defined the game's core rules, the underlying philosophy behind card design, and the overall balance framework. He personally designed the most important cards—the cornerstones of the game—also, he help on the artwork, even if that meant providing only rough sketches and descriptions for their artwork.

The rest, he entrusted to professionals.

Leaving his office with Gardevoir, Alex walked through the production floors of the building he'd inherited from the previous owner. The scene before him was busy but orderly.

Humans and Smeargle's sat at long tables, reviewing drafts, comparing prints, and discussing revisions. Some checked card effects against spreadsheets, while others inspected fresh prints under bright lights.

Nearby, a massive printing press thundered rhythmically, producing identical cards at an astonishing speed. Every second, another perfect copy slid neatly into place.

Elite Entertainment relied heavily on Smeargle's as its primary artists—and for good reason.

Every Smeargle was a born artist. Give them a basic concept, a few constraints, and they would create artwork of remarkable quality with ease. Their creativity was natural, instinctive.

Still, Alex had made one thing clear from the beginning.

The printing press existed so Smeargle's wouldn't be forced to repaint the same card endlessly. Doing so would have been wasteful—and cruel.

Humans handled card development, balance testing, product planning, marketing, and logistics. All the things Alex either couldn't manage alone or shouldn't be burdened with.

Thanks to the number of cards Alex had already designed personally, the rest of the team quickly understood how Yu-Gi-Oh! cards were supposed to feel and function.

After purchasing Elite Entertainment, Alex had increased the salaries of all employees—human and Pokémon alike. For the Smeargle's, this meant not only higher-quality food—which served as their primary form of compensation—but also better living conditions, longer rest periods, and additional comforts.

Morale across the company had risen sharply.

Especially among the Smeargle's.

With Gardevoir's help, Alex had spoken individually with each one. Through those conversations, he'd learned which employees had treated them disrespectfully—and just how harsh their working conditions had been under the former owner.

The ones who had been outright cruel were dismissed immediately. Working hours were reduced, food quality improved dramatically, and strict guidelines were put in place to ensure Pokémon were treated as partners, not tools.

Some of the Smeargle's had been so deeply moved by the change that they'd thanked Alex with tears in their eyes.

Remembering that scene, Alex felt a quiet warmth in his chest.

Pokémon really are better beings, he thought. So honest. And even those that could be considered "evil"… they're still straightforward and trustworthy.

For some reason, an image of Crobat surfaced in his mind.

Inside its Poké Ball, Crobat shifted slightly.

That's weird, it thought. I suddenly feel like someone was talking badly about me…

It paused, then settled back down.

Eh. Must be my imagination.

The moment Alex appeared, a subtle shift ran through the workspace.

A few human employees straightened in their seats. Quiet conversations dipped for just a moment before resuming at a lower volume. One designer nudged another and whispered something excitedly, earning a quick shush—but both were smiling.

Near one of the long tables, a Smeargle looked up from its canvas, eyes widening slightly. It lifted a paw and gave Alex a small, earnest wave. Alex noticed and nodded back, earning a visibly brighter expression in return.

Humans and Smeargle's worked side by side—some reviewing drafts, others checking freshly printed cards under bright lights. A pair of developers paused their discussion just long enough to bow their heads politely as Alex passed.

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