Pokemon: Master of tactics-Chapter 444

Douglas knocked on the door.

The sound was firm. Not loud. Not hesitant.

Alex noted that before he spoke.

"Come in."

The door opened, and Douglas stepped inside without waiting for a second invitation. He closed it behind him carefully, eyes already scanning the room in a quick, practiced sweep before settling on Alex.

He was tall for his age, shoulders a little too broad for someone who hadn't finished growing yet. His build hinted at raw strength rather than polish—muscle earned from work and rough living, not training halls. His clothes were worn but clean, patched in places that mattered, as if he'd learned early what was worth fixing and what wasn't.

His hair was a mess of dark strands that refused to stay down, no matter how often they were pushed back. There was a faint scar along his jaw, old and thin, the kind that came from a mistake made once and never repeated.

But it was his eyes that held Alex's attention.

Sharp. Alert. Restless.

They carried the impatience of someone who wanted to act but hadn't yet learned when to wait.

Douglas stopped a few steps from the desk, standing straight but not stiff. He didn't bow. He didn't fidget. He simply waited.

Good, Alex thought. He doesn't confuse respect with submission.

Gardevoir's presence brushed against Alex's mind, warm and attentive. He's tense, she observed. Also very focused.

Alex gestured to the chair across from him. "Sit."

Douglas did so immediately, leaning forward slightly, forearms resting on his knees. Ready. Like a runner waiting for the signal to start.

Alex studied him in silence for a moment longer, letting the pressure build—not to intimidate, but to see how he handled it.

Douglas met his gaze without blinking.

Finally, Alex spoke.

"What are Pokémon to you?"

The room went quiet, waiting to see which way Douglas would break.

Douglas didn't answer immediately.

He looked down at his hands for half a second, fingers flexing once, then lifted his gaze back to Alex. The impatience was still there—but it was leashed now.

"They're not toys," he said. His voice was steady, a little rough for his age. "And they're not friends either. Not at first."

Alex didn't interrupt.

Douglas continued, choosing his words carefully, as if he didn't fully trust them yet.

"They're… partners you have to earn. Stronger than you sometimes. Smarter than you sometimes. If you treat them like weapons, they'll break—or turn on you. If you treat them like pets, they'll outgrow you."

A pause.

"I think Pokémon are mirrors," Douglas said. "They show you exactly what kind of trainer you are. And they don't lie about it."

Gardevoir's psychic presence stirred, warm with interest.

Alex leaned back slightly in his chair. "And what kind of trainer would you be?"

Douglas's jaw tightened—not in fear, but in frustration. "One that doesn't waste potential. Mine or theirs."

Alex's eyes narrowed just a fraction.

"That's vague."

Douglas nodded. "Yeah. Because I'm not there yet."

That answer landed better than confidence would have.

Alex tapped a finger against the desk once. "Most kids say they want to be strong. Or famous. Or rich."

Douglas snorted softly. "Those are side effects."

"Of what?"

"Winning," Douglas said simply. "And surviving long enough to matter."

Silence settled again.

Alex felt it now—the rawness. The pressure inside the boy that hadn't found a clean outlet yet. Too much drive, not enough direction. A blade without a sheath.

Dangerous.

Valuable.

"You're impatient," Alex said.

Douglas didn't deny it. "Yes."

"You'd take risks."

"Yes."

"You'd ignore orders you thought were stupid."

Douglas hesitated this time. Just for a breath. "Yes," he admitted. "Unless you proved to me why they weren't."

Alex smiled faintly.

Honest. Direct. No attempt to flatter. No false humility.

He glanced briefly toward the board where Gardevoir was hidden.

Strong emotions, she sent calmly. Ambition. Frustration. No deception.

Alex stood.

"That's enough," he said. "For now."

Douglas straightened instantly, standing as well. "Did I pass?"

Alex met his eyes. "This wasn't about passing."

Douglas frowned.

"It was about whether you're worth investing in, and it that you, have meet my expectations. For now. " Alex finished.

He turned slightly, already signaling the end of the interview. "You can go."

Douglas held his gaze for a moment longer, then nodded once. No thanks. No extra words. Just acceptance.

As the door closed behind him, Alex exhaled slowly.

"…This one is a bit like a soldier," he said quietly.

Gardevoir smiled, her tone gentle. you like that?.

Alex's lips curved just a little. he replied. ""Yes, he will be easy to use."

Alex pressed the button again, this time calling two names at once. They belonged to the youngest of the six—and, in some ways, the most remarkable.

At only six years old, both children had given answers that many older candidates wouldn't have managed. Alex had awarded them extra points for that alone. But age wasn't what truly set them apart.

A moment later, there was a brief pause outside the office, followed by two careful knocks—almost synchronized.

Luis and Lena.

"Come in," Alex said.

The door opened, and the twins stepped inside. Alex gestured toward the empty chairs across from his desk, and they sat down without needing to be told twice, small feet not quite reaching the floor.

Two children. Same age. Same "upbringing".

And yet, even at a glance, Alex already knew what set them apart. It wasn't their answers.It wasn't their age.

It was the absurd density of psychic energy quietly contained within their small bodies. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Because neither child had trained that talent yet, their psychic signatures were unmasked—raw, unshaped, easy for Alex to read.

And what he sensed made him pause.

Luis and Lena possessed only slightly less psychic energy than he did.

That fact alone placed them—, terrifyingly—at High Rank-4 Psychics.

Two Strong Rank-4 Psychics. i can not belive my luck. Alex thought

Alex met their eyes, one after the other, his expression calm despite the implications.

"I could make both of you officially trainers right now," he said evenly. "No waiting six years. No delays."

The twins didn't answer immediately.

They exchanged a brief glance—before Luis spoke up. "…Sir," he said carefully, "that would be illegal, right?"

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