Cape Cottage was a popular tourist attraction in Kanto, drawing visitors from all over. It was also relatively safe. Even members of the Dark Organization rarely dared to stir up trouble here, knowing full well the wrath of the Kanto Alliance wasn't something to provoke lightly.
What's more, the nearby White Cape was a gathering place for trainers. If anyone really did attack this area, it would be hard to tell who was attacking whom. Unless one had reached championship level, sheer numbers were still an effective deterrent.
Tetsuya reached the highest point of the cliff and took in the breathtaking view before him. The golden hues of the setting sun pierced through the clouds, scattering across the sea in shimmering patterns.
The distant horizon merged with the sky, and under the glow of the sunset, the ocean seemed to be draped in a soft red veil, making the scene look especially enchanting.
Overcome with emotion, Tetsuya let out a deep, uninhibited shout toward the sea. "Ahhh~!"
A nearby orange-haired figure flinched at his sudden outburst, turning to look at him before shrinking back as if startled from him popping up.
The Clawitzer beside them shifted protectively, moving to shield its offspring, its narrow yellow eyes carefully observing the boy standing nearby.
Noticing Clawitzer's gaze, Tetsuya gave a small smile. Feeling refreshed after venting his exhaustion, he released his Pidgeot and soared off the cliff.
After landing, he staggered slightly, his face pale from his fear of heights. Shaking it off, he recalled Pidgeot, pulled out his electric bike, and sped off toward the Pokémon Center.
His Pokémon needed to be fed. If he didn't, they would undoubtedly make a fuss, and he was in no mood to deal with that right now.
That night passed in silence.
Over the following days, the elderly residents of the town began to take notice of an unfamiliar yet striking young man.
Every morning, just as dawn broke and the sun had yet to rise, he could be seen jogging around the town, accompanied by a strong Blaziken wearing a weighted black training vest.
Every other day, he would head toward the beach or the nearby forests, where he would remain for the entire day.
Then, as evening approached, around six or seven, he would return to the Pokémon Center, covered in dust and sweat, looking utterly exhausted.
For the older residents, this became a favorite topic of discussion. They admired his dedication but wondered how long he would last.
One day, two days, a week, half a month, a full month…
More than thirty days passed, and to their surprise, the boy never wavered. Rain or shine, he kept going. Then, just as suddenly as he had appeared, he vanished.
They understood—he had likely moved on.
Blaziken had finally reached level 36.
Tetsuya couldn't shake the feeling that its evolution should be just around the corner—similar to how Pidgeot evolved back then. But it hadn't happened yet. Maybe, like with Pidgeot, it just needed that one intense, all-encompassing battle.
The truth was, even Tetsuya had no clue what exact conditions had triggered Pidgeot's sudden evolution. It must've been a thrilling, high-stakes fight. In the past forty days, Blaziken hadn't had many opportunities for that kind of combat.
Despite the nearby town near White Cape boasting a decent number of trainers and Pokémon, and a spacious battle arena at the Pokémon Center, hardly anyone fought there.
After a long day of rigorous training, who still had the energy or mindset for formal battles? Both Pokémon and trainers were usually exhausted—physically and mentally.
Even the tasks Tetsuya had been doing weren't proper duels. He often sent out three Pokémon together to complete assignments. They weren't battles in the traditional sense, and certainly not the kind that sparked evolution.
Evolution was strange and mysterious. Sure, there were artificial methods like trade evolution, but for natural ones, there were no hard and fast rules.
Tetsuya simply didn't know what it would take for Combusken to evolve.
Still, time was tight. He had to leave today to make it in time for his next gym challenge. He couldn't afford delays, and he had to allow for emergencies.
If evolution didn't happen now, then so be it. He'd take it slow if needed.
He didn't believe evolution could hold back a Pokémon with championship potential.
…Right?
Tetsuya was caught completely off guard when he saw Combusken suddenly glow with a brilliant white light.
What the—was it evolving just from standing there in meditation? Or had it unlocked some new ability?
The white light flared brighter, engulfing Combusken's entire body. Standing so close, Tetsuya couldn't see anything clearly.
Then it hit him. Oh my god. It's really happening. Combusken was evolving—into Blaziken.
Could it be… his own thoughts had triggered it somehow? Was evolution really that magical and unpredictable?
Tetsuya was too stunned to feel anything but awe.
As the glow faded, a majestic figure stood tall in front of him.
Blaziken.
White plumage framed its body, with a V-shaped crest crowning its head. Its sharp claws, wrapped in taut bandages, flexed with restrained power. Its legs were thick and muscular, built for explosive force. And its piercing blue eyes blazed with purpose—contrasting beautifully against its fiery form.
Small bursts of flame flared from its arms and legs every now and then, the result of it still adjusting to the surge of new energy coursing through its evolved body.
Tetsuya could only whisper: "Oh my god…"
Blaziken opened its eyes fully and let out an exhilarated cry, raising its arms and legs to test its newfound power.
It stumbled slightly, unbalanced, still getting used to the transformation. Tetsuya quickly stepped in to help it steady itself and summoned its updated profile.
He skipped over the technical knowledge and focused on the details that mattered most.
Blaziken now stood at 2.25 meters tall and weighed 65 kilograms. On paper, that might not seem exceptional—its species' average was around 1.9 meters and 52 kilograms.
Even Pidgeot was now 1.95 meters tall and 50 kilograms, about 25% above average. But the two couldn't be compared directly.
Pidgeot was a predator bird. Bigger and stronger was better.
Blaziken, though, was a Fighting- and Fire-type. It needed balance—too tall or too heavy, and it would lose agility, power, and control.
By Zero's analysis, Blaziken's current build was practically ideal. When it reached even greater heights—perhaps Champion level or higher—its size might increase slightly, but not by much.
Everything about this evolution made sense. It aligned with all of Tetsuya's predictions.
And now, its level had risen from 36 to 39.
All the effort and resources he'd poured into it—it had paid off.
Pidgeot had better keep working, or his little brother might just surpass him soon.
Blaziken was now the most well-rounded Pokémon on his team—its move set covered offense, status effects, elemental variety, and range. Tactically, it had the broadest arsenal by far.
Now came the next phase: implementing the new training plan.
Tetsuya had worked out a draft of the plan himself, but seeing the numbers from Zero made him blink.
Seriously?
According to the model, Blaziken's monthly training cost had jumped to 1.2 million PokéYen. That's an average of 400,000 per day—50% higher than before.
And that was just one Pokémon.
Even a typical B-level mission only paid out 200,000 to 300,000. That meant Tetsuya would have to complete at least two B-level missions per day just to break even.
He clicked his tongue. This thing's a money-burning beast.
Factoring in the ongoing special training period for Gigalith and the costs for maintaining his elite-level Pidgeot, the daily burn came out to nearly 900,000.
No wonder most trainers plateaued after raising three Pokémon to elite level. Even Tetsuya was starting to feel the pressure.
Without real income or efficient earning methods, it just wasn't sustainable.
Thankfully, he had support from Nurse Joy's treatment assistance program and optimized his training-to-earnings ratio better than most.
At best, he could manage three B-level missions every two days, netting around 450,000 a day—with extra earnings from bonuses or incidental rewards bringing it just within budget.
For most trainers, this kind of pace was impossible. Even those who made it this far were already at the top of their class.
Of course, their Pokémon weren't of the same caliber as Tetsuya's team—but to achieve comparable results, their cost would actually be higher, and their income slower due to weaker Pokémon.
In the end, all they could rely on was time.
Tetsuya's head spun with calculations, numbers flying like sparks in a storm of thoughts.
"Blaaaze!"
Blaziken's cry brought him back to the present.
It had calmed down, the uncontrolled flames now fully retracted into its body.
"Well done," Tetsuya said, smiling warmly.
He reached out, instinctively wanting to pat its head—something he used to do often when it was still a Combusken.
But the towering Pokémon in front of him was too tall now. He couldn't reach. Not even with a jump.
Blaziken noticed the awkward moment, stepped to the side, bent one knee, lowered itself gently, and pressed its forehead toward his hand.
Tetsuya was stunned for a second—then moved.
"You've grown up too."
He ran his fingers through the soft white feathers at the top of its head.
Blaziken replied with a soft, proud growl.