Fortunately, this little fellow wasn't picky at all—just eating dirt was enough to keep it satisfied.
Yes, Larvitar could be content with nothing but soil.
As for Miltank's milk, Yozora only added that in hopes of helping it grow faster.
…
After bestowing it with additional abilities, just one night was enough to make the little guy sturdier. Its height grew from thirty centimeters to thirty-five.
However, its strength didn't rise much—it was still like a baby, completely lacking in combat power.
Huge Power—double strength—was useless at this stage.
It was still in its infancy. With such a low base strength, even doubling it left it pathetically weak.
After half an hour of eating, Larvitar had swallowed a great deal of soil, its little belly swollen like a drum. Only then did it finally feel satisfied.
It crawled up Yozora's pants leg, nestled against the back of his neck, and fell fast asleep.
Yet despite everything it had eaten, Yozora noticed its aura had only improved ever so slightly…
He couldn't help but sigh. This growth rate was maddeningly slow.
Raising a pseudo-legendary hatchling was no easy task. Without patience, it was impossible. And yet, when trainers thought of their eventual, evolved power, they would only laugh and continue raising them with devoted determination.
…
With a flash of red light, Jade was recalled to its Poké Ball. Yozora shifted his focus toward the Poochyena he had just captured.
Pokémon: Poochyena
Type: Dark
Abilities: Run Away + Huge Power + Stamina + Speed Boost
Level: Rookie
Potential: Champion
Moves: Howl, Sand Attack, Tackle, Bite
Description: A Poochyena with extraordinary talent, but innately timid, making it difficult to show its true strength.
…
Yozora enhanced Poochyena with additional abilities, causing its potential and physical aptitude to soar.
Though still technically Rookie Level, its strength already far surpassed the norm for that stage.
"How about it, little one? Did you enjoy the milk?" Yozora asked, stroking Poochyena's head.
"Arf arf…" Poochyena squinted happily, tail wagging as it barked in delight.
Yozora smirked mischievously. "Want more?"
Poochyena perked up, standing tall, hopping excitedly as if expecting another treat.
But Yozora only chuckled. "If you want more, you'll have to listen to me first."
Poochyena bobbed its head vigorously in agreement.
"Good. Then let's go. I'll take you to work off that full belly."
Thus, Yozora set out with Poochyena—not searching for elite Pokémon this time.
Now that he had captured Poochyena, he was satisfied. The priority was to train it.
Before long, Yozora spotted a Wurmple beneath a large tree.
The worm-like Pokémon was about thirty centimeters long—much larger than ordinary caterpillars. Its back was red, its belly white, and its body bristling with sharp spines.
Most threatening were the yellow spikes on its head and tail, which were not only sharp but venomous.
By appearances alone, it was far stronger than Kanto's Caterpie.
"Wurmple? Perfect. Poochyena, that'll be your first opponent." Yozora pointed at the bug.
"Arf…" Poochyena whimpered, stepping back with eyes full of unease and timidity.
"No way. Wurmple is one of the weakest Pokémon around—you don't even dare to face that?" Yozora groaned inwardly. And to think I even boosted your abilities!
"Hey! What are you trying to do to my Wurmple?"
Suddenly, a boy in shorts carrying a bug net emerged from behind the tree, glaring at Yozora.
He glanced at the Poochyena at Yozora's feet, then grinned. "Ah, so you're a Pokémon Trainer too. In that case, let's battle!"
Before Yozora could respond, the Bug Catcher whipped out a Poké Ball, striking a pose.
"Fine," Yozora agreed cheerfully. "I'll use Poochyena."
The boy smirked. "Then I'll use Wurmple! Go, Wurmple—String Shot!"
White threads shot out at once.
"Poochyena, dodge it!" Yozora commanded.
But instead of moving, Poochyena trembled in place. The threads wrapped around it, binding its body.
"What?"
Yozora was stunned. He never imagined his command would fail.
Poochyena wasn't being disobedient—it was simply too afraid. The moment the silk shot toward it, panic froze its body, leaving it wide open.
"Excellent! Wurmple, use the silk as a slingshot and Tackle it!" the Bug Catcher shouted.
"Fwoosh!"
The words had barely left his mouth before Wurmple rocketed forward, slamming into Poochyena's head.
Both Pokémon toppled over—but only Poochyena was injured.
Still wrapped tightly in threads, it struggled to move.
"Good! Now finish it—Poison Sting!" the boy cried.
Lowering its head, Wurmple jabbed its spines at Poochyena again and again, drawing pained howls.
Fortunately, its damage output was fairly weak.
Moreover, Poochyena's Stamina ability was triggering repeatedly, steadily boosting its defense. Somehow, it managed to endure.
"Hang in there, Poochyena! Use Howl!"
Still bound, Poochyena couldn't attack. Yozora could only order Howl.
"Awooo!"
Its voice rang out, raising its fighting spirit and boosting its Attack.
That was the effect of Howl: morale and strength rising together.
With Huge Power already doubling its strength, what it lacked wasn't force—but courage.
"Poochyena!"
Yozora's sharp eyes noticed the change. The timid gleam vanished, replaced by a fierce glint. The little wolf was finally in battle mode.
"Good! Now, Bite!"
Poochyena lunged, tackling Wurmple to the ground. Its sharp fangs sank deep into the bug's body.
Once it entered battle mode, Poochyena transformed—ferocity pouring out, leaving Wurmple frozen in fear.
That was Bite's added effect: a chance to cause flinching.
"Wurmple!" the boy cried as his Pokémon was bitten and thrashed about. But he could do nothing.
Gradually, Wurmple's stamina drained until it could no longer stand.
"Finish it, Poochyena—throw it away!"
With a snap of its head, Poochyena hurled Wurmple, sending it crashing to the ground with a cry before fainting.
"Damn it!" the boy growled, recalling his Wurmple. He immediately tossed out another ball. "Go, Nincada!"
There were no set rules in roadside battles. To win, one had to defeat every Pokémon.
The gray, insectoid Nincada crawled out. Its tiny wings couldn't lift it. A Bug/Ground type incapable of flight.
But once it evolved into Ninjask, it would gain staggering speed.
Records even claimed that Ninjask moved so fast it couldn't be tracked by the naked eye. For years, people believed it to be invisible, when in truth it was only too fast to see.
Yozora's eyes lit up. So that's Nincada… I must catch a Ninjask someday.
"Charge, Nincada! Scratch attack!" the boy ordered.
Nincada scuttled forward on four legs, claws slashing.
But Poochyena's Speed was now greater. It slipped behind Nincada with ease, dodging the blow.
"Damn it—so fast!" the boy cursed.
"Excellent, Poochyena," Yozora grinned. "Now Bite!"
Poochyena pounced, clamping down on Nincada's tail and thrashing violently until it collapsed.
"Return, Nincada! Go, Taillow!"
A bird Pokémon burst out next.
Yozora blinked in surprise. "Aren't you a Bug Catcher? Why do you have a bird?"
"Idiot," the boy scoffed. "How else would I catch bugs? Of course I need a bird!"
He raised his net smugly. "This is just for finishing blows. You didn't think people really catch Pokémon with these, did you?"
Yozora was taken aback—then nodded. He had to admit it made sense.
"Listen up—this Taillow is my ace! It's nothing like the other two. You'd better watch out!"
"Go, Taillow! Quick Attack!"
Taillow streaked forward in a flash of white light.
"As expected, very fast…" Yozora nodded. At Poochyena's current Speed, dodging would be difficult. "In that case—Sand Attack!"
At the crucial moment, Poochyena flung sand into Taillow's eyes.
The bird still slammed into it from momentum, knocking it back, but squawked in alarm, blinded by grit.
On the ground, it panicked, rubbing at its eyes with its wings, unable to take flight.
"A perfect chance. Poochyena, Tackle!"
Though it hadn't yet learned Take Down, Poochyena understood. It charged with all its strength, ramming Taillow hard into the dirt.
The blow left it reeling but not fainted. Shakily, it stood—still trying to clear its vision.
"Keep attacking!" Yozora commanded.
Poochyena lunged again. But this time, tears cleared Taillow's eyes just enough. It shot back into the air.
"Good, Taillow! Time for payback—use Wing Attack!" the boy shouted.
With a sharp cry, Taillow swooped in, its wings glowing as it sliced through the air at Poochyena.
"Dodge it!" Yozora ordered calmly.
The boy sneered. "Dodge? Impossible! If you could, why bother with Sand Attack?"
But then his eyes went wide.
"What?! He dodged it?!"
He didn't realize that Poochyena's Speed Boost had been activating all this time. With every passing moment, its speed grew. Now it was faster than Taillow itself.
That was the power of multiple abilities stacked together.
Though still only Rookie Level, Poochyena's combat strength had leapt several tiers.
In terms of speed—it already rivaled Senior Level Pokémon!
Whereas the boy's Taillow, though slightly higher in level, was still just a Rookie.
In game terms: Poochyena might be level 6, while Taillow was level 9.
But with its abilities—Stamina, Huge Power, and especially Speed Boost—Poochyena was far more than level 6 in practice.
…
"Skreeee!"
Again and again, Taillow dived from above, but every strike missed. Poochyena slipped aside with ease.
The bird's stamina drained rapidly. Soon it was panting, tongue lolling like a dog.
"Don't give in, Taillow! One more time—Wing Attack!" the boy cried desperately.
Taillow's eyes sharpened, mustering all it had left. It dove once more.
But its drained body made it far slower than before.
Yozora's eyes glinted. Now's my chance.
…
…
(End of Chapter)