Inside the wooden cabin, Raven carefully examined Dratini's freshly shed body.
He gently ran his fingers along the smooth surface—its scales were so soft and silky that it almost felt unreal.
Smooth, delicate, and warm to the touch. "Hmm," Raven thought, "it's definitely grown larger than before."
That growth wasn't just physical—it was proof that Dratini's life energy had expanded once again.
For a Dratini to evolve into a Dragonair, it first had to shed its skin countless times. Only when its life force reached a new threshold would that miracle—evolution—occur.
Evolution wasn't merely physical change; it was a transformation of life itself.
Watching the little dragon before him, Raven felt an indescribable sense of pride.
It meant his efforts hadn't been in vain—under his care, Dratini had truly grown stronger.
"You did great, Dratini," Raven said warmly, patting its head.
Dratini responded by rubbing affectionately against his palm, and Raven couldn't help but smile.
His gaze then shifted to the pearly white dragon skin lying beside them.
It shimmered faintly under the firelight.
Raven picked it up, and as he did, the [Basic Processing] technology he had unlocked earlier automatically presented the item's information in his mind:
[Dratini's Shed Skin: Tough and flexible. A superb material for crafting fine goods such as belts or bags. Extremely valuable.]
A bag made of dragon skin…
Raven chuckled quietly. Of course, Pokémon like Dratini were exceedingly rare—so rare that in later generations, they were even regarded as mythical creatures.
There was no way to harvest such material on a large scale. That rarity only underscored its value.
Still, for the current stage of the Driftveil territory, such luxury held little meaning.
There were no merchants here who could even trade for it.
Raven sighed softly and stood. "Alright then. I'll keep this safe for you—it's your first shed skin, after all. That makes it special."
"Woo~!" Dratini chirped contentedly, clearly unbothered.
Smiling, Raven returned to his desk to handle the day's affairs.
Outside, the last traces of rain faded, leaving the air fresh and damp.
Inside, the fire crackled gently, filling the room with warmth.
The Pokémon played quietly on the wooden floor—several lively Minccino chased each other around, while a few tidier ones helped sweep the corners with their fluffy tails.
Dratini coiled lazily on a cushion near the fire, eyes half-closed, basking in comfort.
Snivy perched gracefully on a shelf behind Raven, eyes shut in calm meditation.
Everything felt peaceful, harmonious.
By afternoon, the rain had stopped completely.
Raven took Snivy out to inspect the Berry fields and farmland.
After enduring the long winter, the wheat had already sprouted—tender green blades swayed in the soft breeze, full of life.
Several farmers moved methodically between the rows, pulling weeds with their hoes.
Dugtrio wasn't visible on the surface, but Raven could feel faint vibrations underfoot—it was still hard at work underground.
In the Berry fields, the seeds Snivy had been caring for over the past half month had also sprouted into healthy young shoots.
"Just as I thought," Raven murmured with satisfaction. "Grass-type Pokémon really are a blessing for agriculture."
He smiled at Snivy. "Well done."
"Snivy."
The little serpent crossed its arms proudly and turned away with a haughty snort.
Raven chuckled. "After all this training, have you gotten better at controlling your Grass-type energy?"
Snivy's expression grew serious. "Snivy."
Indeed—it could feel it.
Before, it could only conjure a single Vine Whip.
But now… it sensed that it could control two.
Without hesitation, Snivy focused its energy, and two slender green vines sprouted from its neck, coiling gracefully in the air.
Raven blinked in surprise. "Two Vine Whips? Impressive!"
He quickly grinned. "You've made remarkable progress."
"Snivy~"
"Alright," Raven said, "let's move on to something new—let's try learning Magical Leaf."
He explained, "Focus your energy, shape it into a leaf, and let it flow naturally."
Snivy began concentrating immediately, but the first attempt failed. The energy dispersed before taking shape.
Undeterred, Snivy picked up a real leaf Raven had prepared and studied its form intently.
"Try visualizing this in your mind," Raven said gently. "Or channel your energy through the leaf itself—let it become part of you."
Snivy nodded, then tried again.
After several attempts, a faint green glow flickered into existence. A shimmering energy leaf slowly formed and hovered in the air.
Raven's eyes lit up.
Then, as if something deep within Snivy's instincts had awakened, the energy surged.
"Snivy—vy!"
Glowing leaves burst into the air, swirling around its body before slicing forward in a dazzling emerald arc.
Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh!
The leaves embedded themselves neatly into the soil ahead, quivering like blades.
Raven nodded in satisfaction. "Excellent. Once a Pokémon builds a solid foundation, mastering new moves becomes much easier."
He smiled proudly. "You've done really well, Snivy."
Indeed, this was the same Snivy that had once fended off five Sneasel at once.
Magical Leaf might look simple, but if unleashed en masse, it could form a powerful Leaf Storm—one of Snivy's ultimate techniques.
If it could learn that, its combat potential would leap to an entirely new level.
Just as that thought crossed Raven's mind, a dazzling white light suddenly enveloped Snivy's body.
"Snivy—?"
Startled, Snivy let out a cry as its body began to glow brighter and brighter.
Raven's eyes widened.
That was—
Evolution?!