After dinner, Hora returned to his study, carrying Weedle. He placed the little guy gently on a soft cloth on his desk, sat down in his wooden chair, and unconsciously tapped his fingers on the tabletop.
His mind replayed the battle with his mother over and over: the gaps in his String Shot, the poor angles of the Poison Stings, the panic when facing a close-range attack... Every detail was crystal clear. Just as he was thinking about how to adjust his future training plan, a cold mechanical voice rang in his ear.
[Detected: Host has completed a basic battle. Unlocking 'Pokémon Data Panel.' Current Pokémon: Weedle.]
Hora froze, then an uncontrollable smirk spread across his face. As expected, this seemingly "useless" system was capable of more than just issuing tasks. Suppressing his excitement, he focused his thoughts on the semi-transparent interface. Next to the "Tasks" icon, a new "Pokémon Attributes" icon featuring a Pokémon silhouette had appeared.
He tapped the icon, and the interface switched instantly. As his gaze swept over the Weedle, who was currently nibbling curiously on an eraser, a detailed profile appeared before his eyes.
Pokémon Data Panel
Pokémon: Weedle
Gender: Male
Level: Lv. 3
Potential: A
Status: Healthy
Nature: Modest (+Sp. Atk, -Atk)
Type: Bug / Poison
Ability: Run Away (Guarantees escape from wild Pokémon battles.)
Height: 0.3m / Weight: 3.2kg
Held Item: None
Skills:
String Shot (Proficiency: 12%)
Poison Sting (Proficiency: 8%)
Tackle (Proficiency: 5%)
Upgrade Limit: 1 (???)
"Its potential is actually Grade A..."
Hora stared at the desk. Weedle was munching on half an eraser with great relish, its yellow body swaying slightly as it chewed, completely unaware that its potential had sent waves of shock through its master's heart.
He gently stroked the little guy's smooth shell, his voice full of wonder. "No wonder the System issued a time-limited task for you. You were hiding such a massive surprise."
The bug's armor felt cool under his touch. Hora couldn't help but recall the potential ranking system of this world. From the most basic Grade C to the Grade SS that stood at the peak of the pyramid, every letter jump meant a world of difference in growth limits, skill learning speed, and combat potential.
Combining his memories from his previous life, he quickly mapped the grades to power levels: Grade A meant it had already stepped onto the threshold of the "Elite Class."
To put it in perspective, most Gym Leaders—excluding their trump cards—used main teams for testing trainers that hovered around Grade A. For an ordinary trainer, owning a single Grade A Pokémon was enough to establish a firm foothold in a city or town, or even make a serious run at a Regional League.
As for higher grades? Hora chuckled. Most trainers go their whole lives without meeting a Grade S ("Gym Leader Class") Pokémon. Grades S and above usually only appear in the teams of Regional Champions or top-tier powerhouses. Grade SS ("Pseudo-Legendary Class") is reserved for Elite Four-level trainers, where every Pokémon is a tide-turner.
And then there were Mythical and Legendary Pokémon—those legendary beings were, without exception, Grade SSS, existing only in ancient texts and rumors. Almost no one ever saw them in person.
Hora looked back at the Weedle struggling with the eraser. The little guy didn't seem to know how rare its "Elite Class" status was, occasionally looking up to hiss as if asking for praise.
But then, Hora's eyes caught the last line: "Upgrade Limit: 1." Confusion flooded his mind. "System, what does 'Upgrade Limit' mean?"
"Query detected. Searching database... Search complete. Answer available."
The cold voice fell, and the interface shifted. Dense text accompanied by simple diagrams explained the attributes.
"Damn, was this system written by some third-rate programmer for practice? The annotations are so detailed!"
He scanned the content. Most of it matched his memories, but "Upgrade Limit" was a brand-new setting. After reading carefully, Hora finally understood—this was a special opportunity to upgrade a Pokémon's potential!
As long as an upgrade limit existed, a Pokémon could use specific items or special methods to directly break through its potential ceiling. Simply put, this Grade A Weedle with a limit of 1 could jump from Grade A (Elite) to Grade S (Gym Leader) if the right method was found. If it had a limit of 2, it could even reach Grade SS (Pseudo-Legendary)!
"System, I freaking love you!"
The realization made Hora jump out of his chair, nearly startling Weedle off the desk. He quickly steadied himself and cupped the little guy in his hands, his fingers trembling.
A Grade A base, plus one upgrade opportunity, plus a System that monitored growth in real-time... this meant his Weedle wouldn't just stay at the "Elite" level; it had a real shot at entering the ranks of the "Gym Leader Class." In the Pokémon world, Gym Leader-class Pokémon were the cream of the crop.
Once this Weedle evolved into Kakuna and finally Beedrill, with Grade S potential, it would be the sharpest first blade for his journey across the world.
"In order to not waste your top-tier potential, we're stepping up basic training tomorrow! We're going to get you evolved into Beedrill before the journey starts!" Hora tapped the horn on Weedle's head.
Weedle seemed to sense his excitement. It rubbed its horn against his palm, and the ghostly purple glow flickered rhythmically. It felt incredibly spirited