Chapter 7: A Lost Ralts?

Chapter 7: A Lost Ralts?

The idea of eating food for random buffs before battles or training sessions was exciting.

Unfortunately, today's system shop didn't offer anything extraordinary. Hikaru glanced through the items and bought a premium energy cube, then stopped.

The energy cubes from the system shop were exceptional, automatically aligning with the Pokémon's attributes and scaling their energy content with the Pokémon's growth.

Hikaru admitted that even with his current expert-level skills, he couldn't replicate such craftsmanship.

Of course, it would be better if the prices didn't scale up as well.

Currently, a single energy cube cost 6 Entry Coins.

---

In the following training sessions, Charmander grew increasingly diligent.

Wang Miao, the Squirtle trainer, didn't show up for a few days. When he returned, his Squirtle had reached Level 10, stepping into the Ordinary tier.

Wang Miao, overwhelmed with gratitude, held Hikaru's hand. It was their previous battle that gave Squirtle the breakthrough it needed.

Eager for another challenge, Wang Miao battled Hikaru again.

However, luck wasn't on his side.

Charmander had consumed an energy cube and received a random buff: "Halve Damage from Countering Attributes."

This was arguably one of the best buffs Charmander could receive. Paired with the [Thick Skin] entry, it perfectly demonstrated what it meant to tank a Water Gun head-on.

From that point on, Wang Miao stopped challenging Hikaru, realizing some battles just couldn't be won.

Hikaru learned an important lesson: Blue-tier entries were sometimes just as valuable as Purple-tier ones.

---

August 28th.

With the school year approaching, their teacher, Miss Qin, had become quite active in the class group chat.

Students affectionately referred to her as "Old Qin," leading Hikaru to suspect she was a fresh college graduate.

[Miss Qin]:

"As I mentioned before, everyone needs to focus on training their Pokémon. There will be an outdoor training event at the start of school. The top 50 performers will receive prizes!"

"This year, I hear the first-place prize is a stone of your chosen attribute!"

Every year, Shuimu No. 3 High School hosted a competition for new students to encourage them to build strong bonds with their Pokémon.

Most students attending Pokémon high schools aspired to become professional trainers, which often involved exploring the Mystery Dungeons.

Not all Pokémon were friendly—some were downright dangerous.

Statistics showed that the mortality rate for trainers in Mystery Dungeons remained high.

This was also why tuition for Pokémon high schools was so expensive—they needed to provide realistic training environments and resources for battles.

---

"A stone of any attribute?"

Wiping sweat from his brow, Hikaru's eyes gleamed with ambition.

For Charmander, the ideal choice would obviously be a Fire Stone, perfectly suited for its growth.

This week's entry, [Sing, Dance, Rap], allowed PP (energy) to recover while singing and dancing. Hikaru had dismantled it, earning 50 Entry Coins.

Among the daily entries, he found [A Trainer's Dedication], which boosted a Pokémon's training effectiveness when accompanied by its trainer. Everything else was dismantled.

After two weeks of intense training, Charmander had finally reached Level 10, officially stepping into the Ordinary tier.

This was an astounding rate of growth.

Even Lance, the Dragon-type Elite, once said that his most talented Dragonite took about a month to transition from the Beginner tier to the Ordinary tier.

With the system's support, Charmander's growth rivaled that of champions.

---

"I have to get that Fire Stone."

Hikaru's determination burned brightly.

"If we're competing, we'll aim for first place. Right, Charmander?"

Charmander, now bulkier with defined muscles, thumped its chest confidently.

"Char!"

Though Hikaru was determined, he couldn't ignore the rumors circulating in the class chat about strong competitors.

"Hopefully, they're just big talkers…"

---

Suddenly, Charmander let out a loud cry, startling Hikaru.

Before he could ask what was wrong, he saw something that left him speechless.

A petite figure, with a white body and green hair covering its face, peeked cautiously from behind a concrete pillar.

A Ralts?

It looked like a curious child, observing Hikaru and Charmander's interactions.

Ralts, a Pokémon capable of sensing the emotions of humans and Pokémon, was drawn to the strong bond between them.

What's a Ralts doing here?

Ralts was an incredibly rare Pokémon, and its final evolution, Gardevoir, was adored for its elegance and aesthetic appeal.

Though this was a rural area, the appearance of a Ralts was baffling.

Could it have escaped from another trainer?

Hikaru's curiosity was piqued. He decided to test whether the Ralts was wild or had a trainer.

Pokémon raised by trainers were typically more trusting of humans, while wild Pokémon were more cautious and displayed distinct behaviors.

---

After calming Charmander, Hikaru reluctantly purchased a Psychic-type energy cube from the shop.

"Hey there, little one. Want something tasty?"

The system's energy cubes were irresistible to any Pokémon.

Sure enough, the hesitant Ralts, still observing from a distance, began to cautiously approach like a polite young lady.

---

Hikaru's heart sank.

This Ralts was trusting.

Its behavior strongly suggested it had once been raised by a trainer.

Even so, Hikaru couldn't help but try.

"Ralts, do you want more of these energy cubes? If you join me, I'll give you plenty to eat!"

Ralts finished the cube and looked expectantly at Hikaru.

Its expression, though obscured by its green hair, radiated desire.

Smiling, Hikaru took out a Poké Ball.

"Be my partner, and I promise you'll never go hungry again."

Before tossing the ball, Hikaru activated Insight Eye to check Ralts' stats.

[Pokémon: Ralts]

---