Kay continued climbing carefully, with his two Pokémons always near him. Growlithe, brave and alert, took the lead, sniffing out any possible threats ahead of them.
Eevee, small but reliable, followed just behind Kay, keeping an eye on their trail to make sure no surprise attacks would come from below.
The climb was tiring and slow because the tree was so wide and tall, but they kept going with determination.
On their way up, they ran into a few weak Pokémons, nothing too dangerous, and Kay felt more confident that this area was indeed safer than others they'd passed.
However, that changed when Growlithe suddenly growled and stood firm, facing a wild Mankey that appeared from the leaves and branches above.
The Mankey moved quickly and was clearly used to fighting in the trees. It jumped easily from branch to branch, launching attacks that forced Growlithe to stay on alert.
Kay couldn't help but feel tense watching the fight. Mankey's wild and unpredictable movements made the battle difficult, but Growlithe didn't lose focus.
It dodged the attacks with practiced precision and responded with strong moves. Eventually, Growlithe used Double Kick, which damaged the fighting-type Mankey a lot.
After a few solid hits, Mankey couldn't continue and fell from the tree, disappearing below the leaves.
Just as the danger was over, Growlithe began to glow softly. Kay recognized the glow immediately; it was the sign of a breakthrough.
Excited but cautious, Kay told Growlithe to hold on and not to complete the breakthrough just yet.
The light might attract other wild Pokémons, especially those sensitive to energy spikes, and the last thing they needed was another fight in the middle of a climb.
They moved quietly again, watching carefully for a safe place. Not long after, Kay noticed a hollow opening in the tree, wide enough for them to enter and rest.
He pointed toward it, and they all slipped inside, away from any wandering eyes or flying predators. Inside the hollow, it was calm and safe, the perfect spot to let Growlithe complete the breakthrough process.
Kay reached into his bag and pulled out the Power Stone he had purchased before entering the dungeon. He felt relieved that he had bought it earlier and didn't wait until the next game.
Timing had worked in their favor; Growlithe was ready, and the Power Stone was in hand just as the fourth game had begun.
The Power Stone was for a Superior Steel stage Arcanine, and Kay had chosen it specifically to match Growlithe's future evolution path.
He placed the stone beside Growlithe, who immediately began to glow brighter in shades of orange and yellow.
The energy inside the stone responded to Growlithe's breakthrough, slowly transferring its power into the Pokémon.
Kay and Eevee stepped back and watched in silence as Growlithe absorbed the energy. The Power Stone began to dim little by little, its original shine fading until it looked like a regular rock.
Once the process finished, the light around Growlithe disappeared. It opened its eyes and let out a powerful, confident bark.
Kay smiled as he saw the fire in Growlithe's eyes; his partner had reached a new level of strength and was a Superior Steel stage Pokémon now.
After Growlithe finished its breakthrough, Kay opened the system to check its new stats. The screen in front of him displayed the updated information:
- - -
Growlithe
Potential: Dark Red
Stage: Superior Steel
Moveset:
Novice: Helping Hand
Proficient: Sunny Day, Double Team
Expert: Ember, Double Kick
Elite: —
Mastered: —
Modified: —
- - -
Kay smiled as he saw the improvement. Growlithe's potential had reached Dark Red, which was a huge step forward.
This kind of information, however, was only available to Kay because of the system. Normal trainers wouldn't be able to see such details, and they would assume that Growlithe's potential had stayed the same even after the breakthrough. Kay, on the other hand, had a clear and accurate view of every change and improvement.
While he was still admiring Growlithe's progress, he noticed that Eevee was staring at Growlithe with sad eyes.
Thanks to the special connection he shared with his Pokémons, Kay quickly understood what Eevee was feeling.
Eevee had been with Kay far longer than Growlithe. It had always acted like the older sibling, protecting and guiding Growlithe.
But now, Growlithe had caught up and reached the same stage as Eevee, despite being younger and joining the team later.
That made Eevee feel left behind and useless. It was sad and confused, unsure if it could continue to play the role of the strongest and most reliable member of the team.
Still, Kay didn't panic or try to comfort Eevee with empty words. He wasn't worried. He already knew that Eevee was very close to its own breakthrough.
That's why, before entering the fourth game, he had bought Power Stones for both Pokémons, not just for Growlithe.
In fact, Kay was sure that this dungeon would be the best for Eevee's growth. This place was full of Psychic-type energy, something Kay believed would help Eevee become stronger in his breakthrough and, possibly, give them hints on how to evolve it into an Espeon.
If everything went well, Eevee would soon rise in power too, and it would smile again with pride.
After checking everything and making sure Growlithe was fully recovered from the breakthrough, Kay stood up and looked at his Pokémons.
"Let's keep climbing," he said calmly.
Both Growlithe and Eevee nodded, ready to continue.
Kay walked toward the edge of the hollow, preparing to leave. But the moment he poked his head outside, he froze in shock.
Just a few steps away from the entrance, a group of bug-type Pokémons was standing in front of him.
At least a dozen Sewaddles, Swadloons, and even a few Leavanny were staring directly at him with sharp, angry eyes.
Their bodies were tense, their antennas twitching. Kay didn't need long to realize the situation; they had entered this hollow to rest, but this hollow was actually the home of these wild Pokémons.
"Oh no…" Kay muttered as he pulled his head back inside quickly. He turned to his Pokémons. "Guys, we're in trouble. This place is the home of the Sewaddle evolution line."
He knew this wasn't going to be a peaceful encounter. They had disturbed a whole family of bug-types, and if they stepped outside now, they would have to face all of them at once.
Kay's mind raced as he thought of what to do next. For now, staying inside the hollow was their best choice. At least in this small space, they wouldn't be surrounded or overwhelmed by the group.
See you in the next chapter...
Drop some Power Stones...