Chapter 14: The Cultivator's Approval
The sun hung high over Ancient Sword Mountain, its rays filtering through the dense canopy of pines, casting dappled shadows across the rugged trail. Souichi Kiruma moved with purpose through the free training zone, his mountaineering bag snug against his back, packed with essentials and the Silph Co. live broadcast drone humming quietly above. Silk, his Caterpie, crawled at his side, its green hide pulsing with a draconic aura, its pink antennae twitching with excitement. The meadow at the mountain's base had been a warm-up; now, deeper into the wilds, the real test began. The system's panel flickered in Souichi's vision, its latest task a new twist:
[Task Update: Finishing Touch Proficiency: 53%. Draconic transformation stable. New Task: Capture a wild Pokémon on Ancient Sword Mountain. Reward: Lucky Egg (increases battle experience gain by 50%). Objective: Engage in live combat training to refine skills and expand team. Alert: Hoenn factions and external trainers intensifying surveillance—live broadcast heightens exposure risk.]
Souichi paused on the trail, glancing at Silk. "Capture a Pokémon, huh?" he murmured, scratching his head. "Guess it's time to grow the team, buddy." Silk chirped, its glow flaring as if unfazed by the idea of a new partner. Souichi's plan had been to focus solely on Silk, pouring every resource into its draconic evolution, but the system's task—and the Lucky Egg reward—changed things. *A new Pokémon could spar with Silk, speed up training. Plus, that egg's a game-changer.* He grinned, his mind already scanning the wilds for potential catches. *Something scrappy, something with heart. No rush, though—we pick quality over quantity.*
The drone whirred overhead, its camera capturing the dense forest as Souichi's live stream kicked off. PokéNet was buzzing, his preview post—*"The Caterpie's Spring! One Trainer, One Bug, Smashing Ancient Sword Mountain. Real Fights, Real Stakes!"*—drawing thousands of viewers. Comments flooded the chat: *"Emperor's back!"* *"Caterpie's a dragon, I swear!"* Souichi kept one eye on the trail, the other on the drone's feed, aware that his growing fame was a double-edged sword. The system's warning about "intensifying surveillance" echoed the mysterious messages on his Pokégear. *Hoenn's watching. Kanto too. Gotta stay sharp.*
In Evergreen City, Kanto, the gym's training arena buzzed with energy. Red stood on the field, his Pikachu sparking at his side, mid-drill, when his Pokégear pinged with Souichi's live stream notification. "Wild training, huh?" he muttered, a rare grin tugging at his lips. "Kid's not messing around."
"Pika?" Pikachu tilted its head, sensing the shift in Red's mood.
Nearby, Green lounged on a leather sofa, his Arcanine sprawled beside him, its mane warm under his hand. The former Champion, known as the "Cultivator" for his mastery of Pokémon breeding, glanced over, catching Red's expression. "What's got you smiling?" he asked, sauntering over with a smirk. Peering at Red's Pokégear, he saw Souichi's stream preview and raised an eyebrow. "The Da Yan kid? Live in the wilds with that Caterpie?"
Red nodded, his eyes gleaming. "He's the one I told you about. Check it."
Green leaned in, his usual cocky grin softening as he scanned Souichi's PokéNet page. Clips of Silk's battles—String Shot snaring foes, Bug Bite hitting like a truck—played on loop, the chat hyping the "Emperor" with dragon emojis. Green whistled low. "This guy's broadcasting his training? Tactics, wild battles, the works? That's bold. Most trainers guard their secrets like gold."
Red's grin widened. "He's not most trainers."
Green's eyes narrowed, a spark of respect igniting. As a breeder who'd raised champions like Arcanine and Exeggutor, he recognized Souichi's approach—meticulous, selfless, almost teacherly. "He's sharing his playbook for newbies to learn. That's… rare." Green's title of "Cultivator" came from Dr. Oak himself, earned through years of perfecting Pokémon potential. Seeing Souichi nurture a Caterpie into a dragon-like force struck a chord. "Red, you've got an eye for talent. This kid's a gem."
Red chuckled, a rare sound. "Told you. He's not just strong—he's building something bigger."
Green slapped his thigh, his grin returning full force. "Alright, I'm sold. I'm gifting him a Master Ball when the stream starts. Kid's earned it." He pulled out his Pokégear, joining the stream's growing audience. "Let's see if that Caterpie's as freaky as you say."
Back on Ancient Sword Mountain, Souichi and Silk ventured deeper into the forest, the drone capturing every step. The trail was rugged, lined with ferns and the faint tracks of wild Pokémon. Souichi had chosen a spot near the edge of the safe zone, where weaker Pokémon like Sentret and Hoothoot roamed, perfect for Silk to hone its skills. *Fight what we can, flee what we can't,* he thought, his hand brushing the Poké Balls at his belt. His own strength felt sharper lately—system-enhanced, maybe—making Silk's String Shot feel like mere ropes he could snap. *Gotta thank the system for that, I guess.*
A rustle in the bushes snapped him to attention. A Sentret popped out, standing tall on its tail, eyes glinting with challenge. "Silk, Bug Bite!" Souichi called. The drone zoomed in as Silk lunged, its jaws snapping with draconic force, amplified by Silver Powder. The Sentret dodged, retaliating with Scratch, but Silk's String Shot pinned it to a tree. A quick Tackle sent it scurrying, and the chat exploded: *"Caterpie's a monster!"* *"Emperor's unstoppable!"* The system pinged: *Combat proficiency: 54%. Public profile surging.*
Souichi knelt beside Silk, ruffling its antennae. "You're stealing the show, buddy." Silk chirped, its glow pulsing brighter, and Souichi's Pokégear buzzed with a new message from *FightingMan*: *"Green's watching. Says you're a teacher, not just a trainer. Keep it up—Pallet's waiting."* Another message, from the unknown ID: *"Strong start. Catch something worthy of that bug. Hoenn's eyes are on you."* Souichi's pulse quickened. *Wallace or Steven, no doubt. They're close.*
In Caiyou City, Hoenn, Wallace and Steven watched the stream in their harbor café, Milotic and Metagross at their sides. "He's teaching new trainers how to survive the wilds," Wallace said, his eyes gleaming with admiration. "With a Caterpie, no less. That's not just skill—it's heart."
Steven nodded, his Pokégear open to a Devon seismic report. "Pacifidlog's spikes are climbing. Groudon or Kyogre's waking. If Souichi's catching a Pokémon today, he's building a team for the Sky Pillar." He typed to Red: *"Kid's live. Caterpie's unreal. He's catching something—keep him safe in Kanto."*
On Ancient Sword Mountain, a new rustle caught Souichi's ear. A Teddiursa emerged, its claws gleaming, eyes curious but wary. Souichi grinned, sensing potential. "Silk, Electroweb—let's test this one!" The drone zoomed in, the chat roaring as Silk's electric threads sparked. Souichi's heart raced—Hoenn loomed, allies watched, and the system hummed: *Capture opportunity detected.* The Emperor and his Caterpie were ready to grow, one battle at a time.