Chapter 16: A Test of Instincts
The forest of Ancient Sword Mountain thrummed with life, the air heavy with the scent of pine and the distant calls of wild Pokémon. Souichi Kiruma stood on a narrow trail, his Silph Co. live broadcast drone hovering above, its camera capturing the dense greenery and the glint of his Caterpie, Silk, whose oversized body slithered beside him, its draconic aura pulsing faintly. The trail was deeper now, the safe zone's meadow far behind, replaced by towering trees and rocky outcrops where stronger Pokémon lurked. The system's panel glowed in Souichi's vision, its update a steady reminder of the stakes:
[Task Update: Finishing Touch Proficiency: 55%. Draconic transformation stable. Objective: Continue live combat training to refine skills and test new capture (Teddiursa). Reward: Lucky Egg acquired (equipped to Teddiursa). Alert: High-profile surveillance intensifying—Hoenn factions, Kanto elites, and unknown entities tracking host. Exercise caution during live broadcast.]
Souichi glanced at Silk, then at the Poké Ball on his belt containing his new Teddiursa, the Lucky Egg already clipped to its fur inside. *Two Pokémon now. Gotta balance training, but Silk's still the star.* The drone's feed showed a flood of PokéNet comments: *"Emperor's bug is a tank!"* *"That Teddiursa's gonna be a beast too!"* His stream—*"The Caterpie's Spring! One Trainer, One Bug, Smashing Ancient Sword Mountain"*—was trending, drawing thousands, including elite trainers like Misty and Green. Souichi's grin hid a flicker of unease; the system's warning about "unknown entities" echoed the mysterious Pokégear messages. *Someone's watching. League? Magma? Aqua?*
In Evergreen City, Kanto, the gym's training arena was quiet, save for the crackle of Red's Pikachu practicing Thunderbolt. Red and Green sat on a leather sofa, eyes glued to Souichi's stream. Green's Arcanine lounged nearby, its mane warm under his hand, while Pikachu perched on Red's shoulder, ears twitching at the footage. "This kid's unreal," Green said, his usual smirk replaced by awe. "That Caterpie—Silk, right? It's a monster. Look at those scales, that speed. It's like a Dragonite in bug form."
Red nodded, his cap tilted back. "Told you. His training's top-tier. That's no ordinary Caterpie." He pointed at the screen, where Silk's String Shot had just pinned a Vileplume, followed by an Electroweb that sparked with precision. "Burn marks on that Vileplume. He's chaining moves like a pro—control, then damage."
Green leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "He's not just fighting; he's teaching. Showing rookies how to survive the wilds with a single Pokémon." As the "Cultivator," Green respected trainers who built their Pokémon from the ground up. Souichi's care—Silver Powder, energy cubes, relentless drills—mirrored his own. "He's proving a point: no Pokémon's weak if the trainer's strong. I like this guy."
Red's rare grin surfaced. "He's like you, but with a bigger audience." Green laughed, already typing a Master Ball donation on PokéNet. "Gotta meet him. If he's raising a Caterpie like that, imagine what he'd do with a Dratini."
On Ancient Sword Mountain, Souichi's senses sharpened as a faint rustle broke the forest's hum. "Silk, stay alert," he said, his voice calm but firm. The drone swiveled, catching a flicker of movement—a trio of Spearow diving from the canopy, beaks gleaming with intent. "Electroweb, now!" Silk's golden threads sparked, forming a crackling net that snared the lead Spearow mid-dive. The others veered, but Silk was faster, launching a String Shot to bind a second. A quick Bug Bite sent it crashing, dazed, into the underbrush. The third Spearow fled, its wail echoing through the trees.
The chat exploded: *"Caterpie just smoked three Spearow?!"* *"Emperor's bug is a god!"* Souichi grinned, ruffling Silk's antennae. "Nice work, buddy." The system pinged: *Combat proficiency: 56%. Transformation stability holding.* He glanced at the drone's feed, catching a comment from *Ghost Otaku*: *"That combo was surgical. You're teaching us how to own the wilds."* Souichi chuckled. "Thanks, Ghost Otaku. Just showing what a Caterpie can do with heart."
He spoke to the audience, his tone steady but earnest. "In the wilds, awareness is everything. Smells, sounds, tracks—miss one, and you're done. Strike first, control the fight, but always watch your back. One Pokémon means you're your own backup." The drone panned to the fainted Vileplume and Spearow, Souichi's voice carrying a teacher's weight. "Silk's all I've got out here, so we make every move count."
A sudden gust shook the trees, and Souichi's head snapped up. *Something's off.* Silk's antennae twitched, its glow flaring. A shadow moved—a Pidgeotto, larger than the meadow's Pidgey, its talons glinting. "Silk, String Shot, then Tackle!" The Caterpie's threads shot out, binding the Pidgeotto's wings. It thrashed, breaking free, but Silk rocketed forward, slamming into its chest with a Tackle that echoed with a dull *thud*. The bird crumpled, and the chat roared: *"Caterpie just KO'd a Pidgeotto?!"* *"This bug's a legend!"*
Souichi's Pokégear buzzed—*FightingMan*: *"Green's freaking out. Says you're a Cultivator like him. Master Ball sent."* Another from the unknown ID: *"Impressive. Sky Pillar needs that precision. Allies ready—Kanto next?"* Souichi's pulse quickened. *Hoenn's closing in.* He typed back: *"Kanto's the plan. I'll bring the heat."*
In Caiyou City, Wallace and Steven watched the stream, their café table cluttered with Devon reports. "That Caterpie's a weapon," Wallace said, his Milotic coiling tighter. "He's teaching survival tactics while fighting like a Champion." Steven nodded, his eyes on a seismic spike alert. "Pacifidlog's rumbling. Groudon or Kyogre's close. If Souichi's catching Pokémon and training like this, he's our best shot at the Sky Pillar."
Back in the forest, Souichi released Teddiursa from its Poké Ball, the Lucky Egg gleaming on its fur. "Alright, little bear, time to train with Silk." The Teddiursa growled softly, eyeing Silk with curiosity. Souichi grinned, the drone capturing the duo. "Let's keep pushing, team. Ancient Sword Mountain's just the start." The system hummed: *Combat proficiency: 57%. Hoenn convergence accelerating.* With Kanto and Hoenn watching, Souichi and Silk were forging a legend, one electrifying battle at a time.