Chapter 17: The Fire of Ambition
The dense woods of Ancient Sword Mountain buzzed with the subtle hum of life, the late afternoon sun filtering through the canopy in golden shards. Souichi Kiruma stood on a rugged trail, his Silph Co. live broadcast drone hovering overhead, its camera capturing the swaying ferns and the glint of his Caterpie, Silk, whose oversized body slithered beside him, its draconic aura pulsing with eager anticipation. The trail wound deeper into the wilds, where the air grew heavier, the Pokémon stronger. Souichi's mountaineering bag was snug against his back, the Lucky Egg-equipped Teddiursa's Poké Ball clipped to his belt. The system's panel glowed in his vision, its update a spark of challenge:
[Task Update: Finishing Touch Proficiency: 56%. Draconic transformation stable. Objective: Engage in high-intensity combat training to test Silk and Teddiursa synergy. Reward: Lucky Egg active (Teddiursa gaining 50% extra experience). Alert: Hoenn factions, Kanto elites, and unknown entities intensifying surveillance—live broadcast amplifying exposure risk.]
Souichi glanced at Silk, its meter-long body coiling with restless energy. "Big dish coming, buddy," he said, his grin fierce. The drone's feed showed a flood of PokéNet comments: *"Emperor's about to cook!"* *"Caterpie's a dragon, bet it solos the mountain!"* His stream—*"The Caterpie's Spring! One Trainer, One Bug, Smashing Ancient Sword Mountain"*—was spiking in popularity, drawing new viewers and elite attention. The chat buzzed with jokes about Silk being Rayquaza's kin, and Souichi played along, chuckling. "Rayquaza? Nah, Silk's just the Emperor's ace." But the system's warning about "unknown entities" kept him sharp. *Hoenn's watching. Kanto too. Gotta keep moving.*
The soft hum of insect wings broke his thoughts. "Silk, lock on," Souichi said, his voice low. The Caterpie's antennae twitched, pinpointing the sound—a faint *"Om…"* from the underbrush. Souichi crouched, scanning the woods. "Big dish, huh? Let's serve it." Silk chirped, its glow flaring, ready to strike.
In Evergreen City, Kanto, Red and Green watched the stream on a leather sofa in the gym's lounge, Pikachu and Arcanine sprawled nearby. Green's eyes were wide, his usual smirk gone. "This kid's unreal," he said, pointing at Silk's massive form on the screen. "That Caterpie's a tank—look at those scales, that speed. It's not just bred well; it's a freak of nature."
Red nodded, his cap tilted back. "He's teaching while fighting. Showing rookies how to survive with one Pokémon." He gestured at the screen, where Silk had just pinned a Vileplume with String Shot, followed by an Electroweb that left burn marks. "That's Cultivator-level care. You'd approve."
Green laughed, scratching Arcanine's mane. "Approve? I'm jealous. If I had that kid's skills with my Exeggutor, I'd be unstoppable." As the "Cultivator," Green prided himself on raising champions, but Souichi's work with Silk—a bug defying its species' limits—hit differently. "He's not just strong; he's selfless. Sharing tactics like that? Most trainers hoard their secrets."
Red's rare grin flashed. "He's like you, but with a bigger heart." Green snorted, typing a Master Ball donation on PokéNet. "I'm meeting this guy in Pallet. Gotta see that Caterpie up close."
On Ancient Sword Mountain, the insect hum grew louder, and a Beedrill burst from the foliage, its twin stingers gleaming. Souichi's pulse quickened. *Perfect test.* "Silk, String Shot, then Electroweb!" The Caterpie spat sticky threads, binding one of Beedrill's wings. It buzzed furiously, lunging with Twineedle, but Silk dodged with uncanny speed, its draconic aura boosting its agility. Golden sparks flew as Electroweb ensnared the Beedrill, slowing it, and a Bug Bite to its torso sent it crashing, dazed, into the grass.
The chat exploded: *"Caterpie just smoked a Beedrill?!"* *"Emperor's bug is a god!"* Souichi knelt beside Silk, tossing it an energy cube. "You're a beast, buddy." Silk gulped the cube, its glow flaring, and the system pinged: *Combat proficiency: 57%. Teddiursa experience gain: +50%.* Souichi glanced at Teddiursa's Poké Ball. *Time to test the new guy.*
"Alright, folks," he said to the drone, "let's bring out the rookie." He released Teddiursa, its Lucky Egg gleaming as it growled softly, eyeing Silk with curiosity. "Teddiursa, you're up. Let's see some synergy." The chat roared: *"Bear and bug dream team!"* *"Emperor's building an army!"*
A rustle in the bushes signaled another challenger—a bold Furret, its sleek body darting forward. "Silk, String Shot to control! Teddiursa, Slash!" Silk's threads pinned Furret's legs, slowing it, and Teddiursa lunged, claws flashing. The Furret dodged, retaliating with Quick Attack, but Silk's Electroweb sparked, stunning it long enough for Teddiursa's Slash to connect. The Furret fled, and the chat went wild: *"Teamwork makes the dream work!"* *"Emperor's got a squad!"*
Souichi grinned, ruffling Silk's antennae and patting Teddiursa's head. "That's how we roll." Silk chirped, its eyes blazing with ambition—*I'll crush those gods, Groudon, Kyogre, all of 'em.* Teddiursa growled, catching Silk's fire. The system pinged: *Combat proficiency: 58%. Team synergy improving.*
In Caiyou City, Hoenn, Wallace and Steven watched the stream in their harbor café, Milotic and Metagross alert at their sides. "That Caterpie's a dragon," Wallace said, his eyes gleaming. "And now a Teddiursa? He's building a team for the Sky Pillar." Steven nodded, his Pokégear flashing with Devon's seismic alerts. "Pacifidlog's rumbling hard. Groudon or Kyogre's waking. We need him."
Steven typed to Red: *"Kid's team is growing. Caterpie's a monster, Teddiursa's got potential. Keep him safe in Kanto—he's Hoenn's ace."* Wallace added, "If Magma or Aqua see this stream, they'll move. We can't let them get to him first."
Back on Ancient Sword Mountain, Souichi led Silk and Teddiursa toward a clearing marked for camping, the drone capturing the golden dusk. His Pokégear buzzed—*FightingMan*: *"Green's obsessed. Says you're a Cultivator like him. Pallet's ready for you."* Another from the unknown ID: *"Team's looking strong. Sky Pillar's no game—Kanto first, then we talk."* Souichi's heart raced. *They're closing in. Good.*
He looked at Silk, its glow a beacon in the fading light. "You're dreaming big, aren't you?" he said, grinning. Silk chirped, its eyes fierce—*I'll be the greatest, for you.* Teddiursa growled, ready to follow. The system hummed: *Combat proficiency: 59%. Hoenn convergence critical.* The Sky Pillar loomed in Souichi's mind, a blade against the stars, and the Emperor's ambition burned brighter with every step.