Chapter 25: New Mission
The morning sun broke through the mist cloaking Ancient Sword Mountain, casting golden rays across the serene lake where Souichi Kiruma's camp stood. The air was crisp, carrying the scent of pine and dew, as Souichi emerged from his tent, stretching under the dawn's light. Tide, his newly caught Marill, bounced beside him, its round blue body and buoyant tail sphere gleaming with energy after gobbling down specially crafted energy cubes. Silk, his oversized Caterpie, uncoiled from its perch by a tree, its draconic aura pulsing stronger thanks to the Lucky Egg fused within, boosting its experience gain by 50%. Teddiursa's Poké Ball, also equipped with a Lucky Egg, hummed softly on Souichi's belt. The system's panel glowed in his vision, its new mission a bold challenge:
[Task Update: Finishing Touch Proficiency: 60%. Draconic transformation stable. New Mission: Command Marill (Tide, any form) to defeat a Dragon-type Gym Leader, Heavenly King, Champion, or Mythical Beast. Reward: Water and Fairy Secret Treasures (quality scales with enemy strength). Objective: Integrate Marill (Tide) and pending Charmander (Green's gift) into team; enhance synergy with Silk and Teddiursa. Lucky Egg active (Silk, Teddiursa experience gain +50%). Alert: Critical attention from Da Yan's Ghost King (Xia Yi), Kanto elites (Green, Red), and Hoenn factions. Unidentified presence at summit persists—exercise extreme caution.]
Souichi's grin widened as he read the mission, his pulse quickening. *Dragon Slayer, huh? Tide's got the heart for it.* He glanced at the Marill, its bright eyes gleaming with determination—*I'll crush dragons for him. I'm no Magikarp.* Silk chirped, its glow flaring—*Water bear's bold. We'll lead the charge.* Souichi patted Tide's head, chuckling at its eager *"Luli!"* "You're gonna be a legend, kid. A true Dragon Slayer." He turned to Silk. "Nice work last night, buddy. Those Pokémon didn't stand a chance." Silk's antennae twitched, its thoughts smug—*Weaklings. I'm the Emperor's ace.*
The campsite bore the marks of Silk's vigilance: a dozen wild Pokémon—mostly Rattata, Spearow, and a bold Ekans—hung in sticky silk threads draped across nearby trees, their struggles futile. *Silk's a fortress,* Souichi thought, freeing them with Tide's help. The Marill's presence alone, its Huge Power trait radiating quiet menace, sent the Pokémon scurrying into the woods. *Tide's got a rep around here. Chasing Magikarp wasn't just play.* He ruffled Tide's ears. "You're a little boss, aren't you?" Tide cooed, its tail bouncing—*I rule this lake. I'll rule for him.*
Souichi fired up his Silph Co. live broadcast drone, the feed buzzing to life as fans flooded the stream. *"Emperor's back!"* *"Marill's adorable! Dragon Slayer vibes!"* He grinned at the camera. "Morning, folks. Meet Tide, my new ace. Caught her last night after she stirred up the lake. She's got Huge Power and a fighter's heart." The chat exploded: *"Tide's gonna slay dragons!"* *"Caterpie and Marill duo? Unstoppable!"* Souichi explained the night's events, highlighting Tide's Water Jet and Belly Drum. "She's small, but she's a beast. Under my training, she'll take down dragons—Gym Leaders, Kings, maybe even a Mythical Beast."
The chat went wild: *"Coach Ai's aiming for Lance?!"* *"Dragonite vs. Marill? I'm here for it!"* *"Da Yan Kung Fu plus fairy power? RIP dragons!"* Souichi laughed, but the system's mission echoed in his mind. *Defeat a Dragon-type Champion or Mythical Beast? That's Lance, Drake, or… Rayquaza.* His grin turned fierce. *Tide's got the potential. I'll make it happen.*
He fed Tide another energy cube, tailored for water and fairy types, watching her gobble it eagerly. *She's never had this before. Wild life was tough.* Tide's thoughts were grateful—*This food's amazing. This human's the best.* Silk, munching its own cube, shot a glance—*Cute's getting all the love. I'm still the boss.* Souichi chuckled, tossing Silk an extra cube. "Don't sulk, Silk. You're my dragon." Silk chirped, mollified, its Lucky Egg boosting its recovery from the night's vigil.
Souichi packed up camp, his mind on the day's plan. *Train Tide's moves, build synergy with Silk and Teddiursa, then head for the summit.* The system's alert about an "unidentified presence" at the summit lingered. *Something big's up there. Absol, maybe? Or worse.* He released Teddiursa, its Lucky Egg gleaming as it stretched, eyeing Tide curiously—*Water bear's strong. I'll keep up.* Souichi grinned. "Alright, team. We're climbing today. Tide, you're sparring with Silk and Teddiursa. Let's get that synergy tight."
In Evergreen City, Kanto, Green watched his Charmander blast Flamethrower in the gym's arena, its tail flame blazing. Red leaned nearby, Pikachu alert. "Kid's streaming again," Green said, checking the live feed. "Marill's a killer pick. Huge Power, Water Jet, Belly Drum—he's got an eye for talent." Red smirked. "He's a Cultivator. That team's gonna burn Pallet down." Green typed in the elite trainer group chat: *"Champion Green: Ai's Marill's a dragon slayer. Charmander's ready for him. Pallet in two."*
*Cerulean Mermaid: Marill's a beast! Charmander next? Rookie Cup's toast.*
*I'm just pushing Miss Walnut: Da Yan Kung Fu with a fairy bear? I'm shook.*
*Gorgeous Water Artist: Sky Pillar's his stage. Hoenn's waiting.*
*To purchase precious gemstones, contact Devon: Mikoli, focus. Pacifidlog's critical.*
In Da Yan's Pokémon League headquarters, Xia Yi lounged in her office, her Gengar grinning as she watched Souichi's stream. *Marill's a power play.* Her *Ghost Otaku* ID had sent another rare berry, her interest growing. *He's tied to Hoenn's ancients. Sky Pillar's his destiny.* She typed to an unknown ID: *"Marill's training fast. Pallet's next, then Hoenn. Keep his path clear—I'll block the League's eyes."*
In Caiyou City, Hoenn, Wallace and Steven watched the stream, Milotic and Metagross tense. "Marill's a perfect fit," Wallace said. "He's building a Sky Pillar team." Steven nodded, his Pokégear flashing with Devon's alerts—Pacifidlog's seismic spikes were critical. "Magma and Aqua will move soon. We need him in Hoenn."
Souichi led Tide and Silk through the woods, the drone capturing their trek. *"Emperor's climbing the summit!"* *"What's up there? Absol? Rhyperior?"* He spoke to the stream: "We're heading for the summit today. Something's watching us—gonna find out what. Tide's training starts now." He set up a clearing, directing Tide to spar with Silk. "Tide, Water Jet! Silk, String Shot—control the field!" Tide surged forward, water cloaking its body, while Silk's sticky threads pinned its movements. Teddiursa joined, slashing with claws, testing Tide's reflexes.
The system pinged: *Combat proficiency: 62%. Team synergy: 28%.* Tide's thoughts were fierce—*I'll prove I'm worthy.* Silk's glow flared—*Water bear's got fight. I'll lead.* Teddiursa growled—*I'm in. Let's burn.* Souichi's Pokégear buzzed—*Champion Green*: *"Marill's training fast. Charmander's ready. Pallet's waiting."* *Ghost Otaku*: *"Summit's active. Watch your back—Hoenn's the real fight."* Souichi typed back: *"Summit's calling. Pallet's next. Hoenn's gonna burn."*
A distant roar echoed from the summit, ice and snow glinting. *Something's up there.* Souichi patted his team. "Great Flame King's rising. Let's conquer that summit." The Sky Pillar loomed in his mind, but Ancient Sword Mountain's peak was the first test for his growing empire.