"Boldore, use Gravity Distortion."
A calm, firm voice broke the silence of the forest.
The response came in the form of a deep, rumbling vibration.
Opposite Boldore, a green Scyther struggled in the field of increased gravity, its face contorted in discomfort.
It wasn't just the weight—it was the unpredictable fluctuations, throwing off its natural speed. Whether this was an issue of control or some other factor was still unclear.
"Alright, that's enough."
Tetsuya clapped his hands, signaling the end of the experiment.
Boldore silently retracted its gravity field, and Scyther let out a relieved sigh. The old bug was not built for such strain. If not for the rewards promised, he wouldn't have agreed to participate at all.
Tetsuya nodded in satisfaction. In the past ten days, Boldore had shown tremendous improvement since its evolution.
Yes—after thirty days of rigorous training and high-energy feeding, the once tiny Stone Ball had finally evolved into Boldore.
[Boldore]
Category: Ore Pokémon
Type: Rock
Height: 1.1m (Average: 0.9m)
Weight: 144kg (Average: 102kg)
Ability: Weak Armor (Physical attacks lower Defense but drastically increase Speed.)
Hidden Ability: Sand Force (Boosts the power of Rock, Ground, and Steel-type moves during sandstorms.)
Moves: Tackle, Sand Attack, Harden, Stealth Rock, Gravity (Inherited), Wide Guard (Inherited), Rock Slide, Mud-Slap, Smack Down, Power Gem, Iron Defense, Headbutt, Rest, Snore, Sleep Talk, Sandstorm, Endure, Sand Tomb.
Level: 26 (Normal)
Potential: King
Training Method: Due to the Pokémon's special nature, it requires a high-energy nutrient solution until evolution (formula listed below).
With the help of specialized rocks, different surface textures and effects can be achieved (details below).
This was the report on Boldore provided by No. 0.
Compared to others of its kind, Boldore was slightly taller, but its weight was significantly above average—an intentional result of Tetsuya's focused training.
As for its moveset, despite being at a normal level, it already knew as many techniques as newly promoted Elite Pokémon. A testament to Tetsuya's study of move mechanics and his rigorous training methods.
One significant aspect of Boldore's evolution was the formation of energy crystals within its body.
The orange protrusions on its rocky shell were composed of the same material as its energy core. As its internal energy increased, these crystals would begin to glow—an indicator that it was nearing its next evolution into Gigalith.
Most trainers, unaware of this evolutionary pathway, failed to properly cultivate Boldore's potential.
Tetsuya had learned this from none other than Brock.
By continuously feeding Boldore, its energy crystals had been shedding periodically. According to research, if the crystals stopped falling off for around fifteen days, it was a clear sign that evolution was imminent.
Once it became a Gigalith, it would gain the ability to actively generate energy crystals.
These crystals were valuable—a premium energy source for Rock-type Pokémon. Boldore's pre-evolution diet had primarily consisted of these, making its growth efficient and stable.
Tetsuya let out a deep breath. According to Brock, the energy crystals Boldore had shed during this phase were worth nearly a million. A small fortune—one that helped offset the rising cost of maintaining his team.
However, forcing a Gigalith to mass-produce crystals wasn't cost-effective, as it drained their energy reserves significantly.
Looking back on the past forty days, Tetsuya felt it had all been worth it. He had practically lived like an ascetic monk.
Normal training was tough, but what he did? It was grueling.
996 training schedules? He went full 007.
If it weren't for the tangible progress of his Pokémon, he might not have lasted.
Tetsuya turned to his Combusken, who stood beside him, holding its breath, ready for the next command.
The current level of Combusken had reached 36.
Tetsuya suspected that its evolution conditions were similar to Pidgeot's. The reason it hadn't evolved yet might be the same—lacking a battle intense enough to trigger the transformation.
Even he didn't know exactly what conditions Pidgeot had met when it suddenly evolved.
It must have been a thrilling battle. After all, in the past forty days, Combusken had experienced very few real fights.
The small town near White Cape had plenty of Pokémon and trainers, many of whom were quite strong, and the Pokémon Center's battle area was large enough. Yet, very few people actually battled there.
After a full day of exhausting training, who would still have the energy for a fight—physically or mentally?
As for completing tasks, Tetsuya almost always sent his three Pokémon out together. These weren't formal battles or one-on-one duels, so they didn't count as real combat experience.
Evolution was a mysterious phenomenon. Aside from artificial methods like trade evolutions, there were no absolute rules for how Pokémon naturally evolved.
So, even he wasn't sure exactly how Combusken would evolve.
But he had to leave today. Otherwise, he might not have enough time to challenge the gym. He needed to set aside some time for unexpected delays.
That was fine. Worst case, he could take things slow. There was no way evolution could hold back a Pokémon with Champion-level potential.
Right?
He was stunned when Combusken suddenly began glowing white.
No way—was it evolving just from standing there meditating? Or was this some new ability it had picked up?
The white light engulfed Combusken's entire body. The intensity made it difficult for Tetsuya to see clearly.
Only when the light finally faded did he snap back to reality. His heart pounded.
Oh my god. It really evolved into Blaziken.
Did my own thoughts make this happen? Is evolution really this mystical? This is almost embarrassing!
As the glow dissipated, a tall and powerful figure stood before him.
White feathers, a V-shaped crest, sharp claws wrapped in bandages, powerful legs, piercing blue eyes—the contrast with the rest of its body made it look even more extraordinary.
Flames flickered on its arms and legs from time to time.
It wasn't intentional. The newly evolved Blaziken couldn't fully control its power yet.
"Oh my god…"
Blaziken opened its eyes, raising its arms and legs, feeling the strength coursing through its muscles. It let out an excited cry.
Tetsuya quickly helped it adjust, making sure it regained balance in its new form. Then, he pulled up Blaziken's stats.
Skipping over the unnecessary details, the first thing that stood out was its size. It was 2.25 meters tall and weighed 65 kilograms. Considering the species' average height of 1.9 meters and weight of 52 kilograms, these numbers seemed just about right.
Even Pidgeot was now 1.95 meters tall and weighed 50 kilograms—about 25% larger than its species' average. Statistically, it was even more impressive.
But the two Pokémon were built differently, so the numbers couldn't be compared directly.
As a raptor, bigger and stronger meant better for Pidgeot.
But as a Fire/Fighting-type Pokémon, Blaziken needed a more balanced physique.
Too tall or too heavy could throw off its fighting style. Having both issues? That would be a disaster. A Pokémon that couldn't control its own body was useless in battle.
According to Zero's analysis, Blaziken's current size was just about perfect.
Maybe when it broke through to King-level or beyond, its body would grow slightly more, but the changes wouldn't be drastic.
Overall, the data was reasonable—exactly as Tetsuya had predicted.
Then, he noticed its level had jumped from 36 to 39.
Finally, all the resources he had invested in it had paid off.
At this rate, if Pidgeot didn't push itself harder, it might soon be overtaken by its younger teammate.
In terms of skills, Blaziken was now the most well-rounded Pokémon in his team.
It had an excellent mix of offensive and status moves, along with an impressive range of attack types. It had everything it needed for battle.
Next came the part that concerned him the most—the training plan.
Even though Tetsuya had mapped it out himself before, he still felt a little uneasy. What if he made a mistake? He needed to confirm it with Zero.
He carefully reviewed the details… and immediately rolled his eyes.
This was ridiculous.
According to the current algorithm, Blaziken's training costs would now be around 1.2 million yen per month. That meant an average of 400,000 per day—a 50% increase from before.
Just a single B-rank mission usually paid around 200,000 to 300,000 yen. He would need to complete two B-rank missions per day just to break even.
Tetsuya smacked his lips in frustration. What a money-eating monster.
When he factored in Boldore's ongoing development costs and the expenses of raising a high-level Pidgeot, the total training cost came out to around 900,000 yen per day.
No wonder most trainers hit a bottleneck when trying to raise three Pokémon to the elite level. Tetsuya was about to experience it firsthand.
Without financial backing, how could anyone sustain this? And he was already taking advantage of Nurse Joy's healing services and making money as efficiently as possible.
Realistically, he could only take on three B-rank missions every two days at most, meaning he was making around 450,000 yen a day.
With additional income from extra rewards, he could just barely cover his expenses.
But for a normal civilian trainer? This was impossible. Anyone who managed to reach this level without outside support was already among the best of the best.
Of course, most trainers didn't have Pokémon as high-quality as Tetsuya's team.
But that came with its own challenges. The cost of raising high-potential Pokémon was even greater. And with lower strength, earning money became even harder.
Most trainers had no choice but to take things slow, letting time and gradual improvement carry them forward.
Tetsuya glanced at Blaziken.
"Well done," Tetsuya praised with a smile.
He instinctively reached out to pat Blaziken's head, just like he always did when it was a Torchic or a Combusken.
Then he realized—he couldn't reach it anymore. Even jumping wouldn't work.
Blaziken noticed his hesitation. It stepped closer, bent one knee, lowered its body, and gently pressed its head against Tetsuya's hand.
"You've grown up too," Tetsuya murmured.
"Skaaaar!" "Boldore!"
Pidgeot and Boldore joined in, celebrating Blaziken's evolution.
Tetsuya turned to the Scyther leaning against a tree, a small smile tugging at his lips.