Half a month had passed.
Vulpix was finally about to hatch.
When Roy woke up that morning, he noticed the Aura energy of the Pokémon egg continuously rising, faintly approaching its peak.
Riolu and Squirtle showed no interest in training. Like Roy, they surrounded the Pokémon egg, three pairs of eyes staring intently at it.
Suddenly, the egg shook and began emitting light, transforming into a glowing white sphere.
"Crack! Crack!"
Spider web-like fractures spread across the luminous sphere, and pieces of shell began falling away one by one, gradually shattering.
The light faded.
A snow-white petite figure with several eggshell fragments clinging to its body appeared before Roy's eyes.
"Vul~"
She made an ethereal sound, shook her head to dislodge the remaining shell fragments, and revealed her true appearance.
Vulpix resembled a fox, but her outline was rounder and more adorable than ordinary foxes. Her fur was pure as snow, with only her paws showing a light blue coloration. Despite being called "Vulpix," her fluffy tail couldn't be clearly divided into six parts—it looked more like a six-petaled cloud bundled together.
She raised her head and gazed around at Roy, Riolu, and Squirtle with her gradient blue-to-white eyes.
After a moment, Vulpix's gaze settled completely on Roy.
Pokémon typically regard the first creature they see after hatching as a parental figure. For Vulpix, she had been sensing Roy's Aura power long before birth. When her consciousness had nearly dissipated within the egg, Roy's Aura power had saved her...
It was no exaggeration to say he represented the first light she had seen in endless darkness.
Therefore, Vulpix didn't hesitate at all—she trotted forward a couple of steps and leaped straight into Roy's arms.
'She's so light...'
This was Roy's first impression upon catching Vulpix.
The average height of an Alolan Vulpix is typically 0.6m, with even newborns often reaching 0.4m. Yet the small Vulpix in Roy's arms barely reached 0.3m, and her weight was considerably less than others of her kind.
He estimated that even when fully grown, she would struggle to reach average size.
What was this? A delicate beauty? A white-haired Vulpix loli?
Holding Vulpix in his arms, the Pokémon curled up completely, smaller than Roy's torso.
Feeling her bones—so soft they seemed frighteningly fragile—Roy finally understood what Latias had meant about "poor physical fitness."
Vulpix greatly enjoyed Roy's embrace and touch. Her little nose vigorously sniffed his scent, committing it firmly to memory. When Roy wasn't actively petting her, she would take the initiative to nuzzle under his palm, looking up with expectant eyes while wagging her cotton candy-like tail.
Sometimes when tickled, Vulpix would press her small paw pads against Roy's skin, making a soft, milky sound of "Vuuul" with mild indignation.
—Who could resist such charm?
Scientific research had proven that no matter how tough a man might be, he actually harbored a soft spot for cuteness.
In his previous life, Roy's favorite animal had been cats. In this life, he had originally preferred dogs.
Now he converted instantly, becoming a devoted follower of Vulpix, the embodiment of adorable.
"Squirtle!"
Squirtle's eyes lit up with excitement, clearly wanting to cuddle Vulpix as well.
Riolu remained silent, but anticipation gleamed in his eyes.
Roy smiled and introduced Vulpix to her two "big brothers." While the three Pokémon familiarized themselves with each other, he opened the system panel.
[Pokémon: Vulpix (Alola form)]
[Gender: Female]
[Type: Ice]
[Ability: Snow Cloak]
[Moves: Powder Snow, Tail Whip, Ice Shard, Charm, Baby-Doll Eyes, Extrasensory]
[Comprehensive evaluation: E+]
[Popularity: None]
"Comprehensive evaluation of E+? Is this a mistake?"
Roy thought it was an overestimation.
As a newly hatched Pokémon, Vulpix might know several moves, but her physical condition was extremely weak. She had absolutely no melee capability, and running just a few steps would exhaust her. How many of these skills and moves could Vulpix actually use?
He estimated that using just two moves would leave her completely drained.
And yet she received an E+ rating?
Regardless, Roy had no intention of making the newly hatched Vulpix battle for others. He refused to subject this newborn angel to such hardship.
Temporarily setting aside his doubts, Roy looked toward the three little ones.
He saw Riolu holding Vulpix while both of them watched Squirtle making funny faces.
Squirtle perfectly demonstrated his talent as a living emoji, making ridiculous expressions that had Vulpix laughing non-stop.
Roy found it amusing at first, but when he saw Squirtle rolling on the ground to entertain Vulpix—getting completely covered in dust yet still enjoying himself—he was stunned.
...This turtle was behaving like an attention-seeking puppy.
Wait.
Vulpix was undoubtedly cute, especially Roy's Vulpix, who was exceptionally well-formed despite her petite size.
If there were a "loli enthusiast" group among Pokémon, they would be ecstatic.
However, Vulpix's charm couldn't be so overwhelming that it would make Squirtle, who had just met her, behave like a fawning puppy, could it?
At this age, Vulpix was more cute in a childlike way than anything else.
Roy had a vague suspicion. He recalled Squirtle and Riolu to their Poké Balls and headed toward the temple with Vulpix in his arms.
At the temple, after listening to Roy's observations, Latias floated in the air thoughtfully before offering her hypothesis:
"It must be Charm."
"Charm?"
Latias nodded.
"Since you've mastered the Aura, you should understand the energy of emotions, right?"
Return, Frustration, Revenge—
These were all moves that harnessed emotions, using spiritual energy as the driving force for their release.
"Actually, the Fairy type is the type most adept at manipulating emotions. Charm, Disarming Voice, Draining Kiss, Sweet Scent, Baby-Doll Eyes..."
Though Latias behaved like a young girl, she possessed vast experience and spoke eloquently.
"These moves appear to be powered by Fairy-type energy, but in reality, their effectiveness depends on capturing the opponent with charm—making them fall for you so they don't want to cause harm.
"Fairy energy excels at provoking emotional responses, shaking resolve, and creating confusion. But if the Pokémon lacks sufficient charm, the effect is greatly reduced."
Latias gazed at Vulpix in Roy's arms, unable to suppress her affection.
"After receiving my blessing, Vulpix's spiritual energy became extraordinarily pure. All creatures naturally yearn for purity, so she can easily stir the hearts of other creatures.
"Combined with her exceptional spiritual talent, her inherent cuteness, and her Fairy-type moves, Pokémon battling against Vulpix easily lose their fighting spirit."
"Weaker ones surrender directly."
"Stronger ones find themselves holding back."
"All these factors together give this little Vulpix a naturally charming aura."
Latias's analysis revealed a strategy Roy had never imagined.
Enhance Vulpix's natural charm...
Master Fairy moves and increase her allure with Fairy energy...
Develop strong mental powers to shake opponents' resolve...
Following this path, Roy envisioned a Ninetales that could charm all living beings.
Now he understood the system's E+ rating.
Any Pokémon below E+ level would likely, under the influence of Vulpix's Baby-Doll Eyes or Charm, immediately surrender without a fight.
"Well, that's..."
Roy thought to himself that if he were Vulpix's opponent and saw his Pokémon surrendering directly, he would be furious enough to consider Turtle soup.
"This battle style is so underhanded..."