Icarus walked down the street with Bellsprout at his side, a backpack slung over his shoulder. He glanced up at the overcast sky and sighed.
He had originally planned to wait for a sunny day before heading out. Growth was significantly stronger under harsh sunlight, boosting both Attack and Special Attack. Testing it at full power would have been ideal.
Unfortunately, the weather forecast predicted several cloudy days in a row.
On top of that, after buying daily necessities, he only had a little over 800 PokéDollars left. The Pokémon meat supply was completely gone.
Waiting wasn't an option.
He needed income—and battle experience.
As usual, he passed through the city gate. Uncle Sam wasn't visible today, which disappointed him slightly, but he still greeted the guards on duty.
Most of them were civilian Trainers employed as official security personnel. The salary was stable and respectable—good enough for retirement. More importantly, it allowed them to save up for better Pokémon for the next generation.
Most of their current Pokémon only had average potential. A few once-promising ones had suffered hidden injuries from battle or improper treatment, making breakthroughs to the Elite tier nearly impossible.
Any Trainer with real Elite ambitions had long since joined the police force, a Gym, or other higher-tier institutions.
As Icarus left the gate, some of the guards chatted among themselves.
"That kid's Bellsprout is developing pretty well."
"Looks above average to me."
"It's a high-quality specimen," a familiar voice stated calmly.
Uncle Sam had appeared without anyone noticing.
"Captain Sam? How can you tell?" one guard asked.
"Size. Leaf sheen. Root thickness. Structural balance." Sam folded his arms. "You've all been Trainers for years. If you can't judge basic potential, how will you assess danger in the wild? Review your online materials."
"Yes, sir!"
None of them noticed that the boy in question had already disappeared down the road.
---
Icarus headed northwest toward the forest that had been recently cleared by the authorities.
Since it had been swept about ten days ago, large hostile groups were unlikely to remain. That made it relatively safe.
"Stay alert, Bellsprout. Let's find a Caterpie first and test Growth in real combat."
"Sprout."
It didn't take long to locate one.
Bug-types reproduced quickly. Even after a sweep, a new generation would already be active. Caterpie, Weedle—short lifespans, fast evolution, endless predators.
Icarus had once considered catching a Caterpie or Weedle with decent potential as a temporary second Pokémon. They evolved quickly into Butterfree or Beedrill, reaching functional combat strength fast.
But after researching, he discovered the downside.
Early-evolving Bug-types often overdrafted their vitality to accelerate evolution. They were weaker long-term and struggled to break into the Elite tier. Most barely lived a year unless they reached higher stages.
It was a dead-end investment.
Better to capture a fully evolved Beedrill or Butterfree later if needed.
"Bellsprout, prepare for a direct fight this time."
"Sprout."
It stepped forward confidently.
"Wait—use Growth first."
"Sprout?" Bellsprout gave him a look that clearly said, I knew you'd say that.
"It's not cowardice," Icarus muttered defensively. "It's efficiency. First frontal battle—we're minimizing risk."
"Sprout~"
Growth activated. Energy surged through its stem and leaves.
Then it walked straight toward the Caterpie.
After Icarus concealed himself behind a tree, Bellsprout let out a sharp, provocative cry.
"Sprout!"
"Pie!!"
Caterpie froze in instinctive terror at the sight of a Grass-type predator. It immediately fired a string of silk and attempted to flee.
"Dodge and use Vine Whip!" Icarus whispered sharply.
Bellsprout bent sideways smoothly. Compared to the rocks Icarus used during training, this String Shot was slow.
Crack!
The enhanced Vine Whip struck Caterpie directly.
The impact launched it backward.
"Pie…!"
It struggled to rise. A deep welt split open along its body, blood seeping through its green hide. The pain made it tremble uncontrollably.
From behind the tree, Icarus observed calmly.
With Growth active, that Vine Whip reached the equivalent of a solid mid-tier physical strike. Grass-type energy is relatively gentle, but properly amplified, it still hits hard.
"Finish it."
"Sprout!"
Another Vine Whip lashed down.
Caterpie collapsed, its cries fading.
"Well done."
"Sprout…" Bellsprout's tone sounded almost bored.
This opponent had clearly possessed less energy than itself. Caterpie weren't natural fighters to begin with. With Growth activated in advance, the result had been one-sided.
"It's our first frontal battle. We'll increase difficulty gradually. Next time, try activating Growth during combat."
Bellsprout nodded and rooted itself to recover energy.
Icarus approached the fallen Caterpie and pulled out his newly purchased dagger. With efficient, practiced motions, he began dismantling it.
"Hm. Small silk sac… probably worth thirty to forty PokéDollars. About two kilos of usable meat."
He examined the remains.
"Recently hatched. Post-sweep generation. No wonder it was so weak—low stage even among early-phase Pokémon."
After packing the materials, he slung his bag back over his shoulder.
"Let's find the next target."
"Sprout."
Trainer and Pokémon moved carefully through the trees once more, searching for a stronger challenge.
---
(End of Chapter)