"Ah! Starmie, did you suddenly realize something? Why do I feel like your aura has suddenly become much stronger!"
Misty's eyes widened as she looked at her Starmie.
The red gem core was currently emitting a much brighter luster than before.
As the owners of their respective Pokemon, they were particularly sensitive to the changes in their Pokemon.
Of course, the prerequisite was that you had to establish absolute trust with your Pokemon.
So, when Starmie suddenly broke through a major rank and its aura strengthened, Misty, as its owner, felt it instantly.
However, she didn't know it was a reward from Roy's system.
Instead, she thought Starmie had gained some enlightenment on its own and achieved a qualitative leap.
Starmie~
Starmie let out a pleasant cry, clearly enjoying the feeling of becoming stronger.
It landed gently in Misty's arms, its core gem rubbing against her arm.
"It's true!"
Misty happily picked up Starmie and spun in a circle.
"You've broken through to the Superior rank!"
"That's wonderful!"
She was so excited her face turned red.
Delia also felt Eevee's enhancement.
"Bui~"
Eevee jumped lightly into Delia's arms, its fluffy tail wagging happily.
Delia could clearly feel that Eevee's body was sturdier and the energy flow within it was smoother.
Being observant, she quickly concluded that maybe it was because of what they had accumulated during this period of following Roy to fight in arenas.
"Roy,"
Delia looked at Roy and asked gently:
"Did Eevee and Starmie break through because they've accumulated enough experience from frequent battles during this time?"
Roy was patting Pikachu's head—this little guy had also leveled up, and the energy in its cheek pouches was even more abundant.
Hearing Delia's question, he nodded:
"Should be."
"What they accumulated were combat techniques; it's normal for Pokemon to get stronger."
He explained casually with a natural expression.
Roy didn't plan on telling Delia and Misty about the system.
It wasn't that he didn't trust the two of them.
It was because this cheat was both a good thing and a source of danger.
He could trust that Delia and Misty wouldn't backstab him.
But he couldn't rule out others tricking them into talking.
After all, this world had things like Psychic powers and Hypnosis waves.
Keeping them in the dark from the source was also for their own good.
"So that's how it is!"
Misty held Starmie, her eyes sparkling.
"In that case, following you around to fight in arenas really is a great method!"
She had previously thought Roy was a bit bellicose.
Looking at it now, this was clearly an efficient training method!
After Delia's explanation, Misty's opinion of Roy instantly improved.
This guy, was he actually so good at raising Pokemon?
It seemed like he was just being casual along the way, but Pidgeotto, Pikachu, and Butterfree were all progressing at lightning speed.
Misty thought back carefully.
How long had it been since they set out from Pallet Town?
Roy's Pikachu had gone from a little guy who only knew how to act cute at the start to being able to hold its own now.
Pidgeotto was even more exaggerated—that size, that strength... and Butterfree too!
Even though they were the same species of Pokemon, Roy's was just more elegant and stronger!
This guy really has the shadow of a powerhouse now~
Misty stole a glance at Roy.
Under the sunlight, Roy's profile was sharp and well-defined.
He was looking down, focused on checking Pikachu's cheek pouches.
For some reason, Misty's heart suddenly skipped a beat.
No wonder her sister said the future of the four sisters could be supported by Roy.
Hmm?
What am I thinking!
Misty snapped back to her senses, her face instantly turning red.
Why am I thinking about this too?
It's... it's still early. To support this lady, he... he needs to be a bit stronger.
He hasn't even gathered 6 Pokemon yet~
Once he gathers them... No, no, no!
What on earth am I thinking!
Misty shook her head vigorously, tossing out the messy thoughts.
With a red face, she moved her steps a little further away from Roy to avoid being influenced again.
Roy didn't notice Misty's runaway thoughts.
He was considering who to use the newly acquired vip experience badge on.
His consciousness sank into the system inventory.
The Badge lay quietly in its slot, emitting a faint golden glow.
Roy calculated in his mind.
After careful consideration, Roy finally decided to give the Badge to Pikachu.
The reason was simple.
First, Pikachu had the highest potential—Champion rank—and would need a massive amount of experience to reach the top later on.
Second, the next Gym was Lt. Surge's in Vermilion City, an Electric-type Gym.
The mission required Pikachu to hold its own.
This placed high demands on Pikachu's overall strength.
He had to let it level up quickly... Roy rubbed its head.
"You'll level up faster in the future. Keep it up!"
Pika Pika!
Pikachu happily rubbed against Roy's hand... After organizing the rewards, the three of them continued their journey, heading towards Vermilion City.
On the way, the three entered a mountain area.
The journey was smooth at first.
They encountered several waves of Trainers along the way, whom Roy easily defeated.
Misty and Delia also had a few battles each, consolidating their newly increased strength.
But after entering the depths of the mountains, things started to feel wrong.
"Is this fog... getting thicker and thicker?"
Misty frowned, looking at her surroundings.
At some point, fog had begun to rise around them.
It was just a light mist at first.
But the further they went into the mountains, the thicker the fog became.
By now, visibility was less than ten meters.
"Be careful."
Roy walked at the very front.
Pikachu crouched on his shoulder, its ears standing straight up, alertly sensing the surroundings.
Delia held onto the corner of his clothes, while Misty followed beside Delia.
The three walked in a single file, slowly advancing through the thick fog.
During the journey, the three of them entered a mountain area shrouded in thick fog.
Several people wandered around in the thick fog for quite a while but couldn't find their way out.
Few Pokemon were even seen around.
"Damn it, why won't this fog clear up!"
Misty had already started to wail.
She was naturally impatient.
Walking slowly in this environment with extremely low visibility for almost an hour had long since exhausted her patience.
"Roy, what should we do next?"
Delia instinctively began to seek the advice of the man of the house.
Her voice carried a hint of unease.
This kind of thick fog environment always made one feel uneasy.
Roy stopped in his tracks.
He closed his eyes and sensed carefully.
The sound of the wind.
The rustling of leaves.
The faint sound of flowing water in the distance.
And... "There's the sound of flowing water."
Roy opened his eyes.
"Walk towards the sound of the water."
"Fog in the mountains usually gathers along river valleys. If we find the river and follow it downstream, we should be able to walk out of this fog zone."
"Really?"
Misty immediately perked up.
"Then let's go, let's go!"
The three adjusted their direction and walked towards where the sound of the water was coming from.
They walked for about another twenty minutes.
Instead of thinning out, the fog became even thicker.
Visibility had dropped to less than five meters.
Moreover, the surroundings began to look unfamiliar.
"Wait..."
Roy stopped again.
He crouched down and touched the ground.
Damp soil.
And... "These are the footprints we left just now."
Roy pointed to the shallow marks on the ground.
"We've circled back."
"What?"
Misty and Delia cried out at the same time.
"Then... then what do we do?"
"We aren't trapped here, are we?"
Roy took a deep breath.
He looked up at the sky—though he could only see a vast expanse of white.
Then, he made a decision.
"Since it's come to this, let's eat first!"
"Ah?"
Misty and Delia were both stunned.
"Eat?"
"Yes."
Roy took a pot directly out of his bag.
And a portable stove.
"The fog is so thick, forcing our way will only consume stamina and increase the risk of getting lost."
"Better to rest and regroup first, and wait for the fog to clear a bit."
"And,"
He looked around.
"The terrain here is relatively flat, suitable for camping."
Misty wanted to say something else.
But her stomach suddenly let out a "Growl".
Her face turned red, and she stopped talking.
"Eat? Okay, okay!"
Hearing about food, Misty immediately gained motivation again.
The thick fog was damp and cold, so the three decided to have a small hot pot meal here.
Roy was responsible for setting up the simple stove.
Delia took out the ingredients from the backpack.
Fresh vegetables, mushrooms, sliced meat, and various seasonings.
Delia's skills were truly beyond reproach.
In no time, a steaming meal was ready.
The rich aroma spread through the fog.
"It smells so good!"
Misty took a deep breath, her eyes lighting up.
The three sat around the portable stove.
The soup base in the food pot bubbled and rolled, with the red spicy oil and clear broth separated into layers, looking very appetizing.
"Let's eat."
Roy was the first to pick up a slice of meat.
The meat was fresh and tender, cooked after just a few swishes in the curry.
Dipped in the special sauce, it melted in the mouth.
"Mmm~ So delicious!"
Misty squinted her eyes in satisfaction.
Delia smiled gently and put a few more slices of meat into Roy's bowl.
"Eat more, Roy."
Amidst the swirling fog, the scene of the three sitting together and eating had a special kind of warmth.
Pikachu and Eevee were also focused on devouring their food.
...The harmonious meal time didn't last long.
The group soon heard a burst of stern reprimands.
"Quick! Quick! Run faster!!"
۞۞۞۞
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