Pokémon: Master of the Rain Team

[Bonus Chapter]

”Yoyo,” Poliwag nodded earnestly, showing it understood Reiji’s plan.

Then, it opened its mouth and fired a Water Gun—but it missed the tree hole and struck the tree trunk just below it.

Awkward.

Poliwag’s face flushed with embarrassment. It had been so confident in landing the shot, but to miss in front of Reiji—it felt utterly humiliated.

”It’s okay, just try again,” Reiji said, already holding a Poké Ball in hand. But when he saw the Water Gun miss, he had to force himself not to laugh. He couldn’t even pretend he didn’t notice. All he could do was comfort Poliwag.

”Yoyo…” Poliwag was red with shame. It was mortifying for a tadpole.

When it saw Reiji’s expression—clearly holding back laughter—Poliwag’s next cries were more forceful. It had to prove its training hadn’t been for nothing. It couldn’t let Reiji look down on it.

”Yes, yes, Poliwag is the best,” Reiji smiled wryly. Why did this feel like being both the mom and the dad? He’d been single his whole life—how did he suddenly become a parent?

Psh psh psh—

This time, Poliwag fired three Water Guns in a row. Two of them landed right on the Caterpie resting inside the tree hole, successfully angering it.

Anyone would be upset if a bucket of cold water splashed them awake in the middle of a nap.

”Wuu wuu?! ” The moment Caterpie woke up, it locked eyes with Poliwag and screeched angrily from the hole, as if shouting, ”Who the heck are you?! Why’d you splash me?!”

Poliwag answered with a glare: ”You got a problem?”

Caterpie: ”Yeah, what of it?!”

”Poliwag, use Hypnosis,” Reiji interjected before the exchange got any dumber.

”Yo!” Poliwag acknowledged, subtly shifting its belly forward, drawing Caterpie’s gaze to the spiral pattern.

Then it taunted again, ”Try me.”

Caterpie: ”Try wha—wait, why do I feel dizzy? What’s going on...?”

By the time Caterpie realized something was wrong, it was too late. It stared at the spiral, and the longer it stared, the sleepier it became—until its eyes swirled and it passed out right at the hole’s entrance.

Thud!

Reiji instantly tossed his Poké Ball, hitting Caterpie and capturing it. But the Poké Ball stayed stuck inside the tree hole.

”Poliwag, shoot the Poké Ball down with Water Gun,” Reiji called.

”Yo—psh psh psh!” Poliwag fired several more Water Guns to ensure accuracy. Finally, the Poké Ball rolled out of the hole and started tumbling toward the ocean.

Before it could roll too far, Reiji stepped forward and stopped it with his foot, picking it up. The familiar interface popped up immediately:

[Caterpie]

Type: Bug

Gender: Male

Potential: 29%

Level: 6.89%

Ability: Shield Dust / 2.39%

Hidden Ability: Run Away / 4.51%

Moves Known: (Tackle / 1.11%) (String Shot / 3.55%)

As he suspected, the soft glow on Caterpie’s body was a sign it was close to evolving. This one’s potential and level were both higher than the last Caterpie.

But he still wasn’t going to keep it. A low-potential Pokémon just wasn’t worth training.

He wasn’t some rich guy who could afford to raise a team full of mediocre Pokémon.

And with the skill panel system, he could grind for high-potential Pokémon eventually. Why settle?

Was he trying to prove he was a transmigrator? That his cheat system could help every weak Pokémon defy destiny?

Capturing weak Pokémon for the sake of it wasn’t proof of anything. He wasn’t some wide-eyed kid trying to challenge fate.

He’d been burned enough in his past life. If he hadn’t been, he wouldn’t have turned his back on the noise of the city and become a wilderness fisherman.

Those hot-blooded days were behind him. If he were still charging into everything like a teenager, he’d just be asking to get smacked by reality.

”Poliwag, let’s go,” Reiji said, putting away the data panel and waving Poliwag to follow him back to the shelter.

”Yoyo!” Poliwag hopped happily at the thought of another delicious meal, bouncing behind Reiji.

According to official data, a Caterpie weighs 2.9 kg—about six pounds. After removing the head, tail, and shell, that’s still about two pounds of protein.

Which, nutritionally speaking, was equivalent to ten pounds of beef. This was practically a gourmet feast. Finally, they didn’t have to eat grass anymore.

With food secured, Poliwag’s training could continue. The next goal: improve Water Gun accuracy.

”Poliwag, now that we’ve got food, we’ll continue training your Water Gun,” Reiji said, updating the training schedule.

”Yoyo!” Poliwag agreed enthusiastically. If Reiji hadn’t stopped it, it would’ve trained day and night nonstop.

”Huh? Wait a sec…”

Reiji suddenly stopped. He spotted some rustling in the grass near the forest edge and crept forward, peeking through the blades.

There—it was another Caterpie, munching on grass.

”Jackpot,” Reiji grinned. ”Double the fortune. This one’s mine too.”

He whispered to Poliwag, ”Jump in and use Double Slap. Don’t stop until it’s unconscious.”

”Yo.” Poliwag crouched, then leapt over the grass with a powerful spring, catching the Caterpie off guard.

Slap slap slap slap—

Four quick smacks. The Caterpie was knocked out cold. When it came to steamrolling weaklings, Poliwag had it in the bag.

”Yohoo… yohoo…” Poliwag panted, then turned to Reiji with a proud look, asking for praise.

”Alright, alright, I see it. Let’s get out of this stink first,” Reiji said, releasing the previous Caterpie from its Poké Ball and holding it by hand to avoid doubling up.

(End of Chapter)

[+50 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]