Saturday, August 29.
Lu Ye yawned and instinctively reached out to hug something, only to notice the sensation felt off.
It wasn't the familiar fluffy softness of Eevee, but something more sleek and bony...
"Veon!"
Sylveon suddenly poked its head out from under the blanket, its pink ribbons tumbling down, and blinked its large sapphire-blue eyes.
Lu Ye's expression turned peculiar.
No wonder he had another nightmare last night—dreaming that Snorlax had body-slammed him. Sylveon had evolved, skyrocketing from 6.5 kg to 23.5 kg.
Given the excellent care at Lu Ye's place, this Sylveon was not only well-fed but also sturdier than most.
Getting stepped on by its lithe legs first thing in the morning felt like being flattened by a steamroller.
"You need to lose weight, Sylveon," Lu Ye said earnestly.
"Veon! (｀皿´)ﾉ"
Lu Ye chuckled, rubbing Sylveon's head gently.
Since evolving, Sylveon had mastered the move Disarming Voice, and its cries had become sweeter and more delicate.
However, its personality hadn't changed at all, and the family hierarchy in Lu Ye's household was more apparent than ever.
After preparing a salad for breakfast, Lu Ye glanced at Haunter holding a slice of bread in one hand and a notebook in the other.
"Haunter, what's this?" Lu Ye asked curiously.
Haunter proudly opened the notebook, showing it off with a smug grin.
"Well, having a training plan is fine, but you even made a schedule?!" Lu Ye exclaimed.
Haunter adjusted its imaginary glasses. After all, managing the right amount of training was an essential task for a Trainer!
Squirtle cautiously grabbed a slice of bread, tore off a small piece, and tossed it into Haunter's mouth.
Only when nothing unusual happened did it begin to eat.
Lu Ye twitched. "Your paranoia is getting worse, Squirtle. Besides, Haunter is part Poison-type—why would you test poison on it?"
He sighed deeply. "I swear, all my Pokémon are problem children…"
After breakfast, Sylveon, wearing its Soothe Bell, hopped onto the exercise wheel, filling the house with the crisp sound of jingling bells.
"Veon! (*≧▽≦)"
Lu Ye smiled helplessly and opened his notebook to work on the plan for his third game.
Popular single-player games were usually simple but relied on creativity and fun. Lu Ye's idea for this one was straightforward but required a physics engine.
Thanks to Steven's connections, seeking technical support from Devon Corporation shouldn't be a problem.
He named the game Angry Dodrio, where a group of Spoink steals Pokémon eggs, and players use various bird Pokémon to rescue them.
True to the Pokédex-styled approach of Pokémon Studio, this game could double as a showcase of bird Pokémon.
Scoring high enough might even unlock their evolutions—perfect for Flying-type Trainers.
"Other flying creatures can be included too," Lu Ye murmured, jotting down notes.
He called Mina in Alola to assign specific tasks.
"Don't worry sir!" Mina said cheerfully. "Leave it to me!"
"Docking 500 Pokedollars," Lu Ye replied flatly. "Do your job properly, and you'll get your full salary."
"You stingy boss!"
---
Meanwhile, Steven, visibly stressed and battling a receding hairline, received Lu Ye's reassurances. "Devon Corporation will provide the game engine. Take it slow, no rush!"
Steven gave a weak smile and a thumbs-up.
---
In the afternoon, the three Pokémon suddenly disappeared, but Lu Ye didn't worry. They always came back in time for meals.
With nothing better to do, Lu Ye began prepping content for his evening livestream.
"Gah!"
Haunter, along with two other Pokémon, floated to a luxurious building and pointed at its sign.
The words on the sign read: Modu Gym.
Inside, Gym Leader Tang Hui was quietly reading when he suddenly felt a chill.
"What's going on? No one's scheduled to challenge the gym today…"
An assistant rushed in, whispering nervously, "Leader, there's a new challenger, but… it's a bit unusual."
"Unusual? How so?"
The assistant hesitated. "The challenger is a Haunter."
Tang Hui froze. "Excuse me, what?"
"A Haunter," the assistant repeated. "It's already beaten the three examiners and is waiting in the lobby."
Tang Hui choked on his tea. "Are you kidding me? You couldn't stop a single Haunter?"
---
In the lobby, Haunter grinned at its two companions.
New dungeon unlocked: Modu Gym!
Tang Hui composed himself and entered the lobby, only to see his three examiners kneeling around Sylveon.
"It's so cute!"
"But it won't let me pet it!"
"By the way, doesn't that Haunter seem familiar?"
Tang Hui sighed deeply. No wonder the Pokémon could challenge gyms on their own—his own staff were traitors!
Then he noticed something.
"That Haunter… isn't that the one who swept my team last time?"
Sure enough, Haunter had come to challenge Modu Gym again, this time without its Trainer!
But looking at the adorable Sylveon, Tang Hui softened a little. "Haunter, how many badges do you have?"
Haunter scratched its head and held up one finger.
Tang Hui smirked. "Then don't blame me for using last time's lineup!"
"Gah!" Haunter nodded.
With the match underway, Sylveon gracefully leaped onto the field, baring its teeth.
Tang Hui's eyes widened. Haunter was sending out Sylveon?!
The battle began, and Sylveon's ribbons started gathering dark energy into a Shadow Ball…
---
At home, Lu Ye was preparing dinner when the system suddenly announced:
[Gym challenge completed! Note: No reward for repeat challenges.]
Lu Ye's expression twisted.
"I'm cooking! How could I have time to challenge a gym?"
The system stayed silent.
Just then, Haunter and the two Pokémon floated back in.
"Gah!"
"Perfect timing. Wash your hands…" Lu Ye began, only to hear a sharp clink.
Haunter tossed a badge onto the table and hummed as it floated away.
Picking up the badge, Lu Ye stared at it for a long moment.
This… wasn't this the Modu Badge?
After comparing it to the one he'd gotten last time, Lu Ye felt a strange mix of emotions.
"You can challenge gyms on your own now?"
Thinking back to the Viridian Gym handover ceremony, where wild Pokémon had stormed in to battle, Lu Ye sighed deeply.
"Another milestone unlocked, huh?"
---
Back at Modu Gym:
"Leader, don't take it too hard!"
"At least it wasn't a clean sweep—only three losses, not six!"
Tang Hui almost fainted.
"That's why you were cheering for Sylveon earlier?"
Who would've guessed that even an uncommanded Sylveon could wipe out the reserve team?
Tang Hui clutched his head and groaned.
"Life is too hard…"