Night fell quietly.
Silver moonlight spilled across the second-floor windowsill of the Pokémon Center, casting a gentle glow into the room.
Inside, Peter sat by the desk, carefully wiping down the Pokémon Egg in his hands—just as he did every night.
After cleaning it, he spread a thin, even layer of incubation essence over the shell.
"Hmm…"
A strange vibration rippled outward.
Soft, mystical waves pulsed through the air as faint purple light shimmered across the egg's surface. Along with it came a warm, intimate feeling—like a small consciousness brushing gently against his own.
Peter froze for a moment, then his eyes widened.
"…So you're almost ready, huh?"
He lowered his voice instinctively.
"I don't know who you'll turn out to be," he said with a smile, "but… welcome in advance."
"Wrrm…"
The egg trembled again, as if responding to him.
Peter chuckled softly, anticipation blooming in his chest.
…
With that, he brought Dolliv and Buneary into the Dream Space.
After evolving, Dolliv could finally start game-based training.
[Ding! Dolliv has selected skill proficiency training: Protect]
Objective: In Summoner's Rift, choose the champion Braum, the Heart of the Freljord, and use Unbreakable (E) to block incoming attacks.
[Ding! Buneary has selected skill proficiency training: Work Up]
Objective: Learn to hum, play, or perform the song "Believe in Yourself" – Zero Point Band.
Regarding skill proficiency, Peter had once asked Norman about it in detail.
There were four tiers:
First Tier — Learned
The Pokémon can use the move, but it's unstable. Under stress, fear, or pressure, the move may misfire—or fail entirely.
Second Tier — Mastered
The Pokémon can reliably execute the move with standard effectiveness.
This is the minimum level required for consistent battle use.
At present, thanks to the system, most of his partners' skills had already reached Mastered. Further improvement would require long-term accumulation.
Third Tier — Proficient
This stage demanded intense repetition. Moves could be activated faster, chained more smoothly, and combined with other skills—allowing the Pokémon to seize initiative in battle.
Fourth Tier — Transcendent
The rarest and most terrifying level.
At this stage, mastery reached a state of "returning to simplicity."
Moves could be cast twice in a single turn, fused with other skills, or even altered in form and effect.
Peter remembered the anime vividly—Ash's final battle against Leon.
Pikachu, wreathed in golden lightning, used Thunderbolt head-on, transforming a ranged move into a direct clash of wills and power.
That was no longer just Thunderbolt—it was something beyond it.
Likewise, when Peter had once faced Norman's Vigoroth, Miltank's Transcendent Defense Curl allowed repeated use in rapid succession, enduring crushing pressure and flipping the battle entirely.
Without sufficient proficiency, high-difficulty tactics simply wouldn't work.
Since Dolliv and Buneary weren't lacking in talent for now, Peter decided to prioritize skill proficiency, while gradually building his overall tactical system.
As a defensive core, Protect was non-negotiable for Dolliv.
And for Buneary, Work Up was a key buff in the Baton Pass framework.
Watching the two begin their training, Peter grinned—and queued up a ranked match himself.
The moment he entered the lobby, his fingers flew across the keyboard, typing a phrase buried deep in muscle memory:
"I have a big sword: 3rd pick Yasuo or I feed."
"Midlane Menace: Give me mid or I go inting Sion, ten minutes to nexus—15-game win streak, check it yourself."
Before Peter could reply, the rest of the team folded instantly.
"Squirtle Head: Is it true, righteous father?!"
"Blinded Lee Sin: Top lane Lee, please ban Teemo, thanks."
And just like that—someone banned Yasuo.
Peter stared at the screen.
"…Wow."
In the end, he was left with the ADC role.
Silently, he locked in the ultimate destination of solo-queue marksmen everywhere—
Ezreal.
-----
Two hours later.
DEFEAT.
For the fifth time.
Why only five losses in two hours?
Because at ten minutes, the nexus that fell was their own.
Smack!
Peter ripped off his headset and slammed it onto the desk.
"Damn it! I've already isekai'd—why am I STILL stuck with teammates like this?!"
Hugging Dolliv and Buneary, he exited the Dream Space and went to sleep in peaceful resignation.
-----
The Next Morning
As the first rays of sunlight washed over the coal-gray streets of Oreburgh City, Peter woke up.
After a quick wash, he fed Dolliv and Buneary a few Pokéblocks (made using Berry Blender), then cradled the Pokémon Egg and headed south—toward the Oreburgh Coal Mine.
A crowd had already gathered: Trainers, miners, and spectators alike.
The annual Mining Contest would begin in one hour.
Standing atop a massive boulder, Roark addressed the crowd.
"Welcome, everyone, to this year's Oreburgh Mining Contest! Rules are the same as always—once the contest begins, you may freely dig and search within the mine. All items found will be appraised for value."
"By sunset, the participant with the highest total value wins the contest—and receives an additional reward of 200,000 Poké Dollars!"
"Buneary, you've gotta give it your all later," Peter said, patting the little rabbit perched on his shoulder.
With her Fighting-type moves, Buneary was far better suited to breaking rock than Dolliv.
"Mi-kyu~!"
She chirped happily, rubbing her ears against his cheek.
As Peter's first partner, Buneary's affection had grown extremely high.
If not for the Everstone, she might have evolved into Lopunny at any moment.
Still, Peter planned to stockpile more talent points before evolving her—careful pre-allocation, targeted growth.
Soon, following the flow of participants, Peter received a pickaxe and basket from Roark.
For fairness, all tools were standardized. Each participant could bring only one Pokémon; all others had to be returned to their Poké Balls.
"My partner is this little one."
"Buneary!"
Just as Peter finished registering, a powerful aura erupted from a nearby booth.
A massive Ursaring beat its chest and roared skyward. Behind it stood a purple-haired boy with his hands in his pockets—
Paul.
"Oh. Small world," Peter said, giving him a nod.
"…."
Paul glanced at the unevolved Buneary on Peter's shoulder, said nothing, and turned toward the mine entrance.
Peter shrugged it off and followed soon after, stepping inside under Roark's encouragement.
They hadn't gone far when Paul's voice echoed from the corner near the entrance.
"Judging by you… you've already gotten the Coal Badge. Interested in a battle?"
"But I only have two Pokémon," Peter replied, spreading his hands.
Paul frowned. "If you don't want to fight, just say it. Gym challenges require at least three Pokémon."
Peter sighed, patted Paul on the shoulder, and said calmly:
"I won two versus three."
Then he walked past him.
Only after turning the corner did he glance back.
"Once my team's fully built… I'll gladly spar with you."
"…."
Paul didn't answer.
After a long pause, he muttered to himself in disbelief:
"Two versus three…? With that unevolved Buneary? And he's supposed to be a beginner?"
But Peter was already gone.
And no one was left to answer his questions.
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