Chapter 5

Soon, the other two Butterfree returned.

With his sharp eyesight, Tetsuya spotted them from a distance. He whispered something to Pidgeotto and slowly began to retreat.

High above, Pidgeotto flapped its wings, stirring the air into motion. The initial gusts were small, mere whirlwinds forming between its wings. But as Pidgeotto gathered power, the currents intensified, merging into two violent wind funnels.

And then, with a mighty beat of its wings, the two tornadoes fused into a single raging vortex.

The entire process took barely three seconds.

By the time the Butterfree reacted, it was too late.

The tornado sucked them in, tossing them helplessly in its swirling chaos. Wind roared. Dust filled the air.

When it finally cleared, Tetsuya could see the results.

One Butterfree lay unconscious on the ground.

The other was barely holding on, gasping for breath. A faint purple glow flickered around its body.

Tetsuya's eyes flashed.

Psychic energy.

This Butterfree could use Telekinesis.

Before he could savor the moment, he acted.

"Quick Attack—dodge the powder!"

Pidgeotto shot forward, shimmering with a burst of light.

But Butterfree fought back.

Its survival instincts kicked in, shaking a cloud of violet powder into the air while struggling to retreat.

Pidgeotto responded immediately, tilting mid-flight, using its own wind currents to disperse the toxic spores.

Then, it slammed into Butterfree.

"Ahhh~!"

Butterfree screeched but refused to surrender. Its antennae glowed purple, unleashing Telekinesis.

Pidgeotto froze in midair.

Tetsuya remained calm. "Spin out of it—then Wing Attack!"

Butterfree's grip wasn't strong enough to hold a fully trained Elite Pokémon. Pidgeotto twisted its body with a sudden jolt—

Breaking free.

Its wings shimmered white. Wing Attack connected.

With a final, desperate flutter—

Butterfree crashed to the ground, unconscious.

Tetsuya didn't hesitate.

A Poké Ball flew forward.

Click.

Not even a struggle.

Telekinetic Butterfree—captured.

Tetsuya exhaled sharply. That's a walking 2 million Pokédollars.

He quickly captured the other unconscious Butterfree, securing his mission proof.

The job wasn't done yet, though. He still needed one more Butterfree to replace the telekinetic one in his report.

Turning to Pidgeotto, he grinned. "Go get your snack."

The bird flapped its wings excitedly before diving straight into the remaining Caterpie swarm.

After the Battle

As expected, most of the Caterpie scattered.

Tetsuya didn't care.

With the four Butterfree gone, the rest of the colony wouldn't survive here. They would either be picked off by predators or find a new group to join.

Mission requirements? Complete.

Tetsuya and Pidgeotto then ventured deeper into Viridian Forest, easily finding one last Butterfree at a standard level.

Captured.

Just as Tetsuya was about to recall Pidgeotto and head back, a sudden glow enveloped its body.

Tetsuya's eyes widened.

Evolution?!

It came out of nowhere.

He had imagined countless possible scenarios for this moment—but never this.

Just as he was about to head home, he was handed an unexpected surprise.

He stood motionless, watching the brilliant white cocoon of light pulse around Pidgeotto.

Then—

The light burst apart.

And standing before him was—

A fully evolved Pidgeot.

Pidgeot's New Form

The difference was striking.

Pidgeot was larger now, standing at nearly two meters tall, with an immense wingspan.

Its talons were shorter but sharper, giving it the appearance of a majestic eagle.

Its feathers gleamed rich brown, contrasting against its cream-colored underbelly.

And its head crest—

A brilliant display of red and gold, long and flowing in the wind like a royal banner.

The power radiating from its body was unmistakable.

Its magnificent wings weren't just for show—they could summon hurricanes with a single flap.

And its piercing gaze? Pure dominance.

A true king of the skies.

Tetsuya couldn't contain himself. He threw his arms around Pidgeot.

"Well done, Pidgeot!"

"Bi Diao~!"

The newly evolved Pidgeot let out a powerful cry, spreading its wings triumphantly.

Tetsuya pulled up Zero's analysis panel.

[Pidgeot]

Species: Bird Pokémon

Type: Normal/Flying

Height: 1.85m (Average: 1.5m)

Weight: 45kg (Average: 39.5kg)

Ability: Keen Eye (Prevents accuracy reduction.)

Hidden Ability: Big Pecks (Prevents defense reduction; stronger physique than normal.)

Moveset: Tackle, Growl, Peck, Sand Attack, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind, Feather Dance, Agility, Twister (Inherited), Wing Attack, Roost, Air Slash, Double Team, Aerial Ace.

Level: 38 (Elite)

Potential: Champion

Training Plan:

Increase wing strength (Weight training & post-training massage, methods detailed below...)

Improve reaction speed (Supplement with nerve stimulant: 30g of Lum Berry extract...)

Enhance bone density (Bone-strengthening diet: 20g of Marowak bone powder, 50g of Moomoo Milk...)

Tetsuya stared at the potential stat—

Champion.

His breath hitched.

He had done it.

He had raised a Pidgeot that could one day rival the best.

Pidgeot spread its mighty wings, catching the sunlight as it soared high into the sky.

Watching it cut through the clouds, Tetsuya's heart swelled with pride.

His journey was far from over.

But today?

Today, he had won.

The most immediate change was Pidgeot's level increasing by two.

It must have absorbed the lingering energy built up from previous training sessions.

Then, there was its physical transformation.

With top-tier breeding and exceptional genetics, Pidgeot was significantly larger and stronger than most of its species. Its powerful chest muscles gave it an imposing presence, and its weight far exceeded the average.

Standing on the ground, Pidgeot was now slightly taller than Tetsuya. When it spread its massive wings, it could completely envelop him—a truly majestic sight.

Finally, Pidgeot had learned four new moves:

Roost – Restores health and temporarily removes the Flying type, reducing Electric-type damage.

Air Slash – A powerful mid-to-long range move, filling the gap in Pidgeot's offensive arsenal.

Double Team – Creates afterimages, enhancing evasiveness and making it harder to hit.

Aerial Ace – A lightning-fast attack that never misses, perfect for finishing off weakened opponents.

Each of these skills significantly boosted Pidgeot's battle potential.

Tetsuya quickly estimated its combat prowess.

Despite only gaining two levels, Pidgeot could now easily take on four or five of its previous opponents at once.

He suppressed his excitement.

Pidgeot had just evolved—a thorough Pokémon Center checkup was necessary.

Even with Zero's data, precautions had to be taken.

Without hesitation, Tetsuya recalled Pidgeot into its Poké Ball and sprinted to the Pokémon Center.

Pokémon Center, Viridian City.

"Hello, Trainer Tamaki. Your Pokémon's checkup is complete. Everything is perfectly normal, and its development is exceptional."

Nurse Joy offered him a warm smile.

"Congratulations—your Pidgeotto has finally evolved into a Pidgeot."

Tetsuya grinned. "Thank you, Nurse Joy. I appreciate the help."

She nodded politely, returning Pidgeot's Poké Ball after confirming his ID.

Tetsuya turned to leave, completely unaware that Nurse Joy had made a small note on his profile.

Joey Family Records

According to historical data, a Pidgey that evolves into Pidgeot often possesses the potential to reach the pseudo-king level.

This meant that—even if Tetsuya lacked talent—he could, at the very least, reach the level of a high-ranking elite trainer.

If he was lucky?

He could surpass even that.

Tetsuya was young. He was also an orphan. Despite these challenges, he had raised a Pidgey for over a year and successfully evolved it into a Pidgeot.

That wasn't just luck—that was skill.

Furthermore, during the checkup, Pidgeot had been meticulously cared for. That proved Tetsuya wasn't just a talented battler—he was also a gifted Pokémon breeder.

With his dedication and potential, Tetsuya stood a real chance at reaching the pseudo-king level or even higher.

Such individuals deserved to be monitored.

If he truly rose to prominence, the Joey family might even consider investing in him.

With a quick keystroke, Nurse Joy filed the report and returned to work.

Meanwhile…

Tetsuya had no idea he had just been flagged as a potential rising star.

Right now, he was too busy counting his profits.

"Damn, I've been ridiculously lucky lately," he muttered, shaking his head.

This mission alone had brought in a huge payday.

Of course, he hadn't received the payout yet.

For cleanup missions, it took about two hours for funds to be deposited.

Why?

Because the Hunter Center sent staff to double-check that the target Pokémon had been removed.

Early on, some dishonest hunters had figured out a loophole—capturing random Pokémon, turning them in, and claiming they were the actual targets.

Since then, verification became mandatory.

Tetsuya wasn't worried.

He had thoroughly cleared the infestation. He just needed to wait for the funds.

But first?

He had a bigger payday to collect.

Black Market

Dressed in his usual black cloak, Tetsuya entered the hidden underground exchange.

His target?

Selling the Telekinetic Butterfree he had captured.

This was the real jackpot.

Tetsuya rented a temporary stall for one hour—costing him 1,000 Pokédollars.

Even though he was far from broke, the price still stung.

Don't be surprised—the black market was highly organized. It wasn't some lawless pit of chaos.

Unregulated Pokémon transactions required strict oversight, and the profit margins were enormous.

Even powerful families struggled to control the black market's economy.

Tetsuya hurried to his stall, placed Butterfree's Poké Ball on the table, and wrote a simple sign:

"Elite Butterfree – Telekinesis Mastery – 1-Hour Auction – Highest Bid Wins.

Starting Price: 1.2 Million."

Short. Clear. Effective.

Despite never selling a Pokémon before, Tetsuya was familiar with the market. He had been lurking in the black market for years, watching how deals were made.

Rare elite Pokémon like this Butterfree weren't common.

An auction was the best way to maximize profits.

Sitting back, he waited for the bidders to arrive.

Thirty Minutes Later…

As expected, the stall quickly attracted buyers.

One by one, robed figures left their bids.

1.22M… 1.25M… 1.3M… 1.32M…

After thirty minutes, the price had already soared to 1.6 million.

An hour later, Tetsuya returned to the administration desk, retrieved his payout, and headed home—grinning from ear to ear.

Final Price: 2.2 Million Pokédollars.

Back at Home

"YES!"

The moment he stepped inside, Tetsuya couldn't contain himself.

He threw his hands up in the air, celebrating his biggest payday ever.

Originally, he had estimated around 1.9 million—maybe 2 million if he got lucky.

But 2.2 million?!

That was far beyond his expectations.

Sitting down on the sofa, he grinned at his balance.

As if on cue, his PokéWatch beeped—his 70,000 Pokédollar payout for the mission had just arrived.

He barely reacted.

70K felt like pocket change now.

For a moment, he felt invincible.

But then he sobered up.

Even with all this money, his total funds were only a little over 4 million.

Not even one-fifth of the cost of a Charmander egg.

He took a deep breath, restraining himself.

This wasn't a time to waste money—it was time to plan.

Originally, he hadn't intended to start training a second Pokémon yet.

But after this unexpected fortune—and with Pidgeot finally evolved—he could move his plans forward.

He had the money. He had the resources.

Now, he needed to decide.

What Pokémon should he choose as his second partner?

After feeding both himself and Pidgeot, Tetsuya headed upstairs.

It was time to think.