Roy couldn't help but grin uncontrollably.
Wait... System, what are you doing?
Are you trying to bully our Cerulean Gym?
He recalled the rewards given by the previous two Gyms.
Then he looked at the Cerulean Gym... A private photo album of the Cerulean Four Sisters?
An unreleased collector's edition, too?
Roy nearly burst out laughing.
This sudden change in style is ridiculous!
But after a second thought, he understood the System's logic.
The mission rewards must be triggered based on the difficulty of the challenge.
As for the Cerulean Gym... well, how should he put it?
Among all the official Gyms in the Kanto region, the Cerulean Gym might, probably, perhaps, almost rank among... the weakest top three?
No, they might just be the absolute bottom.
Roy quickly reviewed his memories.
When Misty's parents were still running the Gym, the Cerulean Gym was at least a mid-level Gym, specializing in Water types and possessing decent strength.
But ever since it was handed over to Misty's three older sisters—Daisy, Violet, and Lily—the entire style of the Gym had gone completely off track.
Gym evaluations consistently placed them last every year.
Assessment reviews were always the worst.
The Gym level slid all the way from mid-level to low-level, and it was still slipping further down.
He heard that the League was already considering whether or not to revoke the Cerulean Gym's city representative qualification.
Roy glanced at Misty, who was skipping beside him, pointing at roadside wildflowers and shouting excitedly, and shook his head helplessly.
Her three older sisters... how should he put it?
It's not that they don't work hard.
It's just that the direction of their efforts is completely unrelated to Pokemon battles.
All their energy is spent on body maintenance, appearance, fashion, and beauty.
Every day, they study the newest lipstick shades, not Water-type skill combinations.
They train their own swimsuit poses, not their Pokemon's skills.
Their Gym exhibition matches look more like a Water Ballet Show.
Pokemon battle knowledge? It probably only extends to basic common sense like "Water beats Fire."
Cultivation and training? What's that? Can you eat it?
But then again... since they put all their energy into their figures and appearance.
Then this "private photo album"... the quality might actually be quite high?
Roy's thoughts drifted involuntarily.
Daisy, the eldest sister, is a gentle beauty, tall and elegantly curved.
Violet, the second sister, is lively and cheerful, with astonishing proportions.
Lily, the third sister, has an artistic temperament and fair skin.
Plus Misty, who has an excellent foundation and is full of youthful vitality... the Cerulean Four Flowers.
If this photo album really is an unreleased collector's edition... mhmm.
Roy cleared his throat and reined in his wandering thoughts.
However, that was a matter for the future.
The current Cerulean Gym was indeed ridiculously weak.
Misty later took up the heavy responsibility of revival—overcoming her fear of Gyarados, mastering Mega Evolution, and forcefully pulling the Gym level back up.
But that was later.
The current her... Roy glanced again at Misty, who was squatting by the roadside, trying to poke a Caterpie with a stick only to scream in terror.
Hmm.
The road is still long.
Just as Roy was outlining the details of the "set meal" in his mind.
[Ding! Emotional Arc Mission triggered!]
[Emotional Arc Mission: Help Misty build confidence in front of her sisters, make her sisters look at her with new respect, and support Misty's training.]
[Mission Reward: Mystic Water—When held by a Pokemon, Water-type move power increases by 20%.]
Roy's eyes lit up.
So the good stuff was hidden here.
Mystic Water!
This is a genuine combat enhancement item!
A 20% increase in Water-type move power is practically a divine artifact level boost for a Water-type specialist Trainer.
One must admit, it has to be our Original Series Mermaid.
The weight of this plotline mission point is truly different.
Challenging the Gym only yields a photo album.
Simply helping Misty build confidence yields a combat item.
I don't need to elaborate on the importance of the female lead, do I?
But... why is it an "Emotional Arc Mission"?
Roy pondered for a moment.
Is the System worried because I've been focusing only on grinding strength and challenging Gyms, causing the emotional arc to progress too slowly?
Oh, System, System.
Roy shook his head internally.
I am a person who values emotions.
I'm not the type of person who sees a beautiful woman and immediately launches a fierce, deep attack.
Feelings must be nurtured slowly until they naturally come to fruition.
Especially with Misty's personality.
She acts carefree on the outside, but she's actually very sensitive inside.
She has the tomboy attribute maxed out, but she's completely clueless about romance.
You have to take it slow with this type.
Like boiling a frog in warm water.
Slowly opening up her emotional defenses.
Moreover... Roy's thoughts drifted again.
This might not just be about Misty alone.
It might very well be... the Cerulean Four Sisters' set meal.
The eldest sister, Daisy, is gentle and considerate.
The second sister, Violet, is lively and outgoing.
The third sister, Lily, is artistic and delicate.
The youngest sister, Misty, is youthful and vibrant.
If he were to take them all... Ahem.
Must not rush.
Slowly, slowly.
The System clearly looks like a single System with no experience.
I have to handle this kind of thing myself.
Just as Roy was teasing the System internally while planning his famous future blueprint,
"Hey, Roy!"
Misty suddenly rushed over.
She bent down, staring at Roy's waist, her large eyes full of curiosity.
"Your pants are moving!"
"Huh?"
Roy was startled.
My pants are moving?
I only thought about the sisters' set meal, I shouldn't be that sensitive, right?
He looked down.
Only then did he realize it wasn't his pants moving.
It was the poké ball belt hanging on his waist; one of the balls was subtly vibrating and shaking.
It was Metapod's ball.
Roy reacted instantly.
Counting the days.
Quite some time had passed since he captured Metapod.
According to the evolution cycle... "Is it going to evolve?"
Roy immediately took down the vibrating poké ball and pressed the button.
A flash of white light appeared.
Metapod appeared on the grass.
The emerald green cocoon shell shimmered faintly under the sunlight.
At this moment, a faint "crack" sound was coming from the surface of the hard shell.
Fine cracks began spreading from the top.
Delia noticed the commotion and immediately trotted over.
"Is Metapod... going to evolve?"
She clasped her hands over her chest, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
"It seems so!"
Roy squatted down to observe closely.
The cracks in the shell grew more numerous.
A faint white glow seeped out from the crevices.
"It's evolving, it's evolving!"
Misty also came closer.
Although she was usually afraid of bugs, she was full of curiosity about the romantic transformation of "breaking the cocoon into a butterfly."
Especially since Metapod evolves into Butterfree.
She wasn't afraid of butterflies.
Butterflies are so beautiful.
The gazes of all three people focused simultaneously on Metapod.
The cracks widened.
The white light grew brighter and stronger.
The light overflowing from the cracks nearly enveloped the entire cocoon.
Misty excitedly grabbed Roy's arm and shook it hard.
"Ah It's coming out, Roy, it's coming out"
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