The morning light filtered through the curtains of Kenji's room, marking the beginning of a new day. The soft chirping of birds echoed outside, accompanied by the murmur of the city awakening. There were still three days left before the official start of the academy, and Kenji knew he had to make the most of every moment to strengthen his team.
"Time to head out for some training," he said as he got up, stretched lazily, and dressed in comfortable, durable clothes.
After a quick breakfast and saying goodbye to his parents, Kenji set out with determination toward the outskirts of the city. He knew of a nearby wooded area, filled with low-level wild beasts: the perfect place to train and increase the experience of his new companion, Squirtle.
Once away from the city walls and the bustle, he pulled out the Poké Balls from his inventory. First, he threw Squirtle's.
"Let's go, buddy. It's your time to shine!"
With a flash of white light, Squirtle appeared before him. The small turtle with a blue shell looked at his trainer with curiosity, his eyes shining with a mix of timidity and bravery. He was still new to the team, but Kenji could already feel that, in time, this little one would become a key member.
"Today, we'll work together. I'll show you how we fight around here, alright?" he said with a smile, patting the top of his head.
Squirtle nodded eagerly, stepping forward.
System – Linked Beast: Squirtle (Level 5)🌊 Type: Water💧 Special Ability: Torrent (Boosts Water-type moves when health is low)
Stats:🗡️ Attack: 12🛡️ Defense: 18⚡ Speed: 10💪 Endurance: 20🔋 Energy: 15
Current Skills:💦 Water Gun: A pressurized water jet that deals Water-type damage.🤜 Tackle: A physical close-range attack.🌀 Withdraw: Temporarily boosts defense by hiding inside its shell.🤝 Current Bond: 0%✨ Next Evolution: Level 16
"Time to raise those stats," Kenji said as they entered the forest.
They spent the first few minutes walking and observing until they finally came across a small group of beasts: three fox-sized creatures with spiked tails and glowing eyes. They were Ground-type—perfect targets for Squirtle to have the upper hand.
"Go, Squirtle! Use Water Gun on the one in the middle!"
Squirtle inhaled deeply and fired a powerful jet of water, hitting the creature directly. It was thrown against a tree and knocked out cold.
"Excellent! Now careful, the other two are coming!"
The remaining creatures lunged at Squirtle with agility, trying to surround him. Kenji shouted quickly:
"Withdraw, now!"
The small Pokémon retreated into his shell just in time, reducing the impact of the enemies' attacks. When he came out, his eyes gleamed with newfound determination.
"Tackle the one on the right!"
Squirtle charged with force, slamming into his opponent and knocking it down.
After several minutes of battling, the final creature collapsed to the ground. The system notified the experience gain, and a small window popped up in front of Kenji.
Congratulations! Squirtle has leveled up to Level 12.New abilities available: 🦷 Bite and 🌀 Rapid Spin.Select which skills to replace.
Kenji paused for a moment, then confirmed:
🦷 Bite replaces Tackle.🌀 Rapid Spin replaces Tail Whip (auto-adjusted since it's not present).
Updated Skills:
🦷 Bite: A physical attack with a chance to make the target flinch.🌀 Rapid Spin: A spinning attack that removes status effects like paralysis or slowness, while dealing damage.
"Great job, Squirtle! You're improving fast," Kenji said with a proud smile.
Squirtle looked at him, breathing heavily but with a satisfied expression. Kenji extended his hand, and Squirtle high-fived it with his paw—their first true gesture of camaraderie.
A new notification appeared:
📈 Bond with Squirtle increased to 15%.
Kenji felt a wave of emotion. That number was more than just a stat—it was the representation of a growing relationship. And that meant a lot to him.
They spent several more hours training, facing more small beasts. Squirtle moved with increasing confidence, and Kenji guided him patiently, adjusting strategies and experimenting with new attack combinations. At one point, he even brought out Charmander so they could train together, doing team exercises.
Although Squirtle didn't yet match Ursaring's brute strength or Charmander's offensive firepower, it was clear he had his own unique style—a balance of defense, agility, and utility.
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As the sun began to set, Kenji decided it was time to return. The day had been fruitful.
"Great work today. I'm proud of you," he said, returning Squirtle to his Poké Ball.
With a calm pace, he made his way back home, unaware that the next day would be filled with quieter, yet equally meaningful moments.
The next day, the city gleamed under a clear sky. The streets buzzed with life: merchants shouting from their stalls, children running with wide smiles, and rookie trainers walking alongside their battle beasts.
Kenji was walking through the city center with his parents. He had left his Pokémon in the system to rest after the intense day of training. Ursaring and Charmander already had their own accessories and tactical items, but Squirtle didn't have anything yet. Today was his turn.
"Are you sure you want to spend your points on that?" his mother asked, looking curiously at a specialized battle gear store.
"Absolutely. Squirtle is going to the academy with me, and if I want him to be on par with the others, I need to prepare him properly," Kenji replied with conviction.
They entered the store. The place was filled with display cases showcasing gleaming accessories, protectors, amulets, focus bands, and small backpacks designed specifically for battle beasts. The attendants greeted them with professional smiles upon noticing the Bond System emblem on Kenji's wrist.
"Let's see..." Kenji approached a display highlighting recommended items for low to mid-level Water types.
One of them caught his eye:
💧 Flow Band – Increases the accuracy of Water-type attacks and slightly improves recovery speed after using a skill.Cost: 320 System Points.
"I like this one," Kenji said as he examined it closely.
"What about this tactical backpack?" his father suggested, pointing to a small, sturdy navy blue backpack with a wave design.
🎒 Aqua Backpack – Shell Model – Grants extra resistance to Squirtle's shell and internal space to store small items like berries.Cost: 210 points.
Kenji nodded. "Yeah, I'll take it too. It'll be useful when we go exploring outside the city."
After about half an hour, he left the store with both items stored in his inventory. His parents watched him with pride, noticing how much he had grown and matured in such a short time.
"I still remember when you could barely lift a rock without complaining," his father joked with a smile.
"And now you're raising three battle beasts like it's nothing," his mother added, both proud and a little concerned.
Kenji chuckled softly. "It's not as easy as it looks… but I'm learning quickly. Besides, I have to if I want to stand out at the academy."
They walked around a bit more, had lunch together at their favorite restaurant —a small but cozy place known for its spicy rice soup and steamed meat dishes— and ended the day at the city's artificial lake.
The sunset lights reflected on the water, and for a moment, everything felt calm.
Kenji sat by the lake's edge and released Squirtle from his Pokéball. The small Pokémon blinked and then curiously observed the water. Upon seeing his reflection, he tilted his head with a small smile.
"This is for you," Kenji said, handing him the Flow Band. He carefully placed it on Squirtle's left arm, making sure it fit snugly.
Then he took out the Aqua Backpack and strapped it onto Squirtle's shell. Squirtle blinked in surprise, then looked at himself and gave a small spin, as if showing off his new style.
"You look awesome," Kenji laughed. "Tomorrow, we'll make those new skills shine even more."
Squirtle looked at him and nodded with a determined expression.
A system notification popped up right after:
📈 Bond with Squirtle increased to 25%.
Kenji smiled, gazing up at the sky, now tinted orange.
"Tomorrow is our last free day. After that, a new chapter begins."
With his parents by his side and Squirtle still playing in the lake's water, Kenji felt something important was about to start. He had built a small team, had fought, trained, laughed, and learned. But this was just the beginning.
Fate awaited him at the Trainer Academy.