After Lucian left, Kay continued his journey inside the dungeon. However, this time, he didnât dare go deeper.
The memory of the strong Abra and the danger he had barely escaped still lingered in his mind.
Despite trying to focus on the battles ahead, Kay couldnât stop thinking about the tournament.
He was filled with the thought of winning a large sum of money and being able to buy the best materials and training resources for Eevee and Growlithe.
It was an obsession now; a way to secure a better future for him and his Pokemons.
Kay pushed through the dungeon, battling more Psychic-type Pokemon like Slowpoke, Drowzee, and Exeggcute.
After a while, a glowing gate appeared in front of him, signaling the dungeon's exit.
Kay decided it was enough for the day and stepped through the gate, emerging back into his city.
He made his way to the market and sold the crystals he had collected during his dungeon attack.
This time, he earned 400 Pokedollars. For most people, this amount was excellent for a dayâs work.
However, Kay knew it wasnât enough for a trainer. Items, potions, and resources for Pokemons were incredibly expensive. This was why Lucianâs offer kept creeping back into his thoughts.
After finishing, Kay returned home and spent the rest of the day with his family. Sitting among them comforted him.
As the family watched the news together, the dungeon update section began. Since the dungeon disaster, every news episode has ended with a segment dedicated to dungeon reports.
Kay listened as the news anchor reported a tragic event: âToday, in a C-rank dungeon, four C-rank trainers lost their lives. The dangers of dungeons remain ever-present, and we urge all trainers to exercise extreme caution.â
Kayâs mother, Reina, turned to him with concern in her eyes. âThatâs why Iâm always worried about you, Kay. Please, be cautious and donât take unnecessary risks.â
Hearing her words, Kay felt a pang of guilt. He remembered the strong Abra from earlier and how close he had come to dying. He also thought of Lucian and the mysterious opportunity he had been given.
Kay didnât want to alarm his family, so he chose not to tell them about his close call in the dungeon.
Instead, he forced a reassuring smile and said, âDonât worry, Mom. You know I wonât take unnecessary risks. I always keep your advice in mind.â
But deep down, Kay had already made his decision. He would participate in the tournament. For sure it wouldnât be more dangerous than dungeons.
The danger of the dungeons and the constant worry he caused his family made him realize that he needed to take a different path.
If he could win, he would earn enough money to strengthen Eevee and Growlithe, making his dungeon attacks safer and more efficient.
That night, as Kay lay in bed, he stared at the black card Lucian had given him. His heart raced with a mix of fear and excitement.
He clenched the card tightly and made a promise to himself: he would do whatever it took to protect his family and become a stronger trainer. Even if it meant stepping into the shadows of an illegal tournament.
The next morning, Kay woke up early, feeling both anxious and determined. After finishing his breakfast, he pulled out the black card Lucian had given him from his pocket and returned to his room.
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The card felt heavier than it should, carrying the weight of the decision he was about to make.
Kay sat on his bed, took a deep breath, and grabbed his phone. Slowly, he began typing the white numbers printed on the sleek, black card. His fingers hesitated for a moment before pressing the call button.
âPiiiip⦠piiip⦠piiipâ¦â The phone rang a few times before someone answered. On the other end, Kay recognized the same cold voice he had heard inside the dungeon.
âDo you want to participate in the tournament? If yes, state your name and rank,â.
Kay was caught off guard by how direct the question was. He paused for a moment, his mind racing. After a few seconds of hesitation, Kay answered, âKay Marik. F-rank Trainer.â
There was a brief silence before Lucian responded. âAfter a week, wait near the bridge on the borders of the city,â the voice said. Then, the call abruptly ended.
Kay stared at his phone, the call screen now blank. There was no turning back now. He had officially entered the tournament.
As he sat there, Kayâs thoughts began to shift. If the tournament was truly restricted to trainers of the same rank, he believed he had a good chance of winning.
Lucianâs words echoed in his mind, âYou have some potential,â That had to mean something.
Kay knew that having two Pokemons was rare for an F-rank trainer. Most trainers at his level only had one Pokemon due to the low possibility of bonding successfully with a Pokemon as a new trainer.
In a tournament like this, Kay might even be the only one with two Pokemons, giving him a significant advantage.
However, Kay also understood that skill and strategy matter more than numbers.
His opponents would likely have well-trained Pokemons, and some of them might have some unique tactics. If he wanted to win, he needed to make every moment count.
Kay decided that for the rest of the week, he wouldnât attack any dungeons. Instead, he would dedicate his time to training Eevee and Growlithe.
Kay sat at his desk, a notebook and pen in hand, as he began to plan the weekâs training.
He started with Eeveeâs training. The first priority was to improve Eeveeâs mastery of Double Team and Bite, raising both from Proficient to Expert.
Double Team would make Eevee harder to hit, and Bite was a powerful attack, that could cause opponents to flinch.
Next, Kay decided Eevee needed to learn some new moves. He chose Toxic, a status move that could slowly harm opponents in long battles, and Swift, a reliable attack that never missed.
For Kay, Eevee should improve Toxic to at least Proficient level so it could have an effect on opponents' Pokemons.
Toxic would give Eevee a strategic edge in tough fights, while Swift would be invaluable against opponents who relied on evasion or teleportation. Alongside this, Eeveeâs speed needed more attention.
Kay planned to include agility drills and quick attack practices, pushing Eeveeâs pace to a new level and solidifying its role as a fast and evasive fighter.
Once Eeveeâs plan was set, Kay moved on to Growlithe. Kay wanted to add more versatility to its skillset.
He decided that Growlithe would work on improving its mastery of Ember and Double Kick, raising them both to Expert.
A strong Ember would give Growlithe an advantage against types weak against fire, while an improved Double Kick would provide an extra option in close combat.
Kay also planned for Growlithe to learn two new moves: Sunny Day and Double Team. Sunny Day would enhance Growlitheâs fire-type abilities by strengthening Ember and creating opportunities for new strategies.
Kay hoped that Growlithe could improve Sunny Dayâs mastery to Proficient by the end of the week.
Double Team, like with Eevee, would increase Growlitheâs ability to dodge attacks, making it a harder target for opponents to hit.
After finishing the detailed training plan for the week, Kay called Eevee and Growlithe to gather around him.
Both Pokemons quickly came to his side, their eyes curious and attentive as they waited for him to speak. Kay knelt down to meet them at eye level, holding his notebook in hand.
âEevee, Growlithe, Iâve made a training plan for us to follow this week. Weâre going to focus on making you stronger. Eevee, youâll be working on Double Team, Bite, and some new moves like Toxic and Swift. Growlithe, youâll be improving Ember and Double Kick, and youâll also learn Sunny Day and Double Team.â
Both Pokemon listened closely, nodding as he spoke. When Kay saw that, he placed a hand on Eeveeâs head and the other on Growlitheâs fur.
âThis week, we wonât be attacking any dungeons, instead, weâre going to prepare for something even bigger.â
Eevee tilted its head, and Growlithe let out a soft bark of curiosity. Kay smiled and continued, âWeâre going to participate in a tournament. Itâs something Lucian; the man who saved us inside the dungeon yesterday told me about. If we win, the prize money and rewards will help us a lot. But itâs going to be hard, so we need to give this training everything weâve got.â
Kay then spent a few more moments explaining the details of the plan, making sure both Eevee and Growlithe understood what they would be working on.
See you in the next chapter...
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