บท 7: Pokemon: I Transmigrated Twice [7]

Giovanni's words struck Umbreon like a bolt of lightning, leaving her frozen in place.

He continued to speak calmly, sharing with Stephen his insights on raising Pokémon.

It reminded Stephen of his previous life, where he had trained athletes. If you wanted to nurture a soccer player capable of competing in the World Cup, you had to start preparing them when they were just learning to walk—long before they could even speak.

But now, Umbreon's age was comparable to that of a student about to take their college entrance exams, and yet someone was suggesting training her to play in the World Cup?

Was that even realistic?

Alright, maybe that comparison was a bit extreme.

But Giovanni's point was clear.

"That Umbreon of yours, at best, could reach the level of an Elite Four member. Her ceiling is too low."

Many trainers would probably burst into tears hearing Giovanni's assessment.

What did he mean by "at best, the Elite Four level"?

Did he not realize that was a height 99.99% of trainers could only dream of reaching in their lifetimes?

But then again, it wasn't surprising.

After all, Giovanni was already a Champion-level trainer and, in the future, would step even further into the realm above Champions, earning titles like "Master" or "Sensei."

For someone like him, it was normal to look down on the Elite Four level.

In Giovanni's eyes, Stephen shouldn't limit himself to the mere rank of Elite Four either.

"What a heartless thing to say, old man. Are you suggesting I abandon Umbreon? I don't care about a Pokémon's strength or weakness."

Hearing the confidence in Stephen's tone, Umbreon—who had been lowering her head further and further—suddenly perked up, a glimmer of light returning to her eyes.

"Hah. Of course not," Giovanni replied with a faint smile.

"I'm just reminding you not to invest too much energy into a Pokémon with such a low ceiling."

He continued, "Just like how we Gym Leaders train some mediocre Pokémon to deal with rookie challengers. When you find stronger Pokémon, that Umbreon of yours can simply be relegated to your second-string team."

It was no secret that Gym Leaders adjusted their lineups based on the strength of their challengers. This had been confirmed in later games and special anime episodes, even if it wasn't explicitly shown in the main series.

Giovanni's words weren't without merit.

It was like competitive sports teams: the strong made the starting lineup, while the weak became substitutes.

That was just reality.

Umbreon lowered her head again, burying it even deeper.

Then Giovanni added, "As it happens, I have some promising, newly hatched Pokémon on hand. You could try raising one of them. For instance… a Dratini."

Dratini?!

Hearing that name, Umbreon's expression darkened further.

Although she had grown up in the human world and didn't know much about other Pokémon, she had heard enough from her previous trainer, idle chatter, and TV programs to understand what kind of Pokémon Dratini was.

A powerful Dragon-type, slow to mature but overwhelmingly strong in its final form, hailed as a "pseudo-legendary" Pokémon!

Umbreon bit her lip hard, her sharp teeth digging into it.

A Pokémon like that… would be a perfect match for her flawless trainer, wouldn't it?

"What do you think? Want to give it a try? With your talent, I believe you could raise it into a Dragonite that wouldn't lose to the Dragon Clan of Blackthorn City."

Giovanni's words were like daggers, each one stabbing deeply into the softest parts of Umbreon's heart.

Umbreon imagined what it would be like if such a Pokémon joined their team.

Her trainer would shower all his care and attention on it.

Every night, he would hold it as he fell asleep, smile at it with warmth, and even kiss its face…

And she would only be able to curl up in a corner, silently watching it all unfold.

She would wallow in self-pity, murmuring, "I was here first…"

"Mr. Giovanni, it seems you're underestimating my Umbreon. How about we make a bet?"

Stephen finally responded, prompting Umbreon to lift her head, which had been drooping so low it nearly touched the ground.

"The next time we battle, I'll have her defeat your Pokémon. Yes, this so-called 'low-ceiling Eevee' of yours."

Giovanni's expression was full of disbelief, but then he chuckled. "Having a goal is good, but you also have to be realistic, boy. Every Pokémon has its limits…"

"So, surpass those limits," Stephen countered.

His response left Giovanni momentarily speechless.

He recalled Stephen's devolution theory from ten days ago and noticed the unwavering seriousness in his eyes now.

For a moment, Giovanni couldn't help but think, "Is this kid for real?"

Umbreon's expression at that moment was like Chopper's when he was saved by Dr. Hiluluk—tears streamed uncontrollably down her face.

On the beach, Stephen suddenly stood up.

Umbreon quickly rushed back into the house and lay down again, pretending to be asleep.

"Not interested in the Dratini?"

Stephen asked, glancing to the side.

"I'd rather you sponsor me some funds, old man. I want to delve deeper into Pokémon research."

Stephen shrugged.

"Consider it an investment. I'll repay you in the future."

"Hoh~"

Giovanni couldn't help but show a hint of anticipation.

"I hope you won't disappoint me."

Stephen smiled.

"Don't worry. This will be the best investment you've ever made."

After all, he had learned so much from Dr. Vegapunk in his previous life.

If he couldn't produce results, what kind of protagonist would he be? Certainly not one of those useless main characters who remain stagnant after millions of words.

...

The next morning.

When Stephen opened his eyes on the sofa, he found Umbreon lying beside his pillow.

Coincidentally, Umbreon opened her blood-red eyes at the same time.

"Hah~ Did you get up to use the bathroom and end up on the wrong bed?"

Stephen ruffled her short but surprisingly soft black fur.

Hmm, it wasn't as fluffy as a Flareon's, but it felt smooth and nice in its way.

"I'm heading out to buy some supplies. If all goes well, I'll soon find a way to devolve you back into an Eevee. Stay home and behave, alright?"

Stephen got up, placed Umbreon back on the bed, scratched her chin a little, and went to wash up before heading out.

Umbreon watched his departing figure, her expression hesitant as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.

She wanted to tell Stephen that she no longer cared about her current form.

Stephen had told her many times that she was as beautiful as she was now. Umbreon had come to fully accept—and even feel proud of—her current form.

But… just as she was about to express her feelings, Giovanni's words from last night echoed in her mind:

"That Eevee's ceiling is too low."

If her trainer succeeded in his research and reverted her to her Eevee form, would that give her a second chance to grow and break through the limits imposed by her age?

No, she couldn't rush things.

For now, she needed to push herself to the limits of her current form.

Set a small goal first: reach the Elite Four level.