Hakuya could only think of two ways to beat Sapphire's unreasonable Space Llama.
One was to catch another Pokémon and use a switch-out to trigger Sprigatito's Hero Form.
Unfortunately, unlike other Pokémon generations, in Emerald, you can't buy Poké Balls until you beat your rival to advance the plot.
Because of that, the feasibility of that plan was pretty damn low.
The second method was simply brute force.
If a Level 8 Sprigatito couldn't handle Arceus, then what about Level 20 or Level 30?
As long as they put in enough blood, sweat, and tears, they'd eventually drag that smug Llama through the dirt.
"Nya~"
Under Hakuya's command, Sprigatito quickly entered war mode.
Her claws, coated in a silver sheen, slashed through the air with a whistle.
Combined with the chaotic dance of her Leafage move, every wild encounter became an EXP farm.
A [Truant] Magikarp lying motionless on the grass, a [Slow Start] Gible that couldn't throw a punch to save its life...
Even a Pidgey that somehow had the [Arena Trap] ability despite being a bird—all of them were slaughtered for her growth.
Just as Sprigatito used her silver fangs to finish off a Bellsprout trying to ambush them...
The system's randomizer finally coughed up a stat monster on par with Kyogre.
"Nya!"
Sprigatito hissed as a wave of heat blasted her face, her body arching low as she glared at the white figure.
Beside her, Hakuya's eyes nearly popped out of his head in pure awe.
The massive white silhouette before them wasn't some common trash; it was a Legendary from Unova.
The symbol of the Hero of Truth—Reshiram!
In that instant, the environment shifted violently.
The sun hanging in the sky became agonizingly hot, and the lush grass beneath them began to spark and smolder like hell itself.
[Reshiram's Desolate Land! The sunlight turned extremely harsh!]
"Holy shit, a Reshiram with Desolate Land? That's fucking broken."
Hakuya looked at the text box and the sun that felt like it was about to cook him alive, clicking his tongue.
With a base Special Attack of 150 and STAB Fire moves boosted by Primal sunlight...
This was the literal definition of overwhelming firepower.
"Too bad I don't have a Master Ball. I really want to catch—wait, maybe I can seduce it into following me first..."
Hakuya muttered to himself.
You couldn't blame him; if he caught this thing, he wouldn't just beat Sapphire.
He'd go on a god-mode rampage, flattening every Gym, Elite Four member, and Champion in the game.
Wiping away some non-existent drool, Hakuya started to step forward to see if he could talk the white dragon into coming home without a ball.
He didn't notice that Sprigatito had already entered "Spinosaurus" levels of aggression.
"Nya...?!"
At first, weighing the size difference and type disadvantage, the kitten was debating whether to grab her trainer and run.
In a real fight, she'd likely be incinerated by a single Ember.
But hearing Hakuya's words, a surge of possessive panic killed any thought of retreat.
If she didn't act now, this wild dragon bitch from nowhere was going to steal her trainer's heart.
"NYA—!!!"
Sprigatito lunged at Reshiram without a second thought, baring her shimmering fangs.
Facing the tiny, hissing opponent, Reshiram moved first and unleashed a Flamethrower.
[Sprigatito was defeated! Hakuya's vision faded to black...]
...
Is Sprigatito the future Meow-man? X
Is Sprigatito a jealous, clingy brat who wants her trainer all to herself? ✓
"Nya!"
"Alright, alright, I get it..."
Feeling the furry weight on his head pulling at his hair, Hakuya gave a helpless, wry smile.
The Pokédex wasn't lying; Sprigatito are moody and incredibly needy for attention.
The moment she saw him looking at a wild Pokémon with admiration—or that "I want to catch you" look—she'd turn into a green-eyed monster.
She'd hiss, growl, and hurl herself into a death match without hesitation.
The results were consistent: either she'd get sent home after getting wrecked, or she'd beat them so badly they fled.
Hakuya never even got a chance to try "talk-no-jutsu" or seduction.
Man... if she's this clingy as a Sprigatito, what happens when she evolves into Meowscarada?
Is she going to wait for a dark, stormy night to break into my room and just fuck my brains out?
Hakuya sighed. He was completely out of ideas on how to handle this possessive little cat.
Fine. I'll just grind levels and crush Arceus with raw numbers.
After sacrificing dozens more wild Pokémon that were dumb enough to jump them...
Lv. 8 Sprigatito → Lv. 15 Sprigatito.
[Sprigatito grew to Level 15! She learned Hone Claws, Magical Leaf, and Quick Attack!]
"Wait, what? A level cap?"
On Route 101, after ordering a Leafage to take down a [Flame Body] Caterpie, Hakuya noticed the EXP bar had stopped moving.
He wanted to grind all the way to Meowscarada before schooling the Llama.
But apparently, this randomized Emerald wasn't just full of monsters; it was sadistic enough to implement hard level caps.
"Usually, to break a cap, you need the first Gym Badge..."
Hakuya rubbed his chin, falling into deep thought.
Without beating Sapphire, there was no way to detour to Rustboro City for the first badge.
He just didn't know if a Level 15 Sprigatito could actually go toe-to-toe with a god.
With that in mind, he headed back to Route 103 to settle the score for his first humiliation.
Unfortunately, after a few rounds, it was clear: while Sprigatito could dodge, she was still too slow.
In a trade of blows, she always lost. Right before victory, the Llama would drop a [Judgment] and send them back to the second floor.
"Dammit, I'm hard-stuck."
Standing on Route 103 again, Hakuya stared at Sapphire's terrifying silhouette from a distance, speechless.
That's when Sprigatito looked up and tugged at his pant leg, crying out softly.
"Nya~"
Following her gaze, Hakuya realized the sky had grown heavy and dim.
Checking the time... since he set the clock, he'd been in this world for almost twelve hours.
"I didn't realize it had been that long. It's almost night."
Because he had physically transmigrated, Hakuya realized his body had been drastically enhanced.
Forget roaming the grass all day without getting tired; he felt like he could tank a dozen Thunderbolts like a "Super Pallet Native."
Still, the lack of light was a pain. It was better to head home and rest.
"That's enough training for today. It's late; let's go home and sleep."
"Nya~"
But just as Hakuya turned to walk back, a massive gravitational force suddenly hit him.
It felt exactly like the pull that had dragged him into this world in the first place.
"Wait, not again! Another jump?!"
"Nya~!"
Sprigatito scrambled into his arms, curling up and burying her face against his chest.