The hum of the incubator starting up became the only background sound in the room.
One hour felt incredibly long during the anxious wait.
Ariel's gaze hardly ever left the Pokémon egg resting in the center of the cushion.
With its rock-like, rough texture, it looked like a piece of unpolished jade containing endless energy under the soft blue light of the incubator.
The shock brought by Juan's identity still lingered in his mind, but that agitation was being bit by bit overwritten by the sense of anticipation brought by the egg before him.
Other people's glory belonged to them after all, but inside this egg, a partner belonging to him, Ariel, was about to be born.
Right then.
"Crack."
An extremely faint sound of cracking rang out abruptly amidst the humming.
Ariel's body tensed instantly, his eyes staring fixedly at the incubator.
A nearly invisible crack appeared at the top of the eggshell.
Immediately after, a second, then a third... the cracks spread rapidly like a spiderweb, and the egg began to shake slightly and rhythmically.
One thud after another, as if the sleeping life inside was using all its strength to knock on the door to the world.
Ariel's heartbeat accelerated accordingly, and his palms began to sweat.
Finally, with a crisp cracking sound, a piece of the shell was pushed open from the inside and fell off.
A small, deep green head with a sharp horn poked out, both curious and alert.
Larvitar!
It shook its head, seemingly adjusting to the outside light and air, and then used its crimson eyes to accurately lock onto Ariel outside the incubator.
That was not the ignorant gaze a newborn Pokémon should have; it contained a kind of scrutiny, an innate aloofness.
Next, it used both hands and feet, struggling to crawl out of the broken eggshell.
The whole process didn't produce a single cry, only the rustling sound of limbs rubbing against the shell.
Looking at this unique fellow, Ariel also took out his pokédex.
"Larvitar, the Rock Skin Pokémon, Level 10, ability Guts. It lives on eating soil; after eating a large mountain, it will begin to sleep in order to grow... Potential assessment: Elite Four Level!"
Elite Four Level!
Another Elite Four Level!
Ariel's breathing stalled for a moment, and then a surge of immense ecstasy washed over his nerves.
Deino, Gyarados, and now, there's another Larvitar!
Three! A total of three Pokémon with Elite Four potential!
Two of them are even Pseudo-Legendaries with immense potential!
Looking across all of Hoenn—no, looking across the whole world—how many Trainers could have such a foundation for their lineup?
One must know that many long-established Elites might only have one or two Elite Four potential Pokémon as their absolute main force, while the others are at the Quasi-Elite level of combat power, all built up through post-natal resources and hard training.
After all, in this world, as long as one Pokémon reaches the Elite Four Level, you can be considered an Elite Level Trainer, and the same logic applies to other levels.
And he, Ariel, hadn't even become an Elite yet, but he already possessed the foundation sufficient to aim for the Champion title in the future.
From the very beginning, he was walking ahead of everyone else on this path!
Ariel suppressed the excitement in his heart and reached out to open the dome of the incubator.
He took out a brand-new Poké Ball and said softly to the Larvitar, who was looking down at its own body:
"Welcome to this world. I look forward to your guidance from now on."
A gentle red light shot out, enveloping Larvitar's small body.
The Poké Ball took it inside without any resistance.
Success!
A smile appeared on Ariel's face, but before it could fully bloom, it froze.
The Poké Ball in his hand only shook once, symbolically.
"Bang!"
With a soft sound, the red light exploded, and Larvitar's figure appeared in its original spot again.
It came out!
Ariel was a bit surprised.
It's common knowledge that newly hatched Pokémon will have a natural affinity for the first person they see.
Situations where they refuse are extremely rare.
Once the little fellow landed, its legs bent slightly, its body lowered, and it assumed a solid horse stance.
Its crimson eyes looked coldly at Ariel, its small lower jaw slightly raised.
That posture and that gaze conveyed a message that couldn't be clearer.
Want to be my Trainer?
Fine.
Defeat me!
Seeing this palm-sized little thing put on this 'tough guy of few words' act, Ariel was first stunned, then he couldn't help but chuckle.
This temperament really suited his taste.
Interesting.
He suddenly felt that this little fellow really did resemble him in some ways. The same arrogance, the same belief in strength.
"Interesting little guy."
Instead of getting angry, Ariel found it even more amusing.
He liked Pokémon with personality. Docility was fine, but which powerful Pokémon didn't have its own pride?
"Fine, I accept your challenge."
He stepped back a few paces and walked to the training area on the other side of the room, which was specifically paved with high-strength alloy.
The walls and floor here were specially reinforced, enough to withstand a full-strength blow from a Gym Leader Level Pokémon.
"There's enough space here."
Ariel stood still and casually waved his hand at the Larvitar, which was still maintaining its battle stance.
"You were just born, I'll let you make the first move."
His tone was flat, yet it carried an unquestionable confidence.
This was both respect for Larvitar's pride and the absolute self-confidence of a Trainer.
A unique first-meeting battle was about to begin.
Larvitar's crimson pupils were fixed on Ariel. That wasn't the gaze a newborn should have; it was more like a lone wolf that had survived in the wilderness for a long time, full of alertness, scrutiny, and undisguised fighting spirit.
It moved.
Without warning or unnecessary roars, its small body turned into a dark green afterimage, shooting forward close to the ground.
Its speed completely exceeded what a body of that size should be capable of.
Ariel's eyelids lifted slightly, his body's reaction faster than his brain's thinking; he simply shifted half a step to the left.
That half-step was just enough to dodge Larvitar's pounce without an inch to spare.
"Screech—"
A piercing sound of friction.
Larvitar's sharp claws swiped across the spot where Ariel had been standing, and three clearly visible white marks were actually left on the hard, high-strength alloy floor.
Having missed its strike, it pushed off with its legs, forcibly twisting its body in mid-air. In its small, open mouth, a wisp of dark energy instantly condensed.
It was Bite!
And the target was aimed straight for Ariel's throat!
Ariel's pupils constricted slightly. This time it wasn't just a simple dodge; he leaned his body back into a bridge, narrowly avoiding that lethal Bite.
He could even feel the bone-chilling coldness brought by that dark energy as it brushed past the tip of his nose.
This time, Ariel was truly a bit surprised.
This Larvitar's level definitely didn't exceed Level 10, but its speed, power, and mastery of moves all far surpassed others of the same level.
More importantly, its attack pattern.
There wasn't a hint of hesitation; every move aimed for vital points.
The claw strike aimed for the leg arteries, and the Bite was aimed at the throat.
This wasn't a spar; this was hunting, this was a life-and-death struggle.
From the very first second it broke its shell, this little thing held the mindset of 'it's either you or me'.
"Interesting."
Ariel stood up straight, brushed off non-existent dust from his clothes, and the curve of his lips became more pronounced.
He liked this ruthlessness.
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