Cain wore a serious expression as he activated the system to monitor in real-time. He slowly walked toward Altaria, who was undergoing a critical moment.
At that moment, Altaria kept her eyes closed, releasing dense waves of dragon- and flying-type energy. Cain pulled out several potions from his storage space—ones he had prepared in advance—hoping they would help Altaria during her breakthrough.
Sensing someone approaching, Altaria suddenly opened her eyes. A fierce intensity gleamed in them. As a Pokémon who had spent most of her life in the wild, that instinctive reaction reflected her untamed nature, which hadn't completely disappeared despite the time spent with Cain.
However, upon realizing it was Cain approaching, the aggression in Altaria's eyes quickly faded, showing a more peaceful expression.
Cain reached out and gently stroked Altaria's feathers. His fingers emitted a faint psychic energy that helped calm the Pokémon. At the same time, he opened the potions one by one and carefully administered them into Altaria's mouth.
With the potions absorbed, Altaria's energy began to intensify further. For about ten minutes, her aura fluctuated violently until it reached a climax—at which point the oscillations fully stabilized.
After being stuck at the threshold of the Quasi-Elite level for so long, Altaria had finally made the leap.
She had reached the rank of an Elite-level Pokémon!
Altaria expressed her joy by approaching Cain and rubbing her head against his face in a loving gesture. Afterward, she spread her wings and let out a jubilant cry. Her two little Swablu flew excitedly around her, celebrating their mother's achievement.
They too understood how much effort Altaria had put in to reach this level, and even though it had once seemed like an unattainable dream, she had finally done it.
"System, did you record the entire process?" Cain asked mentally while sharing in Altaria's joy.
It was the first time he had closely witnessed a Pokémon break through to the Elite level. Although the process hadn't caused much of a stir, Altaria's exceptional potential made the case worthy of study.
"The entire process has been recorded," the system replied.
"Analyze the reasons why Altaria took so long to break the barrier and the specific conditions that enabled this breakthrough. Also, evaluate whether the administered potions had a significant impact on the success of the process," Cain instructed the system.
"Analysis in progress... Please wait patiently."
The recently updated system was now capable of processing data with greater speed and accuracy. As he waited for the results, Cain reflected on the impact of this advancement.
Altaria's success not only represented a power boost for his team, but also provided Cain with invaluable experience for better understanding the process of a Pokémon's advancement to higher levels.
Cain began to consider that Altaria's difficulty in breaking the limit might have stemmed from a lack of pressure. During her time on Mythical Island, Altaria had been a dominant figure.
Even the Elite-level Pokémon on the island avoided confronting her due to her flying ability and her peak Quasi-Elite strength.
However, this comfort may have led her to stagnate. Only after leaving the island with Cain and facing challenges such as battles against Team Void and threats from legendary Pokémon like Regice did Altaria finally feel the pressure needed to advance.
As Cain pondered this, he left Altaria and her little Swablu to enjoy their moment of triumph. The time and space were theirs to celebrate.
With Altaria now at the Elite level, Cain felt his overall plans had more foundation. This advancement significantly improved the viability of his future strategies.
Altaria's energy accumulation for this breakthrough had taken just under a month, raising questions about whether this time frame was specific to Altaria or if all Pokémon required similar durations.
Cain gathered his thoughts as he returned to the backyard, where he resumed his routine of preparing dinner for his Pokémon—something he did daily, no matter how busy he was.
The number of Pokémon under his care had grown considerably, and preparing meals for all of them was not a task he could manage alone. Fortunately, he had the help of several reliable companions.
Miltank, one of Cain's earliest allies, now enjoyed a peaceful life in the backyard. She had gained some weight due to her carefree lifestyle, but she remained a key player in the daily meal preparations.
Alongside her, other Pokémon such as Florges, Gengar, Honchkrow, and Weavile also played important roles in these tasks.
The younger Pokémon, like Aron and Larvitar, used this time to relax and play. Over the past few weeks, Cain had implemented a mix of training, friendly battles, and mountain skirmishes for them.
Although Aron was ahead in terms of level, the recent inclusion of Pokémon like Bagon had slightly slowed his initial progress.
Despite this, Cain had high expectations for his team. The members of his second combat line were showing steady progress, displaying skills both in individual fights and in group strategies.
Preparing dinner was a labor-intensive and time-consuming task, but Cain saw it as an opportunity to strengthen bonds with his Pokémon. He used high-tech tools to process the ingredients and cook, making the job easier.
After about an hour, dinner was ready: a hearty and nutritious meal that everyone enjoyed. Although the process was demanding, Cain never saw it as a burden. For him, cooking for his Pokémon was a way of thanking them and building a deeper relationship.
Every time he saw his Pokémon enjoying their food or the Pokéblocks he made, he felt a deep sense of satisfaction. In those moments, the pressure of survival faded away, leaving him with a feeling of peace and gratitude.
Thus, in the small routines of his daily life, Cain found great rewards.
(End of chapter)