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The turbulence tactics couldn't be achieved overnight.
Although Salamence possessed tremendous potential and had leaped to professional level strength, its decade of stagnation left noticeable gaps in its foundation.
To put it bluntly, at the same professional level, it couldn't even defeat Jaxon's Swampert.
Its combat power roughly equaled 0.7 Swamperts.
Consider that Ninetales hadn't even broken through to professional level yet. Because of mastering 'Never-Melt Ice,' Roy evaluated it at 0.9 Swamperts.
Roy needed to strengthen Salamence's foundation.
Though it had joined the team ten days ago, because they'd focused on 'evolution,' Salamence was only now receiving Roy's comprehensive training package.
...Specially customized energy cubes for long-term consumption to enhance vitality and Flying/Dragon-type energy affinity.
...Master-level move TMs for Hurricane, Fly, Flamethrower, Draco Meteor, Outrage, Hyper Voice, and others.
...Mimikyu's attached Totem aura, infinite Calm Mind technique from Latias, and aura seeds split by Roy.
And Roy's latest acquisitions: Dragonium Z and Flyinium Z.
Looking at this comprehensive package, Salamence felt exactly like Metagross once had.
I knew my family was wealthy, but I didn't expect this level of wealth...
"Kyu~~" Mimikyu, called by Roy to bless Salamence with Totem aura, was exasperated.
Seeing Salamence's massive size, she couldn't help exclaiming, "This is ridiculous!"
The workload of applying Totem aura buffs to Salamence roughly equaled that of Lucario, Metagross, and Blastoise combined.
The effort required had increased dramatically.
Blastoise beside them showed a surprised expression too.
Salamence's enormous size had officially stripped away its status as "most suitable for Totem aura in the team."
Blastoise's feelings about this were... Wow, it's so big. If I call it "Brother Dragon," will it take me flying?
Blastoise suddenly had a dream.
It also wanted to fly.
Blastoise silently tugged on Roy's sleeve and looked at him eagerly, like a child begging for candy.
Now that's a problem, trainer.
"???"
Roy looked at Blastoise's heavy, hard shell, thinking this was quite the challenge.
But seeing Blastoise's yearning expression, Roy couldn't refuse and could only say: "Next time! Next time for sure! I'll let you fly when we get the chance."
On the tenth day after arriving at the Crown Tundra, Shelgon broke free from its cocoon like a butterfly and successfully evolved into Salamence.
Good news always seemed to come in clusters.
On the eleventh day, Electivire returned.
It had its arm around Zapdos's shoulders, showing great camaraderie, and told Roy the excellent news.
Zapdos's "Thunder Kick"—or rather, using psychic power to combine Fighting energy with electrical energy—had been learned.
"So quickly?"
Roy was both pleased and slightly puzzled.
According to Electivire, Zapdos taught well and used methods perfectly suited to its learning style.
Zapdos raised its head proudly, claiming Electivire wasn't bad either—the smartest student it had ever encountered.
The resonance between two straightforward fighters...
Roy decided to consult the wisest Pokémon present.
King Calyrex wasn't surprised.
"Electivire's life form has reached Legendary Pokémon level. You're underestimating its current potential. Think of it as a mini-Zekrom..."
I see...
Electivire, known as Little Zekrom.
Roy nodded.
Unlike Zapdos, who specialized in kicking and leg strength, Electivire used its arms, so 'Thunder Kick' became 'Thunder Punch.'
There was also a difference in electrical energy.
What Zapdos fused was its unchanging legendary thunderbolt.
Electivire fused mega voltage. This gave Electivire's punches the mega voltage effect of "ability destruction."
It could be said that Electivire was the Pokémon that had gained the most in the Crown Tundra.
Not only had it broken through racial limits and gained control of mega-level voltage, but it had also learned the brand-new 'Thunder Punch' technique.
However, what specific strength level it had reached—equivalent to how many Swamperts—still required evenly matched actual combat verification.
Watching Electivire's eagerness to fight and verify itself, Roy smiled: "Don't worry, you'll have opportunities to battle soon."
Though he didn't know Ninetales' status with Articuno, now that Electivire had broken through to professional level and Salamence had joined the team, Roy had already met the standards for participating in "professional level assessment."
After taking that assessment would come the 'Island Trials' challenge.
There, there would absolutely be no shortage of worthy opponents.
"Electivire!"
Electivire nodded expectantly.
Then it turned to look at Zapdos.
Returning to the team meant saying goodbye to Zapdos.
Electivire naturally felt reluctant to part with this teacher who shared similar personality and ideals. It already regarded Zapdos as both teacher and friend.
Electivire embraced Zapdos and thanked it for the care and coaching during this time, expressing how happy it had been together...
"Zap~~"
Zapdos seemed unable to handle Electivire's enthusiasm. It quickly broke free and kicked Electivire away with its feet, expressing annoyance.
...No respect for anyone!
Electivire scratched its face, smiled, and didn't mind.
However, Roy could clearly see that this irritable divine bird seemed to be blushing.
Ah, this...
Roy looked strangely at Electivire and Zapdos, and the atmosphere between them suddenly felt like a 'dense straight guy' and a 'tsundere maiden.'
King Calyrex also looked surprised.
Stop it, Zapdos—you're genderless!
Though he felt like complaining, Roy had no intention of interfering with romance.
Regarding his Pokémon's emotional development, Roy believed in letting nature take its course.
But...
Roy glanced at Electivire, the oblivious straight guy who hadn't noticed Zapdos's complicated feelings at all, and felt emotional.
As expected of my Pokémon—so popular with the opposite... well, with others.
Even Legendary Pokémon can be charmed.
Apparently, Roy had selectively forgotten about Salamence's broken engagement.
After bidding farewell to Zapdos, Electivire also met the team's newest member. With its carefree personality, it quickly became familiar and bonded with Salamence.
After learning about Salamence's tragic experience, Electivire burst into tears.
"Electivire!! (How can such a cruel female exist!)" Electivire cried while gnashing its teeth, showing deep emotional investment.
Being moved, Electivire actually revealed a romantic past that even Roy didn't know about.
It had also had a childhood friend, an Elekid, but together with its parents, they had been brutally killed by the Illuminati...
Salamence was also in tears, not expecting Electivire to be as unfortunate as itself.
Blastoise patted both their shoulders with a sympathetic look, hesitating to speak.
"Roar?" Salamence wondered—Brother Turtle, did you also lose both parents and have a childhood sweetheart?
Blastoise was startled and shook its head repeatedly, indicating its parents were alive and its siblings were all fine and happy.
Electivire grumbled in dissatisfaction—then why were you acting so sympathetic?
Blastoise poked its fingers together, looking embarrassed.
...Seeing how you both have stories, I thought it looked cool, so I wanted to imitate it.
Roy: ...
It seemed that when he was young, he had also done this kind of foolish thing—"pretending to have a tragic past" because he found it attention-grabbing.
Salamence and Electivire were immediately speechless and changed locations to continue sharing their pasts, excluding Blastoise from their conversation.
Seeing Blastoise's lonely expression, Roy patted its shell.
Blastoise, you're such an amusing character. Don't try to fit in with the 'fallen genius' and 'broken engagement' crowd—that bitter resentment phase has passed.
On the fifteenth day of arriving at the Crown Tundra, which was also the last day Alliance would open the restricted zone, Ninetales finally returned to the team.
Articuno descended from the sky carrying Ninetales.
As soon as they met, Ninetales immediately pounced.
While hugging Roy with all four limbs, her nine fluffy tails directly wrapped around Roy's entire body, binding every joint.
"Nine~~"
Ninetales, like a diver who had been holding her breath for too long, greedily inhaled Roy's scent.
Roy, meanwhile, was slightly oxygen-deprived.
Realizing this, Ninetales reluctantly released Roy.
Roy touched her cheeks and ears. Though the texture remained cold, there was no longer the 'extreme cold' that had been untouchable before.
That meant...
"It worked," Roy smiled.
Ninetales nodded, her eyes lighting up with ice-blue radiance as her nine tails suddenly emitted psychic energy.
The psychic power emanating from her body took on an extremely cold nature.
—The essence of Articuno's exclusive move "Freezing Glare" was a form of extreme cold psychic power combining Psychic and Ice types.
Whether it was Articuno's extreme cold psychic power or the Ice Pillar's Never-Melt Ice, Ninetales had only gained an "introduction" and hadn't reached either's full level.
But it was sufficient.
As the saying goes, the master opens the door, but cultivation depends on the individual.
No matter what one learns, crossing the threshold is always the most difficult part.
Though it hadn't reached legendary level, the extreme cold psychic power was undoubtedly a form of advanced energy.
Precisely because her control over Ice-type energy had greatly improved, the side effects of Never-Melt Ice could be alleviated.
This way, Ninetales had mastered three types of advanced energy:
—Never-Melt Ice. —Extreme Cold Psychic Power. —Ice Z-Power.
Currently, Ninetales couldn't fuse these three types of 'ice' together and could only switch between them, but a path to becoming a supreme Ice-type master had already been laid out for her.
Under the long-term promotion of Totem aura, Dynamax, and three advanced energies, she had also officially broken through racial limits and reached professional level.
Not counting little Cosmog, who had no combat ability, Roy had already achieved a milestone:
—All Professional Level.