Chapter 276:
After receiving Hayashi Kaede's confirmation, Alolan Vulpix's expression immediately brightened with joy.
Actually, regarding the decision to evolve or not, Alolan Vulpix had already made up its mind long ago.
Seeing its companions evolve one by one, it knew that after evolving, its own strength would definitely increase significantly.
This would bring it one step closer to defeating Rayquaza.
But after evolving, it would definitely get bigger!
This was the point it had agonized over for a long time...
Because getting bigger meant growing up, and once grown up, it wasn't sure if it could still act spoiled with Hayashi Kaede.
It rarely saw Hayashi Kaede proactively hug the larger Pokémon.
Like Dragonite, Milotic, Serperior, Salamence...
Instead, it was the smaller Pokémon, like the Eevees, the Bounsweet before it evolved, Sprigatito and the group of Alcremies.
These were the Pokémon Hayashi Kaede would proactively hold in his arms when he had free time.
"You're going to evolve?"
Hearing this, Hayashi Kaede was also taken aback.
He looked at the Size Shifting Energy Cube in his hand, suddenly realizing something as he gazed at Alolan Vulpix. "Sweetie, do you want to stay small even after evolving?"
"Vulpix!" (Yes! Yes!)
Hearing that Hayashi Kaede had discerned its thoughts, Alolan Vulpix didn't refuse but instead, its eyes sparkled.
"This..."
But upon hearing this, Hayashi Kaede hesitated.
Because the temporary version of the Size Shifting Energy Cubes, made from the three Pecha Berries, only amounted to ninety cubes.
Dividing those among Serperior, Milotic, and the others to last through the winter was already stretching it thin.
If Alolan Vulpix still wanted them after evolving, he'd have to use the permanent change version, or perhaps the triple-dose one.
Hmm?
After Alolan Vulpix evolves into Alolan Ninetales, reducing its size by three times might actually be just right?
However, he still clarified, "But the Size Shifting Energy Cubes allocated for you right now are only forty. After those forty, there might not be any more."
As soon as he finished speaking, Serperior nearby spoke up, "Serperior~" (Five more small fruits grew on the tree just now.)
"Five more grew? Then it's fine for Alolan Vulpix to evolve."
Hayashi Kaede's eyes lit up. If five more Size Shifting Pecha Berries had grown, then the supply of Size Alteration Energy Cubes for the future was secured.
"Serperior..."
Alolan Vulpix was just pondering whether it should evolve or not. Now, hearing Hayashi Kaede say this, it immediately looked at him with anticipation.
Hayashi Kaede didn't waste words. He directly took out the previously rewarded SSS-grade Ice Stone from a Storage Capsule.
"Just touch it, okay."
Actually, for Alolan Vulpix, its energy level had long been sufficient for evolution. The little one just had reservations.
Probably worried that after getting bigger, it couldn't play properly with its friends anymore?
Alolan Vulpix nodded, looked at the stone brimming with dense ice energy, took a deep breath, raised a paw, and gently pressed it against the stone.
The moment it made contact, waves of rich ice energy, as if a switch had been flipped, surged wildly into Alolan Vulpix's body like a vacuum cleaner.
At that moment, Alolan Vulpix's body also erupted with the white light of evolution.
Its originally six round, somewhat fluffy tails rapidly lengthened, stretched, and increased in number.
They only stopped after transforming into nine tails, each over a meter long.
They swayed behind it like fans, and Alolan Vulpix's form, during the evolution, shed its somewhat short stature, becoming slender and elegant.
When the white light dissipated, the first things revealed were pupils as dazzling as sapphires, clear and bright.
Then came its face, transformed from cute to noble, delicately shaped and graceful.
Its head was adorned with long, flowing hair-like fur.
Nine tails drifted behind it, presenting a vast expanse of white fur.
"Ninetales?"
Its voice after evolution had also changed, losing the previous soft, cute quality and becoming light and refreshing.
Sensing the different perspective compared to before, Alolan Ninetales subconsciously lifted a foot.
Looking up, it realized that previously, even when standing on the table, it had to look up to see Hayashi Kaede's face.
Now, standing on the table, it had to look down to see Hayashi Kaede's face.
Thinking it could still pounce into Hayashi Kaede's arms like before, Ninetales directly leaped towards Hayashi Kaede.
"Huh? Hey, hey, hey?"
Hayashi Kaede was originally about to congratulate Alolan Vulpix on its evolution.
But then he saw the newly evolved Alolan Ninetales turn into a snow-white shadow and pounce straight at him.
Before he could react, it pinned him underneath, licking his face just like it used to.
"Stop licking, stop licking!"
After evolution, Alolan Ninetales stood about 1.5 meters tall, with a body length plus tail reaching nearly three meters.
Now, with it pressing down, Hayashi Kaede genuinely couldn't get up for a moment.
He suddenly understood how that Trainer who got pinned by a Rapidash during a match must have felt.
"Ninetales?" (So strange?)
Hearing Hayashi Kaede's admonishment, Alolan Ninetales stood up. Seeing how large Hayashi Kaede used to be and now how small he seemed in comparison, a novel feeling arose in its heart.
Hayashi Kaede stood up, dusted himself off, and said helplessly, "Of course it's strange. Your body size after evolution is three or four times larger than before. You definitely can't pounce on me like you used to."
"Ninetales..." (Okay then...)
Alolan Ninetales wasn't disappointed. It swished its tails, and the nine long tails danced nimbly.
It used its tails to settle next to the Eevees.
The three Eevees, seeing how large Alolan Ninetales had become after evolution, couldn't help but reach out their paws to bat at its tails.
Finally, Hayashi Kaede had the chance to examine Alolan Ninetales's stats.
[Pokémon: Alolan Ninetales]
[Gender: Female]
[Ability: Snow Warning (+)]
[Potential: Gold]
[IVs: ....]
[Level: 58-59]
[Moves: Hypnosis, Moonblast, Tail Whip, Powder Snow, Ice Shard, Icy Wind, Disable...]
[Friendship: 100]
[Happiness: 80 (Kaede is small, everyone is small...)]
'Almost at Elite Four level...'
Looking at Alolan Ninetales, which had grown so large all of a sudden, Hayashi Kaede couldn't help but feel emotional.
Alolan Vulpix hatched in mid-July, and now, only four months later, it had already become a peak Pseudo-Elite Four level Pokémon!
If he entered a Junior Cup now, it would be a legitimately trained Pokémon of his!