Time flew by at an astonishing pace. From October to November, the days seemed to blend together. In less than half a month in the real world, John had managed to obtain his Flying license, allowing him to soar freely through non-urban areas in the future. This newfound freedom felt exhilarating—a testament to his growing skills and commitment.
Meanwhile, a comprehensive midterm examination for the Breeding Department loomed over the students of Riverstone University. Surprisingly, this university conducted midterm exams, something John found strange. Back in his past life, universities typically only held final exams. Yet, this rigorous approach highlighted Riverstone University's academic discipline. If you failed the midterm, you'd have to retake it—a sobering prospect.
The midterm for the Breeding Department was strictly a written test. Out of a class of over forty students, John placed tenth. This result left many people shocked.
In the eyes of his peers, John was seen as a rising star in the breeding program. He had joined Professor Scarlett's prestigious lab and was even a disciple of Principal Saul Badman. Surely, such a prodigy would clinch first place. Yet, for John, achieving tenth place was a source of satisfaction.
With over thirty hours a week devoted to his Gameboy, John's study time was largely confined to classroom hours. Riverstone University attracted top-tier talent, so competing with academic genuis wasn't easy. Finishing tenth among more than forty students felt like an achievement worth celebrating.
John smirked to himself. "If I invested the same effort into studying as I do into my Gameboy, first place would be a cinch. But sorry, not happening. The handheld comes first."
His schedule revolved around leveling up, day after day. Were it not for his need to earn a Breeder's qualification certificate, he'd probably spend every waking moment—outside eating and sleeping—with the Gameboy in hand. Others' opinions? They didn't matter to him.
John's in-game team saw steady progress. The main focus of his training was his Blaziken, which had climbed to LV47. While it hadn't quite reached the level he'd hoped to challenge the Petalburg Gym, John decided it was time to tackle the Volcano Plan dungeon instead. The decision was influenced by Gabite's recent evolution into Garchomp.
Blaziken lacked Area-of-Effect (AOE) moves, so John alternated between Gabite, Gardevoir, and Steelix to handle most battles. Meanwhile, Blaziken equipped an Exp. Share, passively gaining experience from their victories. Over time, Blaziken advanced from LV36 to LV47. This eleven-level boost was evenly distributed among Gabite, Gardevoir, and Steelix, ensuring balanced growth.
Gabite's evolution was a monumental milestone. Now a Garchomp at LV49, its stats and abilities had skyrocketed:
[Garchomp (Ground, Dragon-Type)]
[Ability: Rough Skin (attackers lose stamina when making contact moves)]
[IVs: HP (31), Attack (31), Special Attack (31), Defense (31), Special Defense (24), Speed (31)]
[Moves: Sand Tomb, Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Breath, Bulldoze, Bite, Slash, Double Claw, Dragon Claw, Dig, Quick Attack, Cut, Rock Smash, Earthquake, Sandstorm, Dragon Dance]
[Held Item: Dragon Fang]
The term "late bloomer" was often used by Trainers to describe pseudo-legendary Pokemon like Garchomp. These Pokemon required significantly more experience to level up compared to regular Pokemon and evolved later. Gabite's evolution into Garchomp at LV48 was relatively early compared to other dragon-types like Dragonite or Tyranitar, which evolved at LV55.
Yet, the wait was worth it. Once a late bloomer reached its final form, its combat potential soared. John proudly thought, "This Garchomp could take down five Gabites of the same level without breaking a sweat."
John strategized his next steps. Petalburg Gym, where the protagonist's father awaited with a formidable Slaking, posed significant risks. Slaking's unpredictability made it a challenging opponent, but Maxie of Team Magma and his Camerupt were a more manageable target. Maxie's relatively weaker strength made the Volcano Plan dungeon an ideal objective to tackle first.
The dungeon's cooldown timer had reset, and John wasted no time. Controlling his in-game character, he traveled to Mt. Chimney.
[Yes/No to enter the dungeon "Volcano Plan" (Special rewards for first-time completion)][Recommended Entry Level: 45]
The recommended level reassured John. With his team well above the threshold, he selected [Yes] to enter. The screen flickered, and Mt. Chimney's fiery landscape appeared before him. Sulphur-filled air assaulted his senses as black smoke curled ominously in the background. The intense heat felt almost palpable, as though Mt. Chimney itself was alive and raging.
The battlefield was chaotic. Members of Team Magma clashed with their counterparts from Team Aqua, each vying for control of the volcano.
[Dungeon Goal: Defeat Maxie, the leader of Team Magma, and thwart the Volcano Plan.]
[Time Limit: 60 minutes]
John didn't waste a second. Drawing on his previous experience with the dungeon, he immediately headed toward the summit, where Maxie awaited. He took only a few steps before hearing a familiar shout from a Team Magma grunt.
"There's a Team Aqua member over there! But he's not in uniform?"
"Who cares? If he's not one of us, take him out!"
John sighed. "Didn't I hear this exact line last time?"
A Mightyena appeared before him, growling menacingly. Its level indicator read LV32—a challenge for most, but not for John's Blaziken. Without hesitation, John released his starter from its Pokeball.
"Blaziken, clear the way!" he commanded.
Blaziken leapt forward, its powerful legs striking the ground as it launched into action. In a blur of red, it closed the distance and delivered a devastating kick. The Mightyena yelped as it was sent flying into the distance.
And so it continued. John advanced steadily while Blaziken dealt with every obstacle—both Magma and Aqua Pokemon—with ruthless efficiency. The Fire-type's pent-up anger fueled its attacks, and John could only grin in approval.
"Nice work," he muttered. Even defeating Aqua Pokemon earned experience, and the dungeon's high-level battles provided a faster route to growth than standard grinding.
Within minutes, John encountered a familiar blocking his path. The Magma admin sneered. "Who are you? How dare you interfere with Team Magma's plans!"