One Month (Please Bookmark, Please Vote)

Although Teacher Arno did not think Eichi could become a Bug-type Elite Four, he believed Eichi could get into Silver Academy.

So, over the next while, Teacher Arno would help Eichi get into Silver Academy.

Teacher Arno told Eichi that Tokiwa City was also one of the testing sites for Silver Academy's Entrance Assessment.

The assessment would be held a little over a month from now. Counting carefully, there were about forty days left.

He told Eichi to prepare well.

Then, he took three books from a drawer and told Eichi to take them home and study them carefully. If there was anything he did not understand, he could come ask him.

Eichi hurriedly thanked Teacher Arno. After bidding him farewell, he took the three books home.

Next, Eichi went to Amelie's Breeding House to ask about Metapod.

He also asked what he needed to watch out for. Amelie told him, "During the Metapod stage, it can't eat through its mouth, and it doesn't need to eat either."

"After some time, it will evolve into Beedrill on its own."

After chatting with Amelie, Eichi went home.

That night, Eichi sat at his desk and opened one of the three books Teacher Arno had given him that day.

He skimmed through it, then skimmed through the other two as well.

He found that the knowledge in them was not in the school textbooks. They went much deeper than what he had learned from his own books.

For example, one question asked how many moves Bulbasaur could theoretically learn on its way to evolving into Venusaur among the Starter Pokémon.

The Primary School textbooks only gave a rough introduction to three or four of Bulbasaur's moves, nothing more.

In theory, Venusaur could learn nineteen moves. Of course, that referred to moves it could learn by itself, not moves learned through TMs.

And that was just one Pokémon, yet there was already so much added content! The scope covered all Pokémon in Kanto and the Chengdu region.

That was only part of it. There were many other areas of knowledge with major additions as well.

Eichi remembered Teacher Arno once telling him that, with his current knowledge, he would have no problem taking the Silver Academy assessment.

However, it was still unrealistic for him to beat those applying for the Research Major and Breeding Major and secure one of the top thirty tuition-free spots.

That was why Teacher Arno had specially prepared these three books for Eichi.

Eichi stroked Metapod's smooth head and said, "Metapod, we have to work hard."

The Entrance Assessment in a little over a month would be enough to affect my future.

Do you remember what I told you? I'll definitely train you into the strongest Bug-type Pokémon.

"This is my promise!"

That night, as usual, a stream of azure energy flowed into Metapod's body as Eichi slept.

Metapod drifted into dreams in a state of bliss.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, a month had passed.

At Tokiwa Primary School, after all the students had left, a figure finally rose and headed for an office.

He knocked on the door, and a voice from inside called, "Come in."

He pushed open the door, walked in, and pulled over a chair to sit down.

Who was it? Of course, it was Eichi. Over the past month, he had been preparing for the assessment, as if he had returned to the final sprint of his senior year in his previous life.

Still, this was easier than his previous life. Most of the knowledge only needed to be memorized; he did not have to study physics, chemistry, or biology.

After a month of hard work, Eichi felt that he had learned well enough. He had come today to have Teacher Arno test his results.

Eichi handed the three books to Teacher Arno. Ano flipped through them and picked a topic. "First question: what moves can Arbok learn by itself?"

Eichi thought for a moment before answering, "Arbok, the Cobra Pokémon.

It can learn twenty-one moves by itself: Crunch, Ice Fang, Thunder Fang, Fire Fang, Bind, Leer, Poison Sting, Bite, Glare,

Screech, Acid, Stockpile, Swallow, Spit Up, Acid Bomb, Mud Bomb, Gastro Acid, Belch, Black Fog, Coil, and Gunk Shot."

Teacher Arno said, "Not bad."

He asked several more questions, and Eichi answered every one of them with ease.

This left Teacher Arno rather shocked. Eichi had memorized all three books in only a month.

Teacher Arno happily told Eichi, "Eichi, even if you took the assessment right now, you could place in the top ten."

Eichi felt relieved. At last, he had heard those words.

After chatting with Teacher Arno for a little longer, Eichi said goodbye and left.

When he got home, he had dinner with his father before returning to his room.

He released Metapod from its Poké Ball and sighed. "Metapod, it's been a whole month. Why haven't you evolved yet?"

The Entrance Assessment is in one week. I was counting on you to show your might.

Metapod slowly made a faint sound in response.

That night, lying in bed, Eichi's thoughts drifted afar.

A month had passed, yet Metapod still had not evolved. Yesterday, Eichi had taken Metapod to the Pokémon Center for an examination.

Nurse Joy said that the energy within Metapod's body had almost accumulated to its limit, and it might evolve within the next few days.

Nurse Joy had also said that she had never seen a Metapod with so much energy in its body.

Eichi wondered how strong it would be after evolving. He was looking forward to finding out exactly how strong it would become.

Once Metapod evolved into Beedrill, he would need to make a new training plan. By then, Beedrill would also know far more moves.

It would no longer be like when it was a Weedle, with only three moves.

That was enough against ordinary Pokémon, but when it encountered Pokémon from those direct League families, it was somewhat lacking.

Come to think of it, Eichi felt that his eyes had started itching again lately.

It reminded him of when he had found the Weedle egg.

Back then, it seemed his eyes had undergone some sort of change.

What was that stream of azure energy he had seen?

Eichi thought it might be his cheat ability, but this cheat ability was far too lousy.

Nothing had happened with it until now, but his eyes had begun itching again.

A vague guess arose in Eichi's heart.

The next day, Eichi unusually felt like visiting Amelie's Breeding House.

The moment he entered the city, Eichi sensed a hint of tension in Tokiwa City's air.

It was still lively, but something felt off.

When Eichi arrived at Amelie's Breeding House, he saw that she was frowning.

Eichi walked over and asked with concern, "Amelie, why are you so unhappy?"

Seeing that it was Eichi, Amelie explained, "Over the past two days, a Poaching Gang has appeared. They've been capturing Pokémon all over Viridian Forest and selling them on the black market."

According to Officer Jenny, this group of poachers was ruthless. They had left behind many Pokémon corpses at their crime scenes.

"These people are truly awful. So many Pokémon lives have been lost just like that."

Eichi was furious after hearing this. He had not been this angry in a long time.

Too bad Metapod had not evolved yet. Otherwise, I'd let them have a taste of my Beedrill's Poison Sting.

These people were too despicable. After leaving the Breeding House, Eichi went to a store and bought a communicator.

Just in case he encountered that group, he could call the police and notify Officer Jenny.

Eichi planned to go back and tell Agawa and the others to be more careful these next few days. It would be best if they stopped going to Viridian Forest.

After Eichi had warned them last time, they behaved for a few days before returning to their old ways.

Eichi could do nothing about it. He had already warned them, but they were still the same, so he would let them do as they pleased.