Feebas's Choice

Dragon-Raising System?

What was that?

No, the key question was why there was a voice ringing in his head, wasn't it?

Having never read novels and knowing nothing about the existence of systems, Feebas instantly fell into a state of fear and confusion.

He had only just entered the Poké Ball of the trainer he admired, and a wonderful future had been beckoning to him. Why had this suddenly happened?

Could something filthy have gotten into my head?

He tried muttering in his mind, W-what are you?

[Hello, esteemed host. I am the Dragon-Raising System, capable of helping you grow into a supreme existence that can punch Kyogre and kick Groudon!]

Feebas was even more confused. What were Groudon and Kyogre? He had never even heard of them.

"Are they stronger than the Gyarados King, the strongest in our waters?"

The voice called the system paused before replying.

[I do not know how strong the Gyarados King you speak of is, but even the strongest Gyarados is merely a Caterpie before your fully evolved form, Host.]

"What's a Caterpie?" There were no Caterpie in the water, so this was another gap in Feebas's knowledge.

[In any case, with my help, Host, you will become an existence that amazes and commands the submission of all Pokémon!]

Feebas froze. Huh? Why did those words sound so familiar? Hadn't he just heard them?

He remembered now. Weren't those the words Xia Chen had said before catching him?

So this was what Xia Chen had meant by something that could make him stronger without a Prism Scale!

Then this thing called the system was Xia Chen's gift to him?

"I understand. Then let's work hard together! By the way, what can you do, System?"

Hearing Feebas finally ask a normal question, the system immediately responded.

[Ding~ The first stage of the system has been activated. Please choose your corresponding growth template!]

[Option One: Despair Black Dragon Nidhogg! The black dragon coiled around the roots of the World Tree, the incarnation of despair and calamity. Legend says that when the roots are gnawed away, the World Tree will wither, the world will be destroyed, and all things will descend into chaos amid despair.]

Feebas frowned. "Why destroy the world? What a bad dragon. I don't want to become that!"

[Option Two: Chaos Dragon Leviathan! The first living being created by a god of a certain world during the creation of that world. Its body blots out the sky and sun, and a single movement can destroy the world!]

"Isn't there a more normal option? Don't keep destroying the world at the drop of a hat."

[The system has used big data to determine your preferences. Option Three: Green Dragon Queen Ysera, guardian of the Emerald Dream. Due to her kindness toward living beings, she became their guardian and the soul of the world, possessing the power to command nature!]

"Mm, that sounds nice, but she's a queen? I'm a male fish... Never mind, never mind. Are there more?"

[Reassessing your preferences. Option Four: Genesis Dragon Zhulong, one of the creator deities of a certain world. Its body stretches for a thousand li; when it opens its eyes, it is day, and when it closes them, it is night. It holds an eternal flame in its mouth, capable of incinerating all things in an instant!]

"A thousand li... That's way too long. Wouldn't Xia Chen be so tiny in front of me that I couldn't even see him? This one won't do either."

[Option Five: Yinglong, one of the most powerful beings of a certain world's ancient age, the dragon clan's god of war. When he appears, all things stir. He also possesses the power to command wind and rain; with a sweep of his Dragon Tail, he can draw borders and form rivers. He is the god of rivers!]

Feebas, who had been finding fault with every option until now, was finally moved. The god of rivers... That suited him perfectly!

"I've decided. I choose Yinglong!"

[The host has completed template selection. Adjustments have been made according to the Pokémon World. Yinglong's corresponding types are: Water, Dragon. Base Stats growth limit: 1000. Final Ability: Primordial Sea.]

(This novel's setting does not have Base Stats. This is merely an estimate based on the Pokémon system.)

[The second stage of the system will now begin. Congratulations, Host, on obtaining a beginner's gift pack: one top-grade Mysterious Water and one White Jade Orb.]

[Yinglong template loaded. Current growth progress: 0%. Please continue working hard, Host!]

(This is a traditional Pokémon novel. It will not actually evolve into the mythical Yinglong, so please rest assured.)

Xia Chen had no idea how many exciting events had unfolded inside the Poké Ball. At that moment, he was still immersed in the joy of catching the Pokémon he wanted.

He had never considered this Feebas's aptitude. High would be nice, but low did not matter.

Xia Chen caught Pokémon purely by feeling. Otherwise, he would not have turned down Jiang Qian's kind offer to give him a high-aptitude Feebas.

After all, his ultimate goal was merely to become a gym leader who coasted through life. A Pokémon's potential ceiling was not that important.

What he did not know was that, due to the intervention of some unknown power, the Feebas he had just caught now possessed an unbelievably high potential ceiling.

Although it was already late when they returned to the city, after returning Arcanine to Jiang Qian, Xia Chen still excitedly wandered through the Silph Pokémon Department Store.

He had just scored a free annual membership card and some cash, so of course he had to spend some of it.

Besides, Feebas had just joined the family. He had to prepare a proper welcome gift for him.

After thinking it over, Xia Chen realized that he and Eevee were terrestrial creatures with habits vastly different from Feebas's. It would be better to ask Feebas what he wanted.

Xia Chen first bought a small plastic bag and filled it with water, then put Feebas inside and carried him around as he shopped.

Xia Chen's unique shopping style gave him a two-hundred-percent head-turn rate—

More than a few people turned back for another look at the young man who had to ask Feebas for advice before buying anything.

Compared to the two large training devices he had bought after catching Eevee, Feebas's needs were much simpler.

A huge aquarium several dozen cubic meters in size was enough to satisfy him.

Although even the largest aquarium was not one ten-thousandth the size of the vast Cloud Marsh Lake.

But no matter how large Cloud Marsh Lake was, not even a tiny stream belonged to him.

Here, however, Feebas could have a small world all to himself, as well as hope of rising from insignificance.

The next morning.

Silph Co.'s delivery speed was quite impressive. Early in the morning, they sent staff members and several Machamp to Xia Chen's home to install the high-tech aquarium, worth tens of thousands, in his living room.

Looking at the rich scenery within the azure aquarium and Feebas happily swimming through his new home, Xia Chen grinned and nodded in satisfaction.

"This is where the aquarium belongs! Before, I always felt like the living room was missing something. Isn't that right, Eevee?"

"Eevee. (Yeah, yeah, yeah.)"

Eevee watched the news while recalling opportunities worth taking advantage of during this period, responding to Xia Chen in a perfunctory tone.

Hmph. You stinking man, always ditching the old for the new.

"Alright, you two play in the living room. I'm going to make breakfast." After calling out to them, Xia Chen hummed a cheerful tune as he headed into the kitchen.

The moment Eevee heard the kitchen door slide shut, she immediately jumped off the sofa and walked up to the aquarium.

As the undisputed big sister of this household, Eevee felt obligated to teach the newcomer a lesson!