"Whoa, you're not playing fair!" Finn felt frustrated seeing the Caterpie use its String Shot move. Is there any justice? A mouse getting bullied by a bug. Clearly, having a ranged attack is the way to go.
He quickly used Quick Attack. Relying on his Pokémon body's battle instincts, at least he wouldn't just spin in circles this time. It wasn't enough to counterattack, only to dodge.
Seeing the Rattata use Quick Attack, the Caterpie stayed calm. It started shooting silk in various spots on the ground to ruin the terrain and slow Finn down.
Finn sadly realized he didn't have many good attack options. He wasn't skilled with Iron Tail yet, so he had to brace himself and use Tackle. * Oh heavens, am I the unluckiest person to be reborn like this? *
Seeing the bald Rattata charge at it, the Caterpie felt a strange urge to laugh. In that brief moment of distraction, Finn's attack hit. The Tackle sent the malnourished Caterpie flying into the air before it landed hard on the ground. * Bald guys really are scary creatures... * That was the Caterpie's last thought before fainting.
"Hmph, I, Finn Ray, am very fierce." This was Finn's first victory since becoming a Rattata.
Congratulations Trash Host for unlocking the achievement: First Victory.
Reward: 10,000 Energy Points, Template Lottery Ticket x1.
Energy Points were the currency for System Shop II. In the shop, one Berry cost 2,000 Energy Points. Getting Energy Points wasn't easy. Previously, Finn only got 3 points for a draw, and this victory itself only yielded 10 points. The large reward came purely from the achievement.
Next came the sacred event of the lottery draw.
"System, can I ask you for a favor?" Finn felt very sincere.
"Speak."
"Could you please play some lucky background music?"
"...As your System, I find my existence quite sad." Despite saying this, the System agreed to Finn's reasonable request.
As upbeat music played, Finn drew a Boss Tier 2 Caterpie Template. His mood instantly soured. * Heavens, couldn't I get something useful? *
"Boss, aren't we going to the river anymore?" Quip asked.
* I want to be alone. Don't ask me who Alone is! * Finn felt a sadness deeper than any song could capture.
But then, seeing the Caterpie wake up from fainting, Finn's sadness drifted away like a breeze in Viridian Forest. He had a bold idea.
"Hey there, little bug, you are the wind, I am the sand, let's stick together, to the ends of the earth..." Finn paused. "Ahem, little bug, look how skinny you are. Life alone must be hard, right? Stick with us from now on, and I guarantee you'll eat and drink well." Finn put on a smile like the big bad wolf meeting Little Red Riding Hood.
Can you imagine the terrifying sight of a bald Rattata making such an evil grin? The Caterpie was experiencing it firsthand. * What should I do? It's urgent, need help online! *
In the next fraction of a second, the Caterpie made the best decision of its bug life. If Finn knew the Caterpie joined because it thought Finn and Quip were too ugly, making it look good by comparison, he might have just eliminated it on the spot. Walking beside Finn and Quip, the Caterpie felt like it had reached the peak of its looks.
Arriving confidently at the riverbank, Finn suddenly realized a problem. Magikarp are Pokémon that live in the water.
* Without strong opponents like Magikarp, how am I supposed to reach level six? * Seeing Finn take no action, Quip and the Caterpie sat down on a rock to rest, feeling comfortable after drinking some water.
Just then, Finn felt a sharp pain in his tail. He instinctively used Iron Tail, whipping it forward. A Magikarp was flung onto the shore. While Finn was spacing out, his tail had drooped into the water without him noticing. A Magikarp mistook it for food and bit down, leading to this accidental fishing scene.
"Let's battle, Magikarp." Faced with such a "powerful" opponent, Finn saw no reason to let it go. He struck first, using Tackle to charge at the Magikarp.
Yes, Splash. The legendary Splash. The Magikarp used Splash to jump, not only dodging the Tackle but also landing heavily right on top of Finn.
What's it like for a 0.3-meter Rattata to be pinned by a 0.9-meter Magikarp? Finn could tell you. * Who said Magikarp are weak? Just watch me beat them up! * Pinned under the Magikarp, Finn started doubting life.
* No, I think I can still save myself, * Finn thought, trying to find a way out. Thinking quickly, he started digging at the dirt beneath him with his claws and teeth.
Congratulations Host for learning the move Dig. Achievement unlocked.
Reward: Skill Lottery Ticket x2.
Finn found the System's voice lovely for the first time.
Having learned Dig, Finn's front claws and sharp teeth instinctively dug into the ground at amazing speed! He instantly burrowed underground, then shot out from the Magikarp's blind spot behind it, launching into the air. His already charged Iron Tail struck the Magikarp hard.
The Magikarp fainted dramatically. The expected evolution into a counterattacking Gyarados didn't happen.
* Boss is amazing, * Quip said. This wasn't just empty praise; Quip genuinely thought Finn was strong. It could only be said that Quip was too innocent.
* So easy! * Riding the wave of good luck from his victory, Finn started the skill lottery. A virtual capsule machine spun in his mind, and an exciting skill appeared: Teleport.
* Haha, my luck is finally turning around! Learn, learn! * Teleport was a great skill.
Conditions not met. Cannot learn.
The System's annoying voice chimed in, making Finn's rat life feel like a rollercoaster again.
"System, I need an explanation! Are you really just a defective product?" Who could stand these constant mood swings?
Teleport is a Psychic type move. For the Host to learn it without psychic abilities requires immense mental willpower and a strong physique, neither of which the Host possesses. So, you're just weak. Are you blaming me?
If the System could appear, it would definitely give Finn a scornful look.
* Absolutely no game experience... *
Congratulations Host for obtaining the Skill Scroll: Poison Sting.
* System, you definitely did that on purpose. * In just one minute, Finn's mood graph formed a huge V shape. Who could handle this? Quip and Caterpie, already used to Finn zoning out, suddenly felt a breath of spring air.
Finn was overjoyed. He felt his spring had finally arrived. He finally had a ranged skill! After learning Poison Sting, the whole world seemed more appealing. Feeling great, Finn decided to give his two followers some benefits.
"Quip, target that big tree and use your attack moves."
"Okay, Boss."
* Hmm, having reliable followers like this is great, * Finn thought happily. But his good mood only lasted until the next second.:
Focus Energy, Razor Leaf, Bite, Super Fang, Tackle. After Quip unleashed this combo, the tree Finn pointed at collapsed, completely wrecked.
Seeing this, Finn felt terrible. * We're both Rattata, why is there such a huge difference? Is this the gap between a regular player and a VIP?! *
Because Quip was a Shiny Pokémon, its Grass energy was stronger than its original Normal type energy, making its Razor Leaf incredibly destructive. Finn decided then and there to boost Quip's power even more. He would exchange his 10,000 Energy Points for 5 Basic Special Attack Berries.
He recalled the System Shop rules: there were limits on Berries for followers. The total limit for basic Berries was 10. This meant that regardless of which stat Berry was eaten (Attack, Special Attack, Defense, Special Defense, Speed, HP), the total number of all five types combined could not exceed 10 before they stopped having an effect.
With the decision made, Finn focused his mind on the System Shop interface. He used the 10,000 Energy Points earned from his first victory achievement, mentally selected 'Basic Special Attack Berry x5' from the shop list, and confirmed the purchase.
Suddenly, five small, slightly glowing berries popped into existence on the ground right in front of Finn.
Quip and the recently recruited Caterpie jumped back slightly, surprised. They stared at the strange berries that appeared out of nowhere.
Finn looked at his loyal follower. He nudged the five berries towards Quip with his nose, trying to show they were a gift. * "These are for you, Quip," * Finn conveyed with his intention.
Quip looked at Finn, then at the berries. Trusting his leader completely, he stepped forward and quickly gobbled up all five berries without hesitation.
As soon as Quip finished eating, Finn heard the System's announcement in his mind:
Congratulations Host, follower Quip's Razor Leaf move power has broken its limit. Quip has comprehended Grass energy, awakened the Overgrow Ability, and its template has grown to Boss Tier 3.
* Wait, something seems wrong! * Finn felt there was a serious issue with the System's words, but he didn't think too deeply about it.
* Quip, why does it feel like you're the one with the cheat system? * Finn had suffered too many blows and was already numb. While envious, he was also happy for Quip's growth.
"Caterpie, have you decided? Follow me loyally, and you will become stronger." Finn looked seriously at the Caterpie, waiting for its answer.
Having witnessed Quip clearly grow stronger after eating the 5 Berries Finn provided, Caterpie no longer resisted the idea of being a follower. After all, they were all Pokémon, and it was much easier for Finn to gain a Pokémon's trust than for a human. "Boss, I will follow you loyally."
Congratulations Host for gaining a new follower, Caterpie. Unfortunately, there is no reward.
The shameless System made its presence known again.
"Relax your mind. Don't resist any changes you feel." Following the System's guidance, Finn applied the Boss Tier 2 Template to Caterpie.
The Caterpie felt a special energy flow into its body, filling it with power. Its body, originally thin from malnutrition, began to grow stronger. However, after the initial comfort, Caterpie felt like every channel in its body was breaking apart. The intense pain almost made it pass out.
Finn wasn't surprised by Caterpie's reaction; the System had already explained that upgrading with a System template involved restructuring muscles and tissues.
Five minutes later, the Caterpie finally returned to normal. If a Bug-type Pokémon researcher were present, they would surely remark on how perfectly this Caterpie had developed.
"Thank you, Boss. I feel great now."
Looking at his two talented followers, then at his own weak self, Finn still felt quite sad.
Life is so hard. Finn silently popped a crunchy little bug into his mouth. He didn't dare use his tail to fish for Magikarp again. What if he hooked a Gyarados this time? He'd have to sing a sad song for himself.
"Sss~" Just as the three were eating their dinner, a faint sound came from behind. Turning around, they saw an Ekans flicking its tongue, coldly staring at Finn and his group. In an instant, the two Rattata went from hunters to prey.