Pokemon: Bounty Hunter

In just less than half a month, Silas had spent a total of 500,000 PokéDollars.

With that, he had practically burned through the extra earnings he had accumulated earlier. It was the first time he had ever spent so much in one go.

But of course, the results were worth it—Pidgeotto had reached level 36 at a pace more than twice as fast compared to a normal training regimen (one without dumping that 500,000 PokéDollars).

Silas had a strong hunch that Pidgeotto was now just one step away from evolution.

However, looking at the data on his computer—both his own analysis and the specialized training program provided by Zero it was clear that Pidgeotto's progress had almost come to a standstill at this point.

Something was missing.

After all, Pokémon evolution was a mysterious process, and no one knew exactly what triggered it.

Maybe it was a lack of energy, maybe it required the stimulus of battle, or maybe it was influenced by the Pokémon's own will—there were too many factors at play.

For now, Silas decided to focus on earning some money through missions while waiting for the right moment to come. He remained calm and patient.

Evolution wasn't something that could be forced, even for a Pidgeotto as exceptional as his.

After all, there were countless Pidgeottos in the world that never managed to evolve into Pidgeot.

No point in rushing it.

The experiences shared by veteran trainers on the forums, as well as documented research, all pointed to one thing let it happen naturally.

Some Pokémon evolved while eating, some evolved during training, and others evolved after a hard-fought battle.

There were many precedents for each scenario.

Silas was confident in both himself and Pidgeotto.

At the very least, he wasn't in the same boat as those trainers whose Pokémon spent months or even years unable to reach their final evolution, simply because their potential or resources were lacking.

Silas first took Pidgeotto to the Pokémon Center for recovery.

While there, he also grabbed lunch for both himself and Pidgeotto.

Once they had finished eating, he returned Pidgeotto to its Poké Ball and made his way toward the Bounty Hunter Center to look for potential missions he needed to ease his financial burden.

Upon reaching the mission hall, Silas inserted his Trainer ID card into the terminal, bringing up the available tasks on the screen.

Mission Listings:

Task ID: 19789170519

Mission Rank: B

Objective: Obtain a recently shed Arbok skin (within one week)

Reward: 250,000 - 400,000 PokéDollars (based on quality, evaluated by a specialist)

[Ongoing long-term request]

Task ID: 28798579871

Mission Rank: B

Objective: Collect 50+ Beedrill Poison Stingers

Reward: 2,100 PokéDollars per stinger

[Ongoing long-term request, small-scale collection only]

Task ID: 67846169849

Mission Rank: C

Objective: Gather 300ml of Gloom's nectar

Reward: 35,000 PokéDollars

[Ongoing long-term request, small-scale collection only]

Task ID: 69657462445

Mission Rank: C

Objective: Protect a farm in the outskirts from Pokémon disturbances (minimum three days)

Reward: 10,000 PokéDollars per day

[Ongoing long-term request]

Task ID: 76466400178

Mission Rank: C

Objective: Collect 100g of Redheart Grass

Reward: 40,000 PokéDollars

[Expires in 1 day]

Task ID: 78074861986

Mission Rank: C

Objective: Clear a Caterpie colony near the main road in Viridian Forest (max strength: four Butterfree at peak-standard level)

Reward: 70,000 PokéDollars

[Expires in 11 hours]

Most long-term tasks were too time-consuming, meaning their efficiency wasn't as high as one-time tasks.

The Arbok skin mission was decent, but Silas wasn't strong enough to take on such a dangerous predator.

His focus shifted to two temporary missions that seemed ideal.

After some thought, Silas chose the Caterpie colony cleanup mission.

This kind of task perfectly suited Pidgeotto.

The other mission, while easier, had a longer time commitment and lower profit.

Besides, this would be a great opportunity to test Pidgeotto's progress.

Although he could already analyze training data and battle records, nothing compared to real wild encounters in terms of practical experience.

Unfortunately, a trainer could only accept one mission at a time if it was the same rank as their Hunter Rank.

Lower-ranked missions? Sure, he could accept up to three at once.

But it was a common rule meant to prevent trainers from monopolizing all the available jobs.

And no, trying to collect items during battle, then coming back to switch missions and submit them separately wasn't an option.

Other bounty hunters weren't stupid.

Gathering missions like the Redheart Grass request were high in demand, and by the time Silas completed his battle, someone else would have already claimed it.

Once the mission was confirmed, his Trainer ID card was updated with the mission data.

Silas pulled out his ID, pocketed it, and headed out.

Since he had already brought along various potions and supplies for morning training, there was no need for extra preparation.

Opening his PokéGear, he checked the mission coordinates, which had been automatically uploaded to his personal map.

Following the main road, it didn't take long before he arrived at the target location—the area where the Caterpie colony had settled.

Silas hid behind a tree, carefully observing the Pokémon's positions and numbers.

At the moment, the Butterfree were focused on gathering nectar.

"Looks like they just migrated here... This spot is way too close to the road—travelers could easily get attacked."

Silas analyzed the situation.

People often underestimated Butterfree, assuming they were harmless.

However, Butterfree's wings were covered in toxic scales that repelled water.

When agitated, they could violently flap their wings, dispersing a cloud of poisonous powder into the air.

If inhaled, it could cause dizziness, numbness, or even paralysis—a serious threat to humans.

A single mistake in the wild could easily be fatal.

Silas released Pidgeotto, signaling with a hand gesture.

Understanding immediately, Pidgeotto soared into the air, circling above.

Meanwhile, Silas used Zero to scan the colony for precise details.

The Butterfree were exactly as listed—three of them were at peak-standard level...

However, Silas frowned as he noticed an unexpected change. Zero had identified one of the Butterfree as an Advance-level Pokémon. It seemed that one of them had just broken through to the next stage.

Given that this particular Butterfree's potential had always been at the Advance level, its advancement wasn't surprising. But for Silas, this was an issue.

If there were only four peak Standard Butterfree, even with the interference of over twenty Caterpie and Metapod, Pidgeotto would still be able to handle the situation.

Now, with an Advance-level Butterfree in the mix, things were no longer so simple.

Silas considered abandoning the mission. Worst case, he wouldn't be able to accept another mission for three days.

After all, dealing with a newly advanced Advance Level Butterfree alongside three peak Standard level Butterfree was a significant challenge. Pidgeotto might struggle against such an opponent.

Silas furrowed his brows. If Pidgeotto hadn't improved significantly from its training, he wouldn't have dared to take on such a mission before reaching the Elite level—it was too unpredictable.

This time, luck had placed an Advance-level wild Butterfree right in his path.

This was also the first time Silas had encountered such a powerful wild Pokémon, especially this close to Viridian City.

After calculating the risks and rewards, Silas realized that an Advance-level Butterfree could be worth 1,000,000 Pokédollars on the black market. If it knew Confusion, the price could double to 2,000,000.

Gritting his teeth, Silas made his decision. He would take the risk.

The enemy was out in the open, while he had the advantage of stealth. If he could take out two of the Butterfree first, the odds would be in his favor.

Silas retreated a short distance and recalled Pidgeotto to his side.

Carefully, he and Pidgeotto moved around the colony, looking for an opportunity to strike.

The four Butterfree were unaware that a hunter was watching them from the shadows, happily collecting nectar.

Slowly but surely, the distance between the two pairs of Butterfree increased.

Silas and Pidgeotto silently followed the pair that consisted of two peak ordinary Butterfree.

When the other two were finally out of sight, Silas gave the signal.

"Quick Attack to close in, then use Wing Attack to finish it fast!"

Pidgeotto had successfully mastered Wing Attack after recent training, making it a powerful addition to its arsenal.

With a flash of light, Pidgeotto shot forward like a bullet, slamming into the two Butterfree and knocking them to the ground.

Then, with a graceful aerial spin, Pidgeotto flapped its wings, gathering white energy before striking at the stunned Butterfree.

The two Butterfree, still dazed from the initial attack, barely managed to flutter their wings before Pidgeotto's powerful Wing Attack struck.

"Bang!" The two Butterfree were sent flying by the sheer force of the blow.

Silas didn't hesitate. "Use Agility, then Tackle to finish them off."

Pidgeotto immediately activated Agility, its body becoming lighter as its speed increased. It then launched itself at the two helpless Butterfree with a powerful Tackle.

"Thud! Thud!"

Two dull impacts echoed as both Butterfree were knocked out before they could even attempt a counterattack.

Silas watched Pidgeotto's swift and decisive actions, nodding in satisfaction.

Wing Attack had helped cover one of Pidgeotto's previous weaknesses. Before, while its speed was exceptional, its offensive options were limited.

Gust took too long to charge, and its other attacks lacked power, making quick battles difficult.

That was why Silas had struggled against a swarm of Beedrill in a previous encounter—he had to fight a drawn-out battle of attrition.

But now, with Wing Attack, taking down a group of Level 20 Beedrill would be much easier.

Silas threw two Poké Balls, capturing the fallen Butterfree. These would serve as proof for the mission.

After shrinking the Poké Balls and storing them in his bag, Silas fed Pidgeotto an Oran Berry to recover some stamina. Then, he silently made his way back toward the Butterfree colony's nest.

Now, only the Advanced-level Butterfree and the last peak Standard-level Butterfree remained.

Silas patiently waited for them to return to the nest, preparing to strike at the perfect moment.

T/N: From what i know

Level 1-5 = Infancy Stage

Level 5 -15= Beginner Stage

Level 15- 30= Standard Stage

Level 30+ =Advance Stage