Her words caught Ariel somewhat by surprise.
This boss's style of doing things was truly the typical 'carrot and stick' approach.
"To ensure you have enough competitiveness in Kanto, I'm giving you a chance to choose."
Ariana's fingertip tapped lightly on the tabletop, and another holographic projection lit up.
On it, there were no longer cold data and text.
Instead, there were Pokémon, one after another... each with a different appearance, but every single one exuding a terrifying aura.
Dratini, Larvitar, Beldum, Bagon, Gible... each one was the pinnacle of its species!
Each one represented a terrifying power that, once grown to its final stage, could become a regional overlord!
Pseudo-Legendary!
At this moment, Ariel's breath hitched for a beat.
Despite having lived two lives and being used to great storms, his heart couldn't help but beat violently right now.
These weren't ordinary Pokémon; these were tickets to the peak of strength!
The young of any Pseudo-Legendary was a treasure so rare that it was priceless on the black market, enough to make countless Trainers go mad.
And now, Ariana was laying them all out before him as if she were picking out cabbages at a wet market.
"Pick one."
Ariana's voice carried a hint of playfulness, as if she were enjoying the internal fluctuations Ariel couldn't hide at this moment.
"I will use my channels to prepare a youngling with the top-tier talent for you. Remember, you only have one chance."
Ariel's gaze was fixed intently on the screen.
His brain was working at high speed.
Tyranitar's Sandstorm domain and powerful physical attacks... Salamence's Intimidate ability and aerial combat capabilities... Metagross's Psychic power and impeccable calculation skills... Garchomp's speed and broad coverage... every choice could determine his future fighting style and team composition.
This 'carrot' was too big—so big it felt like a hot potato.
It was also so big... that it was simply impossible to refuse.
Pseudo-Legendary.
The term itself carried a heavy weight.
He hadn't expected that just as he had taken on a heavy burden and was feeling the pressure, Ariana would give such a generous reward.
This was undoubtedly recognition, but also an investment.
Among the assembly of Pseudo-Legendaries, Ariel quickly locked onto two Pokémon.
"Tyranitar and Hydreigon..."
He murmured to himself, chewing over these two names repeatedly.
As a Trainer specializing in the Dark-type, owning a Dark-type Pseudo-Legendary pokémon was definitely Ariel's optimal solution before his team was fully formed.
Tyranitar, a combination of Dark and Rock, was a natural mobile fortress, possessing both offense and defense.
It could whip up a Sandstorm through its Sand Stream ability, instantly changing the battlefield environment. Combined with its heavy body and amazing physical attacks, it was enough to tear through an opponent's defensive lines.
That was a pure, crushing power.
If he had such a Pokémon, his team would gain unprecedented tenacity and a sense of oppression.
In some battles of attrition, Tyranitar's strategic value would be immeasurable.
However, his thoughts turned to Hydreigon.
The dual typing of Dark and Dragon gave it extremely high offensive coverage.
The Levitate ability made it immune to Ground-type moves, making up for its lack of flight-based immunity.
More importantly, Hydreigon's special attack capabilities, combined with its high speed, could create a devastating strike.
It was more like a razor-sharp dagger, stabbing directly into the enemy's heart.
Ariel's gaze switched back and forth between the images of the two Pokémon in his mind, weighing the pros and cons.
Tyranitar's strength was unquestionable, but it did have a certain overlap in tactical positioning with the Krookodile already in his team.
Krookodile was also Dark and Ground-type, had powerful physical attacks, and could provide a certain amount of pressure resistance.
If he added Tyranitar now, the improvement to the team's overall diversity would be limited in the short term, and it might even lead to a dispersion of combat power due to resource tilting.
He had imagined building a Sandstorm team, where Tyranitar would definitely be the core, but that was a longer-term plan rather than an immediate necessity.
Hydreigon was different.
Not only could it bring rare Dragon-type output to the team, filling a current elemental gap, but more importantly, it shared a tactical possibility with Malamar that could subvert conventional battling.
The corner of Ariel's mouth inadvertently curled into a small arc; it was the excitement of discovering a brilliant solution.
Malamar's ability was Contrary, which could reverse stat changes.
If Malamar learned Skill Swap and gave Contrary to Hydreigon, how amazing would the result be?
"Draco Meteor!"
This move flashed through his mind.
Draco Meteor is one of the most powerful Dragon-type special moves, possessing immense power, but it significantly lowers the user's Special Attack after use.
But once 'Contrary' takes effect, the Special Attack wouldn't drop; instead, it would increase significantly!
One Draco Meteor, and Special Attack skyrockets!
Another one, and Special Attack soars again!
What kind of unstoppable burst would that be?
It would simply make those who hear of it weep and those who see it tremble.
This tactic would not only instantly create a terrifying output machine but also cleverly utilize Pokémon abilities to turn negative effects into gains.
This matched his consistent fighting style: not sticking to tradition and seeking victory through surprise.
He made his decision.
"Lady Ariana,"
Ariel looked up, his eyes firm,
"I choose Hydreigon."
Upon hearing this, Ariana's eyebrows arched slightly, and a playful expression appeared on her face.
"Oh? Hydreigon? That's quite interesting."
Her voice carried a hint of subtle appreciation,
"Not many people choose this Pokémon. They are brutal by nature and extremely difficult to control; you'll have to tame it well."
"I certainly will."
Ariel's tone was steady. He knew this seemingly simple gift actually contained Ariana's test of his ability and will.
Mastering powerful forces was a necessary path for the strong.
Ariana nodded, then turned to the side and gave a few instructions to her secretary.
Then she spoke to Ariel: "Someone will hand over the Hydreigon egg to you in the Kanto region."
"The cruise ship is about to arrive."
Ariana's gaze fell on Ariel again, carrying a hint of deep meaning,
"Go get ready. The name of the cruise ship is the victory."
This sentence was both an order and an urging.
Ariel understood that his new journey had already begun.