The experience they gained from the Pokemon in this dungeon was much more than Dante anticipated.
After just sweeping the first floor, everyone in the team gained one level. Eevee and Ninetales, who had the lowest level, even leveled up twice.
"At this point, maybe we'd reach level 60."
Dante mused, though he knew it was highly unlikely. Just like at Mt. Thunder, when they reached a certain level, the experience needed to level up would increase massively.
Their team climbed to the second floor and swept all the Pokemon and items again. They found Gold Ribbons, Dusk Stones, Leaf Stones, all kinds of Seeds and Berries and other items. Not to mention the treasure chests dropped by the Pokemon they knock out.
They proceeded to do the same on the third, fourth, fifth floor. And on the sixth floor…
"Take this! Quick Slam!"
Eevee leapt forward. Her body shone with white light as she disappeared, arriving in front of an unaware Weezing and hitting it in-between its two, giant heads.
"Weez!"
Weezing cried out. Its body flew a fair distance before it stabilized itself.
"Again!"
Before Weezing could take a closer look at its attacker, a voice sounded right next to its ears. Eevee had a huge grin on her face as she stepped on the empty air to stop her momentum- her body shining with white light.
Weezing's only had a moment to widen his eyes before Eevee's body collided with him. This time, the large purple Pokemon was finally unable to withstand it. He crashed on the dark tree branches forming the dungeon walls and fainted.
"Good job, Eevee. You're getting the hang of it."
"Ehehe, thanks Dad. I'll be as strong as everyone in no time!"
Eevee replied as she landed with a graceful backflip. There was a bounce in her steps as she started to search the room for items.
When she saw Brother Riolu and the others taking down the Pokemon at the start so easily, she really thought it was the same as what they said- that the Pokemon here are the same small fries as other dungeons.
However, it was only when she fought one herself that she realized just how wrong she was. With her lower attack, she couldn't achieve the same one shot kill as the others, not even with the attack boost from Brother Ursaring.
Moreover, her lower speed than the Pokemon here made it harder for her to dodge their counter-attacks. Fortunately, she had the combined moves she could use to take out her opponents without suffering any damage.
Although it consumed a lot of energy, that was better than risk getting injured. Besides, leveling up will restore her energy, and with the added new stats, the next battles would become slightly easier.
After 5 floors, she had already grown to the same level of strength as the Pokemon in this dungeon.
"As strong as everyone, huh."
Dante murmured, amused at Eevee's last statement. If he had to rank which among his current Pokemon has the highest talent for combat, he'd definitely rank her as the first. And it was not just because she had the Multitalent IQ Skill.
The reason he said she had the highest combat talent is due to her uncanny ability to manipulate energy. It allowed her to use her moves more flexibly.
Take for instance, the 'Quick Slam' she just used. It's a move she made by combining the speed from Quick Attack and the power of Body Slam.
Normally, Quick Attack works by releasing a short, powerful burst of energy under one's feet. Because of this, at the moment of hitting the opponent, more than half of the energy is concentrated on the lower body. The remaining energy can only be used to reinforce the head and other parts before impact.
But for Eevee, she can retract the energy gathered at her feet and redistribute it to use Body Slam in the span of less than a second before hitting her target.
Not just Body Slam, she can also combine it with any moves that require only Normal-type energy such as Facade, Double-edge, etc.
And after she gained All-Terrain Hiker, her attacks only got more unpredictable.
All-Terrain Hiker is an IQ skill that gives Eevee the Ability to walk on water and the air as if it was solid ground. This works on the same principle as Dante floating in his Ghost Form, and Water-types being able to float above ground on land.
This skill enables the user to not suffer any hindrance when fighting in the water or in the air. But when on solid ground, this skill has limited uses.
Well, that was the case with most Pokemon. But not Eevee.
Through skillful use of Quick Attack, she can accelerate mid-air then use the same move to abruptly stop her momentum- changing directions and attacking like a ping-pong ball.
"Woah! Everyone, look! There's a unique item here!"
Eevee's voice attracted everyone's attention. She was at the corner of the room, staring at something hidden from their view. When Dante and the others came closer, they found a sapphire blue ribbon studded with flecks of white dots.
"A ribbon? It's the first time I saw one with this color."
"It looks so pretty~ Like the night sky~"
Ninetales' eyes sparkled as she stared intensely at it.
"What's it for, Dan? Is it a rare, super-powerful, held item?"
"Well, it's definitely rare. But for its usefulness…it depends. This is a Lunar Ribbon, an evolutionary item like the Thunder Stone."
Dante said as he stored the item in the inventory and read its description.
"Really? Can I use it to evolve, Dad?"
Eevee's ears perked up. Could this be the evolutionary item she was waiting for?!
"Yes. It can make you evolve into Umbreon, similar to the ones we saw in here."
"Ah…Umbreon."
Eevee groaned. She preferred to evolve into the much more graceful Espeon. Or the cute Sylveon. Maybe even the cool beauty Glaceon. Umbreon was like, her fifth or sixth choice.
Seeing her reaction, Dante chuckled. However, a brief look of pity did flash across his face. It would have been great if they had found a Sun Ribbon instead.
If they found a Sun Ribbon, Riolu could have used it to evolve into Lucario.
In the PMD games, evolution that required high intimacy is replaced with IQ requirements, as well as a corresponding item. For example, to evolve into Espeon, Eevee needs to have 2 stars in IQ as well as the Sun Ribbon.
But in this PMD world, it works both ways. High intimacy can still be used for an Eevee to evolve into Espeon without needing any items. And the Sun Ribbon can also be used to achieve the same results.
"Dad, since we have no use for the ribbon, can I have it instead?"
Ninetales tugged the corner of Dante's fur. He turned to her, only to find she was once again using her secret weapon- the puppy eyes.
"Kuh! You have to ask Eevee for it. She found it first."
Dante resisted the urge to give in to those pitiful eyes. As he said, Eevee was the one to find it. He doesn't want to face the sulking look of his other Pokemon if he just gave it willy-nilly.
"What are you even gonna do with it, sis. You already have no more evolution."
Eevee took the Lunar Ribbon that Dante handed over. She can't evolve in the PMD world, so she can touch the ribbon with confidence.
"I want to use it as a scarf~ Don't you think it suits my color?"
"Ehhh, if you say so."
Eevee threw the Ribbon, which Ninetails gently caught with her tail. With a few flicks, the ribbon was soon wrapped elegantly around her neck.
"Ehehe, sister Mawile. How do I look?"
"Hmm, I think it suits you more if we make it flowy like this…"
Dante watched Mawile and Ninetales start an impromptu fashion dress-up. He shook his head, opening the menu to organize the items they had collected until now.
'Well, we can take a little break.'
—
Meanwhile, at the depths of the dungeon.
"Boss, boss, good news! A group of Pokemon have entered again!"
"Is that so? I thought these stupid Pokemon had somehow grown a brain."
A Cofagrigus nonchalantly continued operating the glowing stone slab in front of him, his four arms moving all over the place. The Yamask who came to report trembled. His head remained lowered the whole time as he tried not to look at the scene inside the room.
"Who is it this time? Is it Grimmsnarl and his ilk again?"
"Uh, no boss. According to Nidoking, it's a group of Pokemon we haven't seen before- a white Zorua, Pikachu, Azumarill, Mega Mawile, Riolu, Eevee, and Ninetales. He also said they are possibly… an Exploration Team."
"An Exploration Team?"
Cofagrigus paused. Then, his body began to shake, and low, deep laughs came out of his mouth.
Yamask laughed awkwardly along, cowering at the eerie aura his boss was letting out. Then, he let out a strangled scream as one of Cofagrigus' hands stretched out and held him in its grasp.
"Yamask. Tell Shiftry. Make sure they don't escape this dungeon. Capture them if they can. If they cannot, just lead them here."
"Y-y-y-yes, sir!"
"Good. Now go."
Cofagrigus inwardly chuckled as he watched Yamask scamper away. Then, he turned his head, staring at the limp and bound Pokemon in the middle of the room.
"Did you hear that? An Exploration Team has entered the dungeon. No wonder your energy level just gained a notable increase."
Cofagrigus grinned as he tapped the orange glowing stone slab. If one looked closely, the base of the slab has six glowing lines extending from it, one towards the middle, and the other five at each corner of the room.
"You're known to have an infinite amount of energy. Heh, and yet your infinity is about to run out in just 3,023 years. Fortunately, I am a genius to have thought of this method. Absorb their victories. Don't dry up before the 'Lord' awakens, Victini."
A/N: Finally, after a year, I got to update this story again. (Insert 'it's been 84 years' meme).
First of all, I would like to apologize for such a long hiatus. I won't say much other than I'll try my best not to stop updating this fic for such a long time again. I'll try to update once a week, at least.
As for the story…with a total of 91 votes, we have Victini as the winner of the Psychic-type poll! And as I mentioned in earlier chaps, Dante will get a second shiny. Well, this Pokemon is also in the Psychic poll. With a total of 60 votes, we have Gardevoir in second place! (She'd take a while before appearing in the story though.)
PS. I decided to include intimacy evolution in the PMD world due to the fact that the Sun Ribbon and Lunar Ribbon are so rare. In the games, it can only be found locked behind treasure chambers, as well as job requests that are 5-9 stars in difficulty.