Paralysis Bomb

Ideas were full and rich, but reality was painfully thin.

Times like this truly tested the tacit understanding between a Trainer and Pokémon.

If a Pokémon could not understand what its Trainer meant, it would be difficult for it to respond correctly.

Moreover, this also placed high demands on the Pokémon's ability to control its own energy.

Perhaps other move combinations would be difficult.

But combining two basic moves, Stun Spore and Seed Bomb, should be relatively easier.

If Budew could not yet manage to blend the Stun Spore inside, then it could only coat the surface first.

Hu Yang explained his idea, but Budew wore a confused expression.

Hu Yang: "..."

Fine, then he would explain it in more detail.

So, over the next five minutes, Hu Yang carefully broke down and analyzed for Budew, word by word, the strengths and weaknesses of the two moves, the benefits of combining them, and his speculation on how they could be combined.

After its initial bewilderment, Budew finally lived up to Hu Yang's expectations and understood what he meant.

A bright light bloomed in Budew's eyes.

At that moment, it felt as though its meridians had suddenly opened up, as if someone had opened a window in its mind.

It could be done like this too?!

A path it had never imagined appeared before it.

"Ni!" Budew was thrilled and could not wait to try.

Seeing this, Hu Yang secretly sighed in relief. "Then give it a try?"

Budew nodded rapidly.

Hu Yang got up and stepped aside, while Budew stood before a large rock with great vigor, its eyes filled with fighting spirit.

Hu Yang said, "Try merging them!"

"Ni!"

Budew began charging up. Since this was its first attempt, it clearly lacked experience. Just as it was about to inject Stun Spore into the freshly condensed Seed Bomb, it slipped up, and the Seed Bomb exploded.

The pale yellow powder instantly spread under the blast's shockwave. Hu Yang frowned and opened his mouth, about to speak, when he accidentally inhaled a small amount of Stun Spore.

He immediately felt his body lose control, as if he had been put under full-body anesthesia everywhere except his head. His muscles twitched involuntarily, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud.

Hu Yang: "..."

Budew, standing nearby, looked ashamed. "Ni..."

"Gah?!" Cramorant suddenly raised its head from the river in alarm, a wildly struggling Magikarp still clamped in its beak.

Gengar, who had followed them over and watched the entire process: "..."

Why did this human seem a little unreliable?

Five minutes later, the paralysis finally began to fade.

Budew felt terribly embarrassed.

Hu Yang comforted it. "It's okay. Keep trying, you can do it."

At the very least, that accident had proven his idea was feasible.

On its second attempt, Budew had clearly learned from the first. Under its control, it successfully created a seed containing Stun Spore.

This brand-new "Seed Bomb" was launched and exploded against the rock.

The instant it exploded, a huge amount of Stun Spore shot out in every direction at incredible speed, covering an astonishing range of eight meters.

Fortunately, Hu Yang had been prepared this time and stood far away, so he was not caught in it.

"Ni!"

Budew cried out excitedly.

Hu Yang walked over and praised it. "You worked hard. That was amazing!"

Hu Yang was pleasantly surprised. His Budew was really talented!

It had succeeded on its second try. In an online novel, that would earn it the evaluation: This child is terrifyingly gifted.

However, the charging time for this move was almost the same as the time needed to use Seed Bomb and Stun Spore separately.

But anyone with eyes could see that Budew was simply not proficient enough yet. Once it became more skilled, that time would surely be cut by more than half.

There was still plenty of room for improvement.

Hu Yang spent the entire afternoon accompanying Budew as it practiced.

Although the fusion did not succeed every time, the number of failures steadily decreased with repeated use.

Budew also became increasingly proficient with this combination move.

To make it easier to command in battle, after discussing it with Budew, they named the move "Paralysis Bomb."

When Hu Yang checked Budew's information again, the moves section had changed just as expected.

[Species: Budew ♀]

Type: Grass, Poison

Ability: Leaf Guard

Base Stats: 280 (HP: 40, Attack: 30, Defense: 35, Special Attack: 50, Special Defense: 70, Speed: 55)

Known Moves: Absorb, Stun Spore, Seed Bomb, Paralysis Bomb (Stun Spore + Seed Bomb)

Current Mood: Excited

Physical Condition: Moderate Fatigue (Mental Exhaustion)

Friendship: 55 (Your bond is steadily deepening)

Its friendship had unknowingly risen to 55. Most of that had accumulated bit by bit through their everyday interactions, but Hu Yang had not paid much attention to it.

Evening came.

Hu Yang returned the sleepy Budew to its Poké Ball to rest. Carrying the fish Cramorant had caught in his other hand, he headed home step by step.

Before he even reached his doorstep, Nishida Gang ran over and grabbed his arm.

Hu Yang: "What is it?"

Nishida Gang looked excited. "Come somewhere with me!"

"It's almost dark," Hu Yang reminded him.

Nishida Gang said, "Exactly! That place only opens after dark!"

Hu Yang: "...What kind of place?"

Nishida Gang said, "A place that brings joy to both body and mind!"

Hu Yang's heart skipped a beat. Open at night, brings people joy... Could it be some sort of pleasure district?

He was a little shocked. He had not expected this guy, who looked so upright and honest, to be that kind of person.

Nishida Gang was speechless. "What kind of expression is that? It's not what you think! You'll understand once you come with me!"

Seeing how insistent he was, Hu Yang could only follow.

The two left the school grounds and hailed a taxi. Before long, they arrived outside a shop with a sign reading "Sweet Café."

The shop's interior was warmly decorated, its pink color scheme brimming with a girlish charm.

The female owner, dressed in work clothes, was wiping down tools behind the counter.

Eevee and Skitty sat in neat rows on the sofas, looking terribly bored.

The moment they saw customers arrive, bright light instantly bloomed in their eyes.

They cried "Vee!" as they ran over.

"Two cups of Moomoo Milk, please!" Nishida Gang seemed very familiar with the place. After calling toward the counter, he bent down, scooped up an Eevee with a bow tied around its neck, buried his face in its fur, and inhaled deeply. "Little darling, did you miss me?"

Hu Yang drew in a sharp breath.

Yikes, what a pervert!

At that moment, a Skitty came up to him, the new customer, and rubbed its fluffy body against his pant leg.

Hu Yang restrained himself and picked it up. When he looked up again, Nishida Gang was already cuddling one Pokémon in each arm.

Hu Yang: "..."

What the hell kind of underground cat-huffing establishment was this?!

The female owner chuckled at the sight. "Don't worry, this is perfectly normal. For some customers, spending time with cute Pokémon is a very effective way to relax. That's the job of these Eevee and Skitty."

"Are they all your Pokémon?" Hu Yang asked, stroking Skitty's head.

The owner smiled and shook her head. "Not exactly. Some are abandoned children, while others are wild Pokémon. They work here, and I simply provide them with shelter and food."

"Vee~" An Eevee sat obediently on the floor, looking up at Hu Yang.

Holding Skitty in one arm, Hu Yang bent down and picked up the Eevee with his other hand.

At that moment, Nishida Gang poked his head out of the fluffy fur and got to the point. "Oh, right. I didn't bring you here today to huff Eevee, Boss!"

"Why are you in such a hurry? The match doesn't start for another half hour."

Though she said that, she still turned on the television mounted on the wall.

With a pile of Eevee hanging off him, Nishida Gang leaned closer and said excitedly, "Today is the Hoenn Tournament finals! Soon, we'll witness the birth of Hoenn's new Champion!"

Hu Yang froze. He had spent all this time buried in the library and out in the wild, so he had not paid much attention to outside news.

But now that he thought about it, the past few weeks really had been the time for the Pokémon League...

Nishida Gang said excitedly, "The finals: Steven versus Elrod. Who do you think will win?"

Hu Yang: "..."

Was there even a need to ask? It had to be Steven. Elrod was some nameless male supporting character; Hu Yang had never even heard his name.

So had he arrived at the point in time when Steven had just become the tournament champion?

From what he knew, becoming the tournament champion qualified someone to challenge the Elite Four. If they won, they would become the region's true Champion.