Axew

The Pokémon Contest came to a perfect conclusion.

The final winner was not Xiao Yi, but a man with a Milotic.

Xiao Yi and Skitty's performance had only received 16.7 points, not even making it into the second round of judging. She was utterly devastated and left Fallarbor Town that very day, swearing never to return to this heartbreaking place again.

Hu Yang: "..."

For a moment, he had no idea what to say.

Before leaving, Saori asked, "Do you have anywhere else you plan to go next?"

Hu Yang said, "I might go to Lavaridge Town and rest for a while."

"Alright." Saori turned around and led Xiao Yi forward for over ten meters before looking back. She waved at Hu Yang and shouted, "I hope we can meet again someday!"

Hu Yang smiled and replied, "We'll get the chance."

That was simply how the Pokémon world worked.

Some people met, and some people parted ways.

They kept setting off toward their own dreams.

The pretty girl with long pale pink hair turned around and left with her dejected companion.

"Where are we going?" Gengar floated nearby, cheerfully watching the scene unfold.

Hu Yang gave a mysterious smile. "I'm taking you mining!"

Gengar: "???"

Two hours later, Hu Yang stood at the entrance to Meteor Falls, dressed in a miner's outfit, holding an iron shovel, and carrying a hiking backpack.

Just like Petalburg Woods, there was a warning sign erected beside the entrance.

It read: "Cave dangerous. Unauthorized persons keep out."

"Are you scared?"

Seeing Hu Yang standing motionlessly at the entrance, Gengar asked curiously.

Hu Yang: "...I was just thinking about how we'd carry a huge chunk of ore away if we dug one up."

As he spoke, he stepped inside.

The cave was not as dark as he had imagined. Since it had been formed by a meteorite crashing down from the sky, it had no ceiling.

After so much time had passed, the entire crater had weathered away, and the impact of flowing water had created uneven terrain.

As he walked through the cave, he could clearly hear the sound of underground streams flowing in the distance.

As Hu Yang walked, he activated the Appraisal function. Information on every item and Pokémon in sight appeared in his mind one after another.

Yet apart from ordinary rocks, he found nothing.

After walking farther ahead, Hu Yang spotted a massive Druddigon drinking water by the river.

The sudden appearance of a human immediately caught Druddigon's attention.

It turned its head and fixed Hu Yang with a vicious stare.

[Species: Druddigon ♂]

Type: Dragon-type

Ability: Rough Skin

Base Stats: 485 (HP: 77, Attack: 120, Defense: 90, Special Attack: 60, Special Defense: 90, Speed: 48)

Known moves: Scratch, Leer, Bite, Dragon Rage, Dragon Claw

Current mood: Wary

Physical condition: Thirsty, hungry

Friendship: -20 (It has already regarded you as prey)]

Hu Yang: "..."

"Roserade, use Stun Spore!"

Before Druddigon could pounce, Hu Yang swiftly released Roserade.

The command was given, and Roserade aimed at Druddigon, spraying a large amount of Stun Spore from its rosebuds.

"Roar!"

Druddigon let out an enraged roar. The Stun Spore happened to enter its body through its wide-open mouth.

Time to run!

Hu Yang had no intention of catching Druddigon, the disgrace of Dragon-types.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, he hurriedly picked up Roserade and ran.

Gengar floated after him, deeply confused. "It's Taunting you! Why didn't you let that stupid bird out and teach it a lesson?!"

Hu Yang was speechless. "Because I don't want to die."

The power of Cramorant's four moves—whichever one it used—could make this cave collapse completely.

Speaking of Cramorant...

Hu Yang found an open area without any wild Pokémon and released it.

Then he took Gardevoir's Mega Stone from his backpack and gestured to Cramorant. "I'm hungry. I want to eat this. Can you help me find more?"

"Caw?"

Cramorant looked at the Evolution Stone and let out a foolish cry.

Then it flapped its wings and flew up.

It understood?!

Hu Yang was overjoyed and hurried after it.

But Cramorant was too fast. They simply could not catch up.

Gengar: "...Let's just wait for it to come back here."

Hu Yang was a little worried. "Do you think it actually understood what I said?"

He received the answer to that question very soon.

Less than five minutes later, Cramorant flew back with a huge rock in its beak.

[Mysterious Meteorite: A fragment of the enormous meteorite that fell into Meteor Falls. It contains terrifying cosmic energy. A mysterious organization seems to want to use it to restore Mt. Chimney's activity.]

Hu Yang: "..."

Damn, isn't this the energy meteorite Team Magma used in the game storyline to restore Mt. Chimney's activity?

He remembered that Team Magma had stolen it from Professor Cozmo.

In other words, if he had not come here today, Professor Cozmo would find this meteorite two years later, only for Team Magma to steal it and trigger the plot to revive Groudon.

"Caw?"

Cramorant tilted its head, seemingly confused about why Hu Yang was not eating it.

Gengar snickered beside him. "If you don't eat it, this stupid bird will be very sad!"

Hu Yang: "..."

Cramorant suddenly let out a "caw," turned around, and flew away again.

Hu Yang sat down where he was to wait, taking the meteorite and putting it into his hiking backpack.

Before long, Cramorant returned with something else in its beak.

It was a stone like agate.

[Moon Stone (Top Quality): A magical stone that can make certain Pokémon evolve. It is as black as the night sky.]

Hu Yang grinned from ear to ear.

He had never imagined that Cramorant's habit of bringing things back could be so useful!

What a bountiful harvest!

He, Gu Yue Yang!

From today onward, he would live in Meteor Falls and not leave until his backpack was full!

Gengar beside him: "..."

Hu Yang urged it, "Can't you ignore physical objects? Why don't you go underground and see if there are any buried stones?"

Gengar: !!! How utterly insane!

"You haven't fallen into the money pit like those humans, have you?" Gengar asked worriedly.

Hu Yang said, "Who did you hear that from?"

Gengar said, "That human named Erika. When she said that about Nishida Gang, he had the exact same expression you do now."

Hu Yang: "..."

As the two chatted, Cramorant flew back again with fresh "food."

From far away, Hu Yang heard a series of cries: "Axew, Axew!"

His heart skipped a beat.

The moment he looked up, he saw an Axew tossed in front of him, rolling across the ground twice.

Its body tense and its face full of nervous vigilance, Axew had just climbed up when it saw a human staring at it.

Axew sensed danger and wanted to attack, but the next second, a firm beak clamped around its body and lifted it up.

"Axew!" Axew struggled with all its strength.

Cramorant let it struggle, standing completely still.

Eventually, Axew grew tired from struggling and flopped down like a salted fish.

Its big eyes brimmed with humiliated tears. It pitifully turned its head, only to see the human beside it staring at it.

Upon seeing this, Axew immediately turned its head away so he could not look at it.

Hu Yang: "..."

Gengar clicked its tongue and shook its head. "Poor kid."

Luckily, it had no physical body.

Thinking that, Gengar looked up at Cramorant and raised its assessment of the bird's danger level once more.

Terrifying bird!