Pokémon had far stronger constitutions than humans, especially powerfully built Pokémon like Rhyhorn.
Under Yong's careful attention, his fever soon subsided, but the effects of spending so long submerged in cold water still left him somewhat weak.
Fortunately, none of that was a major problem.
The weather remained cooperative. Even on the third day, no rain fell.
Steelix and the others did some light training around camp, maintaining their physical strength and competitive instincts.
In the clearing, Rhyhorn was visibly better and was now basking lazily in the sun.
Yong leaned back nearby, watching his Pokémon train, then suddenly spoke.
"Rhyhorn, do you want to see what's out there?"
"Huff?"
Gently stroking his thick armor, Yong smiled.
"You came from somewhere else, didn't you?"
Rhyhorn lowered his head, a trace of longing in his eyes. He gave a couple of soft huffs, then looked up into the distance.
"Rhyhorn!"
Yong suddenly stood up and looked at him earnestly.
"Become my partner! Together with Steelix and the others, let's see all the wonders this world has to offer!"
"Huff, huff..."
"Maybe one day, we'll even meet your family and friends again!"
Looking into the boy's eyes and remembering their time together over the past few days, Rhyhorn stood up, rubbed his head against Yong, and nodded with a happy smile.
"Huff, huff!"
"That's great!"
Yong happily hugged his head, brimming with joy.
A Rhyhorn who wasn't afraid of water and could swim had successfully joined the team!
Seeing the commotion, Steelix and the others all gathered around, their faces filled with smiles as they welcomed their new companion!
``` Pokémon: Rhyhorn, Lv37, Spiny Pokémon. His bones were 1,000 times harder than a human's. His entire body was covered in tough armor, and he could even survive in lava at 2,000 degrees.