Yong collected the minerals and rare rocks sent from home from his room at the Pokémon Center, then headed to the relatively open, quiet backyard. It was separate from the battle area. Finding an empty patch of ground, he released Onix.
"Onix, get ready to evolve! First, we need to store up plenty of energy!"
"Rooar!"
Onix nodded in understanding, lowered his body, and waited quietly.
Yong poured all the ores and stones onto the ground and motioned for Onix to absorb them all. Then he took out some Pokémon food and the Primordial Stone Milk he had obtained. He poured a single drop of the thick stone milk into an empty bowl, diluted it with water, mixed it into the Pokémon food, and set it before Onix.
"Once you've absorbed everything, finish the food too."
"Rooar."
"I'll give you a massage first, Onix!"
He took out a steel brush and scrubbed back and forth over Onix's body.
Onix closed his eyes as he absorbed the minerals, rumbling happily. The rare minerals and rocks around him gradually merged into his massive body, which occasionally flashed with a metallic sheen.
Waves of energy surged through his body, and his rocky segments gave off cracking sounds.
After a long while, once Onix had absorbed the huge supply of resources, Yong put down the steel brush and pointed at the Pokémon food, signaling for him to finish it all.
As Onix ate, the food mixed with a drop of Primordial Stone Milk entered his body, fundamentally improving his constitution and enhancing his potential. The treasure for Rock-type Pokémon had begun to take effect.
As time passed, Onix let out low roars. Pain like the bites of sandworms mingled with the vast surge of Rock-type energy, erupting throughout his body.
"Hang in there, Onix! You have to absorb all this energy!"
Yong could tell he was in pain. Though it hurt to watch, for Onix's future, he still had to urge him to endure it.
"Rooar."
Onix managed a weak response to Yong's encouragement and persevered, enduring the discomfort inside him as he finished all the food. Seeing this, Yong took out the ultralight Metal Coat he had prepared and fitted it over Onix's rocky head. Then he took out the Luxury Ball and spoke solemnly.
"It's time, Onix! Return to your Poké Ball!"
"Roar!"
Onix nodded and returned to the Poké Ball in a beam of red light. Yong hurried back into the lobby, ignoring the curious looks around him. He rushed to the Video Phone Booth and called home. The call connected moments later.
"Is that you, Yong? Mom hasn't congratulated you on earning your first Badge yet!"
The image flickered, and his mother, Nakamura Aoi, appeared on the screen with a smile. With no time to explain everything, Yong spoke quickly.
"Mom, Onix is about to evolve! I'll transfer him home, and then you send him back to me! Please!"
"He's about to evolve? All right, send him over now. I'm right beside the machine."
Seeing how anxious her son was, Nakamura Aoi agreed at once without asking any more questions.
"Okay! Thanks, Mom!"
"Silly boy, there's no need to be so polite with your mother!"
She laughed and scolded him, pretending to complain.
Yong wasted no time. With a chuckle, he immediately placed the Poké Ball on the transfer machine beside the phone. After he selected the destination, white light flared and electrical arcs flickered, and the Poké Ball vanished.
On the video screen, Nakamura Aoi turned and walked away. Soon, she held up a Luxury Ball for Yong to see, showing that it had arrived. She then placed the Poké Ball on the transfer machine at home, and moments later, it reappeared before Yong at the Pokémon Center.
"There! The transfer is confirmed. Go see how Onix has changed! And take good care of yourself!"
Watching her son excitedly pick up the Poké Ball, Nakamura Aoi kept the conversation short. After that brief reminder, she ended the call as Yong grinned foolishly.
Yong thanked his mother inwardly, but he didn't slow down.
Returning to the same courtyard, Yong threw the Poké Ball with eager anticipation.
"Come on out, my partner!"
White light flashed! A gigantic figure gradually lengthened and took shape within the glow.
Slowly, a massive silver-gray body with a dark, heavy metallic sheen coiled in the courtyard, which now seemed rather cramped. He looked like an enormous beast.
His eyes were predominantly red, and his tail resembled a spiked hammer! Including his head, his body consisted of nine segments of ironstone as hard as diamond. His head was enormous, with each segment growing progressively smaller toward his tail. The third, fifth, and seventh steel segments each bore two huge protrusions extending to either side, like six external legs!
His flattened head had an enormous mouth. The old straight crack now ran along the upper edges of his scarlet eyes and crossed upward, adding an even more savage edge to his already fierce expression!
This was Steelix!
Yet Yong's Steelix looked a little different. Irregular, diamondlike crystalline patterns appeared across the dark ironstone that formed his body, covering him like mysterious totems.
Compared with an ordinary Steelix, his massive body was eleven meters long and already weighed five hundred kilograms! Yet as he twisted and moved, he remained agile, without a hint of clumsiness.
Was this the effect of the ultralight Metal Coat?
And if he kept consuming Primordial Stone Milk over time, Steelix would probably grow even larger!
Ding! Onix has evolved into Steelix! Level increased to Lv29! Iron Tail has advanced to Mastery! Harden has advanced to Expert! Ding! Steelix has successfully learned Thunder Fang (Proficient), Ice Fang (Proficient), Fire Fang (Proficient), and Crunch (Proficient)! Ding! Steelix has undergone an unknown mutation. Potential increased! Pokémon: Steelix, Lv29. The Iron Snake Pokémon. Its body, tempered by the intense pressure and heat underground, is harder than any metal or diamond! Gender: Male Type: Steel + Ground Nature: Adamant Ability: Rock Head. Prevents recoil damage from its own moves. Affected by Ability suppression. Moves: Tackle (Proficient), Screech (Proficient), Bind (Proficient), Dig (Expert), Return (Expert), Harden (Expert), Slam (Proficient), Sand Tomb (Proficient), Rock Throw (Proficient), Rock Slide (Expert), Thunder Fang (Proficient), Ice Fang (Proficient), Fire Fang (Proficient), Crunch (Proficient) Egg Moves: Dragon Tail (Proficient), Iron Tail (Mastery), Head Smash (Proficient) TMs: Protect (Proficient), Dragon Breath (Proficient)
Steelix
Yong stared at the system notifications and Steelix's information, dumbfounded.