New Trainers across the region greeted the unexpected invitations with delight, confusion, or indifference.
Yong, meanwhile, had already returned to the entrance of Fiery Path.
He casually dealt with the wild Pokémon that suddenly darted out, leaving them all to Marshtomp and the others for practice and experience.
He carefully cradled the incubator containing the Pokémon egg in his arms. The top-quality Fire Stone rested beneath the egg, steadily supplying energy to the little one inside.
The thick nutrient solution surrounding it provided a constant supply of nourishment.
Yong had specifically asked his mother about it earlier. After examining the egg, they had judged that it would hatch within half a month, so he had kept it with him ever since, waiting for that moment!
Walking and stopping along the way, he soon reached the rock wall Torkoal had smashed through last time.
However, the originally small opening had clearly been widened by someone, and the signs of people coming and going were unmistakable. Yong immediately abandoned his original idea.
There was no point in going down anymore!
He sighed helplessly. Sure enough, plans could never keep up with changes.
Without lingering, Yong turned and left.
He passed through Fiery Path without trouble and reached Route 113, finally escaping the passage's scorching heat.
With one arm wrapped around the incubator, he toyed with the Mega Stone Steven had given him in his other hand. Earlier, at the Pokémon Center in Lavaridge Town, Yong had taken the stone out in front of Steelix, but neither of them had felt any stirring whatsoever.
Their hearts were already connected. If this had been Steelix's Mega Stone, Steelix would have sensed something special, so it clearly wasn't for Steelix.
That left Aron!
Although the little Pokémon was still in its first evolutionary stage and