Chapter 92: The Third Encounter

These skins, once evolved further into the Double-Axe Battle Dragon form, would completely transform into a hard, impenetrable armor.

Yes, overall, I am quite satisfied with the evolution of the Axe Fang Dragon.

The only regret is that it no longer looks cute.

However, it exudes a charmingly awkward, endearing kind of cuteness.

Hu Yang gently patted its head, and unlike when it was a Fang Fang, the Axe Fang Dragon didn’t act coquettishly anymore. Instead, it stood obediently in place, eyes curved into a happy expression.

Hu Yang sighed inwardly: my little son has grown up and doesn’t cling to me anymore.

Indeed, some Pokémon undergo personality changes after evolving.

If Fang Fang had been a spoiled baby, the Axe Fang Dragon had become a steady, mature youth.

Seeing the Pokémon I raised with my own eyes really stirs complex feelings.

But children will one day leave their parents to journey afar, while Pokémon will always accompany their trainers.

Hu Yang felt a wave of emotion: “Take good care of yourself from now on, Fang Fang!”

“Fang Fang” was the name of this Axe Fang Dragon; he intended to carry it forward.

The Axe Fang Dragon nodded its head: “Nata!”

After checking on the Axe Fang Dragon, Hu Yang released Slowking from its Poké Ball.

From the recent gym battle, he found that Slowking didn’t seem to require his commands.

When asked, Slowking replied, “At that time, using Trick and Psychic would have instantly incapacitated that sumo wrestler.”

Hu Yang: “…”

Of course he knew that; the reason he hadn’t had Slowking use those moves was because he wanted to see how the gym leaders would respond to such dirty tactics.

Suddenly, he felt it would be a waste of Slowking’s talents to have it only fight.

After some thought, Hu Yang asked, “Slowpoke, how about I teach you to learn human writing?”

Slowking looked at him and answered simply: “If you want.”

“Don’t you want to learn more about this world?” Hu Yang asked, puzzled.

Slowking was silent for a moment, as if pondering, before replying, “The more you know, the more you realize how much you don’t know.”

The conversation suddenly veered into topics beyond his understanding.

“Do you feel pain from knowing more?” Hu Yang asked after consideration.

Slowking shook its head in confusion: “Why would I feel pain?”

Hu Yang explained, “For us humans, the more we know, the more we have to think about, and often we feel pain because we’re powerless to change what we realize.”

Slowking fell into thought, then said, “I don’t know. I’m just a Slowking.”

Hearing this, Hu Yang instantly understood what Slowking meant earlier.

Slowking was always unhurried, calm, and content.

This species didn’t need to contemplate complex things; they could pass their lives lying on rocks, basking in the sun.

Thus, everything outside was inconsequential to them.

A Buddhist-like, go-with-the-flow attitude.

…

The Beluga Sea Lion had been overdue for quite some time.

The sailors aboard said that after they returned, they planned to pool their resources to buy the ship and had exchanged contact info with Hu Yang, saying he could contact them anytime he went to sea.

Therefore, Hu Yang was in no rush to leave Battle Town.

After leaving the Pokémon Center, he took a few Pokémon to the town’s notable location, the Stone Cavern.

A long time had passed since the Ocean Team’s bombing incident; now the Stone Cavern was reopened to the public.

In the game, the Stone Cavern was merely a setting for progressing the storyline.

But in reality, this place served as a shelter for the townsfolk of Battle Town.

Because it was built by the sea, storms and towering waves often struck.

During such times, the Battle Town Gym Leader, Fujiwara, would organize everyone to take refuge in the Stone Cavern.

Next to the entrance of the cavern, just like in the game, sat a neatly dressed fishing man.

His basket was already filled with several lively Gyarados.

Hu Yang felt the man looked familiar.

Upon closer inspection, he realized it was the same man who had been selling Gyarados cheaply in Celestial City.

Later, after being exposed for fraud, the man had fled—but he hadn’t expected to encounter him here.

However, Hu Yang didn’t approach and spoke, instead entering the Stone Cavern directly.

The first chamber still bore the large hole left by the Ocean Team’s explosion, with clear signs of collapse in the depths.

Behind the collapsed area was an ancient mural, weathered but still discernible.

It depicted the battle between Groudon and Kyogre, which had caused earthquakes and torrential rains over the entire Hoenn region.

Above Groudon and Kyogre, within thick clouds and mist, floated a long figure.

It was the legendary Sky God Rayquaza, said to have stopped the fight between Groudon and Kyogre.

Hu Yang took his camera from his backpack, preparing to capture the mural’s image.

At that moment, footsteps approached from behind.

Turning around, he saw a familiar figure—Daigo.

Recently, Daigo had been searching the Meteor Falls for rare stones but had found only a few after weeks of searching.

Having no luck, he planned to try his fortune at the Stone Cavern in Battle Town and investigate the ancient mural that had recently appeared.

He hadn’t expected to run into an acquaintance right upon arrival.

Daigo was momentarily stunned but then nodded in greeting.

Hu Yang hadn’t expected to meet Daigo here either, but since Daigo had visited the Stone Cavern in the game, it wasn’t surprising.

After a polite greeting, Hu Yang resumed photographing the mural.

More footsteps arrived behind them—travelers attracted by the mural’s fame.

Among the comings and goings, Hu Yang and Daigo stood awkwardly before the mural.

Calling them acquaintances felt too casual; they had only met a few times. Saying they weren’t familiar was also inaccurate, since they had conducted stone-related transactions.

Hu Yang felt a bit embarrassed. Had he not raided those pirates at sea, he might have asked Daigo if he needed stones and struck up a conversation.

But now, money was no longer a concern, and he would never have to sell stones to Daigo again.

Daigo stared at the mural but his mind drifted to Hu Yang’s backpack.

It reminded him of their first meeting, when a mountain of stones spilled out of that bag.

Seeing that bulging bag again stirred memories.

Was it still filled with stones?

During the investigation of the mansion incident, Daigo had heard from teachers and Ms. Junsha about Hu Yang’s background.

A trainer who had always lived in the wild with his parents, and due to financial struggles, had become a schoolteacher.

So, did he still need money now?

Daigo wanted to ask if Hu Yang had spent the money he got from selling stones last time.

If he had, Daigo could offer a high price to buy stones.

He had seen others’ stones but found them too ordinary to interest him.

The stones Hu Yang sold before had contained many rare fossils and meteorite fragments rich in energy.