Chapter 45: Fragments of the Keystone Mine

After leaving the Nestlings’ lair, Hu Yang headed straight for the Fossil Maniac’s house.

He was planning to leave Autumnleaf Town today, taking the cable car from Chimney Mountain to Furnace Town.

The sun was already close to setting. If he hurried, he could still catch the last bus to the Chimney Mountain Cable Car Station.

The Fossil Maniac’s home was a simple structure, standing before the entrance to a cave.

Standing outside, Hu Yang could hear the rhythmic clanging of a chisel striking stone echoing from within.

He knocked on the door, but no one came for a long while. Circling around the house, he entered the cave and, as expected, found the Fossil Maniac, fully equipped and drenched in sweat inside.

What had once been a simple cave had now been dug ever deeper by the man, with small mining lamps hanging from the rock walls on either side.

The scene gave Hu Yang a vivid sense of déjà vu, as though he were mining for iron ore in survival mode in “Minecraft.”

“You’re finally here!” The Fossil Maniac, pausing to drink some water, at last noticed Hu Yang and greeted him with delight.

He took off his safety helmet, climbed up to ground level, and led Hu Yang to unlock the front door, ushering him into a dark underground storeroom.

With a crisp click, the Fossil Maniac switched on the lights, and bright incandescent glow instantly illuminated everything.

Skeletons of large prehistoric creatures and stones displayed in glass cabinets filled the room, the heavy atmosphere making Hu Yang feel as though he’d stepped into a museum.

“Is this… the skeleton of an Aerodactyl?” Hu Yang asked, gazing at the imposing fossil before him.

With a flash of insight, information about the object surfaced in his mind.

[Aerodactyl Skeleton Fossil: Very fortunate, as it remains remarkably well-preserved despite its long burial underground.]

The Fossil Maniac grinned. “I’m impressed—you’ve got a good eye!”

He approached, gazing at the skeleton with an almost fervent reverence, as one might look upon a goddess. “I bought this skeleton for a hefty price back in Kanto! Isn’t it beautiful? Witnessing traces of ancient life through fossils—that’s the true charm of fossils!”

Hu Yang, however, was curious about something else. “How much did you pay for it?”

According to the game’s backstory, the Fossil Maniac seemed to have connections with the Devon Corporation and the Hoenn League; his identity was far from simple.

Could an ordinary person afford fossils?

Of course not.

Sure enough, the Fossil Maniac’s next words confirmed Hu Yang’s suspicions. “It wasn’t that expensive, really—just fifty million!”

Fifty million! Was that even a reasonable sum?

Yet this man was rather pure in his enthusiasm. He loved fossils, simply for the sake of fossils.

He was also aware that Devon Corporation had the technology to revive fossils, but he had no intention of doing so.

For this alone, he truly deserved the title of “Maniac.”

Hu Yang wasn’t interested in the Aerodactyl skeleton and began to wander around the collection room.

He remembered that in Emerald, after entering the Hall of Fame, the Fossil Maniac’s tunnel would collapse, revealing an underground passage in the desert.

Within it lay the second fossil, lost when Mirage Tower crumbled.

But in this reality, did the tunnel he dug also connect to the desert’s underground passage?

Hu Yang couldn’t be sure, since that passage only appeared in “Emerald,” and not in any other game version.

“That’s the fossilized body of an ancient Golem. Pokémon from ancient times were always larger than their modern counterparts,” the Fossil Maniac explained.

“And that’s a fossilized egg from a thousand years ago, which never hatched.”

“Those are things I dug up underground—they seem to have…”

The Fossil Maniac followed Hu Yang, enthusiastically introducing his collection.

“What’s that?” Hu Yang paused, pointing at a stone about the size of two adult fists.

The stone was multicolored, but perhaps because it was unpolished, its hues seemed rather dull.

The Fossil Maniac glanced over and scratched his head. “That one...? I can’t quite remember. I think I dug it up in some nameless underground cavern.”

Later, he’d asked a friend to study it, but nothing came of it, so he brought it back as a display piece.

“I want this one,” Hu Yang said.

“Huh?” The Fossil Maniac was taken aback, then burst into joy. “Are you sure?” As long as he didn’t want the Aerodactyl skeleton!

Hu Yang replied, “Yes. I’m not like you. I’m not interested in fossils, but I am interested in stones that can help Pokémon, like Fire Stones and Dawn Stones.”

For this was a fragment of a primordial Key Stone.

[Key Stone Fragment: A stone containing mysterious power. After being polished and forged, it can be worn by trainers and bestows the wondrous ability to Mega Evolve a Pokémon holding the corresponding Mega Stone.]

“But that stone can’t make a Pokémon evolve,” the Fossil Maniac pointed out, though clearly relieved Hu Yang didn’t want the Aerodactyl fossil. “It’s of no use to trainers.”

Hu Yang fell silent.

This guy was honest enough to make him feel a little guilty for profiting from the information gap.

Deliberately, he said, “You’re right. Maybe I should just take the Aerodactyl fossil instead.”

The Fossil Maniac’s expression changed. He opened his mouth, unsure what to say.

Hu Yang laughed. “Just kidding. I only want that stone because I think its colors look nice. I want to have a ring made from it as a gift for my girlfriend.”

Relief flooded the Fossil Maniac’s face, though there was a hint of bittersweetness.

Were kids these days all so mature? Already thinking of gifts for their girlfriends at such a young age, while he, nearly thirty, was still single.

But to him, fossils were more important than a girlfriend, anyway.

Hu Yang looked around. The rest were mostly ordinary fossils, nothing he wanted. After a moment’s thought, he asked, “Do you have a Sun Stone here?”

His Roselia needed a Sun Stone to evolve into Roserade.

“I do. I once found a Sun Stone vein,” the Fossil Maniac replied, retrieving a softly glowing stone from a corner.

“There’s still one more thing,” the Fossil Maniac reminded him.

Hu Yang considered this. “I haven’t decided yet. I’ll let you know after I bring you the fossil.”

“Sure,” the Fossil Maniac agreed. “Consider this stone a deposit.”

With that, he handed over the Key Stone fragment. “Take it and have that ring made for your girlfriend. The rest will be yours when you return.”

Hu Yang was speechless.

That “girlfriend” was nothing but a convenient excuse.

But compared to this Key Stone, nothing else in the room could hold a candle to it.

Taking the Key Stone, Hu Yang said, “A pleasure doing business.”

The Fossil Maniac replied, “A pleasure indeed.”

Key Stone plus Mega Stone—everything was ready except for the east wind.

If only he could find a Gardevoir, it would truly be the perfect start.