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"I can't believe such a powerful creature was brought down by a little Sandslash!"
Misty stared at the massive creature before them, which had become gentler but still appeared somewhat intimidating.
It seemed almost incredible. The Onix living in this area had no natural predators, which had allowed it to grow to such an extraordinary size.
But to think it had been reduced to such a miserable state by a small Sandslash was truly unexpected.
"Actually, this isn't that surprising!" At that moment, Bruno approached and observed the Onix before them thoughtfully.
"Master Bruno?" After hearing Bruno's comment, both Brock and Misty looked puzzled.
"Onix are huge and powerful creatures. Most normal and weaker Pokémon feel frightened just by seeing them."
"However, no matter how powerful a Pokémon might be, there will always be weaknesses. The Onix living here are larger than usual, which is certainly an advantage. But there's a saying that 'extremes lead to reversal'—that same trait is also their weakness!"
"Other Pokémon might envy their size, but nobody truly understands the difficulties they face."
Bruno spoke seriously. Having practiced and trained in the wilderness for such a long time, he'd developed a deep understanding of Pokémon ecology.
"Why is that?" Misty asked, genuinely confused.
"Although their bodies are so large and grant them tremendous strength, because they're bigger than normal Onix, the gaps between their body segments have also grown proportionally larger."
"Since they're composed of rock, this makes it easy for small Pokémon to use their bodies as shelter or hiding places."
"Onix themselves don't have arms or hands, so when this situation occurs, they can only rampage around and even hurt themselves trying to escape the pain and discomfort."
"With such immense power, they can easily injure themselves in the process."
To put it simply, Onix's enormous size was a double-edged sword. While it granted exceptional strength, it could also lead to self-inflicted harm.
After hearing Bruno's explanation and thinking it through carefully, the concept made perfect sense. Although Onix's body was incredibly hard and durable, they'd all witnessed how frantically it rampaged when experiencing pain.
But no matter how tough a body might be, it could still sustain injuries—the scars on this Onix's face proved that point clearly.
Other Pokémon might not be able to hurt it, but it could certainly hurt itself. Additionally, its massive body led to the same kind of situation they'd just witnessed on the mountain path.
So even though it appeared to have no natural enemies, in reality, even a small Sandslash could cause it tremendous suffering. After listening to Bruno's explanation, Misty and Brock felt an even deeper appreciation for the complex wonders of the Pokémon world.
"However, you were able to identify the problem immediately just by observing. Ash, now I truly understand why Lance praises you so highly. That's genuinely impressive!"
Bruno now comprehended why this young Trainer could accomplish things that even some Elite Four members might struggle with. He also understood why Lance admired Ash so much.
"Thank you!" Ash lowered his hand from Onix's head and responded modestly.
"Originally, I came to Mount Hideaway specifically to capture this particular Onix, but now it seems that opportunity has passed. What about you, Ash? Do you plan to become this Onix's Trainer?"
After hearing Ash's response, Bruno smiled and then looked up at the massive Rock Snake. Although it was somewhat disappointing, Bruno wasn't particularly upset about the situation.
He might not be able to capture this Onix himself, but he'd discovered a remarkably talented young Trainer—and he felt that was equally valuable.
Misty and Brock were slightly startled when they heard this, suddenly remembering that Bruno had mentioned earlier wanting to capture the largest Onix on the mountain—which was clearly this one.
But now it was obvious that this Onix had formed a much closer bond with Ash.
"Huh? What do you think, Onix?"
Ash paused slightly at the suggestion. To be completely honest, although Onix's pain had been relieved, he genuinely hadn't considered capturing it.
However, hearing Bruno's words made him reconsider. Even though the thought hadn't crossed his mind initially, now that Bruno had mentioned it, Ash looked up at the Onix still lowering its head before him. Being able to catch a powerful Pokémon was certainly a good opportunity. He turned and asked Onix, who remained positioned in front of him.
"WOOOOO!"
Upon hearing the question, Onix narrowed its eyes slightly and rumbled a response, clearly communicating its answer to Ash.
"It seems this Onix likes you very much, Ash. I believe you'll be able to train it exceptionally well!" Bruno observed the interaction and could sense the genuine bond forming between Onix and the young Trainer before him.
"Alright then! Here we go, Onix!"
Ash nodded slightly, then took several steps backward. He pulled out a Poké Ball and threw it directly toward Onix.
Onix made no attempt to avoid the capture device. The Poké Ball struck it squarely on the forehead, and soon the enormous body transformed into red light and was absorbed into the sphere.
Ash caught the falling Poké Ball as it dropped. The device swayed slightly in his hand, glowing red. It only shook for a brief moment.
CLICK!
The distinctive sound of a successful capture rang out as the red light faded, indicating the process was complete. Ash smiled when he saw this confirmation.
"Please take care of me from now on, Onix!"
"Congratulations, Ash!" Bruno witnessed the successful capture without any discomfort or disappointment. He maintained his characteristically generous smile and offered sincere congratulations.
"Thank you!" Ash responded as he secured the Poké Ball.
Since he hadn't brought extra Poké Balls with him on this training expedition, after capturing Onix, the Pokémon wasn't automatically teleported back to Professor Oak's lab due to exceeding his carry limit. However, it was probably fortunate that the teleportation didn't occur.
If this massive Onix had been transported directly back in its current size, Professor Oak's laboratory would likely have suffered some serious structural damage.
"Ha ha! You're welcome—I didn't really do anything special! It looks like dawn is approaching soon, so I suppose it's time for me to say goodbye!"
Bruno laughed heartily, then turned to gaze at the horizon. The sun appeared to be rising, and Bruno prepared to bid farewell to the three young Trainers.
The primary purpose of his visit to Mount Hideaway had been to capture this particular Onix. Since Ash had successfully caught it instead, there was no reason for Bruno to remain longer.
"Is Master Bruno leaving already?" Brock looked somewhat reluctant. In his heart, he'd hoped to learn much more from spending additional time with his idol.
"Yes! But I'm truly glad I had the chance to meet all of you. Ash, keep working hard in the League competition. I sincerely hope I'll get the opportunity to battle against you someday in the future!"
Bruno remained characteristically straightforward, showing no excessive sentimentality. At the same time, he looked directly at Ash with genuine interest.
Deep down, Bruno found himself genuinely anticipating this young man's growth and development. A young Trainer who had the courage to tell Granny Agatha to "live longer" made him feel genuinely excited about the future.
After all, even when Bruno himself had been young, he would never have dared say such a thing to Granny Agatha's face.
"I'm looking forward to that day as well!"
"I'll be waiting for you then. Well, I'll take my leave now!"
Bruno smiled warmly, then waved his hand in farewell. In the next moment, he leaped powerfully backward, bounding from cliff to cliff like an agile ape, and quickly disappeared from the three companions' sight.