Chapter 529: Too Real
Over the next few days, Arthur recovered from his injuries while Forrest periodically updated him on the latest "Raid Dungeon Daily" news from the desert.
That's right. The Ashen Desert had essentially turned into a massive, immersive, limited-time raid dungeon.
Legendaries, Seeds, wealth, rewards—these keywords, linked together, created a lethally attractive lure, tugging at the heartstrings of trainers all over the world.
Legendary successions were already rare, given the long lifespans of Legendary Pokémon. And in the past, when relations between humans and Pokémon were less harmonious, these successions were either carried out in secret, hidden from humans, or happened so quickly after the unnatural death of a predecessor that they were almost impossible to observe.
An opportunity like this came once in a millennium!
For many trainers, this was a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Everyone felt a sense of duty, a call to glory. It would be almost criminal not to join the fun!
Combined with the political maneuvering of the three major alliances and the desperate promises made by the Legendaries, this unprecedented "Storm the Desert" event was born.
The rules were simple:
Alliances cannot send armies directly.
Private individuals cannot bring heavy weaponry or military vehicles.
Seed Pokémon cannot be killed or forcibly injured.
As long as these three basic principles were followed, almost any trainer could participate in this unique event in the Ashen Desert.
In reality, the major powers on the periphery couldn't stop the enthusiastic "players" from entering the dungeon even if they wanted to. The border of the Ashen Desert was too long, and the number of people sneaking in every day was countless. They simply couldn't guard it all.
The Legendaries couldn't stop it either. If they had the ability to resolve the situation themselves, they wouldn't have offered up such precious treasures as rewards.
In the end, establishing rules for fair competition became the universally accepted solution.
Arthur could only marvel at how magical this world was. The way things were handled in a peaceful era was truly different from the era he knew.
Forrest comforted him. "Look on the bright side. At least this avoids an outright war. Besides, even with fair competition among trainers, I think your advantage is still huge."
Over the past few days, Forrest had heard about Arthur's battle record from Skarner, Amani, and the others. Even he was astounded.
"I can't believe you got those injuries fighting Groudon! I can't even imagine it! I'm sure with your combat skills, once you're healed, you'll easily dominate the desert."
Arthur just chuckled. Heh.
You haven't even seen me fight. That flattery is so insincere.
A few days later, thanks to the continuous healing moves from the hospital's Chansey and Blissey, Arthur recovered quickly. In a world with Pokémon, medical technology was advanced, and non-permanent injuries healed rapidly. In just a few days, Arthur went from "mummy mode" to "regular patient."
It was on this day that the little dragonfly returned.
After Specter informed him, Arthur snuck out of the hospital and met the little dragonfly on the outskirts of the city.
Upon seeing him, the little dragonfly's tail started wagging uncontrollably, swishing back and forth at high speed. Arthur understood immediately. He walked up and gave her a big hug, eliciting a huge, undeniable smile from her.
"You worked hard," Arthur said after releasing her.
"Flyy, gon~" The little dragonfly chirped happily. Then, remembering "business," she wiped the smile off her face and communicated telepathically. "Master, I brought your new doggy back too."
"???" Arthur was confused.
Until he saw the Sandslash following not far behind the little dragonfly...
Ah.
He felt that the little dragonfly might have misunderstood something.
Little Lapras was overjoyed and immediately went over to chat with her old friend.
Arthur turned to the little dragonfly, who was clearly jealous but trying hard not to show it, and smiled. "You're mistaken. He's not my Pokémon. I haven't captured him."
"Flyy, gon?" — Really?
Arthur met her gaze and nodded seriously.
The little dragonfly's tail started wagging again. "Flyy, gon, gon!" — Great! I'll chase him away right now!
Behind her, the Sandslash had lines of black forming on its forehead. Big Sister, do you have to be so real? I'm right here! At least try to hide it!
But Arthur stopped her. "Not yet."
Stare! A dangerous light flashed in the little dragonfly's compound eyes.
Arthur explained, "You might not know, but collecting Seed Pokémon is now an event. If we find the correct Seed, we have a chance to exchange it for a Rayquaza Scale."
Arthur explained the current situation in simple terms, which revitalized the little dragonfly.
"Flyy, gon?!" — Really?! A Rayquaza Scale?!
A Rayquaza Scale wasn't just any scale. It was like a Dragon's reverse scale, a Heart Scale, the most precious scale on Rayquaza's body. It required a long time to nurture before it could be shed. It was a priceless treasure!
Almost all intelligent Dragon-type Pokémon had heard of this treasure. Legend had it that a Pokémon possessing it might even learn Rayquaza's signature move, Dragon Ascent! Of course, the legend was ancient and unverifiable. For thousands of years, no Pokémon in the human world had ever obtained one.
In the war-torn past, a Pokémon serving a human wouldn't even dare dream of receiving such a treasure from a Legendary. But now, two hundred years later, the little dragonfly found herself with a chance to obtain it!
In an instant, her look of disdain and impatience toward the Sandslash vanished. Her large compound eyes seemed to sparkle with stars, and she looked like she was drooling.
The Sandslash wiped the cold sweat from its forehead again. Don't be so real, Big Sister! At least try to hide it a little!
It felt like the little dragonfly had taught the Sandslash many life philosophies that day. Like how dragons are as fickle as the weather...
Arthur patted the little dragonfly's head and said gently, "So, will you accompany me into the desert again?"
The little dragonfly nodded furiously.
Arthur smiled. "Alright. We'll set off in a few days. It's about time we went to see Old Tyranitar again. We haven't had a chance to visit him yet."
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