Chapter 278: Sorry, Lady, Not Interested
"Kip!" (´ω｀)
The rich life energy, mixed with traces of exceptionally special and pure Water-type energy... the disdain on Mudkip's face vanished instantly.
Although it didn't know what this liquid was, Mudkip was certain of one thing: the liquid in this vial would be immensely beneficial to it.
Compared to this Fountain of Life water, the Pokéblocks suddenly didn't seem appealing at all.
Seeing this, Basalt smiled slightly and took out an Ultra Ball from his bag, holding it out to Mudkip. "Get into this Pokéball, and I'll give you a drop of the Fountain of Life right away. After you've digested it, I promise I won't be stingy with more later."
"Kip!"
Mudkip was tempted and was just about to nod.
But just then, a voice suddenly rang out: "Wait a minute!"
Dean Warner and Wendy turned to see a long-legged girl with tan skin barging in. Several nursery staff members were following her, but they couldn't stop her.
"Hah! I was wondering why the nursery wasn't open yet today. So someone used the back door, trying to skip the fair competition and just catch the Mudkip!"
The tan-skinned girl's eyes narrowed, her face murderous.
"Dean, we're sorry."
The staff members looked at the grim-faced Dean Warner with guilt. They had spotted the girl while transporting Pokéblocks but hadn't been able to stop her.
"Who are you?" Dean Warner frowned. "How did you get in?"
"Who I am isn't important! How I got in isn't important either!" The tan-skinned girl didn't give Dean Warner any face. "What's important," she said rudely, "is that I have enough credits to exchange for a Pokémon from the nursery. And right now, I've set my sights on this Mudkip!"
The girl pointed at Mudkip, saying proudly, "Aren't the nursery rules about mutual selection between trainer and Pokémon? Let's just see whether this Mudkip chooses me, or him."
With that, the girl took out a small, blue, censer-like object from her dimensional backpack. After shooting Basalt a fierce glare, she held it out to Mudkip. "Mudkip," she tempted, "this is a medium-grade Sea Incense. If you come with me, this incense is yours. It will be very helpful for increasing your strength."
"What? A medium-grade Sea Incense?"
Dean Warner was shocked.
Many trainers had tried to catch this Mudkip over the past few days. Some had even offered valuable items like Life Dew to entice it, but Mudkip hadn't agreed. However, the items others offered were just ordinary enhancers, incomparable to a medium-grade Sea Incense worth ten million.
Closing its eyes to carefully sense the pure energy contained within the Sea Incense, Mudkip's face indeed showed a flicker of interest.
"This is trouble!" Dean Warner's expression changed slightly.
The nursery's rule was mutual selection, but a Pokémon's choice often came down to the trainer's personality and financial resources, with the latter playing a significant role. Even he, as the Dean, couldn't change that.
"Well, little one? Will you choose me and the Sea Incense? Or this empty-handed kid?" The tan-skinned girl did her best to appear friendly, her face radiating confidence, certain of victory.
Mudkip looked at the Sea Incense, then at the girl. Its mouth opened slightly, and it suddenly shot a rapid stream of water at her, knocking her into the swamp with a face full of mud.
"Kip." Mudkip pouted dismissively.
Its wise self had already seen through everything. Compared to the Fountain of Life, the Sea Incense was nothing! I, the wise fish, choose the Fountain of Life!
"Looks like Mudkip chose me," Basalt said with a loud laugh, looking completely unsurprised. This was why he hadn't stopped the girl's actions. If he hadn't been confident, the moment she shouted "Wait a minute," he would have immediately thrown the Ultra Ball at Mudkip, just like when he caught his Bronzor.
Hesitation leads to complications? Not gonna happen.
With a slight smile, Basalt held the Ultra Ball out to Mudkip. It immediately tapped the button with its fin, turned into a red beam of light, and was sucked inside.
"This Basalt kid really is something else," Dean Warner sighed with emotion. He had been genuinely worried, considering the opponent had a medium-grade Sea Incense.
"Bastard!!!"
Climbing out of the swamp, the mud-covered girl exploded, looking at Basalt as if she wanted to tear him limb from limb.
"I'm reporting you! You abused your power! This is an illegal capture, a violation of university rules!" the girl shrieked hysterically, her face flushed with anger.
"Abuse of power? Illegal capture?" Dean Warner sneered. He took out his own Pokédex and opened the university's official website. "Basalt is the leading figure among the freshman reserves and has made special contributions to the university. Therefore, by special approval from the President, he has priority selection rights."
Dean Warner's Pokédex clearly displayed Basalt's information, which indeed included a comment from the President. Basalt himself, however, knew nothing about this and couldn't get a word in.
"Besides, you just had a fair competition with Basalt. Unfortunately, Mudkip didn't choose you; it chose him. What more do you have to say?" Dean Warner glared fiercely, his killing intent palpable. "If you don't get out now, I'll have to pursue the matter of you trespassing in the nursery. We'll see how you get your graduation certificate then!"
In an instant, the tan-skinned girl was completely intimidated, her eyes filled with terror.
She had only managed to get in because a friend happened to be helping out in the nursery, who had told her Basalt was inside and secretly let her in using their privileges. But no matter how you looked at it, she was the one more at fault. If Dean Warner really decided to pursue it, even with her connections, she probably wouldn't be able to handle it.
"Hmph!"
With a cold snort, the girl turned and left.
But Dean Warner called after her sternly, "Remember: don't believe rumors, don't spread rumors, and especially don't start rumors!"
The threat in his voice was unmistakable.
"Alright, since you've caught the Mudkip, this matter is settled."
With the interruption over, Dean Warner's amiable expression returned. He led Basalt away from the swamp area. "Go register Mudkip under your name at the Pokémon Center soon, just in case anyone gets any ideas."
"Don't worry, Dean Warner. I understand." Basalt nodded and bid the Dean farewell.
After Basalt left, Dean Warner's expression turned cold again. "Wendy," he said in a low voice, "go check the surveillance footage and find out how that girl got in just now. I'm going to deal with this matter strictly."
Clearly, there was a mole in the nursery. How could the shrewd old Dean not see that?
But none of this concerned Basalt anymore.
Leaving the nursery through the back door, Basalt finally had time to scan his new Mudkip with his Pokédex.
Beep!
Scan complete. Mudkip's data appeared.
Mudkip
Type: Water
Ability: Damp (Prevents the use of Self-Destruct or Explosion.)
Moves: Water Gun, Mud-Slap, Mud Shot, Ice Ball, Foresight, Yawn, Haze.
"Only seven moves? That's it?"
Basalt raised an eyebrow, slightly disappointed.
Judging by its size, this Mudkip must have hatched some time ago. And as the offspring of a Master-level Pokémon, with an inherited egg move, having only seven moves seemed a bit low.
"But with that special Foresight + Ice Ball combo, one is as good as a dozen," Basalt smiled, letting go of his disappointment. Sometimes, it wasn't about the quantity of moves, but the quality.
"Huh? How did it learn Haze?"
When he saw the last move on the list, Basalt was pleasantly surprised again.
Haze, an Ice-type move. It creates a black mist that resets the stat changes of all Pokémon on the field. This was an essential move for preventing an opponent from setting up too much or for resetting disadvantageous debuffs on his own team. Without it, you were very vulnerable to being swept.
"Looks like this Mudkip's parentage had a high affinity for the Ice type. It learned two Ice-type moves, even more than its own STAB Water moves."
Basalt shook his head with a wry smile. This Mudkip... 2 Ground moves, 2 Ice moves, but only 1 Water move. Its development was quite "unconventional."
But with the Fountain of Life water, no matter how unconventional the wise fish was, he could correct its path.
Looking at Mudkip's data, Basalt silently began to formulate a training plan. "Defense Curl is definitely on the list. An Ice Ball without Defense Curl has no soul."
"Aqua Jet also needs to be arranged. That secret technique scroll has been gathering dust in my bag for a year. It's finally time to use it."
"And from the looks of it, this Mudkip has a good talent for the Ice type. I need to find a way to get it Icy Wind too. Not only does it deal damage, but it can also effectively lower the opponent's speed."
...
While Basalt was happily making plans, a dark figure suddenly blocked his path.
He looked up. Wasn't it that fierce, dark-skinned girl from before?
"Hey, you brat. You dare to battle?"
The girl's eyes were blazing as she issued the challenge. "If I lose, I'll give you the Sea Incense, worth ten million. But if you lose, you give me the Mudkip."
As she spoke, a sly glint flashed in her eyes. She knew Basalt hadn't registered the Mudkip under his name yet. And Dean Warner had just said he was a freshman, so his strength had to be limited.
Now, it all depended on whether Basalt could resist the temptation of a ten-million-dollar Sea Incense.
"Sorry, Lady. Not interested."
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