Chapter 453: School Team Summons
Thus, Basalt had an additional task in the following days. Besides cultivation and training, he went out to spar every day or two, then returned to summarize and reflect. Basalt's days became increasingly fulfilling.
Crucially, to "take care" of Basalt, Shao Hui specifically proposed "wild battle training" later, claiming it was to help Basalt protect himself outside. This put immense pressure on Basalt.
Since his debut, Basalt had only experienced two true wild battles: one against the black-robed men in the Taklamakan Desert, and the other against poachers on the prairie. As for other battles, they could only be considered group fights at most, far from life-and-death struggles.
Coincidentally, Shao Hui seemed to be an expert in this field, with rich combat experience. Consequently, Basalt was bloodily tortured by Shao Hui. Seeing Shao Hui gritting his teeth, Basalt sometimes really reflected on whether he had offended him somewhere.
However, with Bronzong's psychic coverage and "Telepathy" controlling the field, Basalt's adaptability to wild battles was also very strong. After a short period of training, he slowly adapted to the wild battle mode. Especially under the pressure of Excadrill and Camerupt, Shao Hui never succeeded in snatching the weather. Consequently, Shao Hui's training became increasingly ruthless.
But the stricter Shao Hui was, the more Basalt gained, and the faster he grew.
At the same time, Basalt's personality was also quietly changing; less mischievous, more determined. This was honed in the wind and snow day after day. Without some willpower, ordinary people really couldn't persist on the snowfields of the Himalayas, let alone engage in wild battles. Wild battles required a strong heart; ordinary trainers really couldn't do it well.
Ding-a-ling~
One noon, Basalt finished his morning training and was preparing lunch. But just then, his Pokédex rang after a long time.
"Yah? There's a signal!"
Basalt was pleasantly surprised. This godforsaken place in the Himalayas was rarely visited, so the signal was very unstable. During this period, Basalt had been scolded by his mom via messages several times for not answering calls.
Picking it up, he saw an unfamiliar number.
"Hello, who is this?" Basalt answered the call.
"Is this Basalt? I'm Fang Tianjin."
On the other end came a young man's voice.
"Oh, Captain Fang!"
Basalt perked up. Fang Tianjin was the next captain of the South River University school team after Bai Xinxin stepped down. He was also the only junior student in the previous school team, with strong potential and strength.
"Basalt, I'm calling to notify you that five days from now, our South River University school team has an exchange match with the Huaxia University school team. I hope you can participate as a reserve."
Fang Tianjin's tone carried a hint of depression.
Since South River University lost to Shanghai University and fell out of the top three in the university rankings, morale had been low. Crucially, among the main players of this year's school team, there wasn't a single fully evolved pseudo-legendary Pokémon. This was another major weakness in the competition between top university school teams. With these two factors combined, it would be strange if the SRU school team's morale was good!
Basalt's Pupitar naturally carried high hopes from SRU. However, calculating based on the normal growth progress of pseudo-legendaries, the school concluded that Pupitar couldn't evolve this year. Consequently, the school unanimously placed their hopes on next year, waiting for Basalt's Pupitar to evolve into Tyranitar and Zhan Xinglong's Gabite to evolve into Garchomp.
In this way, Fang Tianjin's batch became a transitional school team, completely treated like stepchildren.
"School team exchange match?"
Basalt was slightly stunned. Then he looked at the time and realized he had been training on the snowfield for more than two months unknowingly. Indeed, there are no years in the mountains!
"So soon, China's professional league will start again!"
Basalt's eyes lit up, full of anticipation. Training hard for so long, wasn't it to amaze the world with a single feat? Especially since the opponent was Huaxia University, a top university in China?
Having skills but unable to show off ("zhuang bi") would be like casting pearls before swine or walking in brocade clothes at night. A huge loss!
Of course, with his alma mater summoning, Basalt certainly wouldn't refuse. If there is a battle, return upon summons; if returning, must fight; if fighting, must win. This was Basalt's belief!
"Rest assured, Captain Fang, I will definitely arrive on time!" Basalt said with certainty.
"Good." Fang Tianjin replied weakly and hung up.
"What? Going back?"
When Basalt went to find Wu Kong, Wu Kong had already guessed Basalt's intention.
Basalt nodded.
"I guessed so! The professional league and university league are about to start. With your strength, being a main player on the school team is barely enough."
Wu Kong stood on the edge of the cliff with hands behind his back, letting the fierce wind blow his robes loudly, but his body remained motionless like the Sea-Calming Needle.
Fang Tianjin didn't know Basalt's progress speed, so evaluating based on Basalt's strength during the off-season, he could only be a substitute. But having spent day and night with Basalt for these months, Wu Kong knew Basalt's true strength too well. Being a main player? Definitely!
"What about Hakamo-o? What do you plan to do?"
Wu Kong turned around and glanced at Basalt.
At this time, Hakamo-o was training fist techniques. It had learned Aura Sphere a month ago. Lucario had also taught it the detection and application methods of Aura long ago; the rest depended on its own diligent practice.
As for fist techniques, Hakamo-o hadn't learned them all yet. So far, Hakamo-o had learned the Elemental Punches. Especially Ice Punch; thanks to the environment of the high mountain snowfields, its power was considerable. Fire Punch and Thunder Punch weren't bad either; the fist techniques were not only fierce and domineering but could also be switched proficiently, exceptionally flexible.
Only the move "Drain Punch" had too many key points and was too difficult; Hakamo-o needed to spend more effort on it. Moreover, Hakamo-o's strength wasn't strong enough yet; using it to play in the First Division League would be too forced.
So Basalt said, "I want to leave Hakamo-o here with you, Senior Brother, for a while longer. I'll pick it up after it learns 'Drain Punch' and improves its fist and movement techniques a bit more."
"That's fine too."
Wu Kong nodded and didn't say much.
As for Swampert, it had already grasped the basics of Ice Punch and body force exertion; it didn't need to follow cultivation constantly and could practice on its own back home.
After making up his mind, Basalt visited Shao Hui and the few ascetics he often sparred with to express his intention to leave. In this high mountain snowfield, holding a farewell party was naturally impossible. All they could do was have another satisfying battle with Basalt. That day, Basalt was subjected to a wheel war and almost got exhausted!
"Haka~ Haka~"
Learning that Basalt was leaving, the most reluctant was naturally Hakamo-o. Although this guy had a firm will, at the moment of parting, it couldn't help but have tears in its eyes. Except for it, all other Pokémon were leaving; this blow was not small for Hakamo-o.
"Why cry? Men don't cry easily!"
Basalt put on a stern face to scold, but his hand didn't stop, silently wiping the tears from the corner of Hakamo-o's eyes.
"Hakamo-o, I'm leaving you here not because I don't like you, but because I hope you become stronger quickly. I'm leaving here also to fight, also to become stronger. Although we are temporarily separated, we are both striving to become stronger, reaching the same goal by different routes."
Basalt said seriously, "If you miss me, then work hard to become stronger! The day you are strong enough, I will come to pick you up!"
Basalt patted Hakamo-o's shoulder heavily. Although these words were suspected of gaslighting (PUA) Hakamo-o, turning longing into motivation to become stronger was also beneficial for Hakamo-o.
However, Basalt wasn't Ash ("Silly Satoshi"); he wouldn't do something like abandoning Pidgeot for over a decade without returning. As long as Hakamo-o learned Drain Punch and movement techniques properly, he would definitely rush back immediately. This, Basalt could guarantee!
"Haka~"
Clenching its fist, Hakamo-o nodded solemnly, then turned and left to continue training. That night, Hakamo-o trained all night in the blizzard, refusing to return to the cave where Basalt lived.
In the morning, Basalt packed his bags, ready to leave.
"Carb~ink~"
Looking at Hakamo-o training not far away, the sensitive Carbink was somewhat worried.
"Don't worry, Carbink. Hakamo-o is much stronger than you imagine!"
Basalt patted Carbink's head, looked at Hakamo-o training hard in the distance again, and said softly, "Hakamo-o isn't seeing me this time because it's afraid it won't bear to part. But at the same time, it's also for a better reunion next time!"
"Carb~ink~"
Carbink tilted its head, seeming to understand but not quite.
Mounting Bronzong and holding Carbink, Basalt waved goodbye to Infernape, Lucario, and the other Pokémon, then soared into the sky, heading east towards the Cloud Province.
"Haka~"
Hearing the breaking wind sound of Bronzong flying getting smaller and smaller, Hakamo-o turned its head abruptly, only to see a small black dot on the horizon, getting fainter and smaller.
After an unknown amount of time, Hakamo-o clenched its fists and threw itself into training with an even more excited state. As its fist wrapped in huge golden scales suddenly punched out, a rock bigger than a person shattered in response, turning into fragments.
"Haka~"
Hakamo-o was stunned for a moment. Its punch force seemed to have become crisper with stronger explosive power!
Meanwhile, a stranger arrived at Blizzard Peak.
This was a beautiful woman with shoulder-length hair, riding a Pokémon with a chubby orange body but tiny wings, speeding from the horizon. From that orange Pokémon, Hakamo-o felt an extremely strong sense of oppression.
"Didn't you say you wouldn't see Basalt? Why did you still come?"
Wu Kong looked at the woman and smiled, "But you're late; Basalt has already left!"
"I know!"
Although beautiful, the woman's face was stern. She ignored Wu Kong and just looked at Hakamo-o, saying condescendingly: "You are a Dragon/Fighting dual-type Pokémon, with Dragon being your primary type. But now, your Fighting type development is too advanced, while your Dragon type development is too lagging; the bias is too severe!"
"Haka~"
Hakamo-o's expression changed slightly.
"However, I can help you correct it and help you develop your Dragon attributes. If you want to become stronger, wait for me at the foot of the mountain every afternoon!"
After speaking, the woman didn't give Hakamo-o time to consider, patted the Pokémon beneath her, and left directly.
"Why has this person's personality changed so much all of a sudden?"
Watching the woman's retreating figure, Wu Kong scratched his head with a wry smile. It seemed that the battle back then was too big a blow for her. However, fortune and misfortune depend on each other; the woman gained a breakthrough in a short time instead, which was definitely something countless people dreamed of.
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