"Tyran!"
Upon hearing that Ethan wanted him to work as a miner, Tyranitar immediately showed an expression of disdain.
But before he could react, Ethan pulled out the Poké Ball, and a ray of red light trapped him and stored him again.
"You want freedom?"
Ethan smiled slightly and activated the Poké Ball again, releasing Tyranitar.
"TYRAAANN!"
Tyranitar felt he was being toyed with and roared furiously.
But before he could vent his anger, Ethan stored him back into the Poké Ball.
This repeated over ten times. When he finally released him again, Tyranitar had almost no temper left; instinctively, he took a defensive stance, afraid of being captured once more.
"See? Your freedom depends entirely on me," Ethan said. "And if you don't agree, I could lock you in this Poké Ball forever."
As he threatened him while shaking the Poké Ball, Tyranitar's expression changed drastically.
Ethan noticed his hesitation and smiled. As expected of a pseudo-legendary—one who had lived countless years—his intelligence was truly high.
"Besides freedom, I might also help you become even stronger. If you accept my conditions, I might even give you the chance to evolve again."
Ethan smiled, knowing his threat had taken effect, then began explaining the details.
"Tyran? (Evolution?)" Tyranitar's eyes lit up.
After centuries of existence, he had awakened deep memories imprinted within his ancestral genes.
Especially after devouring Smooth Rocks for so long, he had always felt his body was not at its limit, that he had potential to go even further.
So upon hearing the word "evolution," his heart stirred—could what this human said be true?
"You don't need to doubt. I already have the Key Stone," Ethan said. "We just need to find the corresponding Mega Stone, and you'll be able to evolve."
With a small motion, Ethan pulled out the Key Stone from his pocket, emitting a soft multicolored glow, which made Tyranitar feel a strange sense of emotion.
Even though he did not fully understand what a Key Stone or Mega Stone was, he instinctively trusted Ethan.
"Cac!" Cacturne joined in, explaining how he had followed Ethan step by step and grown stronger.
"Tyran!" Tyranitar looked at Cacturne, his eyes shining brightly.
In his memory, this species was not particularly powerful. Yet the Cacturne in front of him had far surpassed his kin—so much that he could rival even Tyranitar's own species.
"Yadon!" Slowking and Shellder also voiced their support.
"Zzzt!"
While Ethan spoke, Meltan floated in front of Tyranitar, making electronic sounds and blinking adorably.
But as Tyranitar examined Meltan, his pupils suddenly shrank.
That aura...
It was familiar. It came from ancestral genes of his own species—a power his lineage deeply respected.
His expression shifted quickly. He scanned the Pokémon present and finally fixed his gaze on Ethan, giving a slight nod: he accepted the terms.
Ethan offered him freedom and the possibility of becoming stronger, and in return, Tyranitar would guard the Smooth Rock mine and... work as a miner.
After sealing the agreement, Ethan breathed a sigh of relief and gave him a Berry juice to restore his energy.
Once recovered, Tyranitar stood up and walked straight to the cave entrance.
With a long roar, he declared his return, and the curious Pokémon around them changed their expressions and retreated into the sand, vanishing from sight.
With Tyranitar secured, Ethan focused on his other Pokémon. The tunnel contained extremely concentrated Rock- and Ground-type energy, and not training them here would be a huge waste.
Aside from the Smooth Rocks, the latent energy in the cave was even more valuable, and Tyranitar had reached his current strength thanks to it.
According to Tyranitar, he had simply eaten and slept for years, and somehow became this powerful.
This showed Tyranitar's enormous potential: even without formal training, he was already incredibly strong. With proper training, he could reach another level entirely, easily touching the rank of Pokémon Hunters—the Professional tier.
He might even become Ethan's first Pokémon to reach that level, provided that Ethan could control him.
Soon, Ethan drafted detailed training plans for each of his Pokémon. Due to the environment, he focused on Rock- and Ground-type moves.
Among them, Vibrava and Shuckle gained the most, improving their moves and strengthening their typings.
Particularly Shuckle, who had only just begun working with Rock-type moves, could reach the master level quickly.
Additionally, with the presence of the Smooth Rocks, Ethan planned for Vibrava, Shuckle, and Cacturne to attempt learning the move Sandstorm.
Thanks to the complete methods he had learned from Professor Harris, and with Tyranitar's support, they successfully mastered the move.
The training mainly focused on controlling Rock-type energy and achieving resonance with the power of the sandstorm.
Cacturne, with his Sand Veil ability and advanced development, had a natural advantage. And the results showed it: raised amid sandstorms, he learned Sandstorm faster than any of the others, with the help of the Smooth Rocks and his ability.
(End of chapter)