"This is the Flame Badge you deserve."
Yasha handed over the badge that seemed to burn like fire, "Congratulations! Excellent Trainer!"
"Thank you."
Baimu received it with both hands and nodded in acknowledgment.
Yasha, a trainer of the young generation in the Hoenn Region, is still exceptionally strong, but because of being a Gym Leader for too long, most of the Pokémon information has already been leaked online.
Additionally, since Gym Battles mainly focus on teaching and there's no free exchange of Pokémon, her battle strength can't be fully exerted.
When the Pokémon World Championship begins, or if a Celestial King retires or steps down voluntarily, Yasha will know roughly what her true strength is when she participates.
Beside them.
Mura looked at Baimu, unable to hide the admiration in his eyes.
He rarely encountered such a compatible young trainer. Unfortunately, he was too old to have the ambition and vigor, combined with his recent immersion in Pokémon Senryu, he was not as good as he was during his tenure as a Gym Leader. Otherwise, he would have taken him on as a student.
It might not sound very nice to say, but Mura felt that this child's future achievements might surpass those of his granddaughter by a lot.
Especially since he learned that Baimu had only been training Pokémon for half a year.
"There are quite a few powerful fire-type Pokémon on Chimney Mountain. If you're interested in the fire attribute, you could take a stroll there, or Flame Path is also quite a good choice."
Mura couldn't help but recommend fire-type Pokémon.
"Alright, thank you very much."
Baimu carefully kept the badge and thanked the old man, then softly inquired Yasha about the Rocket Team Base, "Could you tell me why the Rocket Team came to Hoenn... are they just planning to set up a branch base?"
"I'm really not sure about that."
Yasha scratched her head and asked curiously, "Why do you seem to care so much about the Rocket Team?"
"Of course, I'm worried about encountering them next."
His reason was quite sound, "The Rocket Team is known for deceiving and committing various evil deeds. Knowing the reason, I can take precautions in case I have something they're eyeing."
Yasha nodded enthusiastically, "Makes sense! How about this, I'll go with you to the police station to ask."
"Thank you very much!"
Immediately.
The two bid farewell to Mura, went to the Pokémon Center to heal the Pokémon's injuries, then headed to the police station.
Incidentally, Miss Jun Sha was planning to meet Yasha too.
"Is there such a thing as a Super Crystal Ore on Chimney Mountain? Did old Mr. Mura know about this?" She held a report and handed it over upon seeing the latter.
Yasha didn't understand a thing about this and responded blankly, "I don't know, I'll go back and ask later. By the way, Miss Jun Sha, why did the Rocket Team set up a Secret Base on Chimney Mountain?"
"It's for that so-called Super Crystal Ore, which seems to have something to do with Super Evolution."
Officer Jenny pointed at the report, "And this Secret Base isn't even Rocket Team's. They just took over the abandoned base of the Magma Team."
"Ah~ I see~"
Yasha had a sudden realization, then turned to look at Baimu beside her, "Do you understand?"
The latter nodded slightly, "More or less..."
Rocket Team is actually after Super Evolution. He hadn't thought of that at first, but on second thought, it seemed understandable.
With Giovanni's strategic vision, how could he possibly ignore this immense power?
The reason behind the Super Stone is rather complex; some say it's life energy, others say it's natural energy.
The Hoenn Region, being one of the origins of Super Evolution, identified the root in an ancient and powerfully primitive energy-contained Seven-Colored Giant Stone in the animation.
Considering the game content.
Baimu tentatively assumed that this thing was the Seven-Colored Meteorite that fell from the sky thousands of years ago.
Back then, Primordial Groudon and Primordial Kyogre were constantly battling to seize the abundant natural energy of the Hoenn Region. But as the Seven-Colored Meteorite fell to Meteor Falls, the arriving Rayquaza ended their conflict.
It's likely that one.
In the animation, it was later taken by Fladari, replicated into a fake Zygarde that nearly destroyed the Carlos Region, and when it appeared, it caused a scramble among the three gods of sea, land, and sky.
So whether this Super Crystal Ore the Rocket Team is searching for truly exists...
Baimu felt unsure.
What if it was a larger fragment broken off during the meteorite's fall? The Super Stones scattered throughout the Hoenn Region are likely fragments of the meteorite.
Certainly.
To date, only he knew this situation.
The troublesome part is that he doesn't know where the Legendary Giant Stone is. The animation didn't even cover the search process, directly transitioning to a scene in some ruins.
But as a Rocket Team member in Sun and Moon could already make an Aggron undergo Super Evolution, the Rocket Team must have had some gains...
Did Lei Gong come to the Hoenn Region to prevent the Rocket Team from mastering Super Evolution?
Unfortunately, Ho-oh Guard's Three Sacred Beasts can't undergo Super Evolution.
Having largely understood the reason.
Baimu inquired on his phone to Huo Cun.
"Do you have a Secret Base near the Jagged Pass on Chimney Mountain?"
Bzz Bzz~
Just seconds after the message was sent, a reply came.
Huo Cun: "How do you know? Did you find it? That place should have been emptied, right!"
Baimu: "Sadly, your old base has been taken over by the Rocket Team. They're using it to search for some Super Crystal Ore, which seems to have a bit to do with Super Evolution. Do you know anything about this?"
Huo Cun: "Super Crystal Ore? Ha! Wasn't that a project we abandoned years ago!"
Baimu: "What do you mean? Can you tell me?"
Huo Cun: "There's no harm in telling you. Back then, in order to make Groudon's Primordial Return obtain more powerful strength, we looked everywhere for Super Stones and Key Stones. We assumed that since this thing is a stone, there must be an entire vein of it, which might provide it with enough power... In the end, you know, we found nothing."
Huo Cun: "Ah! It's not all for nothing. We managed to find a few Key Stones and Super Stones, Giovanni and Courtney's stones came this way."
Baimu: "I see, thank you!"
Huo Cun: "No problem, I should thank you for reminding us. The Hoenn Region isn't a place where Rocket Team can just waltz in. We'll make sure they head back to Kanto and Johto properly."
Baimu: "Hmm! Are you guys going to start a fight?"
Huo Cun: "We'll see about that. I'm running a legal enterprise now. Oh, you might also let Ocean Team know; they don't have a good opinion about Rocket Team either."
Baimu: "…Alright."
Though it's unclear why Magma Team and Ocean Team have such hostility towards Rocket Team, it's good to find others to deal with them.
Perhaps it rings true that fellow competitors are the rawest kind of hatred?
Even if the Red and Blue teams no longer walk the villain's path.
——
Back at the hotel.
Baimu planned to find Lei Gong for a confirmation.
It turned out Lei Gong seemed to have slipped away, leaving only a towel floating in the pool.
"That big cat won't just sneak off thinking it's healed, right?" He pondered the surroundings suspiciously, believing Lei Gong wouldn't be so heartless.
Running off without saying a word.
If it really left without saying anything, then the next time Baimu sees Lei Gong, he might teach it a lesson—catch it first, even if he plans on giving it freedom later, just to scare it a bit.
But it also needs to understand how big the grudge is.
The belly and head haven't been touched yet!
"Whatever."
Baimu shook his head and released his group of Pokémon.
"Shaa-saw!"
Hydreigon appeared eagerly, rushing towards the Trainer—
Only to miss and slam into the bed.
This wasn't because Baimu deliberately dodged, but after gaining sight, Hydreigon's been using dual perspectives from two heads, often adjusting position when pouncing the Trainer.
Now transitioning from double to single vision, it's unfamiliar, needing to redevelop a sense of space.
Hydreigon was quite anxious.
"Shaa-saw—Shaa-saw—"
"Alright, alright! You noisy thing!" Baimu helplessly stretched his right hand into its giant mouth.
Hydreigon closed its mouth, feeling the Trainer's hand seemed much smaller.
But the familiar taste remained.
The previously intense emotions quickly settled.
Compared to its Zweilous phase, Hydreigon had grown significantly, from the Illustrated Guide's average height of 180 cm to roughly 210 cm, becoming a big monster like Aggron.
For the double bed, it posed a severe challenge.
Thankfully, its Trait allowed it to float, controlling its descent, it could hover unconsciously in mid-air, sleeping without touching the bed.
Not very heart-friendly for Baimu.
Waking in the night or morning, the first sight might very well be Hydreigon's fierce head.
"You look a lot more intimidating now than before."
Baimu pulled Hydreigon to the floor mirror, letting it take a good look at its new appearance, facilitating the upcoming adaptation.
"Shaa-saw…"
Hydreigon looked at the completely unfamiliar creature in the mirror, initially panic-stricken, then belatedly realized its claws had turned into two mouths.
Yet the vision still only had one, not three.
Why?
"Shaa-saw?"
Hydreigon turned its head, waving the two mouths to inquire why.
"Because these two heads don't have brains, unlike your previous heads. You now have only one real head, these two are false heads, that's why they don't even have eyes, understand?"
Baimu patted its one big and two small heads in order.
Hydreigon didn't understand.
What's this about false heads and real heads, aren't heads just heads?
It raised its left and right heads, inspirited by the sudden thought of reaching for the Trainer's left and right hand, then gently biting them.
Mm~
Seems to have taste buds?
It lifted its head, staring closely at the Trainer's puzzled face, before opening wide to engulf his whole head.
Complete!
So that's how these three heads are used! Complete!
I'm so clever!
"Shaa-woo…"
Hydreigon bit Baimu's head and chin, continuously licking his face with its tongue triumphantly.
The surrounding Pokémon were dumbfounded, quickly rushing over, desperately prying open its mouth to save him before suffocation settled.
Disaster!
Hydreigon has gone mad and started to eat the Trainer!