The weather was clear, a crisp breeze brushed against one's face, sweeping away all fatigue, whirling the last few yellow leaves away, slowly drifting down in the afterglow of the sunset.
This is Withered Leaf City.
The streets covered with golden fallen leaves are a major attraction of this city.
Natsuhiko, dressed in a black trench coat with a light-colored vest and a white shirt underneath, stood by the window, gazing outside for a while, until he was drawn back by his constantly vibrating phone back to the brown, wood-grained desk.
He picked up the phone handled by Flint.
He found a message from their small three-person group.
[Stone-Loving Flint: Have you heard about the situation in Goldenrod City? Is Natsuhiko okay?]
[User 1886****8: Heard about it, he...]
[Stone-Loving Flint: @Natsuhiko.]
Seeing their messages, Natsuhiko replied with a smile.
[Natsuhiko: I'm okay. By the way, Hilona, why haven't you changed your nickname yet?]
[Stone-Loving Flint: As long as you're fine, I've already sold your Dark Stone, let me transfer the money to you shortly.]
[User 1886****8: Haven't decided what to use yet.]
[Natsuhiko: ...I suggest you just use your name.]
[User 1886****8: ...Okay.]
[Dingdong! Stone-Loving Flint has transferred 1.5 million Alliance Coins, please check!]
Is a mid-level Evolution Stone worth 1.5 million?
With Flint's channels, the selling price might be a bit higher than the market price, so a mid-level Evolution Stone should be priced in the range of 1.2 to 1.5 million.
After receiving the 1.5 million Alliance Coins, Natsuhiko's little treasury suddenly became affluent again.
Not counting the Rhydon and Rhyhorn that haven't been sold yet, he now had 1.75 million Alliance Coins, and if he sold some other items, like the other two mid-level Evolution Stones, this little treasury would become even wealthier.
At least, in the short term, there shouldn't be a need to struggle for resources.
[Hilona: Changed it.]
[Stone-Loving Flint: Did you receive it?]
[Natsuhiko: Received it.]
[Stone-Loving Flint: Great, I'm off to work, just found a new interesting stone.]
[Hilona: @Natsuhiko, you mentioned before that the connection between Eevee and the Trainer might affect its evolution, to what extent does that count? Or how should we test the specific values?]
This was indeed a question.
As it stands, the Pokemon Realm probably hasn't yet quantified affinity data, so how to test it is crucial.
After a brief consideration, Natsuhiko replied.
[Natsuhiko: Does your Eevee know the "Gratitude" move? The power of "Gratitude" is based on the closeness between the Pokémon and the Trainer, I think you could start from this angle.]
After a while, Hilona seemed to have pondered over the constructive suggestion Natsuhiko provided.
[Hilona: Alright, thank you.]
[Natsuhiko: You're welcome.]
[Hilona: By the way, do you still have the business card I gave you last time? I mentioned you to Dr. Yamanashi, and he's a bit interested in you, maybe you could say hello.]
[Natsuhiko: ...Alright.]
He put away the phone.
Sitting in the chair, he pondered a bit.
He lightly pressed the desk lamp on the table to make the light clearer.
Natsuhiko opened his notebook, skillfully logged in to the league's official website, and entered the researcher's forum interface.
He found Sakuragi and sent him a private message straight away.
"Mr. Sakuragi, I happen to be in Withered Leaf City for a while, I wonder if you have time, I'd like to visit."
One of the reasons Natsuhiko chose Withered Leaf City as his first stop after leaving Goldenrod City was to meet Sakuragi, this future Doctor, now a famous researcher.
After sending this message, Natsuhiko started compiling some information about Pokémon and planned the upcoming training.
Beedrill's "Sword Dance" move is currently the most important training goal.
After a few battles, "Direct Charge Drill" has also proven the importance of this Ground-type move to Beedrill when facing certain Pokémon and needs to be emphasized as well.
The Dark-type move "Smack Down" is not yet mastered, and Natsuhiko supplemented it with the technique secret manual for "Malicious Pursuit."
Beedrill's upcoming tasks are quite heavy.
Abra, due to Ann Ci's scriptures, has rapidly improved the proficiency of the meditation technique, to the extent that it can use meditation to partly replace sleep, its psychic power growing visibly.
What it needs to learn now are the moves "Play" and "Mental Shock."
Also, the moves it learned before need more training.
Togepi might be the most relaxed, as it doesn't need to learn any new moves since it hasn't fully mastered many it already knows, and lacks battle experience.
While Natsuhiko was writing the plan, Sakuragi finally replied to his private message.
"Really? Very welcome! When Mr. Dodo comes, you can directly call the number from last time, my assistant will come out to meet you."
Sakuragi was quite welcoming to Natsuhiko's visit.
After replying with "Okay," Natsuhiko smiled.
"Whether or not I can get some titles, or even join some scientific projects to earn some funding, depends on tomorrow."
This was a potential source of long-term income.
If it can be sustained, Natsuhiko hopes to do it long-term.
...
...
The next day.
Stepping on the cobblestone road, Natsuhiko was led by Chrysa, Sakuragi's student and assistant, into the "Eevee Evolution Research Institute."
This largest research institute in Withered Leaf City is located on the edge of the city, in a suburb near the sea on a hilltop.
Passing through the winter-green lawn, surrounded by trees, a small pond mirrored the warm sunlight like glass.
Many Pokémon could be seen resting on the grass.
Lying in a "大" position under a shade, a Snorlax covered in soft white fluff, with a transparent white bubble growing and shrinking on its nose.
Quietly lying on a tree trunk, clad in a dark blue armor-like shell, with a strikingly large horn on its head, a Heracross sucked sap from the trunk.
A group of Kangaskhan gathered together, happy smiles on their faces, stuffing delicious tree fruit into the pockets on their waists' little mouths.
Laughing and playing on the grass, the Eevees frolicked joyfully.
...
This place is simply a paradise for Pokémon.
Leading Natsuhiko forward, Chrysa said with a gentle smile, "I didn't expect Mr. Dodo to be so young."
In her view, Natsuhiko's age is at most around her own, possibly even younger.
And such a young man was someone her teacher had been eager to have a face-to-face exchange with.
There's no denying, some people are just gifted in Pokémon research.
"I didn't expect Mr. Sakuragi's assistant to be such a young and beautiful girl either," Natsuhiko replied with a smile.
Courtesy talk.
Saying nice things never goes wrong.
At these words, Chrysa's fair face blushed slightly.
"Mr. Dodo is more articulate than I imagined."
With just one sentence, the initial formality between Natsuhiko and Chrysa was bridged significantly.
"Chrysa sister!"
As the two were talking and walking towards the research institute, a small child in a short-sleeved shirt came stumbling towards Chrysa.
Seeing him, Chrysa's smile became even more gentle.
And next to her, Natsuhiko squinted his eyes.
Could it be.
This person is the legendary...
"Little Hao."