Pokémon: I picked up a reborn Eevee at the start of the game

"It's nothing, I was just trying to cheer you on."

Shui Lian calmed herself down and, not to be outdone, reached out and pinched him back.

As evening fell, the sunset on the horizon turned a deep orange-red, as if it were about to drip blood. The two girls regained their former vitality and playfully snuggled together.

It was so beautiful that it seemed to blend into a painting with the stunning scenery around it.

…………

Although it was only seven o'clock at night, the moon was already hanging proudly in the azure sky.

The initial heat of the summer night had not yet subsided, and only the breeze blowing from the sea could bring a touch of coolness.

After parting ways with Lillie and Shui Lian, Xia Chen didn't rush home but instead wandered around Meile Meile Island.

This place was much larger than Xia Chen had imagined. Of course, it couldn't compare to the vast land of Donghuang, but sitting on Milos and floating in mid-air, it took at least a thousand meters to get a full view of the island.

He suddenly remembered that Volcarona had said that the powerful Gluttonous King could swallow an entire island in one gulp. If it were Melemele Island, it probably couldn't do that, right?

After imagining a giant beast swallowing an island of tens of thousands of square kilometers in one gulp, Xia Chen shook his head with a wry smile. Sure enough, that was impossible; it wasn't like the Talebagos Islands.

Mela Mela Island has a complex terrain, with mountains reaching nearly 2,000 meters in elevation in the northeast and a dormant volcano in the northwest.

The southern plains are a region with frequent human activity and are also the most prosperous area in Alola. Hauerle City, where Xia Chen is located, is situated on the southeastern coast.

Speaking of which, despite having traveled to so many places, Xia Chen has never been to a volcano, not even the famous Mt. Chimney in the Hoenn region.

Driven by curiosity, he sent Milotic flying toward the volcano in the northwest called "Wind Forest Volcano"—a dormant volcano with a very Eastern and strange name.

At the foot of the volcano lies a city called Fenglai City. It is not large; in Donghuang, it wouldn't even qualify as a town, but rather a village.

However, in Alora, where the local population is sparse, Wind City can be considered one of the major "big cities" outside of Hauorle.

The city's main industries are agriculture and tourism, with vast orchards scattered throughout the city, making buildings seem like a rarity.

Xia Chen looked down from the high place and noticed a patch of land near the foot of the volcano that was charred black, like the aftermath of a forest fire.

Has this volcano ever erupted?

Xia Chen thought this with some curiosity, but then felt that something was not quite right. The traces of a volcanic eruption should not be like this. It should just be an ordinary volcano, right?

He didn't stay in the city; after just one glance, he climbed the rather spectacular Fenglin Volcano.

It's said to be a dormant volcano, but the entire mountain looks very quiet.

Xia Chen only understood the so-called dormant volcano after asking Rotom about it. It refers to a volcano that has erupted before and may erupt again.

Perhaps that eruption occurred hundreds of years ago, and there is almost no possibility of it happening again in the near future.

Fenglin Volcano is such a dormant volcano.

As such, the Pokémon living on the mountain are no different from those in ordinary forests. The common Alola Pokémon such as Totodile, Florges, and Sedum are all found here.

…………

"Speaking of which, which is the dominant spirit in this area?"

Xia Chen muttered to himself.

Totem Pokémon are a unique phenomenon in Alola. These Pokémon are significantly larger than their counterparts and are covered in a special aura. When battling them, they will call upon their allies for support.

In reality, the dominant Pokémon in Alola is usually a single entity in a region, with the other Pokémon in that region serving as its subordinates, somewhat like a tribe.

Naturally, the Overlord Pokémon is also the most powerful one in this area.

Xia Chen has been in Alola for two days now, and he still hasn't seen the legendary Overlord Pokémon.

Now that he suddenly remembered it, he became somewhat curious.

The bright moon hung high in the sky, and the mountains, though lacking artificial light, did not appear too dim. Seeing that it was still early, Xia Chen began to stroll around the area.

Perhaps due to the sparse population, the elves here are more wild than those in the Eastern Empire.

Xia Chen walked slowly for half an hour, and many elves challenged him, either out of mischief or to provoke him.

Without even needing Sylveon and Milotic to intervene, Xia Chen dealt with these guys who were only amateur elite level in strength on his own.

The defeated elves all looked on in disbelief—they had actually lost to a human?

This news, which was half anecdote and half horror, spread like wildfire among the spirits of the volcano. Although it didn't spread through the internet, it was passed around by word of mouth until soon all the spirits on the mountain knew that a demonic muscle man had come to the area.

Xia Chen didn't mind. Instead, after "communicating" with these elves, he told them about his desire to meet the Overlord elf and asked them to convey his message.

Enjoying the scenery along the way, Xia Chen made his way to the top of the mountain as if he were overcoming all obstacles.

He had a feeling that the dominant elf would live high up.

However, before he reached the halfway point, a group of elves stopped him. The leader was an ordinary-looking old dragon, except for being slightly larger.

This Normal/Dragon-type Pokémon is also a unique Pokémon that mainly inhabits the Alola region, and its appearance is somewhat similar to the Brachiosaurus from the dinosaur era.

Large in size, with a gentle and affectionate personality, it is a rare friendly elf that is willing to actively communicate with and care for humans.

The old dragon in front of us is five meters tall, more than a meter larger than the average individual, but apart from that, it has nothing special about it.

…………

"So, you are the overlord spirit of this mountain?"

Xia Chen stroked his chin as he observed it, and asked a question.

The old man, Long, nodded slowly, his movements as slow as the sloth in Zootopia.

When it spoke, Xia Chen realized that not only were its movements similar, but even its tone of voice was somewhat alike.

“Mapa—(Yes...human...I am...the...dominant elf...of...this...volcano...May I ask...what...you...want...to...me?)”

What was a simple sentence that an impatient person could finish in three to five seconds took the old man a full half minute to say.

Xia Chen sighed, wondering if this guy was just too old or if this kind of elf was born this way.

Fortunately, this did not affect the communication between the two parties. Xia Chen said, "I am a tourist visiting Alola. I came here to see the dominant Pokémon, but if I may be so bold, you do not look like a dominant Pokémon."

The so-called dominant spirit isn't just about being big; the most important thing is its "aura," although that might sound a bit mystical...

Xia Chen can probably be understood as a simplified version of the "aura field" possessed by legendary elves such as Guleton and Deoxys.

In short, no matter what, this old dragon looks rather ordinary.

The old dragon did not refute; its eyebrows slowly rose, and it took several seconds to make a surprised expression.

Then, in a torturous, slow tone, she spoke again: "Mapa—(Human...you...can...understand...our...elves'...language...?)"

Xia Chen nodded helplessly, "Okay, this is one of my specialties, so let's be honest and reveal some things, okay? Please introduce me to the dominant elf here, I mean no harm."

The old man, Long, slowly said, "Mapa—(Don't rush...)"

Holy crap, is your feature slow start? How can I not be anxious when you talk like that?

Xia Chen finally understood the feelings of the rabbit police officer in Zootopia. He didn't care about politeness anymore and patiently interjected, "Okay, okay, I'm not in a hurry. Can I see the Overlord Elf?"

The old dragon opened his mouth, "Mapa—(Look...you're getting impatient again...I told you...I am...the...dominant elf of this...region...how come...you just...don't believe me...)"

Xia Chen's expression was blank; he decided to give up communicating with the old man Long.

I glanced at the Pokémon that had followed it, and they were all yawning listlessly. One of them, Rowlet, which was perched on Orangutan's head, was even asleep standing up!

Even they couldn't stand the way the old dragon spoke!

However, these guys weren't honest either, insisting that the old dragon was their leader.

Even though Xia Chen offered energy cubes as a lure and reward, the elves did not turn against him.

This piqued Xia Chen's curiosity. He had only suddenly thought of this matter and then decided to search for the Overlord Elf.

Now he was truly locked in a battle with this overlord elf, determined to figure out the intricacies of the situation.

Regardless, things are definitely going to be unclear tonight.

Xia Chen decided to rest for one night in Fenglai City at the foot of the mountain and come back the next day.

As he flew down the mountain on Milotic, a Pokémon on the mountaintop silently gazed at Xia Chen's tiny, almost invisible back.

The bright, clear moonlight poured down, making its pure white fur appear to glow.

If Xia Chen saw this scene, he would definitely shout out in excitement—

Holy crap! Shiny Zeraora!

Chapter 487 Furry!

It was nearly ten o'clock when we returned to Fenglai City.

Actually, it wouldn't take much time to get back to Hao'ao City, but Xia Chen decided to stay here for one night, based on the principle of "since we're already here".

I called Guleton, who was waiting at home, to tell him that I wouldn't be able to go back until tomorrow. But the guy said something like, "Vulcanmoth will be sad because it's been so long since it's eaten your cooking."

Xia Chen found it amusing.

For Volcano Moth, going a whole night without eating is just a matter of blinking, so he didn't want to say which one was being greedy.

Anyway, after Xia Chen agreed to "make a dish with at least half chili peppers the next day," Gu Leton hung up the phone with satisfaction.

Tourism is very developed in Fenglai City, so finding accommodation at night is not difficult.

Xia Chen didn't make many choices. Following Rotom's navigation, he finally settled into a guesthouse-style place in Alora.

The shop owner is a friendly Alora woman who keeps a flock of jays and sweet bamboo. She loves to tell corny jokes.

Of course, the reason for her friendly behavior might be that Xia Chen booked all the remaining rooms in her room without any haggling.

Xia Chen originally wanted to ask his mother-in-law about the Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain Overlord Pokémon, but the old lady went to bed early, and before Xia Chen could even get to that point, his mother-in-law started yawning.

She apologized and said she would go back to her room to sleep first, and then asked a fire-spotted cat to come and keep Xia Chen company to pass the time.

Before leaving, she said, "Don't let its appearance fool you, it's the most popular little guy here."

"This" naturally refers to the common bad personality traits shared by most feline spirits—they run away when you get close, but will actively approach you when you ignore them.

This fire-spotted cat is a master of this art, a true "green tea" cat.

As a seasoned cat lover, Xia Chen was not about to fall for its tricks. He simply held Xianbu in the courtyard and admired the moon for a while, ignoring it. The restless little guy started grumbling and approached it little by little with its paws.

The ending was not unexpected—the cute kitten lay in Xia Chen's arms, enjoying a superb chin massage, purring contentedly.

"How cute is Litten! How did it evolve into that...?"