I caught a Pokémon

Knowing that it had used teleportation to go outside, Xia You turned to look at the people beside her.

"While we wait for it to return, let's take a rest. After all, you've wasted a lot of energy in the battle just now and walked such a long way. It's time for you to rest."

This decision was unanimously approved.

Xiaoguang, Yami, and Zhengu found a relatively dry, flat corner nearby and sat down to rest against the rock wall.

Xiao Guang took out a water bottle and energy cubes and distributed them to everyone and the Pokémon to restore their stamina.

Yami used a wet wipe to wipe the dust off Xia You's face before cleaning herself. Makomo then took out her equipment to record some basic geological data about the current location.

During the short break, the atmosphere relaxed, and even the Pokémon around us recovered from their tension and became lively again, curiously jumping around.

During this rest, Bogarman seemed to have found something among a pile of rubble. He first called out a few times, and then, as if presenting a treasure, picked up a round stone and hopped up and held it in front of Hikari.

Xiao Guang didn't pay much attention and casually took the stone.

The stone was about the size of a fist and felt slightly heavy. There was a small crack in the middle, and through the crack, one could vaguely see a glimmer of light inside.

"Huh? What's this? And why is there light inside?"

Hearing Xiaoguang's questioning voice, Xia You, Yami, and Makomo also turned their heads to look at the stone in her hand.

Makomo took the stone, scanned it with her device, and immediately raised an eyebrow: "Abnormally high density...contains an unknown combination of crystalline minerals and metallic components...energy reading...very low, but very stable, a kind of restrained...wait, this structure..."

She examined it carefully, turning it over and over, even tapping it lightly with her fingernail and listening intently.

Xia You had only glanced at it casually at first, but when he saw that the stone, at a certain angle, flashed a blue light through the crack, he couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise.

"Let me see the stone."

He reached out and took the stone from Makomo's hand, examined it closely for a few moments, and then slammed it hard into the ground...

boom.

A heavy sound came, and with his strength, the stone split directly in two from the crack.

Under the beams of several people's flashlights, a small blue stone sparkled.

“This thing…” Xiao Guang recognized it immediately after just one glance. “This stone looks just like Xia You’s evolution stones!”

“This is indeed an evolution stone.” Xia You picked up the stone, played with it in his hand for a few moments, and couldn’t help but laugh. “And coincidentally, it’s also the Mega Evolution Stone of Steelix.”

"Steelarm?" Dawn's eyes widened. "Can your Crystal Steelarm use that too?"

"It should be fine." Xia You shrugged, then looked at Bogaman, smiled and patted its head, "Well done, you actually found something like this, you're really something."

Upon receiving Xia You's praise, Bogaman immediately jumped up happily.

Needless to say, as the only one among them who possessed Steelix, Xia You naturally acquired the evolution stone as well.

Even Xiaoguang didn't say anything about it.

Even if Xia You doesn't want it, she will still give it to Xia You, even if it was something her Pokémon found. But why would she keep something she doesn't need?

Makomo, however, seemed to remember something. She shone her flashlight on the spot where Piplup had found the evolution stone, looking somewhat puzzled.

"Do all evolution stones come from places like this? But why are they here? Were they brought by meteorites, or were they originally formed here?"

Xia You couldn't provide the answer to this question either.

He turned his head to look, and saw only a large number of rubble in the light. He looked up again and finally shook his head.

"They must have rolled down from a height along with other stones, which is why there are so many broken stones here. As for how they were formed, you'd probably have to ask the scholars who specialize in studying evolutionary stones."

Chapter 1344 Wind and Dew

Xia You placed the Steelix Mega Evolution Stone, which shimmered with a bluish-green luster and seemed to contain the power of stars, into the innermost part of her backpack and carefully preserved it.

This was indeed a pleasant surprise for him.

In this light, the encounter and battle with the mantle rock just now was not a wasted effort; there were gains, and big gains at that!

A super-sized Steelix would undoubtedly be a significant boost to his team's strength.

It's just unknown whether, given the unique nature of Crystal Steelix, it can resonate with this Mega Stone and evolve successfully.

After all, his Crystal Steelix is ​​rather...special and cannot be viewed in the usual way.

It seems that I should wait until I have some free time and try it out first.

Just then, the air around them rippled slightly, and the next second, Mewtwo's figure returned and reappeared in front of them.

"How is it? Has the rain stopped outside?" Xiao Guang asked immediately.

Mewtwo gently shook its head, and its telepathic connection was transmitted to everyone's minds.

'The rain has subsided somewhat, but it's still continuing, so I don't recommend going back to the ground now.'

"What should we do then?" Xiao Guang's handsome brows furrowed. "Are we just going to stay here and wait for the rain to stop?"

Xia You didn't speak, but just looked at Mewtwo.

Judging from the timeline, if Mewtwo had only gone outside the mountain to check if it was raining, it wouldn't have taken this long. The fact that it took so long to return clearly indicates that it has already found a solution.

Sure enough, no sooner had Xiao Guang finished speaking than Mewtwo's voice rang out in their hearts once again.

"I just checked it out. Although we can't go outside, this passage we're in continues forward for about three kilometers before gradually sloping upwards, eventually leading to an exit that avoids most of the muddy and difficult mountain path, allowing us to reach the city much faster."

It paused, then added, "At our current walking pace, it should take about two hours to reach the exit. By then, the rain will likely have stopped."

“This road is good.” Makomo nodded approvingly. “It won’t delay our journey, it can shelter us from the rain, and it’s a shortcut. It’s a win-win situation.”

"Are those Pokémon up ahead?" Dawn pressed. "I mean... those mantle rocks?"

Indeed, the mantle rock had just left a very deep impression on them.

Of course, this doesn't mean they are incredibly strong, but rather that their actions on that scale appear unstoppable and extremely destructive. Unless absolutely necessary, there's really no need to continue engaging with those mantle rocks.

No, everything is perfectly quiet.

Hearing Mewtwo's affirmative answer, Xia You nodded again, then stood up and nodded to the people around her, saying, "Alright, there's nothing more to say, let's go."

The group set off again.

With a clear goal and a relatively flat path, their pace quickened considerably, especially after they had rested and their strength had recovered.

They didn't even need Mewtwo to lead the way. Following the only route under their feet, they continued westward. As Mewtwo had said, the passage was gradually ascending. Although there were still undulations and bends, everyone could feel that they were leaving the mountain, and in a way that was much faster than it appeared on the surface.

Along the way, they passed through several areas adorned with fluorescent organisms or unusual minerals.

Although Makomo was a little envious, in order not to delay the trip, she only took a quick photo to record the event and did not conduct any further detailed sampling surveys.

As they traveled, they could still occasionally hear faint, deep sounds coming from deep within the rock layers, like the pulse of the earth, reminding them that the mountain range was not completely asleep, but they did not encounter any more large groups of Pokémon.

Only a few Rock and Ground-type Pokémon were active in the corner. Hearing their commotion, they curiously looked over, but upon seeing that it was a group of humans, they kept their distance.

The group walked further and further away.

The beam of the flashlight swept across the unchanging rock face, and the sound of footsteps echoed continuously in the empty passage.

Finally, after walking for about two hours, the airflow in the passage ahead became noticeably more active, carrying the scents of plants and earth, along with the dampness of rain, which slowly seeped into their nostrils.

After crawling through a hole covered with vines and roots taller than a person, the scenery suddenly opened up before us.

The leaden-gray clouds were gradually dispersing, and a faint golden glow of the setting sun peeked out from the horizon, tinging the western clouds with warm orange and purple hues.

The leaves and tips of the grass were covered with glistening water droplets, the distant mountain ranges were clearly outlined, and the whole world seemed to have been refreshed by the recent water wash.

The rain had indeed stopped.

Standing on the hillside, looking back at the inconspicuous cave entrance hidden in the bushes halfway up the mountain, and then at the fresh and open world before them after the rain, they all felt as if they had been transported to another world.

"We... we're out already?" Xiao Guang took a deep breath of the crisp, cool air, a bright smile spreading across his face. "It feels like we've been down there for ages!"

“Yes.” Yami leaned against Xia You, looking at the sunset on the horizon. “Returning to such a wide-open and bright place feels like a long and exciting dream.”

Xia You smiled gently and turned to look at Makomo: "So, is this the same cave adventure you expected?"

Makomo pushed up her glasses, a hint of satisfaction on her face: "This was indeed a great adventure, full of excitement and opportunities. Not only did we discover some things we had never seen before, but we also witnessed the special migration of the mantle rock race and obtained an evolution stone. The gains far exceeded our expectations."

Just as Mewtwo said, this route did indeed greatly shorten their travel time.

As the group descended the mountain, in the increasingly dark environment, after walking for about forty minutes, the outline of Fukiyoshi City came into view.

We've finally arrived.

The appearance of the city eased their nerves, and they quickened their pace again. Finally, as night fell, they arrived at the city's Pokémon Center.

-

Fukiyoshi, a city known for its flowers and leaves gathering in the wind.

The city itself is not large, nestled among mountains and forests. Although it is not as bustling as other cities, it is a beautiful place with pleasant scenery, a good place to live a peaceful life.

Because it was already late, they didn't get a good look at the city's details. After checking in, they quickly ate dinner and went back to their rooms to take a bath and rest.

After a day of traveling, fighting, and getting soaked in the rain, they were exhausted and naturally needed a good rest.

Nothing happened that night, and when the group reunited at the restaurant the next morning, everyone was in much better spirits.

Xiao Guang stretched, picked up a sandwich, took a big bite, and sighed with satisfaction, "I almost fell asleep in the bathroom last night, I was so tired, but I've finally recovered today."

Xia You looked at Yami and Makomo again. Yami was there with a knife and fork, cutting sausage for him with a virtuous expression. Perhaps it was because she was an adult, or perhaps because her trip had lasted longer than Xiao Guang's, but she did not seem to be tired.

As for real mushrooms…

She had even opened her laptop and was typing rapidly, already in work mode!

These scholars are truly inhuman when they're working!

Perhaps sensing Xia You's gaze, Makomo looked up at him and said, "I'm organizing yesterday's observation data. The preliminary analysis results of those fluorescent organisms and special minerals are very interesting. Once we get to the research institute, with more professional equipment, we should be able to draw more detailed conclusions."

Everyone's situation is really different...

Xia You took a sip of coffee and looked at her three companions: "Alright, let's talk about today's plan. We came to Fuyu City for two main things. First, I'm going to challenge the Fuyu Gym. Second, Xiao Guang is going to participate in the Grand Contest the day after tomorrow, which means we'll be staying here for at least two more nights."

This was something they all knew, but they all put down what they were doing and focused their attention on Xia You.

Xiao Guang said first, "So you have time during the day today and tomorrow, Brother Xia You, when do you plan to challenge the dojo?"

"Of course, it'll be after breakfast. After all, if we get the badge sooner, we'll have more time for other things later."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Guang clasped his hands together in a prayerful gesture: "I hope the gym leader here isn't the type like Kiku-sama who's always out and about or requires advance booking! I don't want to make several more wasted trips."

Yami was amused by her expression: "You never know. I checked the travel guide. The gym leader of the Fubuki Gym, Furu, is a very warm and cheerful person. The gym is a converted old military airfield. It is said that although she spends most of her time in the gym, she often flies up into the sky. We may not be able to see her when we go there."

Xiao Guang was immediately drawn to Ya Mi's words.

"A dojo converted from a military airport? And it often flies into the sky? That sounds pretty cool. So, will this dojo battle also take place in the air?"

"That's about right." Xia You smiled indifferently, glanced out the window. Unlike yesterday, today was a beautiful day. He looked at the notebook next to Makomo and shook his head. "But this time, I suggest that everyone not go together. I'll go by myself."

"Huh?" Hikaru asked in confusion, "You're going to the dojo alone? Don't you need us to cheer you on?"

"You should just stay here and train properly." Xia You looked at her with amusement. "This might be your last Grand Festival in the Unova region, so you can't be careless. You should focus your time and energy on yourself and hone your skills. After all, after this Grand Festival, you'll have to seriously prepare for the Grand Festival."

Actually, Xia You said this not only because she didn't want to distract Xiao Guang, but also because she had tasted the benefits at the Liyong Dojo last time.

At that time, he and Xiaoguang were each handling their own affairs, and working on both at the same time greatly improved efficiency.

Before Hikaru could say anything about his suggestion, Makomo immediately raised her hand in agreement.

"That's great!" she said with a smile. "I was just looking forward to finishing up my work during this time! There's also a research institute nearby that I was planning to visit when I had some free time. If we really split up, it will be a huge help, as we won't be in such a rush!"

“Okay, it’s settled then.” Xia You made the decision. “We don’t all need to gather together. I’ll go challenge the gym, Makomo will stay here to do research, and Yami will accompany Hikari to practice. Then we’ll meet up here!”

"can."

"understand!"

"I'll listen to you!"

With the plan agreed upon, the group quickened their pace of eating.

After breakfast, Xia You said goodbye to the others and left the Pokémon Center first, heading towards the Fuyu Gym in the northwest of the city.

Only then did he have time to take in the city.

Compared to other cities I've visited, Fukiyoshi's streets are cleaner, tidier, and quieter. Neatly trimmed trees line both sides of the road, and perhaps because of the constant winds, the air here is indeed fresher, carrying the unique fragrance of the mountains and forests.

As for the others…

It's pretty much the same as other cities.

They all have a very harmonious style.