Chapter 953: Fate

Two badges in hand.

In the Trainer School full of noobs and rookies, the monk had already become a legendary figure.

【You started to spread the principles taught to you by the abbot】

The monk hadn't forgotten his original intention.

He taught his classmates who worshipped him the laws of nature, encouraged them to labor, and even taught them sitting meditation.

For a time,

there were many meditators and laborers on campus.

The monk's three Pokémon led everyone to plant trees—

Diglett loosened the soil, Victreebel planted seeds, and Quagsire watered them.

The division of labor was exceptionally clear.

During this period, Diglett seemed to have received the inspiration of Mother Earth.

It evolved.

【Your Diglett evolved into Dugtrio】

One bald head became three bald heads.

Just as he was feeling gratified, the principal suddenly came forward and stopped their next move.

【You heard him say that many classmates' parents complained that the school was teaching some strange things, and if this continued, the school would be forced to close】

Sudden bad news.

The monk's heart suffered a strong blow.

He thought he had embarked on a broad road, but reality gave him another blow.

The school hadn't notified his parents yet, but if it continued...

【Your dejected appearance made your friends very worried】

They found an opportunity to comfort the monk.

And told him that the reason the classmates' parents would protest was entirely because the monk didn't have enough badges.

With only two badges, the monk couldn't gain much say in front of adults at all.

【You were a bit confused, but your friends' firm expressions convinced you】

Thus,

the ignorant monk began to plan to challenge the third Gym.

The reason it was a plan was because the predicament he faced when challenging the Canalave Gym made him understand that he wasn't very strong.

If it weren't for the critical moment when Wooper evolved into Quagsire, he definitely wouldn't have been able to obtain the Fen Badge.

【You used camping as an excuse and took a boat to Iron Island】

Iron Island.

Located on the west coast of Sinnoh.

Because the ore reserves were exhausted, it had become an open training area and Pokémon habitat.

A place very suitable for Trainers to practice.

【You walked in the front with courage, followed by your two cowardly friends】

Although it was their proposal to come here, it was clear that Iron Island didn't belong to a place where noobs could come.

Groups of Geodude and Graveler chased the monk and the others until they were scurrying.

The two friends wanted to retreat.

【You felt that if this continued, there would be no way to improve yourself】

The monk refused to give up.

He looked at Victreebel, which had given him strength; it was precisely because of its stubborn resistance that he had taken the first step.

Now, it was time to take the second step!

【You started thinking about how to solve them】

The screen changed frame by frame.

The monk and his tag-along friends challenged Iron Island again.

The plan was simple: they would act as bait to attract Geodude and Graveler.

Then rely on Dugtrio's Sand Tomb and 【Arena Trap】 ability to gather them in one place, while Victreebel was responsible for spreading Stun Spore and Sleep Powder to control them!

Finally, it and Quagsire would use Bullet Seed and Water Gun to "kill" them!

The conception wasn't complicated, but what moved his two friends was the action ability shown by the monk and his Pokémon.

This power of doing what he said made them increasingly believe in the monk's future.

The "Compatible" Legion was growing rapidly.

During this time, the monk and his friends weren't without encountering tough opponents.

For example, a wild Steelix, which relied on its huge body to break free from the shackles of Sand Tomb.

If it weren't for Victreebel's Vine Whip being powerful enough to pull it like Spider-Man pulling a train.

【You defeated Steelix; you refused to catch Steelix; it was not compatible enough】

"……"

All Baimu couldn't help but look at the giant Steelix outside.

No problem.

It was flat-headed.

The monk's friends were very regretful; in their eyes, Steelix was handsome and powerful, but when the monk asked them to catch it, they refused again.

【You heard them say they couldn't control such a Pokémon, so you encouraged them】

After some good persuasion, during which the awakened Steelix was knocked out again.

This poor guy was caught by one of the boys who had summoned the courage.

【You nodded with a smile, calling them teachable】

The screen changed.

On the way back to school after the special training.

Passing by a certain grass, they suddenly discovered a novel Pokémon—

Voltorb.

What a smooth and round skull!

【You fell in love with Voltorb at first sight】

This treasure was destined for the poor monk!

With a strong idea, the monk immediately sent out Quagsire to meet the enemy and successfully captured the Electric-type Voltorb.

【You caught Voltorb; the number of compatible Pokémon increased】

The fourth Pokémon was in hand.

Both friends were very regretful why they hadn't met it earlier, so that the Iron Island special training could have had one more member.

The monk didn't care at all.

He paid attention to "fate," and strength or whatever could be cultivated slowly.

After the goal was established,

things seemed to be moving in a good direction again; the monk's parents thought he had broken away from the influence of the temple and finally allowed him to contact the abbot.

【You were very excited and shared everything you had done since coming to Sinnoh with the abbot】

The abbot on the phone was exceptionally gentle, no longer as strict as before.

He was also very gratified by the monk's persistence.

However,

【You heard him say that you could start growing your hair】

Growing hair symbolized a complete break from the temple.

The monk was silent.

He couldn't believe that even the abbot was persuading him to let go of the past, which made him think of the day he was notified to leave the temple.

The abbot didn't say anything...

【You refused and expressed your intentions to the abbot, and you wouldn't regret it】

The thirteen-year-old monk made a great vow.

He wanted to change the world's prejudice against temples and monks, and make meditation a common thing that everyone could do, from a weird act.

He wanted to encourage people to labor, and wanted everyone to understand the laws of nature.

The thirteen-year-old monk had a clear goal.

He and his friends continued to move forward on the road to challenging the Sinnoh League.

——

Eterna City.

The monk and his friends broke through the Eterna Forest, which was full of Bug-type Pokémon.

They were attracted by the local rich festival culture.

In the distant future, the festival culture of Eterna City had gradually dissipated, but in the era where the monk was, it seemed to be very prosperous.

【You played for a whole day under the urging of your friends, using relaxation as an excuse】

The next day.

Feeling deeply ashamed, the monk chanted "Ho-Oh above" and started challenging the Eterna Gym.

Undoubtedly,

the Gym Leader wasn't the Gardenia from the present, but a middle-aged man who was good at using Bug-type Pokémon.

The monk chose Quagsire to fight first.

His powerful five senses allowed him to easily find the main body when facing Yanmega's Double Team.

Borrowing Quagsire's Water Gun to wet Yanmega's wings, making its speed drop, and then a single Ice Punch to finish it!

The special training on Iron Island made the monk's strength soar.

The subsequent Beautifly also failed to escape Quagsire's Water Gun; although it successfully used Stun Spore, it didn't block Voltorb's Thundershock.

Voltorb's rolling speed was too swift.

It only took a short two seconds on the flat field to easily roll from one end to the other.

And when facing the next opponent—Vespiquen, Voltorb's approach was also very straightforward.

Damn! I'll blow up with you!

Although this wasn't the monk's plan.

But Voltorb wanted to explode, so he let it.

The monk was a Trainer who respected the will of Pokémon very much.

Vespiquen, which had just entered the field, couldn't do anything and was immediately covered in the explosion, followed by Dugtrio's appearance.

It used Stone Edge learned from a certain wild Steelix to blast it.

Vespiquen lay down very aggrieved.

【You defeated the Eterna Gym Leader and obtained the Forest Badge】

The third badge was in hand.

The monk hadn't been proud; he understood that if he wanted to improve his persuasiveness, he had to at least get all eight badges.

In one go.

The three rode their bicycles across Route 206, went deep into the tunnel of Mt. Coronet, and arrived at the destination via Route 208—

【You came to Hearthome City】

This was the gateway to the east of Sinnoh, possessing roads leading to Solaceon Town and Pastoria City.

The monk played around with his friends as usual.

【You started the Gym challenge on the second day】

The Gym Leader of Hearthome Gym wasn't Fantina from the present, which surprised All Baimu.

After all, Byron was already a Gym Leader.

Was there a big age difference between them?

The attributes were no different.

The current Gym Leader of Hearthome Gym was still good at Ghost-type Pokémon, and the configuration wasn't much different from Fantina's.

What made the monk worry was that there were too many Pokémon that could fly in the hands of the Gym Leader.

It was very unfriendly to his team, which had more Ground-type Pokémon.

Fortunately, Voltorb's joining the team made up for this shortcoming.

Unfortunately, Ghost-type Pokémon weren't affected by Self-Destruct, which made Voltorb in a very bad mood.

So bad that it almost exploded.

And the MVP of this Gym battle was finally taken by Victreebel.

Its 【Razor Leaf】 was becoming increasingly handy, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it was a hundred shots, a hundred hits.

It had a sense of the Shaolin martial arts of picking leaves to hurt people.

The few Pokémon sent by the Gym Leader were basically taken down by Razor Leaf, which was quite magical.

【You defeated the Hearthome Gym Leader and obtained the Relic Badge】

The fourth badge was in hand.

The monk and his friends continued to move forward.

In order to better challenge the Gym, they prepared to go to Pastoria City, where the Great Marsh had a large number of wild Pokémon.

【You thought you could gain the next compatible partner there】

On the way,

the monk also had battles with some Trainers.

Compared to the west of Sinnoh, the wind of battle in the east blew more fiercely.

Voltorb evolved because of this.

【Your Voltorb evolved into Electrode】

Electrode was huge, but its head was still round, and the monk loved it dearly.

Feeling the Trainer's love,

Electrode's Self-Destruct was also more energetic.

But because it often exploded suddenly during meditation, it was blamed by other partners.

Even Quagsire, with its small eyes, regretted why its ability was Water Absorb instead of Damp.

All the way down.

【You came to Pastoria City】

A city that coexisted with the Great Marsh, it rained all year round, which was an ideal place for Water-type Pokémon to live.

It was very unfriendly to Fire-type Pokémon.

In the Pokémon Center, the monk met a Torkoal that had been abandoned because it was weak due to illness.

At first, he didn't pay much attention to it.

Because Torkoal's head was relatively round, he looked at it twice more.

Later, hearing its wailing in the middle of the night, he found a doctor to ask about the situation.

【You heard the doctor say that it was sick because its lungs had absorbed too much water mist, but you didn't expect the Trainer to abandon it here】

It wasn't a serious illness.

It clearly belonged to a mistake caused by the environment.

The compassionate monk expressed his willingness to adopt this Torkoal; he couldn't bear such behavior.

Just like he had accepted Quagsire.

This was all "fate"!

The monk firmly believed in this point.

【You obtained Torkoal; the number of compatible Pokémon increased】

Unexpectedly,

there were many Pokémon with experiences like Torkoal.

According to the doctor, some Trainers would release their original Pokémon after catching their favorite Pokémon in the Great Marsh.

Regardless of whether they could adapt to the local environment at all.

【You also accepted them, but because they weren't very compatible, you decided to take them home to support them】

Compatible Pokémon were those the monk wanted to focus on cultivating and participating in battles.

The monk's friends also adopted a few.

【You started challenging the Gym】

It was still not All Baimu's acquaintance.

It implicitly proved that Crasher Wake was also much younger than Byron.

But the attributes were still Water-type, which was basically no different from a reward game for the monk.

He turned to the side, watching Quagsire, Electrode, and Victreebel kill all sides.

The Gym Leader's last Floatzel was the most miserable.

Clearly relying on the Swift Swim ability to dodge at an extremely fast speed, who would have thought it would meet a monster like the monk with exaggerated dynamic vision.

Victreebel's Razor Leaf hit three times out of three, and it didn't believe in evil and was hard-beaten until it fainted.

【You defeated the Pastoria Gym Leader and obtained the Fen Badge】

The three entered the Great Marsh happily.

Looking for a new Pokémon partner for the monk.

It was a pity.

The roundest in the Great Marsh was Quagsire, and the heads of Hoothoot and Noctowl were also very round, but the monk liked bald ones and hated furry ones.

And Marill and Azurill had their aesthetics destroyed by their ears.

Exeggcute was okay.

But the monk felt that the evolved Exeggutor had hair, even if it grew from its neck.

Several people had no choice but to give up.

The monk's friends felt he was really strict.

【You told them that you didn't necessarily have to have a bald Pokémon, you just paid attention to the word "fate"】

The fate of coming to the Great Marsh this time had been snatched away by Torkoal.

The monk's friends felt he was talking nonsense.

The three went north.

Heading to Veilstone City, where the next Gym was located.

And after leaving the Great Marsh, Torkoal's state indeed became healthy, and the monk specially bought coal from Oreburgh City to feed it.

The screen changed.

Not long after, Torkoal successfully recovered from its illness and sprayed a large amount of smoke from the big hole in its back.

【You thought it was the White Smoke ability】

However, the small light group that Torkoal suddenly sprayed into the sky proved that this guy was the 【Drought】 ability.

It just happened to match Victreebel's 【Chlorophyll】.

Quagsire's 【Water Absorb】 ability could be used to ambush Water-type Pokémon's attacks.

The monk believed this was fate.

【You came to Veilstone City】

Veilstone City.

A city located on a steep rocky mountain surrounded by rocks on all sides, but it wasn't isolated from the world; on the contrary, it was quite prosperous.

In a shop here, the monk bought a strange charcoal.

It seemed to have the effect of burning endlessly, which could increase the power of Pokémon's Fire-type moves.

【You gave it to Torkoal as a gift】

Torkoal, which had been abandoned, had always been depressed and inferior, but the meticulous care of the monk and other Pokémon made it gradually feel warm.

In order to let it truly integrate into this team.

The monk discussed it with his friends and decided to let it participate in the Veilstone Gym challenge. ===== CHAPTER 954 =====