Chapter 68: A Meeting from Both Sides

Should I let Boldore learn Earth Power?

The answer is yes.

This Earth Power is no different from one falling from the sky, so All Baimu didn't skimp on it and immediately channeled those three levels to Boldore.

Once it masters the Ground-type 【Earth Power】, it'll grasp moves like Earthquake and Stomping Tantrum faster too.

After all, it now has experience converting energy into the Ground type.

Even though one is physical and the other special, the principle is the same — master one and you master them all.

Giving levels to the Lv. 45 Mawile would maximize gains, sure, but if he let that one keep leveling up, the gap between it and Boldore plus Chansey would widen further, and his authority over Mawile would undoubtedly drop again.

Pokémon growing overconfident in their strength, looking down on their Trainer and refusing to obey orders — that's pretty common in other regions.

Something he'd already foreseen — naturally he couldn't just let it run its course.

Mawile still listened to him for now. If he kept this up, All Baimu could fully guarantee its wholehearted trust by making Boldore stronger on one hand, and on the other making Mawile realize how important it was.

Favorability would slowly rise.

The simulator only ran once a week anyway, and more battles could shorten the wait — All Baimu didn't feel it was a waste.

Speaking of which, the simulator had only been activated five times so far, taking less than a month. The feedback hadn't made him soar straight to the top on the spot, but he believed that, accumulated bit by bit, it would be enough to let him reign supreme in the Trainer field.

As for Ash's legendary tale of traveling for twenty years and still being ten years old — better not aim for that.

The night was dark and heavy.

All Baimu released the already-sleeping Chansey from his arms and once again read Mawile's fighting memories.

This stuff worked a hundred times better than singing — as long as no one outside disturbed him, close your eyes and open them, and it was already the next day.

Spirit especially full, not tired in the slightest.

That night.

Boldore, under the bed, inexplicably had a wonderful dream.

It dreamed it had become a giant monster — a stomp of its two feet leveled a whole swath of buildings, and when it threw back its head and roared, the ground erupted like a volcano, rumbling and blasting out red light.

The entire Iron Town was reduced to ruins by it in an instant, while the Trainer laughed heartily on top of its head, and Mawile flew around carrying Chansey on its back.

Mm…

It really was a wonderful dream — after all, it hated this place called Iron Town too.

"Grrr… grrr…"

In high spirits, Boldore unconsciously let out a faint purr.

——

The next day.

All Baimu rose early, rode the sidecar hoverbike, and took Mawile along to Copper Milling Street to rendezvous with Cheng Hong and the others.

The month-long training had finally ended, and they had officially become — not particularly glorious — members of the Quicksand Team.

Judging by their mental state, it wasn't hard to tell Cheng Hong and the others had suffered plenty during training—

That was "normal."

Cheng Hong and the others were a bunch of broke guys whose pockets were cleaner than their faces — they took their pay and handed it straight to their families, so the instructor in charge of them couldn't skim enough off the top, and naturally did whatever made himself feel comfortable.

As long as it didn't maim or kill, anything went.

But according to Cheng Hong's account, ever since they'd decided to follow All Baimu and spread the word, that instructor had rarely given them a hard time anymore.

All Baimu was quite surprised his name was this useful. Sure, the guy was just an elite member, theoretically half a rank below a squad leader, but he was from the Stone Group, not the Sand Group — why would he so proactively give face?

In reality.

He had no idea how famous he actually was within the Quicksand Team, nor how many people the Charity Conference performance had made realize just how troublesome this young kid was.

Even the matter of Master Liu Ge choosing him as squad leader had long since spread throughout the entire Quicksand Team.

The Stone Group always stood between the Crystal Group and the Sand Group, who couldn't stand each other — there was no reason to offend All Baimu over a little bribe and affect the faction alignment.

"So cool!"

"I want a motorcycle too~"

"Then start saving up. Let me tell you, I've already gotten in touch with a used vehicle dealer…"

All Baimu dismounted, let the team members crowd around the hoverbike to size it up, and generously handed the key over to them, letting them climb on and try it out.

Sadly, not one dared actually ride it, but scrambling up to look cool for a moment — they lined up one after another.

Mawile hid in the sidecar, and on seeing strangers about to climb aboard instinctively wanted to give them a punch, but was stopped by the Trainer.

"Come on out, don't just stay in there."

He lifted the reluctant Mawile out of the sidecar, turned to Cheng Hong and said, "You guys ready?"

Today's goal was to successfully negotiate with the people from Districts 1 and 2 of Copper Milling Street, and sort out the price to be handed over and the tribute to be given them. One person could handle this kind of thing alone, but with Cheng Hong and the others' help it was more convenient.

If those people didn't cooperate.

Then he'd just have to light the new official's three fires.

"Been ready for ages!"

Cheng Hong nodded frantically. Most of the Quicksand Team ordinary members' side income came from those shops — they'd been broke for over a month, and money was about to come in, how could they not be excited.

"Let me say this upfront — if they don't go too far, we won't go too far either."

All Baimu raised his voice slightly.

The crowd around the motorcycle responded in unison, indicating they understood.

Mawile looked at the team members answering loudly and full of spirit, then looked at All Baimu's calm expression, a glint flickering again and again between its brows.

Though it didn't know what was going on, it just felt the Trainer was really impressive right now.

This reminded it of those Pokémon in the ecology park that had their own groups — when their leader commanded the group companions, it was the same: a single call got a hundred responses, then they swaggered through in force.

"Chiyido~"

It wanted to be that cool too~

"Huh?"

All Baimu lowered his head and saw Gligar with bright, sparkling eyes looking at something he couldn't figure out, somewhat puzzled.

"Chiri."

Gligar quickly shook its head to show nothing was the matter, while a certain little scheme formed in its heart.

These humans obey the trainer's commands, so if the trainer obeys its commands, wouldn't that be the same as these humans obeying its own commands?

Just as I thought.

Gotta find a way to make the trainer obediently listen to me.

With this thought, Gligar tugged at All Baimu's sleeve, and when he looked its way, it put on a cute little smile. "Chiri~"

"What's wrong?"

"……Chiri."

Gligar turned its head away, thinking—how could its usually foolproof cute smile not work? It knew that every time it smiled in front of its breeders and the doctor, they'd squeal about how "kawaii, so moe," so why wasn't it working on All Baimu?

So frustrating!

Looks like it'll have to take things slow.

It recalled all the methods the breeders in the nature park used to quickly build affection with Pokémon, and made up its mind.

Meanwhile, on the other side.

All Baimu looked at the oddly behaving Gligar and wondered if carrying it off the car had upset it, or if it just wasn't used to facing so many strangers.

"Alright! Stop staring! Get ready to set off!"

He clapped his hands, deciding to wrap this up early.