Chapter 282: Training the Leaf Eevee

"Damn, I've been unconscious for a few days again." Huo La gritted his teeth and struggled to sit up from the bed, his whole body feeling as if his bones had been taken apart and reassembled—sore, limp, and weak. He leaned against the headboard, rubbing his swollen temples hard, trying to dispel the lingering haze in his mind.

The last time he blacked out from absorbing energy, and this time he fell in again; even he felt a bit helpless.

His memory still lingered at the moment he pressed his hand on Qun'er Xiaojie Wang's forehead, at the searing pain as a surge of energy swept his whole body, and at the last hint of bewilderment and docility in Qun'er Xiaojie Wang's eyes.

As for what happened afterward, his mind was a complete blank.

Sensing the movement in the room, an elegant figure strode in at a relaxed pace, surrounded by a faint warm glow, its gentle gaze settling on Huo La lying on the bed.

Huo La was first stunned, staring blankly at the Pokémon before him—its body now considerably bulkier than before, its fur fluffy and soft, a ring of flickering purple flame encircling its neck, its posture upright yet not fierce, exuding a hint of nobility.

A moment later, surprise flashed in his eyes and his voice rose a few pitches: "Firerock Mouse! You've evolved into a Fireburst Beast!"

"Fireburst." The Fireburst Beast nodded lightly, its voice deep and warm, stepping to the bedside and gently nudging Huo La's back of the hand with its head, moving with elegance and affection, showing none of the typical irritability of Fire-type Pokémon.

Huo La lifted his hand to stroke the flame around the Fireburst Beast's neck; the fire, though warm, did not scorch, but radiated a comforting heat.

He nodded to himself; indeed, the Hisui Fireburst Beast was entirely different from those of later eras.

Fireburst Beasts of later generations were fierce and warlike, their flames raging and flamboyant, whereas the Hisui Fireburst Beast, nurtured by these pristine, unpolluted sacred mountains and clear waters, absorbed the ambient spiritual qi and thus developed a composed, elegant temperament, even its flames exuding docility.

At that moment, a rough, hearty voice came from the doorway: "Yo, Huo La, you're awake again!"

Huo La looked up and saw Gangshi carrying a Cloth Bag, swaggering in with a smile all over his face.

He couldn't help rolling his eyes, his tone helpless: "Captain Gang Shi, that 'again' of yours makes me feel both angry and helpless."

"Hahaha, blame me, blame me!" Gangshi scratched the back of his head and burst into laughter, his personality straightforward and bright, with no pretense at all, "I was planning to bring you something, and I didn't expect to see you awake the moment I walked in—what luck!"

Huo La's gaze stayed fixed on the Cloth Bag that Gangshi had just slung over his back, his eyes showing a mix of curiosity and insight.

Following his stare, Gangshi placed the Cloth Bag steadily on the table, reaching out to slowly unfold the coarse fabric.

Two Stone Tablets were stacked one atop the other; the upper tablet glowed with a muted pink sheen, while the lower one was entirely emerald green.

Gangshi lifted his hand, gently picking up the two tablets and laying them flat, fully revealing them before Huo La, his tone somewhat solemn: "These two—one is the Magical Stone Slab from the Mysterious Antler Deer King, the other is the Emerald Green Stone Slab from Qun'er Xiaojie Wang. Both tablets are yours now."

Huo La remained lying on the bed, gazing at the two tablets from a distance, showing neither intention to get up and touch them nor any immediate response.

After a moment, he withdrew his gaze and stared straight at Gangshi, his eyes carrying a hint of calculation.

"What? What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Gangshi, made uneasy by Huo La's stare, subconsciously scratched his arm, his tone a bit hurried—Huo La's gaze, no matter how you looked at it, seemed to be plotting something mischievous.

"Captain Gang Shi," Huo La said slowly, his tone tinged with teasing, "I saved the lives of the two Pokémon Kings guarded by your Diamond Team, and this is all I get in exchange—just these two tablets? Isn't that a bit stingy?"

Upon hearing that, Gangshi first glanced at Huo La, then looked down at himself, spreading his hands with a forlorn expression: "No money, and I'm even less willing to give anything."

Huo La gave him a cold stare, having anticipated this routine—Gangshi may appear rugged, but his mind is meticulous; if those tablets weren't exactly what Huo La needed plus the Pokémon King's consent, he probably wouldn't have handed them over.

Gangshi composed himself, dropping the joking tone, and said seriously: "Tell me, what else do you want? Anything that I, Gangshi, can manage, as long as it doesn't violate the Diamond Team's rules, I'll arrange for you!"

"Very simple." Huo La didn't beat around the bush, stating his request outright, "I want you to help me train my Leaf Eevee."

Gangshi was taken aback, clearly not expecting such a request, and reflexively asked, "Leaf Eevee? Your Leaf Eevee?"

"Yes, my Leaf Eevee." Huo La nodded lightly, adding earnestly, "I see that you, Captain Gang Shi, are a veteran Trainer of Leaf Eevee, so I'd like you to train it, helping it acquire more combat skills, especially techniques for handling complex battle situations."

Gangshi listened, slowly nodding, silently calculating—training a Pokémon, especially his own familiar Leaf Eevee, was a reasonable and not difficult request, well within his capabilities.

He raised his hand, patting his chest, then deliberately set a stern face, his tone solemn: "Fine, no problem! But I must say upfront, my training methods are notoriously brutal, leaving no room for leniency; if your Leaf Eevee can't endure it, don't blame me."

"I understand that, no problem." Huo La agreed without hesitation, then shifted his tone, adding a hint of urgency, "But there's a condition: your training must be completed as quickly as possible—the shorter, the better."

The smile on Gangshi's face vanished in an instant, his brows slightly furrowing as he stared at Huo La for a few seconds, as if a realization struck, his tone tentative: "You… are in a hurry to deal with the remaining Pokémon Kings?"

Huo La did not deny, speaking calmly, his gaze unwavering with resolve: "Exactly. I must resolve the Interdimensional Energy issue inside them as soon as possible; the longer we delay, the greater the risk."

Gangshi looked at his steadfast eyes, let out a soft sigh, his tone considerably softened: "In that case, there's no need to rush."

The Mystic Tail Darkfish King stays hidden underwater year‑round; after the previous Wind Speed Dog King died, no new king has appeared; the Warrior Male Eagle King, like the Mystic Tail Darkfish King, rarely shows itself; the Snowfield King's Ice Rock Beast remains in perpetual hibernation, and even after being infected it seems still to hibernate; the Mischievous Thunder Bomb and Great Nyura are not severely infected and can still be dealt with.

He paused, then added, "I've already spoken with the people from the Pearl Team; we'll each keep an eye on the remaining Pokémon Kings' conditions, and any change will be reported to you immediately. You've just woken up and your body is still weak—first restore your condition; haste makes waste."

Huo La felt a warmth in his heart at those words, remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded: "Alright, I understand. I'll leave the training to you, and I'll recover my body as quickly as possible."