LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 1305: The Freshly Evolved Salamence
In the days that followed, Yuga's routine was set. Every day, he would first visit Misaki to discuss ways to improve Pokéblock-making skills alongside her and Anya. Afterward, he would report to Lain to study incense-making, often staying there the entire day.
At first, Yuga's incense-making skills were unimpressive, but he wasn't dull-witted. Although Lain initially found him lacking and showed her disdain, his progress was steady. Before long, his skills were on par with the apprentices Lain was training, at least not lagging too far behind.
Time flew by, and as Hoenn transitioned into midsummer, the weather grew hotter and hotter. Yuga rarely stepped out of the house, preferring to enjoy the cool comfort of air conditioning.
The heat even reduced the number of challengers visiting the gym.
Little ones like Spoink, Clefairy, and Mime Jr., who usually loved roaming around outside, were now reluctant to go out. At most, they would huddle at the shop entrance, gazing wistfully at the bustling crowds passing by.
Sometimes, even when familiar customers called to them, they wouldn't move a step, looking pitiful.
They wanted to play outside but dreaded the heat—it was enough to drive them stir-crazy.
At times like this, Ice-type Pokémon like Weavile and Alolan Vulpix became the daycare's most sought-after stars. Equipped with Never-Melt Ice, custom-prepared by Yuga, they remained unaffected by even the fiercest sunlight.
The cold air emanating from their bodies naturally attracted their companions, who instinctively gathered around them. Weavile, in particular, basked in the attention, enjoying its newfound popularity. It wasn't often this sought-after!
Unfortunately, the Never-Melt Ice couldn't be shared with other Pokémon. Its intense chill was too much for non-Ice-type Pokémon to handle. If it weren't for this limitation, Yuga would have wanted one for himself!
Meanwhile, the patrol Pokémon diligently carried out their duties, roaming outside despite the heat. Concerned for their well-being, Yuga had Audino set up several water basins at the entrance, ensuring the patrol team could stay hydrated with regularly refreshed water.
One day, as Weavile returned from a stroll outside, it saw Persian and its three Delcatty wives drinking water at the entrance. With a smirk, Weavile gloated silently, Hah, let's see you suffer in this heat!
After Persian finished its drink, it spotted Weavile strutting into the store with an exaggerated swagger. At that moment, its paw pads, already hot from the scorching ground, seemed to burn even more.
This heat was unbearable!
That day, Yuga stayed in Lain's workshop until noon before returning. As soon as he stepped out of the new store, he was hit by a wave of heat. Hastily, he made his way toward the old store.
When he reached its entrance, he saw the Great Flygon sprawled motionlessly on the rooftop. Unable to help himself, Yuga called out, "Hey, big guy, aren't you hot? Why not find a cooler spot to rest?"
The Great Flygon opened one eye at Yuga's words, then slowly shook its head.
Heat wasn't an issue for it. They were used living in the desert, enduring extreme heat was second nature. It feared cold far more than the sun's harsh rays; chilly environments were not its thing.
Seeing no response, Yuga let the matter drop and dashed into the store. Even the brief time he'd spent outside had left his skin feeling scorched.
After the weather had turned hot, the Great Flygon hadn't moved from its spot on the roof. Its perception of the environment was clearly different from Yuga's.
As Yuga entered the room, Audino immediately handed him a glass of ice water and reminded him that lunch would soon be ready.
Because of the heat, Yuga's appetite had decreased, so Audino prepared a simple lunch. It consisted of a bowl of cold noodles and two lightly dressed side dishes. Yuga ate casually and finished quickly.
After lunch, Yuga decided not to return to Lain's workshop to practice incense-making. Instead, he went to the Ecopark and entered the Dragon Den Sub-Ecopark.
Walking straight to the edge of Dragon Lake, Yuga saw Shelgon lying listlessly, not moving. Nearby, Helioptile held a small bowl, cautiously feeding water to Shelgon.
The water was from Dragon Lake, known for its benefits to Dragon-type Pokémon.
Shelgon's lethargic state was due to its impending evolution. A few days earlier, Shelgon's father, Salamence, had visited Verdanturf Town. No one knew what Salamence had fed Shelgon, but shortly afterward, Shelgon entered this state.
Fortunately, Shelgon had already been nearing its evolution, so Salamence's actions merely accelerated the process. Shelgon's current condition was stable.
Noticing Yuga's arrival, Helioptile quickly handed the small bowl to him before scampering away to hide under the belly of the napping Druddigon nearby.
Yuga took the bowl, refilled it from Dragon Lake, and brought it to Shelgon's mouth. Shelgon let out a soft whine, as though it were acting spoiled, then opened its mouth to drink the water. Afterward, it gently nuzzled Yuga's wrist with its cheek.
Normally, Shelgon wouldn't act so clingy with Yuga. It was likely feeling a bit anxious about its evolution and sought comfort from Yuga.
Setting the bowl aside, Yuga patted Shelgon's thick, armored back. "There, there. This will pass soon."
Shelgon nodded lightly and closed its eyes, drifting off to sleep peacefully.
Seeing that Shelgon was fine, Yuga was about to leave when he heard a splash nearby. He turned to see Dratini emerging slowly from the lake, swaying as it swam to the shore.
Only then did Yuga remember that Dratini was also on the verge of evolution. It was currently in the molting stage.
Dratini, however, seemed much more energetic compared to Shelgon.
After reaching the shore, Dratini wriggled its body against the grass, trying to rub off its old skin. After a while, it seemed unsatisfied and slithered toward a tree at the lake's edge, rubbing itself against the tree trunk.
Yuga watched, not in a hurry to leave. He followed Dratini to the tree and observed it closely.
After a long while, Yuga noticed that Dratini had only managed to shed a tiny piece of old skin. He couldn't help but offer encouragement. "Keep it up, Dratini. You're almost there."
Hearing Yuga's words, Dratini perked up, wriggling with renewed vigor.
Moments later, a sound of rushing wind caught Yuga's attention. Looking up, he saw Dragonite Mama descending gracefully from the sky.
It had come to check on Dratini.
As the leader of the Dragon Den Sub-Ecopark, Dragonite Mama couldn't possibly miss such an important milestone in Dratini's development.
Dratini's eyes lit up with joy at the sight of Dragonite Mama, and it let out two cheerful cries as it wriggled toward Dragonite Mama.
After Dragonite Mama gently responded to Dratini, it began to encourage it, and Dratini's spirits soared.
When Dratini managed to shed the old skin from its head, Weavile arrived with Excadrill and other friends that it often played with. They all gathered around to cheer for Dratini, filling its heart with gratitude and motivation to work even harder.
Midway through the process, Dratini became exhausted. Seeing this, Yuga quickly retrieved some sweet honey and Moomoo Milk from his system backpack. After Dragonair drank them, its energy was restored, and it resumed shedding its old skin with renewed vigor.
The shedding process lasted over three hours, continuing until past four in the afternoon. Throughout the ordeal, everyone stayed with Dratini, offering unwavering support.
When it finally emerged from its old skin, the entire group—human and Pokémon couldn't help erupted in cheers.
Just as everyone was celebrating, a milky white glow began to radiate from Dratini's body, quickly enveloping it entirely.
The atmosphere became solemn as everyone realized that the most crucial moment had arrived.
Within the radiant light, Dratini's body began to elongate, growing from less than four meters in length to over four meters in just moments.
"Dragonair~"
The white light abruptly dispersed, revealing a newly evolved Dratini—no, it should be called Dragonair now.
Graceful and majestic, Dragonair soared elegantly through the air, a stark contrast to the youthful demeanor of its previous form. Its sleek and elongated body swayed gently as it adapted to its new physique.
Haha, I can fly now!
After circling the air a couple of times to adjust, Dragonair descended, eager to share its joy with everyone.
As Dragonair chattered with its friends, Yuga and Dragonite Mama quietly slipped away. Now that Dragonair had evolved successfully, there was nothing more to worry about.
The day after Dragonair's evolution, Yuga was summoned back to the Dragon Den Sub-Ecopark by Shelgon. Initially concerned that something might have happened, he was surprised to discover that Shelgon simply wanted him to take it out for a stroll.
Looking at Shelgon's weary state, Yuga hesitated and asked, "Are you sure it's okay for you to go out like this? Maybe we should wait until you evolve. Then you'll be able to fly freely and go wherever you like."
Shelgon shook its head vigorously, signaling its determination to go out now.
Unable to refuse, Yuga agreed.
Shelgon moved slowly, and it took a long time for the two of them to leave YoYo Day Care.
Luckily, it was an overcast day without direct sunlight. Otherwise, venturing outside in such heat would have been unbearable for Yuga.
Even without the sun, Verdanturf Town was far from cool during this season.
"Where do you want to go?" Yuga asked Shelgon.
Shelgon indicated that it wanted to visit the Sunflora Ranch, where the open space would be ideal. Yuga nodded in agreement.
The Sunflora Ranch was quite far from YoYo Day Care. Normally, Yuga would ride Dragonite or Charizard to get there. Today, however, they walked, and with Shelgon's slow pace, it took them ages to arrive.
Because of the overcast skies, the Sunflora at the ranch weren't working today. Mr. Harrison was busy watering them with a hose, humming a tune that Yuga didn't recognize.
Even though Sunflora loved sunlight, hydration was just as critical during the scorching summer months to prevent them from wilting.
Mr. Harrison seemed to be in a good mood, humming softly as he worked. Upon seeing Yuga approach, he greeted him warmly, "Gym Leader Shimizu, what brings you here today? Need anything?"
Due to the heat, Yuga hadn't visited the ranch for some time.
Shaking his head, Yuga gestured to the Shelgon at his feet and replied, "No, I just brought Shelgon out for a walk."
"Ah, I see. Well, feel free to look around," Mr. Harrison said, returning to his work.
Since Salamence often came to visit Shelgon, Mr. Harrison was familiar with it.
After greeting Mr. Harrison, Yuga and Shelgon made their way to a small hill at the edge of the ranch.
This was the highest point in the entire ranch, offering a panoramic view of the landscape. It was also a favorite spot for the Sunflora to sunbathe.
Upon reaching the hilltop, Yuga asked, "Shelgon, are you tired? Want to take a break?"
Shelgon was on the verge of evolution, a critical time for energy accumulation. Yuga wasn't keen on letting it out but couldn't refuse its persistence.
After the long walk, Shelgon was indeed tired. It nodded and naturally lay down at Yuga's feet to rest.
Seeing this, Yuga sat down beside Shelgon.
The two of them sat quietly, neither saying a word.
After some time, Yuga heard a faint snoring sound. He turned to find that Shelgon had fallen asleep without him noticing.
Yuga didn't disturb Shelgon and stayed by its side.
Shelgon slept for a long time. By the time it groggily opened its eyes, it was already evening, and the sky was painted red by the setting sun. Yuga, who hadn't even had lunch, had been sitting with it for most of the day.
Shelgon was in its most delicate phase, its emotions easily affected. Yuga had been particularly patient with it lately.
"Awake? Hungry? Want something to eat?" Yuga asked gently.
Shelgon shook its head, indicating it wasn't hungry. It looked up at the sunset-stained sky, and suddenly, white light began to radiate from its body.
The sudden development startled Yuga.
It's evolving already?
No wonder it insisted on coming to the ranch today—it must have sensed this moment was near!
The light grew brighter as Shelgon's form twisted and underwent massive changes. In the blink of an eye, it towered over Yuga.
Two sharp, blood-red wings pierced through the glow, unfolding dramatically. With a powerful flap, the light around Shelgon completely dissipated.
"Salamence~"
The newly evolved Salamence let out a triumphant roar. With a mighty beat of its wings, it soared into the sky, shedding its previous lethargy. Even Yuga could hear the excitement and joy in its voice.
...
[ Salamence ]
Type: Dragon/Flying
Ability: Intimidate
Gender: Male
Potential: Indigo
Level: 61
Moves: Ember, Leer, Bite, Dragon Breath, Zen Headbutt, Dragon Claw, Crunch, Dragon Rush, Hydro Pump, Dragon Tail, Fire Fang, Thunder Fang, Scary Face, Flamethrower, Shadow Claw, Stone Edge, Heat Wave, Hyper Voice.
...
Through this evolution, Salamence had leaped to the Pseudo-Elite level, experiencing a tremendous surge in strength. Yuga's generous investment of resources had not been in vain.
After releasing all its excitement in the sky, Salamence landed in front of Yuga and let out a soft growl.
Yuga smiled and said, "You're offering me a ride home?"
Salamence happily nodded.
Patting its leg, Yuga replied, "Alright, I'll take advantage of you today." With that, he climbed onto Salamence's back.
"Salamence~"
Salamence took off, carrying Yuga back toward YoYo Day Care.