Chapter 24: chapter24
4️⃣0️⃣ ADAVANCE CHAPTER IN PATREON ♻️
Ethan didn't know how to comfort Leo after his defeat, but he figured this was only the beginning. If Leo failed, he could always try again. Together, they returned to the Pokémon Center in Pewter City to heal their Pokémon. While Nurse Joy tended to them, Ethan asked Leo a few questions.
"How does your Blastoise know the move Earthquake? Normally, Blastoise can't learn that through leveling up. Even if it's taught via a TM (Technical Machine), how did you get such a powerful TM so early in the game?"
"I did teach Blastoise Earthquake using a TM," Leo explained. "But getting it was sheer luck. At one point, a group of Diglett had their burrows flooded, and many were injured. I happened to be nearby and helped rescue some of them, taking them to the Pokémon Center. Afterward, the system rewarded me with the Earthquake TM. Later, I learned that TMs in this Pokémon World can only be obtained through specific story events or side quests, and each TM can only be used once. Now that the world chat feature is enabled, some players list their unused TMs for trade, but successful exchanges are rare."
Ethan had initially thought it might be easy to acquire TMs, and he'd planned to get some for Riolu and Ralts. But now it seemed much more complicated. TMs were tied to unpredictable storylines or quests, and there was no way to guarantee which TM would drop. It seemed the best way to improve Riolu and Ralts quickly was through training and evolving them.
Ethan continued asking Leo about storylines and side quests, but the answers he got surprised him. Every player's storylines and quests seemed to differ, and their choices during these events could lead to vastly different outcomes.
This reminded Ethan of when he first received Riolu's egg. He had met Celebi and traveled to the ancient Kingdom of Lucario, which felt like a significant storyline or side quest. Yet he hadn't received any TMs—only the title Aura Apprentice. Unable to determine the mechanics behind TM rewards, Ethan decided to leave it to fate. Maybe, with some luck, he'd stumble upon a powerful TM like Earthquake, just as Leo had.
Before long, Nurse Joy finished healing their Pokémon. After the blow of the gym challenge, Leo decided to head to Mt. Moon for some training and to strategize for another attempt at the Rock Gym. Hearing Leo's plan, Ethan decided to accompany him. It was too early for Ethan to take on a gym challenge himself, and exploring might lead to encountering unique storylines.
The two of them prepared supplies for their journey into the mountains, stocking up on recovery items and other essentials. Half a day later, Ethan, Leo, and Riolu arrived at the base of Mt. Moon. The mountain was famous for being a habitat for Clefairy and a site where fossils could be dug up. As a result, it often attracted archaeologists and trainers alike.
Just as Ethan and Leo were about to enter Mt. Moon, a group of players blocked their path. A middle-aged man with a cocky demeanor stepped forward and declared, "This mountain is mine! I planted these trees. If you want to pass through here, you'll have to pay a toll!"
Ethan almost burst out laughing at the absurdity. "What kind of nonsense is this? Are you roleplaying as an NPC bandit? You do realize this is a game setting, right? Who do you think you are—the game developer?"
Leo didn't laugh but rebuked the man sharply. "Sir, it's obvious you're a player, not an NPC. Do you really think anyone would believe you own this mountain? Ridiculous."
The man's expression darkened. "You little brats think you're clever, huh? You think you can just walk through here? Hand over all the items in your backpacks, or you'll face the consequences!"
Ethan was stunned at how brazen these players were. Were there really players resorting to robbing others for items? With so many resources available just by exploring, what was the point of this?
Leo, however, seemed unfazed. "Players like you, who stoop to robbery, are usually weak and unwilling to put in the effort to train properly. Let me guess: each of you has, at most, one Pokémon, and they're all starter Pokémon, right?"
Leo's words struck a nerve. The robbers looked visibly agitated, as if he had hit a sore spot. The leader, clearly embarrassed, shouted, "You've got a big mouth, kid! Fine, you asked for this! Brothers, attack!"
The robbers released their Pokémon one by one, as Leo had predicted—mostly Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur. The leader's Pokémon, a Rattata, hid nervously behind the group. Unimpressed, Leo sent out his Blastoise.
"Blastoise, Water Gun!" Leo commanded.
The powerful jet of water from Blastoise's cannons hit the robbers' Pokémon, knocking almost all of them out instantly. Only the leader's Rattata managed to stay standing, trembling at the back of the group.
Realizing they had underestimated their opponents, the leader forced a smile and said, "Oh, I see you're high-level players! How impressive! This is just a misunderstanding. We'll let you pass."
The leader stepped aside, and his gang followed suit. Leo, not wanting to escalate things, recalled Blastoise and prepared to continue into Mt. Moon with Ethan.
However, as they were about to leave, Ethan suddenly stopped. He noticed something odd and quickly pressed down on his and Leo's backpacks. "Riolu, Vacuum Wave!" Ethan commanded.
Riolu unleashed a Vacuum Wave, hitting the leader's Rattata and knocking it out of the fight. The sudden move left both Leo and the robbers stunned.
Ethan turned to the leader and said coldly, "Don't think I didn't notice you trying to use Thief with your Rattata to steal from our backpacks. This is just a warning. Don't let me catch you pulling this stunt again. Now, get lost!"
The leader, now pale and speechless, quickly gathered his gang and fled. Ethan and Leo exchanged glances before continuing their journey into Mt. Moon.
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