NOVEL NEXT Chapter 37: Chapter 37: A New Identity
Since the Team Rocket members had already made the offer, there was no way Ron would give up the opportunity to obtain a pseudo-legendary Pokémon.
As pseudo-legendary Pokémon, they all shared a critical drawback: slow growth.
This slowness wasn't just about their physical development; it meant that during their infancy, and even well past that stage, their strength remained far below average.
Moreover, pseudo-legendaries required immense resources to reach their full potential. For ordinary Pokémon, consistent battles and training were enough to unlock their abilities. But for pseudo-legendaries, it wasn't so simple.
Battles were often out of the question early on, as their combat strength was relatively weak. Their development depended heavily on both specialized training and rare resources—resources that weren't easy to come by.
For instance, Dragonite, a Dragon-type pseudo-legendary, needed vast amounts of specific resources during its infancy, including many that were exclusive to Dragon-types and exceedingly rare and expensive. Similarly, Larvitar needed to consume energy-rich rocks during its early stages. Each pseudo-legendary presented unique challenges when it came to raising them.
Without sufficient resources, a pseudo-legendary's growth would either stagnate, making it difficult to build combat strength, or result in a flashy but ineffective Pokémon that failed to live up to its potential.
In addition to resource challenges, pseudo-legendaries came with another issue: their allure.
The Kanto region might seem harmonious on the surface, but behind the scenes, theft and poaching of Pokémon were rampant. Unlike the bumbling Team Rocket trio seen in the anime, these criminals were highly skilled and ruthless, with no shortage of trainers who had met their end at their hands.
If Ron's pseudo-legendary were ever discovered, he would undoubtedly become a target for wave after wave of poachers—unless he could amass enough strength to protect himself.
Considering all these risks, Ron made his decision: he would hold onto the opportunity for now, saving it for a more opportune moment.
"That's a wise choice. The rewards will be delivered to you soon, and someone will escort you out of here," said the Team Rocket member before leaving Ron alone in the room.
A day later, Ron stood at the edge of a forest, dumbfounded, struggling to believe what had just happened.
The events of the past day replayed in his mind. After the Team Rocket member delivered his rewards, no one showed up to further brief him.
Ron had expected them to fabricate a new identity for him or stage some event to earn the League's trust, thus facilitating his infiltration as an undercover operative.
Instead, he had spent the time training his Pokémon to learn new moves. His Machoke practiced Focus Punch and Protect, while Persian and Gloom both trained to master Hyper Beam. For his young Nidoran, Ron planned to hold off on teaching it Hyper Beam until it gained more strength.
Despite Nidoking's eventual massive build, Ron envisioned it as a versatile long-range attacker. He pictured a Nidoking darting about with Soru (a high-speed movement technique) while firing powerful long-range attacks—an intimidating combination indeed.
As for Gloom, Ron had been preparing it for its next evolution. Gloom had already evolved once at Level 21, and in the interim, Ron had helped it fully develop its strength and even grasp a simplified version of Soru.
Now, with its evolution into Bellossom imminent, Ron believed it would master Soru completely. Beyond its newfound power, Bellossom's elegant and radiant appearance would also boost its confidence.
Handing the Sun Stone to Gloom, Ron watched as it began to glow, its body enveloped in radiant light. The evolution progressed smoothly, and soon Bellossom emerged, his Fighting Aura manifesting as golden energy threads intertwined with the evolutionary light.
When the glow faded, the now smaller but dazzling Bellossom stood before him. Its bright eyes sparkled as it inspected its new form. After a brief adjustment, Bellossom leapt into Ron's arms, nuzzling against his chest affectionately.
Unlike Machoke and his other "rough and tough" companions, Bellossom was a true lady. Though it hadn't been as noticeable when it was Gloom, its evolution had amplified its charm immensely.
As Ron gently stroked the two vibrant flowers atop Bellossom's head, he couldn't help but marvel at how he had become such a visual creature, appreciating its beauty.
With no opponents nearby and the surrounding area not particularly safe, Bellossom would have to wait until they left to begin its training and battles.
The following morning, just as Ron had woken up, Team Rocket members arrived.
Prepared to dive into his undercover mission, Ron was caught off guard when they unceremoniously bundled him into a helicopter, flew to an isolated area, and dropped him off with little explanation.
The only consolation was that they left him with a standard League trainer's backpack and a Pokédex.
Though seemingly ordinary, the backpack utilized spatial-folding technology, allowing it to hold a vast number of items without feeling heavy—just like the ones seen in the anime. Without such a device, Brock wouldn't have been able to carry so many supplies.
The Pokédex, another trainer staple, was invaluable. It had to be bound to a trainer's identity to function and contained a wealth of information, from maps to Pokémon stats and moves—a compact yet indispensable tool for any trainer.
While the backpack could be stolen and reused, the Pokédex was strictly trainer-specific, rendering it useless to others. This safeguard prevented infiltrators from exploiting the device to penetrate the League.
What the League likely hadn't accounted for, however, was that their fortress would be breached from within. Team Rocket had provided Ron with a Pokédex already bound to his identity.
Resigned to the situation, Ron packed his belongings and ventured into the forest.
For Ron, the priority now was to train Nidoran, help Bellossom acclimate to its new powers, and prepare it to break through to elite-level strength. Machoke and Persian also needed to advance to the next level.
Since the Team Rocket had given no further instructions, Ron decided to focus on increasing his strength first. Afterward, he would collect eight badges and participate in the Indigo League as part of his undercover mission.
Having only seen these events unfold in the anime during his past life, Ron was eager to experience them firsthand.
Setting his sights on a small but ambitious goal, Ron resolved to win the Indigo League Championship and attract the League's attention, solidifying his place as an undercover operative.
With that in mind, Ron released his Pokémon and stepped into the forest, ready to take the next step on his journey.
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