"Alakazam, Haunter, both of you maintain vigilance."
At Gu Yuan's voice, Alakazam immediately withdrew from its meditative state, and Haunter switched off the television. Sensing the change in the room, Ceruledge and Skeledirge emerged from Gu Yuan's shadow. Thanks to their Ghost-type nature and the techniques taught by Elite Agatha, both Ceruledge and Skeledirge had fully mastered the specialized skills unique to Ghost-type Pokémon.
Amidst the tense atmosphere, the Pokémon Egg gradually began to emit a pure white light, overflowing with the essence of life. A moment later, a small dragon appeared before Gu Yuan's eyes.
This is a Dreepy!
Dreepy looked like a tiny dragon with a wide, flat head. It had two prominent eyes, a pointed mouth, and a relatively long, slender body with two small forelimbs. Beneath the two horns on its head were two smaller horns, and there was a junction between its tail and belly where the color was slightly darker.
It was a pseudo-legendary from the Galar region, a dual Dragon and Ghost-type Pokémon. In terms of type matchups, it was weak to Ghost, Ice, Dragon, Dark, and Fairy. Nevertheless, its power was undeniable. With its exceptional speed, high offensive stats, and the elusive nature of Ghost-types, Dragapult would eventually be outstanding whether as a direct attacker or an assassin.
"Hello there, Dreepy. From now on, we're partners."
Gu Yuan reached out and smiled as he shook Dreepy's tiny claw, which felt cool to the touch. The little dragon stared at him with large eyes as if trying to engrave Gu Yuan's image into its memory, then gave a tiny, obedient nod.
"Come here, Axew. Let me introduce you to a new friend so you two can play together."
Seeing Axew wake up and rub its eyes, Gu Yuan patted its rear and called it over to Dreepy's side. Being of similar ages, Axew and Dreepy quickly began playing together. Since Charizard and the others were already asleep, Gu Yuan only introduced Alakazam, Ceruledge, Haunter, and Skeledirge to Dreepy.
Soon, Dreepy was playing happily with Ceruledge and the other Ghost-types. Unlike the mischievous Axew, Dreepy seemed a bit dazed, likely because it had just been born, which only added to its cuteness. After playing for a while, Dreepy grew tired and fell asleep beside Axew.
Looking at Dreepy, Gu Yuan became even more determined to find a tank for his team. A specific Pokémon immediately sprang to mind. He began researching data, and with the permissions granted to him by Elite Agatha, it was easy to find the information he needed. He quickly finalized his choices for his next two Pokémon.
Once finished, he forced himself to begin his mental training to make up for his perceived slackness over the past few days. It wasn't until well past midnight that he finally gave in to exhaustion and drifted into sleep. At this moment, whether in sorrow or joy, every contestant had entered the world of dreams. Waiting for them was a future filled with infinite possibilities.
The next morning, contestants and spectators began leaving one after another. There were still three months until the selection trials for the Regional Battle Tournament. Because this competition pitted the elite talents of various regions against each other, there were strict age and experience limits: participants could not be over fifteen years old and must have been a trainer for no more than three years.
Based on these criteria, the strongest participants in the tournament would likely be at the Ace Rank, though the appearance of a Leader Rank trainer was not impossible. People like Akatsuka and Shimura could return to their families for three months of intensive special training to ensure they stood out in the trials.
This also highlighted a growing phenomenon: it was becoming increasingly difficult for trainers without background or backing to make a name for themselves. Even if Elite Agatha and her colleagues wanted to change this situation, they would prioritize training outstanding talents to give them the power necessary to shift the status quo.
Unfortunately, things rarely went as planned. While some would work alongside Agatha, many others chose to join families or corporations, unable to resist the lure of resources. This was unavoidable; over a long period, these families and corporations had seized control of the production of many key resources. They used these resources to cultivate and recruit talent with great success.
In fact, if the incidents with the Mizutani and Fukuda families hadn't occurred, Gu Yuan would have already been facing recruitment attempts. However, since Agatha had invested so heavily in him from the start, those organizations couldn't offer him much more than what he already had.
Furthermore, Gu Yuan was not optimistic about their long-term prospects. While Agatha's side didn't hold a massive advantage currently, they held the majority of the power within the Rangers, the Police, the Pokémon Centers, and the Investigators. In terms of actual combat power, Agatha's side was formidable. After all, trainers built purely on resources could never compare to powerhouses forged in the fires of the front lines.
For Gu Yuan, if it came to a battle in the wild, he was confident he could win even if the opponent had one more Ace Rank Pokémon than him! However, he was not yet in a position to interfere in such high-level power plays. What he needed to do now was accumulate prestige and strength to raise his status, waiting for the day he would transition from a pawn to a player.
Team Rocket had also shifted their mission for Gu Yuan. They now aimed to build him up as a pillar of support on the Elite Four's side, as the potential returns from such a position would be immense.
"What do you think, Gu Yuan? You should still leave with us."
Before departing, Professor Oak asked Gu Yuan once more.
"I appreciate the offer, but I'd rather find a place for special training. That way, I can secure a spot in the upcoming selection trials!"
Gu Yuan shook his head and politely declined. For him, the most important thing was increasing his strength. The fastest way to do that was to find Pokémon to battle. Most importantly, the Indigo League had provided him with a massive amount of points, and he was eager to convert them all into power!
"Very well. I won't insist. I wish you a safe journey, and I look forward to seeing your performance in the Regional Battle Tournament."
"Don't worry, Professor. I'll give it my all!"
Gu Yuan waved goodbye as Professor Oak left with Delia and the others. Before leaving, Ash and Gary were reluctant to part, but there was nothing they could do. This only increased their desire to become trainers and start their own journeys. To that end, they began learning from the Professor on how to be a trainer, which would likely influence their future paths.