Chapter 152: The Hundred-Year-Old Poison Elite Four?
Kenji was puzzled. Why would Tyson Tang call him out of the blue?
Suddenly, Kenji remembered the favor he had asked of Tyson Tang. His eyes lit up. Could there be progress regarding the "Death Makeup" technique?
Kenji stood up, walked a distance away, and answered the phone.
"It's me, Tyson Tang."
"Gym Leader Tang? Why the sudden call?"
"I'm a busy man. If I'm calling you, of course, it's because I have business with you."
Tyson Tang paused, then lowered his voice mysteriously. "It's good news."
"What is it? Did you make progress on the research regarding Arbok's pattern changes I asked you about?" Kenji asked.
"Yes and no," Tyson Tang replied ambiguously from the other end.
Yes and no?
Before Kenji could ask further, Tyson Tang stopped beating around the bush and said flatly, "Personally, I haven't made any headway with that Arbok pattern changing stuff. However, I managed to contact the former, former, former Southwest Regional Elite Four member for you."
Former, former, former Southwest Elite Four?
Kenji froze for a moment, searching his mind for memories of this "former, former, former" Southwest Elite Four member.
But it was too far back in history. Kenji couldn't find any memory of this person at all.
"Former, former, former? Are you sure you didn't stutter?" Kenji asked back.
"Stutter my ass. Don't worry, this former-former-former Southwest Elite Four member is an expert on Poison-type Pokémon. She's been living in seclusion conducting research on Poison-types ever since she retired. It took me a hell of a lot of effort to contact her," Tyson Tang said.
...
After hanging up, Kenji walked back to the table and sat down. He opened the browser on his phone and started searching for this "former, former, former" Southwest Elite Four member.
Anyone who had served as a Regional Elite Four member was a figure significant enough to leave a mark in trainer history, so searching for her wasn't difficult.
Liu Yanju. Former, former, former Southwest Elite Four. Poison-type specialist.
Kenji read through the information on this Elite Four Liu. When he saw her birth date, he froze completely.
What the hell? This Elite Four Liu was born... 150 years ago???
150 years ago? Can humans live to be 150?
Kenji silently put a question mark over that last thought.
Although Pokémon existed in this world, human lifespans were roughly the same as in his previous life. Living to a hundred was considered longevity.
150 years old... that was slightly hair-raising.
Looking at the photos of Elite Four Liu when she was young, she was undeniably a great beauty. But after more than a hundred years... who knew what she looked like now?
Just imagining it made Kenji shudder uncontrollably.
"What are you looking at, Kenji?" Leo reached out and waved his hand in front of Kenji's face, asking curiously.
Kenji snapped back to reality, turned off his phone, and shook his head. "Nothing."
Tyson Tang had already sent him a location. Searching for it in the map app revealed it was a mountain in Nanyun Province.
The mountain was called Mt. Dreadmist. A quick search revealed that the area around Mt. Dreadmist was densely populated with Poison-type Pokémon, and poisonous fog often permeated the mountains. Let alone humans, even ordinary non-Poison-type Pokémon dared not approach easily.
Did this 150-year-old Poison-type Elite Four member really live in a place like that?
Night fell. The group sat on the grass. Kenji rested his head on Ninetales's body; her soft fur was warm, driving away the chill of the winter night.
Leo and Mia didn't get the same luxury as Kenji; they leaned against Slaking.
Beside the crackling campfire, Ludicolo and Bellossom danced gracefully. Both Pokémon were experts in dance.
While dancing, Ludicolo rhythmically slapped its round belly, using its body as a drum to create a cheerful, upbeat beat.
The other little ones weren't to be outdone. Elekid spun its arms, showing off its unique "Thunderbolt Breakdance," sparking and flashing as it jumped around.
Kenji looked away from the little ones dancing by the fire and gazed into the pitch-black forest surrounding them, unlit by the flames.
Through the dense darkness, he could faintly sense several curious gazes peering in their direction.
Presumably, wild Pokémon from the forest had been attracted by the liveliness and the firelight.
However, out of wariness toward humans, these wild Pokémon dared not show themselves, hiding in the shadows instead.
With Beedrill and his group of Pokémon present, Kenji wasn't worried about their safety at all.
"Want to go have some fun?"
Kenji reached out and rubbed Ninetales's head, speaking softly.
Before Ninetales could answer, Mia was already looking over with eager eyes.
She looked at Ninetales with immense anticipation.
Ninetales let out a soft cry, then walked elegantly into the center of the clearing.
"BANG!!—"
A fireball flew into the air and exploded, transforming into a brilliant, dazzling flower of flame.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."
Balls of fire followed, flying into the sky and exploding into a sky full of fireworks. The fireworks took on various shapes, presenting completely different forms under the control of Ninetales's psychic power.
"Look! That's Beedrill!"
"Whoa, whoa! That's so cute! It's Bellossom!!"
"Togekiss... Gyarados..."
As each firework exploded, they formed the shapes of the Pokémon present in the night sky.
Leo and Mia looked up, pointing excitedly.
"BANG!!—"
The final fireball exploded. This firework didn't depict a single Pokémon, but a group photo of Kenji and his eight Pokémon.
Then, it shifted into a group photo of Kenji, Leo, and Mia.
Kenji gazed at the sky, his heart inevitably touched by the scene.
He looked down and saw Beedrill, Gyarados, and the rest of his Pokémon not far away, all looking back at him.
Through their daily interactions, these Pokémon had become like family to Kenji.
Did Kenji care about aptitude and potential when catching Pokémon? Undoubtedly, he did.
But potential wasn't the only thing he valued.
Just like Mia's Magikarp—its initial potential was actually higher than Kenji's own Magikarp.
If Kenji only cared about potential, he should have kept Mia's Magikarp for himself to train.
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