Rolling is hard to stop.
Just like in the game.
Baimu could tell that Otsuka really wanted Graveler to stop for a bit, but it couldn't be done in a short time, causing the two of them to dodge the flying, rolling boulder like they were playing dodgeball.
Earlier, Graveler didn't intentionally attack him.
Seeing Otsuka desperately dodging the rolling Graveler, Baimu truly believed it.
Initially, only he was dodging, but as Graveler's rolling speed continued to increase, the situation became uncontrollable. The inertia reduced Graveler's self-control to the minimum, and as its Trainer, Otsuka had no choice but to join Baimu in dodging.
"You bring Aron out!"
"You stop Graveler."
Faced with Otsuka's exasperated shout, Baimu mercilessly rejected his suggestion. The rolling power must be at its peak now, right? Touching it might get you flattened.
"I—"
Bang!
Before the words were finished, Graveler violently hit the wire netting, and the immense momentum embedded it directly inside, snapping several wires.
The loud crash drew even more attention.
"Great opportunity! Iron Head!"
Baimu shouted as Aron, who had been lurking underground, emerged and smashed into the already dazed Graveler.
The wire netting, already metal-fatigued and forcibly stretched, burst apart, and Graveler fell onto the ground, lying on its back with spirals in its eyes.
"Looks like I won." He declared the result of the match to the trembling Otsuka, ran to the edge, squatted down, and high-fived Aron, "Yeah! Victory!"
"Goo!"
Aron smiled with its eyes crescent-shaped.
"Let me interview you, why did you use Rollout when I clearly have a disadvantage with Ground Attribute?" Baimu curiously looked at Otsuka.
Otsuka angrily said, "Who knew your Pokémon could dig! And it actually stayed underground all the time! Shameless!"
"Can't be shameless, huh?"
"...Another round!"
Otsuka gritted his teeth and recalled Graveler with a Pokeball, "I can't believe this!"
"Still have strength left?"
Baimu didn't agree immediately but turned to ask Aron.
Having stayed underground almost the entire time, it was full of energy and naturally eager to accept the challenge.
Otsuka vowed to tear Baimu into a thousand pieces in his mind, swearing he'd never encountered someone so shameless.
How could it not have strength!
"Sandshrew! Get ready for battle!"
He had to win at least once; otherwise, he'd faint from anger here.
——
At noon.
The three battles were over. Aron had fought all of Otsuka's Pokémon, winning some and losing others, even losing once due to exhaustion halfway through and passing out.
Baimu looked at the countdown timer at the corner of his eye and noticed it seemed to have shortened a bit, maybe less than half an hour.
Could it be...
Battling can reduce the loading time of the simulator?
Three battles saved almost half an hour!
This is amazing!
It's just that Aron's stamina isn't enough to support more matches, which is a bit regrettable.
But being able to shorten it is already a blessing, knowing that the simulator is his powerful reliance!
In an instant.
Baimu's mood became more cheerful, even finding Otsuka more pleasing to the eye.
"You really like using Rollout, is this move really that good?"
He wondered aloud, as all three Pokémon—Donphan, Graveler, and Sandshrew—had used Rollout.
Just that Donphan and Sandshrew had better control ability than Graveler, and stopped when needed, but Graveler couldn't stop and ended up being taken by surprise by Aron.
"None of your business—"
"Hmm?"
"...Because when Rollout is practiced to its high-level, it can withstand many moves."
"Oh? Really?"
"Of course it's true! I saw it with my own eyes; just using Rollout it ignored a whole bunch of moves like Water Gun, Jet Flame, and so on. That kind of power is truly formidable!"
Otsuka's face was full of yearning, like a die-hard fan of some celebrity, only he was a fan of powerful Trainers.
"I see."
Baimu nodded and was about to leave.
Before figuring out the entire structure of the Underground City and important personnel, he didn't plan to stay too long, even avoiding food and treatment for Aron's injuries.
He had offended too many people just now, and he might get tripped up.
However, he hadn't walked far when, with a conflicted expression, Otsuka chased after him.
"Wait a minute!"
"What's up?" He tilted his head.
"About that communication evolution you mentioned before... I'd like to know more about it." Otsuka seemed a bit embarrassed, speaking hesitantly, "I can, can pay for it."
Baimu looked at his expression, thought for a moment, and said, "No need for money, just treat me to a meal. Treat me to a meal and I'll tell you."
This person might be a bit naive, but not too annoying. It was a good chance to put Cang Zhilang's PUA methods to practice.
Otherwise, this week would be quite difficult. Being too independent often intensifies the surrounding subconscious alienation and rejection, not conducive to blending into the larger environment, better to keep a low profile.
"Really?"
Otsuka was a bit surprised and quickly turned away, "I'd rather pay, I don't want to owe you."
"Can't be bothered to name a price, up to you if you want to treat. I'm leaving." Baimu didn't want to argue further. He bought a drink from the vending machine and left without looking back.
Otsuka quickly chased after him, "I know a nice little place nearby!"
"We're eating above ground."
"What's good up there, let me tell you..."
"Enough with the chatter. I said we're eating above ground, so we are."
The two gradually walked away.
Those remaining on the scene looked at each other, confused. Just moments ago, the two seemed to be at odds, and now they were chatting and heading off to eat together, what's going on?
Back on the ground.
Baimu first searched around for Cheng Hong and the others, learning from a Quicksand Team member that they had long gone, then he brought Otsuka to the Pokémon Center near the Sand Group's base to leave the unconscious Aron.
Afterward, he took Otsuka to Cyan Iridium Street and had lunch at a familiar shop.
Initially, he was resistant, finding fault with everything, but soon he devoured the food ravenously, clearly starving.
While eating, Baimu explained to him.
"Communication evolution is using a specific machine to exchange each other's Pokémon, during which they evolve. You've been raising Pokémon for quite some time now, right? How come you don't know this?"
He was quite surprised, "This should be fundamental knowledge, like type advantages. Anyone can tell you, didn't anyone teach you?"
Otsuka's previously eager demeanor turned gloomy upon hearing this, "...No one did."
"Hmm... Have you been to school?"
"...No, isn't that unnecessary? How would schooling help you eat or defeat bullies?"
"Turns out you're like me, both illiterate." Otsuka's resistance didn't bother Baimu, "Was it your family that didn't let you go to school?"
"What does that have to do with you!"
"Nothing, just asking. It's just me in my family. Is your dad a Quicksand Team member? Squad Leader?"
"...No, just ordinary, and he's 'retired' now."
Otsuka's attitude softened from intense to silent.
Retired? Ah... That makes sense.
Baimu roughly grasped the situation. This boy is only about fifteen or sixteen, and his father couldn't be too old. Judging from his gloomy demeanor, it couldn't have been a normal retirement.
Injury-led retirement.
This is quite common in the Quicksand Team for various reasons. Essentially, they need to keep fighting, with no safety guarantees, a very high-risk occupation.
Baimu then asked, "Who are you with?"
"My dad recommended me for the youth team. Having a Pokémon doesn't make me a formal member; only after competition can I choose whom to follow."
"Do you have siblings?"
"...A sister." Otsuka looked down.
"I see, you've become the backbone of the family now." He suddenly understood why Otsuka gave in so quickly. Initially, he thought it was extreme cowardice, bullying the weak but fearing the strong.
Previously, he kneeled without hesitation. Turns out he's a guy who sees the reality and has been crushed by life.
Another poor, pitiful, detestable soul stained by life's mire.
Yet, he's worth drawing in a little.
Baimu tapped the table, causing Otsuka to look up, "Since your situation leaves no room for retreat, why provoke me? To relieve stress?"
Some people, suffocating under life's heavy burden, develop small quirks, like cursing online, making trouble, or even giving bad reviews to couriers and food deliveries, or stealing things for stress relief.
For most, such behaviors are hard to understand.
In a place like Pyrite Town, bullying the weak to see their pained expressions is a pretty good option.
Otsuka: "..."
He couldn't articulate a reason, as such behavior is common here, as normal as eating or drinking.
Yet vaguely, being confronted by Baimu, he started to feel it might be wrong.
"...Forget it, I'm not trying to interrogate you. After all, the environment has a significant influence on you. Without books or other means to acquire knowledge, you can only emulate those around you to discern right from wrong, and your thinking becomes fixed."
Baimu finished the last bite of his meal, "Your world and mine are too tiny. Hopefully, one day we can break free from the shackles of Pyrite Town, open our eyes, and see the real world."
He stood up and walked out.
Otsuka was startled and quickly asked, "Where are you going?"
"Picking up Pokémon, then finding a way to go to school."
"School..."
The boy stood there, dumbfounded, his expression complicated and inexplicable.