With the height lowered, Julian finally caught a glimpse of the treasure—a round, glowing purple orb about the size of an adult's fist, surrounded by a group of Weezing and Muk.
"Toxic Orb," Julian muttered softly to himself.
This orb was one of the most sought-after treasures for Poison-type Pokémon. It had the ability to enhance a Poison-type Pokémon's powers, gradually increasing their Poison-type energy and boosting the strength of their poison-based moves. But it came with risks.
For weaker Pokémon, the Toxic Orb could be dangerous, causing them to suffer from its effects rather than benefit from it.
Some non-Poison-type Pokémon could also carry the Toxic Orb due to their unique abilities.
For example, Pokémon with the Poison Heal Ability could recover from injuries inflicted by poisoning when holding the orb, making it a coveted item in both competitive battles and for trainers specializing in Poison-types.
The market value of a Toxic Orb was astronomical, easily exceeding one billion, making it a dream for Poison-type trainers.
Like Mega Evolution stones, very few were ever available in the public market, with most transactions happening exclusively between noble families or elite trainers.
Weezing and Muk were aware of Julian's presence the moment he neared them. But they didn't attack right away.
Pokémon weren't dumb; they could sense the unusual power emanating from Metagross, and they instinctively knew this intruder wasn't here for casual sightseeing.
Their hesitation, however, didn't stop them from releasing thick clouds of purple gas into the air. The poisonous fumes billowed out, making it clear they were ready for battle.
Julian grimaced under his gas mask. He knew it wouldn't last long if he entered that cloud.
The combined toxic gas of two pseudo-Elite Pokémon, strengthened by the Toxic Orb, was beyond what ordinary gas masks could handle.
In the midst of the gas cloud, the other Muk and Weezing instead showed a comfortable expression. The gas was deadly to humans, but tonic for them.
"Come out, Dragonair!" Julian called, releasing his sleek blue Pokémon from its Poké Ball. Then, he swiftly leapt from Metagross onto Dragonair's back.
The appearance of yet another Pokémon seemed to unnerve Muk and Weezing even more.
"Metagross, Mega Evolve!"
Julian reached for the key stone hanging from a chain around his neck. The moment his hand brushed against it, a dazzling light connected it to the Metagrossite embedded in Metagross. Colors burst forth as Mega Metagross took shape.
For a quick resolution, Julian directly used Mega Evolution.
"Metagross!!"
The shift in energy was palpable. A powerful aura swept across the battlefield, and the Muk and Weezing, sensing the rising threat, began calling their underlings to attack.
A barrage of Sludge Bombs, Venom Sprays, and clouds of poison gas erupted from all directions, leaving Metagross seemingly without an escape route.
Julian had already distanced himself, knowing even his enhanced protection couldn't shield him from an onslaught like that. He watched from a safe spot as the poison-type moves rained down on Metagross.
"Hyper Beam, let's clear them out!" Julian commanded.
The golden beam of energy erupted from Metagross, sweeping away the waves of poison-type moves and hitting the Pokémon below.
The blast didn't just scatter the toxic attacks; it cut across the swamp like a battering ram, sending dozens of Muk and Weezing crashing into the muck, unconscious.
As the beam faded, fewer than ten Pokémon remained standing in the swamp, including the leaders of both the Muk and Weezing groups.
Metagross hovered above, its silver body glinting in the poisonous haze, clearly dominating the field. Steel type beating poison type, was normal, not to mention he was in mega evolved state.
The Pokémon below were no match for it, even with their boosted strength from the Toxic Orb. If not for the fear of breaking the Toxic Orb, the other Weezing and Muk would have also fallen.
Mainly these Pokémon were very close to the Toxic Orb.
"Bullet Punch, let's wrap this up," Julian ordered.
With blinding speed, Metagross dove in, delivering sharp, precise blows that took down the remaining Pokémon, leaving only the leaders.
But as Metagross closed in on them, the Muk leader did something unexpected—it quickly swallowed the Toxic Orb and began retreating into the swamp.
Weezing: You b*****d escaped and took the treasure too.
The Weezing leader looked shocked, then furious. It clearly hadn't expected its ally to make off with the treasure.
But now was not the time to settle accounts with the him, it was more important to escape first.
'The silver guy is waiting for me, and when I succeed in escaping I'll kill you.'
But before it could react, Metagross hit it with a Meteor Mash, sending it flying into the distance with a colorful explosion.
"Mega Metagross, Zen Headbutt! blow out that guy who took my Toxic Orb!"
Julian shouted, watching as the Muk submerged into the murky swamp, hoping to escape.
Perhaps because of Will's influence, Julian unconsciously became a little shameless. He consciously regarded the Toxic Orb as his own, but never thought that he was the robber.
(T/N: yeah sure due to Will's influence, what about the insect fruit than mf)
Metagross, now fully locked onto its target, shot forward, plunging into the swamp with incredible force.
Seconds later, the swamp exploded, and Julian saw Muk flying out, coughing up the Toxic Orb in the process.
With a soft white glow, Metagross released its Mega Evolution form and returned to its regular state. Using Psychic, it carefully levitated the Toxic Orb over to Julian, who was already donning gloves to handle the dangerous item.
Julian put on the gloves and took the Toxic Orb. If it touches the skin, there was a danger of poisoning. There was still Muk's saliva on it, and there was also a stench, coming through even the gas mask.
Metagross didn't seem to react, but Dragonair looked like he was about to vomit.
Carefully wiping off Muk's saliva and any residual poison, Julian slipped the orb into his system space for safekeeping.
"Let's move on,"
Julian said, retrieving his Dowsing Machine. The next treasure was five kilometers away.
As they left the swamp behind, the defeated Muk and Weezing slowly regained consciousness.
Realizing that their treasure was gone and their leaders were unconscious, they turned on one another.
The remaining Weezing and Muk swarmed their weakened leaders, devouring them in a frenzy to absorb their strength, growing stronger for the next battle that awaited them.
"Smooth Rock"
"Cheri Berry"
"Quick Claw"
Julian was deep within the secret realm, fully engrossed in his treasure hunt.
With the Dowsing Machine in hand, he ignored the smaller red dots that indicated ordinary items, focusing instead on larger, more promising signals.
By the end of the day, he'd collected over a dozen treasures, including more than a hundred berries, thanks to discovering a well-hidden Berry field.
The Berry field had been guarded by a pair of Advanced Ursaring, but they were no match for his Metagross, who took them down swiftly with Meteor Mash.
He hadn't encountered anyone else during the hunt. The intermediate secret realm was vast, spanning the size of three or four cities, and only a few Trainers ventured in. So there was a close to zero chance of encountering someone.
Julian dismounted Metagross at the edge of a lake. The Dowsing Machine pointed towards the water about a kilometer ahead, signaling treasure buried beneath the surface.
Without hesitation, Julian released Dragonair from its Poké Ball.
"Dragonair, take this," he said, handing it the Dowsing Machine. "Find the treasure hidden under the lake."
Dragonair nodded, gripping the machine in its mouth before diving gracefully into the lake. Julian stayed on shore, knowing that following Dragonair would only slow it down.
His Pokémon's strength was more than enough to handle any water-dwelling threats.
Above the lake, dozens of Butterfree danced in the air, engaged in a courtship ritual. Even with Julian nearby, they didn't pause their graceful display.
On the rocky shoreline, more than a dozen Slowpoke lay on their backs, lazily dipping their tails into the lake to fish for Shellder.
As one Slowpoke's expression shifted, it yanked its tail out of the water, revealing a Magikarp latched onto it instead of the Shellder it had hoped for.
Julian's curiosity got the better of him, and he scanned the nearby Pokémon with his probing eyes. Most of the Butterfree had ordinary potential, but one of the Slowpoke caught his attention, making him stop in his tracks.
Pokémon: Slowpoke (Water/Psychic)
Level: 20
Qualification: Cyan
Ability: Oblivious
Gender: Female
Moves: Tackle, Curse, Water Gun, Confusion, Yawn, Disable, Water Pulse
Disc Moves: none
Genetic Moves: Scald, Trick, Calm Mind, Psyshock
A Slowpoke with cyan-tier potential! This was exactly what Julian had been searching for.
His luck as a transmigrator had finally kicked in again. The first one was him becoming a descendant of Walker family and the other being the emergence of system this year.
Unlike the fantastical luck of other transmigrators who stumble upon a object and it turns out to be a legendary artifact or buying a pet that contains the blood of a divine beast, etc.
Julian's fortunes were more grounded—but finding this Slowpoke was a true stroke of good luck.
"Metagross, Bullet Punch!" Julian ordered with a grin.
Slowpoke was happily catching Shellder, but was KO'd by Metagross before he could react. Metagross knocked it out cold with a swift strike.
Slowpoke: ??_??
Julian tossed a Poké Ball, capturing the cyan-qualified Slowpoke with ease.
Not long after, Dragonair resurfaced, carrying three glowing turquoise Water Stones in its coiled tail.
A few unconscious water type Pokémon floated on the surface in the aftermath of Dragonair's treasure hunt.
Julian inspected the stones, admiring their flawless quality.
"Top-tier Water Stones... not bad," he muttered, placing them into his system's storage.
By this time, the sun had set, and Julian decided to make camp by the lake.
Although setting up camp near water was generally risky—since many Pokémon came to drink at night
The best place to camp was on a hillside, or where there are few trees to reduce the number of Pokémon attacks.
Those who choose to station near lakes were either inexperienced rookies, or they have enough confidence-Julian felt confident in his team's ability to protect him.
Taking the tent out of the system space, with Lucario's help, he set it up quickly.
"Metagross, go find some dry branches for a fire," Julian instructed.
The stars were starting to shimmer above the lake, their light reflecting off the water. Occasionally, a Pokémon would leap out of the lake, adding to the peaceful yet magical scene.
Secret realms have their own unique natural system, most of the secret realms were the same as the outside world, the sun and the moon alternated, and the seasons changed.
Very few special secret realms had long days or nights, or were always in a certain season, such as long summer or winter.
But such secret realms were all high-level secret realms, even top tier realms, without exception.
It wasn't long before Metagross returned, dragging an entire dead tree behind it.
Julian was speechless for a while, and glanced at Lucario next to him. The latter understood, with a few well-placed chops, Lucario reduced the tree into arm-thick logs.
Julian decided not to release his newly captured Slowpoke just yet. With his Shellder nearby, there was a risk that it could accidentally evolve into a Slowbro, and that wasn't something Julian wanted.
Once the fire was going, Julian set up a grill over it, placing a large steak on top. The rich aroma quickly spread, causing his Pokémon to gather eagerly.
"Don't worry, there's enough for all of you," Julian chuckled as he cut portions for each of them.
Even though Pokémon could eat human food, too much of it over time would affect their health and strength. Human food was equivalent to junk food for Pokémon.
Trainers, especially experienced ones, knew that it was best to limit human food and stick to specialized Pokémon meals. Long-term effects might not show immediately, but it could reduce their lifespan or weaken them over time.
Thankfully, the market had plenty of Pokémon-friendly restaurants where meals were prepared in a way that retained the delicious flavors without sacrificing the nutritional needs of Pokémon.
These spots were always popular with Trainers, who loved treating their Pokémon to special meals after a hard day's work.
As the moon climbed higher in the sky, Julian leaned back against Dragonair's soft, serpentine body, with Meltan resting in his arms. Lucario sat cross-legged to his left, meditating and practicing Calm Mind, while Metagross had already dozed off on his right.
Aron, now doubled in size thanks to the Totem soul, frolicked by the water, and Shellder spat bubbles lazily from the lake.
Everything was calm and peaceful, a rare moment of serenity in the life of a treasure hunter.
Slowpoke: New members don't have any rights, do they?
The night was calm, and Julian enjoyed an uninterrupted rest. There was no wild Pokémon attack, despite the abundance of Pokémon around the lake.
This tranquility wasn't by chance—it was due to Julian's careful preparation.
Before going to sleep, Julian had ordered Metagross to drive away any nearby Pokémon. He also used Max Repel around the campsite to ensure an extra layer of security.
Additionally, he posted three guards around his tent: Metagross, Dragonair, and Lucario. With this triple protection, no wild Pokémon dared to approach him overnight.
As the morning sun rose, Julian was awakened—not by a graceful sound, but by the heavy weight of Aron and Meltan stirring in the tent with him. Despite Shellder's efforts to keep the two from disturbing Julian, their playful energy was impossible to contain.
Imagine waking up with a 300-kilogram Aron jumping onto your stomach! If not for Julian's enhanced "Mega Pallet Town" physique, that would've spelled the end of his life right there.
Aron, still a growing Pokémon, had become a Totem-type after inheriting the Soul of Totem, which gave it a larger size than normal Aron—already around one and a half meters tall.
As it matured, this habit of jumping on Julian had to be broken. Otherwise, when Aron eventually evolved into a Totem-level Aggron, that morning greeting could be disastrous.
Mega Pallet Town physique: I don't know if even I can handle it.
After firmly telling Aron not to do this again, Julian got up to wash and prepare for the day.
He made sure his Pokémon had their specialized energy cubes while he ate some fresh Xiaolongbao(dumplings) and soy milk, which were still as fresh as when they entered the system space.
The system's ability to maintain the state of food was incredibly convenient for Julian.
Though this world had not yet developed space backpack technology, Julian knew it was likely hidden in some Ruins yet to be discovered. For now, his system space provided the perfect solution for carrying supplies.
"Alright, let's move out"
Julian announced after packing up the tent, barbecue grill, and other equipment. He called most of his Pokémon back into their Poké Balls, leaving only Metagross and Dragonair by his side.
Mounting Metagross, he activated the Dowsing Machine, which quickly displayed several red dots on the screen. However, none of them were large enough to catch Julian's interest. They likely indicated low-value treasures.
"Let's fly over the lake, Metagross. We'll keep moving forward until something bigger appears,"
Julian decided, directing Metagross to fly over the vast body of water, while Dragonair swam gracefully below, following along.
Dragonair, while adept at flying, preferred the water. It swam effortlessly beneath the surface, exuding a beauty almost comparable to that of the famed Milotic.
The lake was even larger than Julian had anticipated. After flying for over an hour, the far shore was still not in sight.
Along the way, they encountered two large red dots at the bottom of the lake—one marking a Deep Sea Tooth, and the other, a Shell Bell. Both were valuable items, with Shell Bell slightly more coveted due to its healing properties.
"Roar~"
Suddenly, about thirty meters away, a massive blue Gyarados erupted from the water, roaring as it blocked Metagross' path. Its intimidating display was clearly a warning, signaling that they had intruded on its territory.
"A green-qualified Gyarados,"
Julian murmured. It wasn't surprising to find such a Pokémon in this vast lake. The Gyarados was clearly displeased by their presence, not appreciating their intrusion.
Before Julian could order Metagross to engage, Dragonair had already reacted, launching a powerful Dragon Tail from beneath the surface.
The attack struck the Gyarados with such force that it was thrown into the air, crashing back down into the water with a tremendous splash.
"BOOM~"
Dazed and confused, the Gyarados surfaced again, but thought better of picking a fight with Dragonair. After a few more seconds, it slunk back into the depths.
Dragonair: These days, it seems like everyone is looking for a beating.
After flying for another hour, Julian finally spotted the rocky shore on the opposite side of the lake.
As they entered the rocky terrain, a few Geodude jumped out, looking to defend their turf. But after a single menacing glance from Metagross, they quickly retreated.
Julian, ever the curious explorer, couldn't resist taking out his pickaxe and chipping away at a rock. Inside, he discovered a faint green crystal—chlorite.
He continued walking for about 500 meters and tested another rock. Again, it was chlorite. After a further 1,000 meters, more chlorite.
Surveying the rocky area, Julian's interest piqued.
"If this whole area is composed of chlorite, then there might be associated minerals here," he muttered.
Chlorite deposits often occurred near diamonds.
Taking out the Dowsing Machine, his suspicion was confirmed. A massive red dot appeared on the screen, taking up nearly a quarter of the display.
Julian rode Metagross for several kilometers before stopping. The Dowsing Machine indicated the treasure was directly beneath his feet.
"Metagross, use Bullet Punch to break the rocks and dig down," Julian commanded.
"Meta~"
Metagross instantly transformed into a digging machine, its powerful punches driving deep into the ground. Each hit created a dent of over ten meters.
With Dragonair protecting him, Julian was safe from the flying debris as the excavation continued.
Half an hour later, a pit over 100 meters deep and 500 meters wide had been formed. Metagross showed no signs of fatigue, dutifully following Julian's instructions.
"Clink~"
Suddenly, there was a different sound that echoed up from below.
"Found something!"
Julian's eyes gleamed with excitement as he rushed over. Metagross had struck something hard—far harder than the surrounding rock.
Julian carefully inspected the site and, with the help of a detector from his system space, confirmed the hardness of the material.
"That's it—rough diamonds."
He smiled in satisfaction. Though the diamonds were still in their raw form, waiting for polishing, Julian knew this was a rich find.
"Metagross, keep digging. There should be plenty more down here," Julian said, knowing that his treasure hunt was far from over.
Julian realized that with such a large stretch of chlorite, the rough diamond associated with it had to weigh at least 100 tons. Metagross continued to unearth rough diamond after rough diamond.
Some were as small as a few kilograms, while others weighed a few hundred. If it weren't for the limitless space provided by the system, Julian would have no way to transport all the rough stones they were uncovering.
More than an hour later, Metagross had dug up over ten tons of rough diamonds. Julian could only imagine the wealth these gems would bring if sold. It would be enough to place him among the wealthiest people in Yale Province.
However, Julian had other plans.
"Aron, come on out! I've got some snacks for you!" Julian released Aron.
Before Aron lay a rough diamond weighing around 300 kilograms. The sight of it made Aron's eyes light up with excitement, much like a Growlithe spotting a bowl of treats.
Without hesitation, Aron pounced on the diamond, chewing through the hard gem like it was nothing more than a soft piece of tofu.
His plan wasn't to sell the diamonds but to use them as food for Aron.
After all, Aron's evolutionary line—from Aron to Lairon and eventually to Aggron—is known for its powerful Iron armor. With the right diet, that armor could become nearly indestructible, able to withstand some of the most powerful attacks.
But that strength came at a cost; Aron would need to consume a lot of tough minerals, and diamonds were among the hardest materials found in nature.
In the market, diamonds like these would be worth a fortune. Even though Julian's family wasn't short on money, they had never been rich enough to treat their Pokémon with diamonds as a staple food.
Luckily, these rough diamonds would now fuel Aron's growth, ensuring that by the time Aron evolved into an Aggron, its defense would be unmatched.
The very idea of an Aggron raised on diamonds excited Julian. A future Aggron with diamond-hardened armor would strike fear into any opponent.
If Metagross was going to be Julian's most powerful spear, then Aron—soon to be Aggron—would be his strongest shield.
This balance between offense and defense had been a tradition in the Walker family for generations.
His father's Aggron, for example, had once held back an entire Pokémon horde during a dangerous high-level riot, guarding a vital escape route and blocking attacks from hundreds of furious Pokémon for over half an hour.
"Boom~"
Suddenly, the ground beneath Julian's feet trembled, almost knocking him off balance.
Metagross stopped mining and quickly shifted to the left. In the very next second, a Pokémon burst from the ground where Metagross had been. Its body gleamed with a metallic sheen as it emerged.
"It's a Steelix," Julian muttered to himself, recognizing the massive creature.
Steelix was a Pokémon known to live deep underground, using the pressure and heat of the earth to harden and strengthen its body. Given that this area was full of rough diamonds, it made sense that Steelix had made its home here.
The Steelix was visibly angry, its territory invaded and its treasures being dug up.
It was a high-level Pokémon, sitting at around level 66 with pseudo-Elite strength. However, its potential was only at the green level—nothing exceptional by Julian's standards.
Steelix snarled, its eyes locked on the intruders who were raiding its treasure.
Though it recognized that Metagross wasn't an easy opponent, it had reached its limit. Watching them dig deeper and deeper into the ground, Steelix could no longer hold back its rage.
It attempted a sneak attack, but Metagross easily dodged it, leaving Steelix frustrated.
With its sneak attack failed, Steelix redirected its aggression toward Julian. The massive Pokémon, nearly ten meters long, charged at him, its metallic body gleaming in the light.
Despite its low level, Aron stood bravely in front of Julian, ready to defend him.
Steelix continued its charge, but it suddenly found itself unable to move. Metagross had grabbed Steelix's tail with its powerful claws, its metallic grip piercing through Steelix's rock-hard armor with ease.
Steelix howled in pain, raising its tail high in an attempt to shake Metagross off. But Metagross held firm, using its electromagnetic powers to float above the ground and maintain its grip.
Steelix's raw strength was no match for Metagross, who was raised on precious metals and was far stronger than the average Steel-type Pokémon.
Enraged, Steelix attempted to summon its strength, gathering rocks around its body to launch a Rock-type move. But before it could release the attack, Metagross swung it by the tail and smashed the giant Pokémon into the ground.
Steelix's body hit the earth with a thunderous crash. Metagross lifted it again and slammed it down repeatedly, smashing it into the rocky terrain seven or eight times.
Though battered, Steelix's rough-diamond-hardened body allowed it to endure the beating.
"Metagross, that's enough"
Julian called, signaling his Pokémon to stop.
Julian approached the injured Pokémon. Steelix glared at him but quickly shifted its attention to something in Julian's hand—a box of high-grade Steel-type energy cubes.
"These can be yours if you help Metagross finish mining the diamonds," Julian offered, tossing one cube into Steelix's mouth.
This rough diamond mine was very large, and it will take a lot of time for Metagross to mine it alone. His other Pokémon were not suitable for mining, so Julian intended to find a temporary worker. Obviously, Steelix was a suitable candidate.
Steelix was angry, not only was this bas**** digging his own mines, but he also wanted him to help.
Wasn't that just a Thief coming into your house, stealing your things, and asking you to help him move those things.
But the taste of the energy cube caught Steelix off guard. It had never tasted anything like it before.
The food not only satisfied its hunger but also began to heal its wounds and restore its energy. Steelix had never encountered such delicious and nutritious food.
The advanced energy cubes, crafted by Julian's system, were far superior to anything found on the market.
Steelix eyed the box greedily, knowing there were nine more cubes inside.
"Roar!"
Steelix: I want two boxes.
It growled, indicating that it wanted more.
"Alright, I'll give you two boxes if you help us"
Julian agreed, his Aura and Psychic abilities allowing him to understand the Steelix's request perfectly.
Steelix: He agreed so easily, could I have asked for more?
Steelix hesitated for a moment, considering the offer. It briefly thought about trying to renegotiate for more cubes but quickly dismissed the idea when Julian gave it a stern look.
"If you try to go back on the deal, Metagross will finish what it started"
Seeing what the other party was thinking, Julian warned with a smirk.
Steelix shuddered, quickly shaking its head in agreement. It wasn't about to test Metagross again.
With Steelix as the new temporary worker, the mining speed increased several times. While Steelix was not as strong as Metagross, its ability to dig was unmatched, far more efficient for the job.
A single flick of its massive tail or a head bump would unearth countless rough diamonds.
Aron, now overstuffed from all the diamond meals, was round and bulging like a small ball wrapped in Iron armor.
Julian returned him to his Poké Ball, giving Aron time to rest and digest all the precious stones, ready to eat more tomorrow.
With hundreds of tons of rough diamonds now in his possession, Julian figured not just his future Aggron but even a Tyranitar could thrive on this mineral treasure. Maybe—just maybe.
After half a day of digging, the entire area was cleared, leaving behind a crater stretching three to four kilometers long and five to six hundred meters deep.
Steelix, satisfied with its work, approached Julian, eyes fixed on him.
"Here you go"
Julian smiled, placing two boxes of high-grade steel type energy cubes on the ground.
Steelix gleefully devoured five cubes in one bite, wagging its tail like a happy Growlithe, eyes half-closed in contentment.
"You can't eat too much at once; pace yourself" Julian advised.
"These cubes are powerful. You'll waste them if you don't give your body time to digest the energy."
There were only twenty cubes in the two boxes. At Steelix's current rate, it would run out in a week.
Julian hopped onto Metagross's back, as another red dot flashed on the Dowsing Machine—a large red dot, indicating something valuable.
"Let's go," Julian commanded, and Metagross swiftly flew toward the marked location.
"Boom!"
"What was that?"
Julian murmured, hearing a distant sound. Turning around, he saw Steelix charging towards them, a cloud of smoke billowing up behind it.
"Looks like someone's getting in some post-meal exercise"
Julian didn't dwell on it for long and signaled Metagross to continue.
As they traveled about 30 kilometers, Julian noticed Steelix was no longer following them and likely returned to its original place. Upon reaching the red dot, Julian had Metagross drive away nearby Ground- and Rock-type Pokémon.
"Metagross, Dig here" Julian ordered.
"I wonder if it'll still be rough diamonds," Julian thought aloud.
Just because they had found rough diamonds earlier didn't mean there couldn't be more hidden around the chlorite deposit. There could be a second cache nearby, waiting to be uncovered.
After a few minutes, Metagross unearthed something and brought it to Julian: a small ball of soft sand, khaki-yellow in color and jelly-like to the touch.
Julian recognized it immediately as a Ground-type treasure that could enhance Ground-type Pokémon's power and even improve their qualifications.
The soft sand in front of Julian was about the size of a basketball—not massive, but decent enough to register as a small red dot on the Dowsing Machine.
Even this size was something rare. Soft sand of this quality wasn't available in the market. The kind sold in stores was divided into much smaller portions, usually the size of a fist, and those sold for over 10 million each.
Only top-tier stores had it, and you had to be a VIP customer just to have the chance to buy one.
Since Julian didn't currently own a Ground-type Pokémon, this treasure would either need to be traded or kept for when he found the right Pokémon to benefit from it.
"Boom~"
Just then, a familiar sound reached Julian's ears. Turning around, he saw Steelix rushing toward him, panting as if it had been chasing them.
"You want to follow me?"
Julian asked, piecing it together. Steelix, after eating those energy cubes, wasn't simply running for a post-meal exercise. It wanted to join him.
'Sure enough, my charm is very great, and a prospective Elite Pokémon wants to follow me.'
Steelix nodded eagerly, its eyes full of hope and excitement.
The Pokémon had realized that staying with Julian meant a steady supply of that delicious food.
On top of that, Julian had taken all the treasures Steelix had been guarding.
But if he followed Julian, the treasures might not be his anymore, but Julian would have to support him with them and there was also those tasty treats. A win-win in Steelix's eyes.
Steelix: I'm such a smart guy.
Sensing Steelix's proud Aura, Julian realized exactly what was going through its mind.
Whoever said that wild Pokémon were just cruel and mindless clearly hadn't met this Steelix. Its mind was sharp, and it knew exactly what it wanted.
As Steelix wagged its tail happily, Julian glanced between it and the soft sand Metagross was holding. He couldn't help but ponder the situation.
Julian pondered for a moment, Perhaps it was fate—he had just found a Ground-type treasure, and now a Ground-type Pokémon wanted to join him.
Was it fate taking care of him, or Steelix?
Steelix: Don't think too highly of yourself, of course it's me.
Pokémon: Steelix (Steel/Ground)
Level: 66
Qualification: Green
Ability: Rock Head
Props: none
Gender: Male
Moves: Thunder Fang, Ice Fang, Fire Fang, Rock Polish, Iron Tail, Dragon Breath, Earthquake, Crunch, Harden, Smack Down, Sand Tomb, Stealth Rock, Slam, Sandstorm, Dig, Stone Edge.
Disc Moves: none
Genetic Moves: Defense Curl, Double-Edge, Head Smash, Dragon Tail.
Although Steelix's qualification was only green, half of that green had turned cyan. Of course, if there was no significant experiences to catalyze this growth, it was likely that this aptitude would remain stagnant for the rest of its life
Julian saw that Steelix was eyeing the soft fine sand Metagross was holding with intense longing.
"Alright, here"
Julian offered, having already decided to accept Steelix. The soft sand was perfect for it.
Steelix quickly snatched the sand and swallowed it, much like a dog gulping down a treat.
As Steelix consumed the sand, its green qualification slowly inched closer to cyan but stopped just shy of breaking through.
Steelix seemed anxious, sensing the unbroken bottleneck limiting its future growth.
"Here, take this too"
Julian said, pulling out a small cyan qualification potion. This special item could improve Pokémon's qualification and break such bottlenecks.
Steelix eagerly drank the potion, and after a few minutes, the final sliver of green disappeared, replaced by cyan.
"Roar!!"
A cyan-qualified Steelix now stood before Julian, roaring in triumph, its tail smashing into the ground in excitement.
After it calmed down, Steelix looked at Julian with newfound respect, fully aware that it was Julian who had helped it break its limits.
"Alright, let's make this official," Julian said, holding out a Poké Ball.
Without hesitation, Steelix tapped its head lightly against the ball. After a few shakes, the ball stilled, and Steelix was captured.