From the eighty-year-old elder to the eight-year-old child.
Seeing hot water triggers desire.
In the image.
Ninja Boy is half-submerged in the hot spring, his joyful mood reflected through amplified musical notes, accompanied by his Pokémon Kecleon.
This image inexplicably makes one feel that Kecleon, known for sneaky attacks, might be his first Pokémon rather than the Self-destruct Demon Weezing.
Also, where does Ninja Boy get his travel funding?
Although accommodations mainly rely on Pokémon Centers, and there's a year's supply of Poké Blocks for Pokémon... well, it seems there's nothing particularly costly.
Baimu was surprised to find that compared to the gamblers traveling frugally, Ninja Boy's quality of life was much better despite also traveling frugally.
Is this related to the times?
[You've had plenty of rest, and a renewed determination drives you to start gathering Gym information]
The narration indicates.
Currently, the Lavaridge Gym Leader is neither Yasha nor Yasha's grandfather, who has become one of the Four Heavenly Kings.
So when Ninja Boy went to challenge, the opponent's pixel model felt unfamiliar to Baimu.
The attribute hasn't changed.
Facing the Fire Attribute Gym Leader, naturally Ninja Boy won't send out Bug Attribute Ninjask and Shedinja; instead, he uses Swalot, Kecleon, and Weezing as a trio.
Especially Weezing, unleashing Poison Gas recklessly, causes the opponent's Slugma to explode frighteningly every time it uses a Fire-type move.
Eventually, Weezing is unharmed, but Slugma ends up dazed from its own explosions.
Next, Magcargo directly faced Weezing's Big Explosion, losing more than half its stamina immediately and subsequently struggling against Swalot's intense poison.
The third Camerupt was slightly tougher but nothing more.
Kecleon, becoming gradually adept at Breath Concealment Techniques, was proficient with Shadow Clone and Shadow Strike tactics, despite a challenge from Camerupt's Smoke Spray, eventually fell to repeated shadow attacks.
[You defeated the Lavaridge Gym Leader and won the Lavaridge Badge]
"Breath Concealment Techniques are quite strong…"
Baimu reaffirmed the value of this ninja technique; although Ninja Boy's opponents weren't highly skilled, the technique had reference value.
Leaving Lavaridge Town.
Ninja Boy decided to go over Chimney Mountain to reach the northernmost Fallarbor Town, aiming for the sixth badge there.
On the way, he didn't forget to further train his Pokémon's strength.
[As you learn that subsequent Gyms will only become stronger, you train even more diligently]
But what Baimu didn't expect.
While chasing a seemingly wild Dustox in the forest, Ninja Boy accidentally entered a familiar garden.
[You've arrived at the Green Hall and met its owner]
"Sister Xiangfen!"
Baimu was shocked, totally unexpected that there could be interaction between simulation characters, purely by chance.
On the light screen.
Sister Xiangfen had entered midlife, but her appearance model remained incredibly familiar and friendly.
As a Pokémon Doctor and Aromatherapist, she naturally hosted the young Ninja Boy, also letting him enjoy crafting perfumed aromas.
[You can't believe what you considered toxic material could be transformed into beneficial aroma effects by her; you're eager to learn toxin theory from her]
Baimu: "!?!"
Unbelievable, character interaction aside, planning to tie him up?
He fixed his gaze on the light screen.
Fortunately, Sister Xiangfen learned Ninja Boy's true goal and kindly rejected apprenticeship, yet she voluntarily taught him to concoct stronger poisons and medicines for Pokémon healing.
[The new poisons you've acquired have strengthened Weezing and Swalot's toxicity]
Indeed Sister Xiangfen!
Baimu found the thick recipe book in his bag, a respectful expression appearing on his face.
Many aromas inside never had the chance for use, but in daily life, he often used aromas to relax his Pokémon.
Otherwise, with so many battles day after day, although Pokémon might physically endure, mentally they'd struggle to bear.
Aromas can relax their spirit.
It's safe to say some of his power depended on Sister Xiangfen and her granddaughter's generosity.
But Ninja Boy's gains weren't only toxin and medicine theory; he left the garden having taken an injured Golbat.
[You've gained Golbat, increasing your ninja partners]
This Golbat, due to injury, arrived at the Green Hall; coincidentally, Ninja Boy concocted medicine under Sister Xiangfen's guidance, applying it to Golbat.
Ninja Boy harvested Golbat's gratitude, discovering it was a Pokémon skilled in sneak attack and poison, decisively taking it along.
Sister Xiangfen was delighted to see this, personally escorting him to Fallarbor Town, and sharing information on the Gyms.
[You reluctantly bid farewell to your mentor, heading for Fallarbor Gym]
Clearly, Ninja Boy had formed a reliance on Sister Xiangfen, being an adult who cared for him enormously; however, he had to keep traveling to become a formal ninja.
Fallarbor Gym.
In the era when Sister Xiangfen challenged, it was Flying Attribute; now, the Gym Leader was her son, transformed into Evil Attribute.
Ninja Boy's Ninjask was flourishing in this Gym, defeating two Pokémon with super speed and attribute suppression before being taken down by the opponent's Absol.
And when only one remained on the opponent's side, Ninja Boy's choice was resolute.
Weezing—Poison Gas with Big Explosion.
The suicidal combined skill had no suspense, immediately taking Absol down with it, mastering the ability to consistently knock out a member of the opponent's team.
However, the side effects were intense, leaving it knocked out too.
Baimu watched the screen, with the still eerily smiling Weezing, curious that apart from Electrode and Thunderbolt Ball, there were other Pokémon infatuated with self-destruction?
Remarkable.
[You defeated the Fallarbor Gym Leader, acquiring the Fallarbor Badge]
Ninja Boy's sixth badge obtained.
Two Gyms remained; he knew Verdanturf Gym was definitely not an option, thus choosing Shuijing Gym and Glazed Gym.
From Fallarbor Town to Shuijing City, one must undeniably take a ship; Ninja Boy visited the Green Hall once more before leaving.
[You bid farewell to your mentor properly before leaving]
The voyage was smooth.
Ninja Boy didn't play long before reaching his destination; the bustling scenery reminiscent of Kanaz City triggered terrible memories of once being caught and interrogated by Officer Jenny, making him hesitant to linger in Shuijing City for long.
[You collected all the information and eagerly challenged Shuijing Gym]
The Gym Leader at Shuijing Gym also had changed, specializing not in Fighting Attribute but Poison Attribute.
Hence, this Gym became, after Verdanturf Gym, the second one Ninja Boy found particularly easy to challenge.
The Poison-type Pokémon dispatched by the opponent couldn't match Ninja Boy's Pokémon in toxicity.
Swalot's powerful stomach acid could even swallow the Mud Bomb from the opposing Swalot, although the reverse wasn't possible.
The difference in their toxicity was vast.
However.
[You know the displayed toxicity wasn't the true strength, deciding to learn poison theory from him]
After experiencing sweetness from Sister Xiangfen, Ninja Boy began diligently seeking knowledge from others, surprising him that the opponent was also considered her student.
Because Sister Xiangfen had stayed a long time in Shuijing City to promote aromatherapy back then.
This Gym Leader turned out to be a toxic genius she cultivated.
[You didn't expect to meet a 'senior brother']
The Gym Leader was clearly joyful from the encounter; after friendly exchanges, he personally escorted Ninja Boy to the last Gym's location—Glazed City.
Here.
Baimu encountered the youthful Teacher Adam.
"Even in pixel form, still that dashing." He engraved the pixel figure of Teacher Adam deeply into his mind, suddenly wanting to craft a figurine.
As expected.
Ninja Boy struggled fiercely against Adam here.
At this moment, Adam was flourishing both in Gyms and Gorgeous Competitions, integrating Gorgeous Competition techniques into Pokémon battles, comparable to Ninja Boy's ninja technique Pokémon.
Leading to his first challenge ending in defeat.