Chapter 104 Kukui: Gym Leader, I Want to Take Down Lance!
"Dragon? Didn't Lance already see my Draco?"
Bai Yu raised an eyebrow. He wasn't Lance and wasn't particularly interested in dragons.
Besides, he'd already caught the pseudo-legendary Draco from the Kanto Region; he couldn't very well add another one to guard the house.
That would be too extravagant, especially since pseudo-legendary Pokémon need to be fed Energy Cubes from a young age.
Even the Pokémon the League President had given him was almost too expensive for Bai Yu.
"Ragnarok, a pseudo-legendary from the Johto Region!"
Lance wasn't particularly interested in Larvitar.
Aside from Dragon-type Pokémon, he had no interest in Pokémon of other types or with other names. Larvitar was a gift from Damaranchi.
As a pseudo-legendary, its potential was guaranteed, but Lance had no interest in it and simply kept Larvitar in a research institute.
He would occasionally visit that research institute, where, apart from Larvitar, all of Lance's other main Pokémon were kept.
"Larvitar?" This Pokémon was a significant asset to Bai Yu.
If Bai Yu wanted pseudo-legendary Pokémon, he could easily find them in the Galar Region. However, neither Metagross nor Kommo-o had ever been found in the games.
Now, Bai Yu couldn't guarantee finding any pseudo-legendary Pokémon in the Galar Region. Larvitar was a main Pokémon for the Sandstorm team, paired with Excadrill.
With some Rock or Steel-type Pokémon, the Sandstorm team was complete.
The core of the Sandstorm team was a Pokémon with the Sandstorm ability, reducing the number of turns required to use a move, combined with Sandstorm-related abilities.
It was well-rounded in offense and defense, could set up entry hazards, and could also wear down opponents. Its offensive tactics were more complex than Sunny Day and Rain Day teams, offering a degree of disruption.
"What's your decision?"
Lance gave Bai Yu ample time to consider, but he believed Bai Yu wouldn't refuse.
Larvitar!
The pseudo-legendary Pokémon of the Johto Region is something most people can't obtain; only he was willing to offer it as a reward for defeating Team Rocket.
"Alright, I'll go to Celadon City first thing tomorrow morning."
Bai Yu remained silent for a long time; destroying Team Rocket's base was only a matter of time.
Even without him, Lance's strength was enough to wipe out the entire Team Rocket.
After all, where there's Team Rocket, there's Red. He'd definitely see Red again in Celadon Game City, and he'd go help out.
Missing a day of gym battles wouldn't have too much of an impact, especially since there were so many spectators these past few days, and more challengers than usual; they needed to calm down.
More people wasn't necessarily a good thing, at least for Bai Yu now. The more people there were, the easier it was for his tactical system to be exposed and promoted.
Afterwards, he'd find it harder to get the enjoyment he wanted from battling random trainers.
"Tomorrow at the Celadon Pokémon Center, I'll go see Nurse Joy."
Lance's face remained arrogant as he finished speaking in an extremely self-assured tone.
Turning away, Lance believed that since Bai Yu had already made his promise, he wouldn't break it. If Bai Yu did, it would reveal his true colors.
For Lance, it wouldn't cause too much loss, since he hadn't given Bai Yu Larvitar yet. Lance would contact the research institute to send Larvitar over after this mission.
"Rainbow City."
"I've been there once, and I've even been deep inside Team Rocket's base."
After Lance left, Sabrina approached, her voice filled with worry.
"There are at least three executives stationed at Team Rocket's base. It's practically Team Rocket's headquarters. Pokémon plundered from various towns, along with research equipment and materials, are all stored there."
Sabrina had previously visited Team Rocket's base and seen its layout. Located within Celadon City, the base had a hidden switch, the password known only to insiders.
There were four underground levels, heavily guarded, with Team Rocket executives visible on every level. The four generals of Team Rocket were stationed there year-round.
Aside from Apollo, who would leave on missions, the other three executives almost never left the base, always using a specific Pokédex for teleportation.
Sabrina briefly explained the base's structure and the personnel stationed there.
In short, it was more dangerous than expected, but this also had its advantages. Being underground in Celadon City, it didn't store Pokémon like Voltorb or Electrode.
The danger is greatly reduced, and it's much easier to handle than the explosion in Goldenrod City. Besides, Bai Yu doesn't think Giovanni will be in Celadon City.
After taking the materials from Goldenrod City, Giovanni is definitely busy creating Mewtwo. He's probably already created it and is just waiting for Mewtwo to grow. In this situation, the chances of him being in Viridian City are much higher.
"Why don't you come with me to Celadon City tomorrow?"
"I've heard that Celadon City's perfumes are the best in Kanto. We can go and have some fun."
Compared to Goldenrod City, Celadon City has more entertainment facilities, and it also sells perfumes from all over the world. The perfumes brewed by Celadon Gym Leader Erika are especially exceptional.
Celadon Game City also has many games for visitors. Besides Goldenrod City, Celadon City is undoubtedly the most prosperous city in the Kanto Region.
This is undeniable.
After all, a city valued by Team Rocket is among the top in the Kanto Region.
As for those cities they looked down on, like Pewter City and Cerulean City, they were all dirt poor, especially Pewter City… which sold rocks.
Even though Pewter City's rocks were unique to it, they didn't attract many tourists. If it weren't for the Pewter Gym being one of the eight major gyms, attracting many trainers to challenge it
, the number of tourists would be reduced by at least half.
"Alright, I want to go see it too."
Sabrina also wanted to go, which was good that she hadn't gone to Celadon City.
She could help out Team Rocket executives if she encountered them. Sabrina wasn't weak, but she didn't want to fight Team Rocket members; after all, she had been a member of Team Rocket before.
"Just consider it a trip," Bai Yu said with a smile. "Anyway, with Lance there, his Champion-level strength means he'd be in trouble even if I went up against an opponent he couldn't beat." Bai
Yu was telling the truth; in Kanto, only Giovanni could defeat Lance.
As the head of Team Rocket, Bai Yu didn't quite believe he didn't have a Beedrill Mega Key Stone.
Mega Evolution boosts a Pokémon's power, and Beedrill is Giovanni's main Pokémon, so obtaining a compatible Mega Key Stone wouldn't be difficult. In Origins, Red even got a Mega Key Stone from Professor Fuji.
Professor Fuji is the same Professor Fuji who researched Mewtwo and escaped from Team Rocket, which proves everything. Giovanni definitely has something good.
"Okay. Little White, I'll listen to you."
Sabrina wasn't particularly interested in battles, and she wanted to relax with Bai Yu.
However, Sabrina didn't think Bai Yu was tired lately. On the contrary, she thought he had gone crazy with the Gym battles, meeting interesting trainers every day.
With such fun competitions, and Bai Yu being a true battle enthusiast, how could he be tired? He was having a blast.
"Gym Leader Bai Yu, why haven't we seen any challengers today? Or have you already chased them all away, Gym Leader Bai Yu?"
Wearing a white lab coat and a hat, he looked like a research scientist, the only difference being his dark skin, which didn't resemble a trainer from the Kanto Region at all.
The person who came was none other than Kukui, who had taken away the White Feather Elf. "Mr. Kukui, I thought you ran off with my Toxapex."
Bai Yu raised an eyebrow, looking at Kukui in front of him. He had borrowed Toxapex for half a day, and Bai Yu was just about to go to the research institute to find Kukui, but he didn't expect him to come over on his own initiative.
"Hehe... Gym Leader Bai Yu. What I said I would do, I will definitely do. A day is a day."
Kukui touched his hat and revealed a smile, then took out a Poké Ball and handed it to Bai Yu.
Bai Yu scanned the Poké Ball with the system, and after confirming that it was correct, placed it in the system space.
"What have you researched?"
Bai Yu was also very curious to know what this guy with thick eyebrows and big eyes, who looked dark, could research.
"I have to say, Gym Leader Bai Yu's training level is quite high. This Toxapex improved its strength through battles. As for the Totem-level genes, the equipment is too rudimentary to research them."
Kukui sighed. The research facilities in the Macha Research Institute were already very complete, but unfortunately, to research Totem-level Pokémon, he still needed to use the research equipment in his own research institute.
However, what's certain is that Toxapex's potential is outstanding, both in terms of growth and its future ceiling. Kukui is somewhat envious of Bai Yu for catching this Toxapex.
Kukui can only research certain training methods based on Toxapex's growth path. As for whether his own Toxapex can grow to the same level as Bai Yu's Toxapex, even Kukui himself isn't very sure.
"Totem-level Pokémon are naturally favored. It's normal for them to have high ceilings."
Bai Yu thought Kukui would come up with something useful.
In the end, he just talked a lot of useless nonsense.
He wondered if he could catch those Totem-level Pokémon with Poké Balls when he went to the Alola Region in reality.
In the anime, Ash and his friends didn't catch those Totem-level Pokémon either. Bai Yu remembered that one of the Alola Elite Four seemed to have caught a Totem-level Pokémon.
This means that those Pokémon can actually be caught, but Ash and his friends didn't try to catch them, which is quite in line with Ash's personality—he doesn't like catching Pokémon.
Ash has only caught fewer than a hundred Pokémon so far, including thirty Tauros, proving he's not a Pokémon trainer who enjoys catching Pokémon.
"Yeah, this is the first time I've seen a Toxapex Pokémon like Whitefeather's,"
Kukui nodded. Such Pokémon are truly favored by nature. Kukui
felt a pang of regret for not catching this type of Pokémon.
"Oh, right,"
Kukui thought of something and took a Poké Ball from his pocket.
The Poké Ball still had a flame on it; it was a Pokémon Kukui had specially transferred from the Alola Region via communication.
"This Poké Ball contains a Litten."
"It's one of the future Fire-type starter Pokémon of the Alola Region."
Kukui was already considering returning to establish the Alola League.
He was currently finalizing the starter Pokémon for the Alola Region, and the one he had already chosen was naturally the Litten in his hand.
"Litten?!"
He hadn't expected to see Litten here.
After entering the game, Whitefeather discovered he had skipped the starter Pokémon selection process.
Those starter Pokémon are very likely to be caught only after a second playthrough, and Bai Yu doesn't want to complete a second playthrough like those legendary or pseudo-legendary Pokémon, so he can only catch them in real life.
One of the reasons Bai Yu wants to go to the Alola Region is because of this Litten.
Litten's final evolution, Incineroar, is definitely one of the most frequently seen Fire-type starters in the game.
In terms of popularity, it is in no way inferior to Charizard, one of the original starter Pokémon.
"Gym Leader Bai Yu knows this Pokémon?" Kukui was taken aback, then threw the Poké Ball in his hand.
Its fur was all black, with red markings and whiskers on its face, and red stripes on its limbs, making it look a bit playful.
"Meow~"
Litten let out a meow as soon as it appeared, raised its head with a hint of doubt in its eyes, looked at Bai Yu thoughtfully, and the next second Litten jumped up and stood on Bai Yu's shoulder.
A hint of liveliness appeared in its eyes, and it stretched out its front paw to rub against Bai Yu's cheek.
Seeing this, Kukui fell into deep thought. When he released it earlier, it wasn't like this at all. Wasn't this Litten supposed to be mischievous and disobedient? How did it become so docile? Could it be that Bai Yu possessed some special magic? "It seems this Litten and I are destined for each other."
Bai Yu reached out and teased the Litten on his shoulder.
He had originally been thinking of ways to get this Pokémon from Kukui.
Unexpectedly, the Litten had offered itself up, and it seemed quite docile. He wondered if it would remain as docile and cute after evolving into Incineroar.
"In that case, this Litten is a gift to Gym Leader Bai Yu. However… I have a request."
Kukui had originally intended to give the Litten to Bai Yu.
Since the Litten was so close to Bai Yu, he saved himself some trouble.
"Tell me your thoughts."
Bai Yu reached out and took the Litten from his shoulder, holding it in his arms.
He also wanted to hear what Kukui had to say.
"Regarding Lance's team composition, I'd like to hear Gym Leader Bai Yu's insights on this,"
Kukui said after a moment of silence.
He had seen Lance leave when he entered the gym earlier.
His trip to the Kanto Region wasn't just about challenging gyms or participating in the Indigo League.
He had always wanted to challenge the Kanto Elite Four, or rather, he wanted to challenge Lance.
Years ago, he had watched Lance and Steven's match at the Pokémon Masters Tournament, a match that further solidified his resolve to challenge Lance and establish the Alola League.
"Lance?" Bai Yu was taken aback, guessing what Kukui wanted to do.
But did Lance's team composition even need an explanation?
Everyone knew Lance loved dragons, especially those with the dragon type or the word "dragon."
His main Pokémon, Dragonite, was undeniably four times weak to Ice.
Bai Yu glanced at Kukui, then looked at the Litten in his arms, and said, "I remember there are also special forms of Pokémon in the Alola Region."
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(End of Chapter)