Chapter 32: The Power of the Evolution Stone!

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In the Johto region, Azalea Town.

As time passed, the package sent from far away finally arrived at the Pokémon Center in Azalea Town.

“Eviolite...”

Recalling what the artisan had told him during their conversation, Bugsy immediately called out his Scyther when he took the smooth, pale-purple stone from the package.

“Scy!”

Bugsy had gone to great lengths to catch his Scyther. It was his favorite Pokémon, and he had purchased this defensive item specifically to strengthen it further.

For Bug-type Pokémon, the usual strengthening item was Silver Powder, which was also the first choice of most Bug-type Trainers. The silver powder was made from the scales found on butterflies and moths, and carrying it allowed a Pokémon to increase the power of its Bug-type moves.

Since Bug-type attacks were generally not very powerful, increasing their strength was essential. But as a researcher of Bug-type Pokémon, Bugsy understood that one could not rely solely on greater offensive power to defeat an opponent. No matter how powerful an attack was, it was meaningless if it failed to hit the target—or if the Pokémon using it could not withstand a super-effective attack.

“Scy?”

Scyther stared at the pale-purple stone. Eviolite was of no use in human hands. Humans could not sense the strange energy hidden within it, but Pokémon could perceive such special energy and resonate with it.

Scyther was curious about the stone. It had a vague feeling about it and cautiously reached out to touch the Eviolite.

It tapped the stone with the tip of one of its scythes. The instant they made contact, a strange warmth flowed from the stone into its body, and Scyther’s eyes suddenly sharpened.

What was this restless, surging sensation...?

Scyther confirmed that the stone truly could help it grow stronger. Gradually, it began to understand what that restless feeling really was.

Though it had never experienced such a state before, every Pokémon was born with some innate knowledge of evolution. Most Pokémon simply did not know what they would evolve into, nor whether they could evolve any further.

There was no doubt about it.

This feeling was... evolution!

“Scy!”

Scyther raised both scythe-like arms, excitement filling its heart. But after waiting for quite some time, it looked down at its own body in confusion.

Nothing happened!

“Scy?”

Scyther turned its head and stared at its Trainer with a puzzled expression.

This stone was a fake! Had Bugsy been tricked?

“Eviolite can’t make a Pokémon evolve. It only resonates with the evolutionary energy within Pokémon that are still capable of evolving.”

Bugsy had watched the entire scene from the side, confirming that what Lichen had told him was true.

Seeing the confusion on Scyther’s face, Bugsy patted it on the shoulder.

“This isn’t an evolution item. But it seems to increase your defenses and help you become stronger in everyday battles. I don’t know exactly how effective it’ll be, so let’s try it out now.”

“Scy!”

Scyther answered with a cry.

Bugsy fastened a sturdy leather harness around Scyther’s waist and placed the Eviolite inside it. That counted as having the Pokémon hold the item.

Scyther gradually felt a current of energy circulating within its body. It was faint, but at the same time, its scythes and body seemed to have become somewhat stronger and sturdier.

Perhaps it was only imagining things. Scyther did not quite understand, but it felt that its current condition was excellent.

Just then, a challenger arrived at the Gym. Bugsy glanced at Scyther, which was slashing at the air.

It was in perfect condition. This was the ideal chance to test the power of the new item.

Although Bugsy had only intended to give it a trial, the result far exceeded his expectations.

The challenger was a Bird Keeper named Mingxian, and he possessed two Badges.

Normally, the order in which Trainers challenged Gyms varied depending on where they came from.

Bird Keepers specialized in Flying-type Pokémon. Mingxian seemed completely confident about this Gym battle, and he sent out a Flying-type Pokémon right away.

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“Go, Fearow!”

“To deal with a Bug-type Pokémon, you naturally use a Flying type!”

A large bird appeared on the battlefield. Its feathers were orange, its head bore a red crest, and it had a sharp pink beak and broad wings.

Bugsy, of course, sent out Scyther.

“Scy!”

Scyther felt fantastic. It stared at the Fearow hovering in midair with a battle-hungry gaze, let out a threatening cry, and flashed the blades of both its arms.

Like all ordinary Trainers, Bird Keeper Mingxian also believed in the battle principle that striking first meant victory.

“Use Peck!”

Fearow’s sharp, slender beak possessed tremendous attacking power, and it was especially skilled at using that beak against small insects.

Bugsy immediately gave his command.

“Double Team!”

Whoosh!

In an instant, countless afterimages of Scyther spread across the battlefield. Fearow’s attack missed, and Bird Keeper Mingxian clicked his tongue in irritation before changing tactics.

“Use Wing Attack to break those illusions!”

Fearow swept at the surrounding images with its broad wings. At that instant, Bugsy issued another command.

“Fury Cutter!”

Fearow dispelled Scyther’s afterimages, but Scyther’s enormous scythes struck Fearow directly and began carving into it in a series of rapid slashes.

However, Bug-type moves were not especially powerful to begin with. Even though Fury Cutter could quickly build up its strength, it was still not enough against a Flying-type Pokémon.

“Fearow, use Fury Attack!”

Fearow’s frantic pecks clashed with Scyther’s rapidly swinging blades, sparks bursting through the air. At that moment, the Bird Keeper ordered another Wing Attack.

Scyther failed to dodge and was struck head-on, sent flying a great distance.

Yet the expected victory did not come. Scyther merely shook its body, quickly regained its balance, and let out a puzzled cry.

It had been hit by Wing Attack, yet it had suffered almost no damage?

Bugsy had studied Bug-type Pokémon for a long time and could naturally tell how much damage his Pokémon had taken. Scyther had merely been caught off guard, while Fearow’s wings were so large that avoiding them at close range was difficult.

But Scyther had barely been hurt.

That meant... Eviolite had worked!

The artisan had said that it could “greatly increase a Pokémon’s two defensive attributes.”

Two defensive attributes...

“What’s going on?” Unlike Scyther, which remained in excellent condition, the Bird Keeper began to panic. Wing Attack had the type advantage. Even if the difference in strength was enormous, it should not have been completely ineffective.

“U-use Steel Wing!”

At Mingxian’s command, both of Fearow’s wings were immediately covered in a metallic sheen. Its massive steel wings stirred up a powerful gust of wind.

Bugsy, meanwhile, ordered Scyther to use Swords Dance.

After one Swords Dance, Scyther endured a Steel Wing head-on—and barely felt it. Steel Wing was not a Flying-type move, so without a type advantage, it was nothing to worry about.

Even after taking the attack, Scyther still appeared completely at ease. It grinned disdainfully and began provoking Fearow with its scythes.

Fearow, hovering overhead, grew nervous.

It should have defeated its opponent with ease. Yet this Bug-type Pokémon was different.

“Again, Fearow! Wing Attack!”

The Bird Keeper refused to give up. Fearow responded to its Trainer’s command, but Bugsy immediately ordered Scyther to use a move.

“Scyther, Brick Break!”

Fearow attempted another Wing Attack. But Scyther charged toward it with a savage grin, raising one scythe high before bringing it down in a single brutal stroke.

Fearow was smashed straight back into the ground.

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As the clouds of dust gradually dispersed, Fearow’s eyes had turned into spirals. It had lost the ability to battle.

The next two battles ended the same way. The Gym challenge was a three-on-three match, but Bugsy’s single Scyther defeated all three of Mingxian’s Flying-type Pokémon, sweeping the entire opposing team.

Clearly, Fearow had been the Bird Keeper’s strongest Pokémon. The two that followed were Hoothoot and Pidgeotto.

The outcome was obvious.

“Scy!”

Scyther raised both scythes high, trembling with exhilaration.

Never before had it fought such a satisfying battle. It had faced three opponents alone and broken through their entire team—and they had all been bird Pokémon!

For a Bug-type Pokémon, nothing could be more thrilling than defeating its natural predators head-on.

If this had taken place in the wild, Scyther was certain it would have become the leader of all Bug-type Pokémon. The moment those bird Pokémon heard the sound of its scythes, they would have been so frightened that they would start defecating all over the sky.

“Waaah... I lost!”

Bird Keeper Mingxian left in dejection, declaring that he would continue training and return for another challenge.

Bugsy walked over to Scyther and patted the agitated Pokémon on the shoulder, his expression filled with disbelief.

“Eviolite... That stone actually made a Bug-type Pokémon stop fearing even Flying types!”

Bugsy remained astonished for a long time. He removed the Eviolite from Scyther and returned to the Gym’s lounge. There, he turned on his computer and sent a message to a special account, asking whether the recipient knew anything about this kind of stone.

The account was labeled “Professor Elm.”

......

“A stone? That isn’t part of my research.”

In Professor Elm’s laboratory in New Bark Town, Johto, stones were naturally outside the field of a professor who specialized in Pokémon breeding and Egg Groups.

Professor Elm looked like a typical researcher. If not for the tuft of hair resembling a bird’s nest on his forehead, he could have been said to wear a simple buzz cut.

He was tall and wore oval glasses. Over a green shirt, he had a white research coat, while his grass-green trousers matched the color of his shirt. The pockets of his coat were always stuffed with research notes, paper, and pens.

However, after reading Bugsy’s message—and the description that “an unevolved Pokémon holding Eviolite could greatly increase its defenses”—Professor Elm’s expression grew serious.

This seemed to have some connection with Egg Groups and weaker Pokémon. Scyther was not a weak Pokémon, but it was indeed an unevolved Pokémon.

Professor Elm’s research focused on “Pokémon breeding and Pokémon Eggs.”

The Egg of Togepi, for example, had only been discovered recently and had briefly been designated a “Mystery Egg.”

He had discovered the pre-evolved forms of many Pokémon. Judging from its description, Eviolite was most suitable for use by young Pokémon in their pre-evolved forms—or, in other words, weaker Pokémon.

But Scyther could use it as well... That made sense. Scyther was powerful, but it did indeed have an evolved form.

Whenever he thought about this, Professor Elm could not help shaking his head.

The evolution of Pokémon was truly profound.

A weak Pokémon might struggle all the way to its final evolution, only to discover that a powerful Pokémon on the other side could evolve as well.

However, evolution was not Professor Elm’s specialty. He had only dabbled in the subject, using it as a stepping stone toward his research on breeding and Egg Groups. The true specialist in Pokémon evolution was Professor Rowan of the Sinnoh region.

Thus, after carefully considering Bugsy’s question and consulting some reference materials, Professor Elm admitted that he could not answer it. He then forwarded the question to another account.

That account belonged to the authority of the Pokémon world—

Professor Oak.

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