Chapter 39

Teacher Luke: "How does Gastly evolve?"

Blue found himself puzzled by this question. He couldn't help but wonder if this was the kind of query a Master Rank Trainer should be asking. Evolution, after all, seemed to be a natural process that followed its own course.

Despite his confusion, Blue felt a certain awareness tugging at his thoughts, causing him to furrow his brows. Evolution, while a fundamental concept, held complexities that went far beyond the surface. Even with advancements in Pokémon Studies, many aspects of evolution remained enigmatic. Questions surrounding communication evolution or the symbiotic relationship between Slowpoke and Shellder lingered, highlighting the depth of the subject.

In fact, the field of evolution was an area of expertise in itself, with numerous scholars like Professor Rowan dedicating their research to uncovering its secrets.

As Luke shared his query with the group, he realized the potential intricacies that various evolutionary methods could entail for a Pokémon.

"Looks like I almost fell into conceit again," Blue muttered, an image of a sun hat-wearing figure forming in his mind.

"When it comes to the complexities of evolution, I can't help but think of one person…"

With his thoughts veering in a different direction, Blue's introspection led him to recall the same expert on evolution that Red had in mind.

Red: "This is an interesting question, but none of us are experts."

Red: "@Blue, do you have Green's contact information?"

Among the trio of Pokémon Pokédex holders from Pallet Town, Professor Oak had dubbed Red "The Fighter" and Blue "The Breeder." When it came to evolution, however, the title of "The Evolver" belonged to Green.

Even Red, on the brink of his Pokémon's evolution, would seek advice from Green.

Meanwhile, atop Mt. Silver, Red gazed at Pikachu on his shoulder, offering it a Pokéblock and smiling to himself. "As expected, Teacher Luke has quite a thoughtful approach."

In the group chat, Blue's reluctance to engage in such discussions was evident.

Blue: "I can't seem to locate it."

Red: "Isn't she closer to you?"

Blue: "It's been a while since we last talked."

Lorelei, peeking at the conversation from the sidelines, wore a knowing smile. She was familiar with the dynamics within the Kanto trio, which often resulted in a tangled web of emotions, including Yellow's crush on Red.

"Ah, youth is a wonderful thing," Lorelei remarked with a happy sigh, her hand resting on her cheek.

Gold interjected suddenly. "Let me handle it; I'll contact her from Silver."

[Group member 'Gold' invites 'Parallel Jigglypuff' to join the chat group! ]

Gold: "Sister Green, change your display name!"

Green: "Hey, what's everyone doing here?"

As the group engaged in conversations, Luke, the leader of the group, gazed up at the sky in quiet contemplation.

Is this my fan group or Red's harem club?

While the world was aware of Yellow's crush on Red, some aspects remained hidden, including the fact that Misty had gracefully bowed out of the competition.

Factoring in the enigmatic Green and the complex relationships involving Blue, Giovanni, and Silver, Luke couldn't help but sigh, "Your relationship is quite a tangled mess!"

Within the group, the familiar figure of Green engaged in a spirited chat with Lorelei.

Only when Blue brought it up did Green realize the existence of the Gastly video in the chat history. After a thorough examination, Green nodded and commented, "Indeed, Gastly seems to be on the brink of evolution."

"If it's possible, I'd like to observe more closely. Could you initiate a video call, group owner?"

Luke promptly responded, "Absolutely, I appreciate your help!"

Even though Luke's true capabilities remained unknown, even Red and the others were fans of Luke. Based on their preconceived notions, Green regarded Luke as a senior and addressed him with respect.

[Group member 'Green' initiates a 'video call' application through the chat group to you! ]

Luke activated the camera and positioned Gastly in view for Green's inspection.

The screen revealed a young woman wearing a round hat and sporting reddish-brown, shoulder-length hair.

"Hello, senior!" Green greeted with a warm smile, displaying her pearly whites.

Luke pondered for a moment. While he found it somewhat far-fetched to be addressed as "senior," explaining the situation seemed too cumbersome. With a nod, he replied, "Hello, and thank you. I wanted to ask you for guidance on what exactly I should do."

Green only used honorifics when Luke was polite, and she playfully teased, "Senior, just carry on with your usual training routine!"

Luke was momentarily taken aback. Train as usual? Did that mean he could just lay down and relax?

"Considering the breeding aspect, this Gastly seems to consume a significant amount of high-quality Pokéblocks, right?" Green observed Gastly carefully, propping up her chin with her hand and smiling slightly.

"I can tell that you're deeply invested in this Gastly's training, senior."

Green deduced from Gastly's coloration that it had likely been practicing Toxic moves recently. It seemed Gastly was employing the demanding "absorb toxins" training method. Despite its unconventional approach, this Gastly exhibited a close bond with its Trainer.

"It's true," Luke agreed, nodding. "I've been putting a lot of effort into its training recently."

"Jie jie~!" Gastly chimed in, nodding in agreement.

Green's smile widened. "In any case, maintaining a close connection with your Pokémon tends to expedite their evolution."

"But it's advisable not to allow evolution during battles. The circumstances can be quite unpredictable. It's better to equip your Pokémon with an Everstone during battles."

"Using Everstone allows Pokémon to learn moves in advance without affecting their evolution!" she explained.

Everstone, a valuable item, could prevent Pokémon from evolving. This was particularly useful to avoid any sudden evolutions during critical battles, which could hinder Pokémon's performance.

Luke expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you for your advice, Senior Green!"

"You're welcome, Senior Luke!" Green responded with a cheerful smile. "I'll also send you more detailed information about Gastly's evolution later. Feel free to check it out!"

"Great, thank you!"

With "The Evolver" Green's guidance and strategies, Luke felt more assured about Gastly's impending evolution. However, the cost of Everstone in the in-game system was 1000BP, and Luke's BP stood at less than 100.

With no other choice, Luke resorted to checking the price of Everstone on the official Pokémon store website.

"A whopping 10,000 for a single stone?"

Luke gasped in disbelief, exclaiming, "Are they trying to empty my wallet?!"

Despite its unassuming appearance as a small gray stone with no intricate patterns, it bore a hefty price tag of 10,000 currency units.

The official explanation cited recent research findings indicating Everstone's potential influence on Pokémon egg incubation, leading to a surge in demand and thus its increased price.

A quick online search confirmed that the market price aligned with the exorbitant figure.

In mining areas, miners commonly bred Excadrill and Dugtrio to aid in mineral extraction. With a Pokémon possessing the Ability, miners could sometimes uncover Everstone while mining.

Although the odds were akin to stumbling upon precious gems, Everstone held significant value in the mining world.

In a last resort, and considering the handling fee, Luke spent a total of 12,000 currency units to purchase Everstone.

The seller assured that the goods would arrive on the same day.

The quarterfinals of the Piplup Cup were set to begin tomorrow, on Wednesday.