Rewards from the League

Unlike Slowking, Poliwhirl didn't require any other Pokémon besides the King's Rock to evolve. The question remained: where would they find a Poliwhirl? Fortunately, they were in Oak's mansion, where Pokémon were abundant.

Oak instructed his Alakazam to search for a Poliwhirl, and it soon returned with one eager to evolve. Oak cautioned that it wouldn't become a Poliwrath but something entirely different.

Without hesitation, the courageous Poliwhirl agreed to Oak's proposal. The King's Rock was brought out, and Poliwhirl held it firmly. Meanwhile, Axel recorded the evolution, anticipating the remarkable transformation.

"You don't say. It's really evolving. Your intuition is starting to frighten me," remarked Red.

After some time, a new Pokémon emerged. It was a green, bipedal creature with yellow hands, belly, throat, and toes. Adorning its head was a long, curled hair, and it had pink cheek spots. A distinctive green swirl adorned its belly, while its well-developed legs boasted bulbous toes and fingers.

It was Politoed.

"Poli... Politoed..."

"Let's call it Politoed," said Blue with a smile.

Typically, Pokémon named themselves by repeating their own names. However, certain Pokémon, like Charizard, didn't follow this convention. In such cases, it was up to the Pokémon's discoverer to bestow a name upon it.

After discussing their findings throughout the night, they indulged in a lavish dinner, and soon Axel retired to bed.

###

Upon waking up, Axel discovered several notifications on his phone, one of which was from the Pokémon League. The message stated that the league had approved the solution for Shadow Pokémon, and both Axel and Mark would be rewarded. Mark had already clarified that Axel was the lead researcher of their team, ensuring he would receive a greater reward.

The league requested Axel's location to personally deliver the rewards, and he promptly shared it. In response, they informed him that they would arrive in just a few hours. The league worked swiftly, and Axel eagerly anticipated the nature of the rewards he would receive.

###

By afternoon, Absol had left to meet its mother—another reason for Axel's visit, as he knew Absol dearly missed her. As instructed by the league, their representative arrived at Oak's mansion to present the rewards. The representative turned out to be Heena.

Heena, a woman in her twenties with an ample bosom, long black hair, an enticing figure, and a cute face, had previously given rewards to Axel for his Eeveelution research.

"We meet again, Mr. Axel," she greeted him.

"The pleasure is mine, Miss Heena," Axel replied.

"I didn't expect to meet you so soon. It hasn't even been a year, and yet you've already made waves in the world again," Heena remarked with a sigh. To her, Axel was a remarkable researcher—a prodigy who achieved groundbreaking results within a fraction of the time it would take others.

"Tell me, what rewards do I receive?" Axel inquired.

"First and foremost, let me convey the league's utmost satisfaction with having such an intelligent young researcher among us. You have accomplished the impossible by finding a solution for Shadow Pokémon. Your first reward is a sum of 3 billion Pokedollars."

"Hmm, so it's less than before," Axel noted.

"Yes, despite the groundbreaking nature of the Shadow Pokémon solution, there aren't many Shadow Pokémon in the world at present. Consequently, the impact of your recent invention is limited," explained Heena.

Axel nodded, understanding that while his Eeveelution research had far-reaching implications and multiple applications, the Shadow Pokémon solution had a more specialized significance.

"Your second reward is admission to the prestigious Top Research Association," Heena continued.

"Ah, so they finally sent you the invitation," Oak remarked, smiling.

"What is the Top Research Association?" Axel asked.

"It's a secret organization, but there's not much to it. The association invites experienced and renowned researchers to join their ranks for networking and collaboration," Oak explained.

Axel hadn't been aware of this organization before, and he wasn't particularly thrilled about it either.

"And finally, the items. You are rewarded a permanent Roto Boost, a Wide Lens, and a naturally formed Poison Barb that's been around for 500 years."

"That's quite a generous reward. Thank you, Miss Heena," Axel expressed his gratitude.

They shook hands, and after a while, Heena departed from the mansion. It was surprising that the league was aware of his Pokémon status; otherwise, why would they have provided him with the one thing he needed for Nidorino's rank-up?

The Poison Barb and the permanent Roto Boost were the most significant rewards for Axel. Roto Boost was one of Rotom's powers, temporarily boosting a Pokémon's stats. However, the permanent Roto Boost would permanently enhance a Pokémon's stats. It was an invaluable item, and Axel couldn't believe the league had bestowed it upon him. He hadn't yet decided which Pokémon would benefit from it, but he would ponder over that later.

The much-anticipated reward distribution was now over, and Axel found himself with some money to spare. He had planned to stay for one more day at Oak's mansion before heading to the Venu family to meet his friends.

"So, how's that thing I gave you? Is it still causing you trouble?" Axel asked.

"No, it's been quiet for some time. But I have a feeling it'll be upset once it meets you again," Oak replied.

"You might be right. Well then, let's go meet that Arbok once more," Axel said, ready to face the creature once again.