Chapter 3 Playing with Hardship

He had heard a rumor before: Humans in the Pokémon world were actually a unique type of Pokémon.

Twenty minutes after consuming the Pecha Berry, Hu Yang noticed the poison marks on his waist beginning to fade away.

This occurrence seemed to further corroborate the authenticity of the rumor. It made him speculate that the presence of certain individuals with special abilities might be linked to this phenomenon. Abilities such as the Viridian Force, Psychic powers, and Aura Force might be connected to this underlying truth.

Seeing this scene unfold, the hidden minccino seemed satisfied with the result. Once it was assured that Hu Yang was fine, it twisted its round body and seemed ready to leave.

However, Hu Yang stopped it quickly and inspected the minccino's details.

[Race: Minccino ♂]

Attribute: Normal

Characteristic Trait: Gluttonous

Species Strength: 460 (HP: 120, Attack: 95, Defense: 95, Special Attack: 55, Special Defense: 75, Speed: 20)

Known Moves: Tail Whip, Tackle, Bite, Stuff Cheeks

Current Mood: Contemplative, Happy

Physical Status: Minor injury (strained muscle tissue in the right leg, recovery period estimated at 1.5 days)

Fatigue (resulting from strenuous activity; affecting both physical and mental state)

Friendliness: 38 (seems to have a fondness for humans)

"Squeak?" The minccino's voice seemed to inquire if there was anything else.

Hu Yang inquired, "Do you know the direction to the human town?"

"Squeak…" The minccino pondered for a moment before swiftly pointing in a specific direction.

Feeling relieved, Hu Yang expressed his gratitude to the minccino, turned around, and proceeded in the indicated direction.

As he walked, he compared the details of the two Pokémon. While Cramorant's species strength and moves had been modified, the rest of its attributes didn't differ much from regular Pokémon. The most notable distinction lay in Cramorant's mood, which was currently displayed as a string of garbled characters, unlike the detailed mood description of the hidden chinchilla.

With this observation in mind, Hu Yang examined the information of other Pokémon he encountered on the road. As expected, he found terms like "vigilant" and "nervous" under the mood column.

"Could Cramorant's inability to understand human language be due to its modifications?" Hu Yang wondered aloud. He began to contemplate whether altering Pokémon might lead to irreversible damage, potentially affecting their intelligence.

Hu Yang wasn't entirely sure about these complex matters. After all, the cheat he had with him had been his faithful companion for years. It had initially been a mere item he consumed in the game.

At first, he was thrilled when it traveled with him into this new world, but in retrospect, the situation seemed a bit absurd.

He had lost the three templates of "Characteristic Trait Modification," "Species Strength Modification," and "Individual Value Modification." Now he was left with only three items: Identification, Move Teaching, and Shiny Modification. He couldn't afford to lose his way now, right? In all the online novels he had read, nothing like this had ever occurred.

But then again...

The very concept of crossing into another world was beyond ordinary imagination, so unexpected events were not out of the question.

After careful consideration, Hu Yang decided to refrain from using Pokémon for anything other than identification until he had a clearer understanding of the situation. After all, the Pokémon here were not mere game data; they possessed emotions, wisdom, and consciousness.

Without any means of transportation, he was bound by the limitations of his own two feet.

By nightfall, he still hadn't glimpsed the human town.

Unfortunately, it began to rain unexpectedly.

With no other option, Hu Yang had to halt his journey, find a tree cavity in a large tree, wrap his clothes around himself, and hunker down inside.

Talk about bad luck.

Staring out at the pouring rain, Hu Yang couldn't help but force a wry smile.

However, there were a few silver linings to his situation.

He had found temporary refuge, and there was also a wild Berry Tree not too far away.

His clothes were still slightly damp, so he released Cramorant from its ball and embraced it for warmth.

Cramorant behaved well in this scenario. Although they couldn't communicate through words, they shared a brief moment of mutual understanding.

Autumn rain prompted forest-dwelling Wild Pokémon to seek shelter from the downpour. After the initial hubbub, the forest gradually settled into a quiet hush, leaving only the sound of raindrops.

In this soporific atmosphere, several Seedots gathered in a line, seeking refuge in dense shrubbery. Even Dustox, which typically fluttered about, remained docile and hidden in the shadows behind tree trunks.

Hu Yang retrieved the Berry he had gathered earlier from his clothes. He shared half of it with Cramorant and kept the remainder for his own dinner and tomorrow's breakfast. While it wasn't a substantial meal, it was better than nothing.

Amid this, a sudden noise emerged from outside.

Hu Yang's attention was piqued, and he looked up to see a Sentret with rain-dampened fur gazing at him.

Clearly taken aback, the Sentret let out an astonished sound before quickly scuttling into the nearby foliage.

Hu Yang: "…" Was he truly that intimidating?

Back in the day, Hu Yang often struggled to fall asleep before the wee hours of the morning. However, today, after an entire day of wandering aimlessly through the forest, accompanied by the hypnotic rhythm of the rain, he found sleep quickly enveloping him.

When he next opened his eyes, dawn was breaking, and the rain had ceased.

More importantly, Cramorant was nowhere to be seen!

Hu Yang's heart skipped a beat, but his worry quickly dissipated as Cramorant reappeared, flying back from the skies.

Relieved, Hu Yang sighed audibly.

Cramorant landed gracefully on the ground and promptly spat out a plump crucian carp.

"Ka!"

Hu Yang's eyes lit up, and he asked somewhat uncertainly, "Is this for me?"

Cramorant, however, didn't respond. Instead, it began tidying its feathers using its beak, seemingly unconcerned.

Hu Yang felt a pang of disappointment. Could Cramorant still not understand him?

Gazing at the freshly caught fish on the ground, Hu Yang realized he had no fire to cook it and wasn't desperate enough to consume it raw.

After a moment of contemplation, he picked a few broad leaves from a nearby tree, wrapped the fish, and placed it in a makeshift pouch he fashioned from his coat. He also carried the leftover Berry from the previous day on his back.

For now, he decided not to return Cramorant to its Master Ball. He tried giving it instructions, and to his surprise, Cramorant followed his lead this time, perching on his shoulder.

Hu Yang smiled and remarked, "Looks like you know what to do."

After a rain, the forest was damp and uncomfortable. It felt as if fifty Caterpies were squirming all around him.

After walking a certain distance, Hu Yang noticed that his surroundings were much quieter. The Wild Pokémon in the forest had sought refuge from the rain and were probably hidden away.

As he continued forward, he eventually found himself walking through a human settlement. The sight of it elicited a mixture of relief and excitement within him.

He held his breath, determined the direction of the sound, and cautiously made his way towards the voices.

Not too far away, he spotted two individuals dressed in matching uniforms, each accompanied by a Pokémon. In front of them lay a small, injured white Pokémon.

Two Mightyenas, massive and menacing, closed in from different directions, their growls threatening.

Hu Yang squinted. Something seemed off about the situation.

He stopped in his tracks, concealing himself behind some bushes with Cramorant. He peeked through the foliage, observing the scene unfolding before him.

"Finally got a hold of this little creature!" The man on the left, visibly stronger, swore vehemently.

His companion grinned in response. "This one's sure to fetch a high price!"

At this point, Hu Yang finally saw the injured white Pokémon clearly.

[Race: Ralts ♀]

Attribute: Psychic, Fairy

Characteristic Trait: Copy

Species Strength: 198 (HP: 28, Physical Attack: 25, Physical Defense: 25, Special Attack: 45, Special Defense: 35, Speed: 40)

Known Moves: Growl, Double Team, Confusion

Current Mood: In Pain

Physical Status: Severely Injured (head impacted by Dark-type energy, Psychic powers restrained within the body, severe bruising)

Exhausted (due to excessive physical exertion)

Friendliness: 0 (does not know you yet)