Chapter 117: After the War

[Pokémon: Aggron]

[Type: Steel, Rock]

[Gender: Male]

[Ability: Rock Head]

[Potential: Steel (40% good); Rock (30% good)]

[Base stats: 530]

[Level: 48 (Advanced)]

[Moves: Pound, Harden, Steel Claw, Rock Tomb, Headbutt, Rock Slide, Iron Head, Metal Sound, Take Down, Iron Defense, Flash Cannon, Earthquake...]

Yang Yan had to admit that the Aggron they faced was quite formidable. If it weren't for Aggron's limited access to ranged attacks and its type disadvantage, it wouldn't have been easy for Starmie to win.

However, Yang Yan lacked the strength to train such a powerful Aggron, and he didn't have the funds to raise it either.

The Aggron family is a species of Pokémon that only wealthy trainers can afford to train. For now, all Yang Yan could do was dream about it.

Yang Yan took out some healing medicine and treated the injuries of his team, including Kleavor.

Meanwhile, the other Aggron and the Lairon clan began to wake up one after another. Initially, Yang Yan thought they were going to continue the fight, but to his surprise, the newly-awakened Aggron led its clan away without conflict. However, it did shoot a resentful glance toward Yang Yan, likely because he had captured one of their family members.

Yang Yan didn't dwell on this; it was all part of survival.

After all, if he had lost, things would have been much worse—he might have lost his life. So he didn't feel guilty about the victory and spoils he had earned.

During the battle, Yang Yan had used up almost all his healing supplies. By the time Kleavor was finally treated, he was practically out of medicine.

After that, Yang Yan and his team headed toward the lake, eventually spotting the exit from the whirlpool.

"Kleavor, are you sure you don't want to come with us?" Yang Yan asked, feeling a bit regretful.

Kleavor shook its head and pointed to the surrounding forest.

Yang Yan immediately understood. Kleavor had already communicated its answer.

Yang Yan then took out Flareon's Poké Ball and released it.

Flareon still looked quite listless. Ever since its trainer, Kudoji, had passed away, Flareon's spirit seemed broken. It had survived this long only thanks to Kleavor's care.

"Flareon, we're about to leave. Say goodbye to Kleavor. We may not have another chance to see each other again…" Yang Yan said gently to both Pokémon. "I'll give you some time. I'm sure you both have things you want to say."

Yang Yan then stepped aside, giving them some space.

Parting is always a sad moment, and Yang Yan didn't want to intrude on such a personal scene.

Since all of his Pokémon were still recovering from their injuries, only Starmie and Meditite remained by Yang Yan's side.

Yang Yan could never tell what Starmie was thinking due to its lack of facial expressions, but Meditite was different. Yang Yan could sense its confusion.

He understood what troubled Meditite. When a lifelong goal is suddenly achieved, it can leave one unsure of what to do next.

Yang Yan sat beside Meditite and spoke softly, "Meditite, do you remember where you were born? I think finding that place might help you find your parents."

Meditite made a gesture, but Yang Yan couldn't fully understand what it meant.

He could only guess that Meditite's birthplace was somewhere near the sea, possibly a large island. However, Meditite hadn't explored much of it, as its strength had been limited at the time, leaving many areas beyond its reach.

"Meditite, have you ever seen humans before?" Yang Yan asked. If it were a place inhabited by humans, it would be easier to track down. Yang Yan could check online for human-inhabited islands and compare them, narrowing down the possible locations.

But if it were an uninhabited island…

Sure enough, Meditite shook its head, and Yang Yan began to feel overwhelmed.

"Meditite, do you have any other clues that could help me? Otherwise, it's like searching for a needle in a haystack. The world is so vast; I can't explore every corner."

Meditite looked a bit disappointed, as it hadn't been aware of much when it was younger. It had lived in a daze, with no one to guide it.

Yang Yan sighed. "It would be great if Lugia could help us. After all, it sent you here, so it must know where you came from. But…"

He knew he didn't have the strength to meet Lugia.

At that moment, an idea struck Yang Yan. "Meditite, if you want to find your parents, searching blindly is futile. The best way would be to get Lugia to tell us. But with our current strength, finding Lugia is impossible. So why not focus on getting stronger first, then seek Lugia's guidance later? What do you think?"

Yang Yan didn't mention that, based on his memory, Lugia had appeared several times throughout history. So with patience, there might come a time when he could communicate with it.

Meditite realized that asking Yang Yan to search right away would be too much and didn't want to burden him. Yang Yan's suggestion seemed at least somewhat more realistic.

Here, it's worth mentioning Meditite's time on the Psychic Island. Despite feeling uncomfortable around the Pokémon there, it had still been influenced by the island's culture.

To Meditite, Lugia was a benevolent and respected deity, and it believed that Lugia would help if asked.

As Meditite's mood improved, Yang Yan sensed that it was more at peace with the situation.

"Why don't you stay with us for a while? It could be dangerous if you go out on your own. What do you think?" Yang Yan suggested.

To be honest, Meditite had grown close to Yang Yan and his team during their time together, so it was happy to remain with them for now.

Meditite nodded, and Yang Yan smiled as he pulled out a Poké Ball. "Meditite, for the sake of convenience in the future, I'd like you to officially become part of my team. Of course, if we ever find your home and you want to leave, I won't stop you."

Meditite didn't refuse.

After capturing Meditite, Yang Yan finally checked its stats!

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