Chapter 45 Key Stone Mineral Fragments!

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After leaving the Axew's lair, Hu Yang made a beeline for the Fossil Maniac's house.

Today marks his departure from Naipuru Gym as he plans to ride the cable car from Mt. Chimney to Lavaridge Town.

With the sun dipping low on the horizon, a bit of haste could secure him the last bus to the Mt. Chimney cable car service station.

The Fossil Maniac's residence stands as a detached house in front of a cave.

Standing outside, the rhythmic clang clang clang clang of stone chiseling emanates from within the cave.

Hu Yang knocked on the door, but there was no response for a prolonged moment. Undeterred, he circled the house and ventured into the cave. As expected, he found the impeccably dressed Fossil Maniac toiling away within, beads of sweat glistening.

The once pristine cave now extends deeper, shaped by the fervent excavation of the fossil enthusiast. Miner's lamps still dangle from rock walls at both ends, evoking a sense of serious "Minecraft" survival mode.

"It's finally here!" exclaimed the Fossil Maniac joyfully between sips of water, noticing Hu Yang behind him.

Removing his hard hat, he descended to the ground and ushered Hu Yang to the front door, leading to a dim underground storage room.

"Pa!"

The Fossil Maniac flicked on the lights, bathing everything in bright incandescence.

Large skeletal fossils and stone fragments adorned glass display cases, emitting a palpable aura of antiquity akin to a museum.

"This is… Aerodactyl's skeleton?" queried Hu Yang, eyeing the substantial skeleton before him.

Upon activation, the identification process filled his mind with pertinent information.

[Aerodactyl's skeleton fossil: Remarkably preserved despite being buried in the ground.]

Fossil Crazy: "Hmm, didn't expect you to be quite knowledgeable!"

Advancing with fiery eyes, he introduced the skeleton to Hu Yang: "I acquired this specimen at a premium in the Kanto Region! Exquisite, isn't it? Witnessing the remnants of ancient creatures through fossils—that's the allure of paleontology!"

However, Hu Yang's focus shifted: "How much did you pay for it?"

Considering the game's background, Fossil Maniac appears intertwined with Devon Corporation and Hoenn Alliance, suggesting a more complex identity than meets the eye.

Can an ordinary person engage with fossils? Not.

The Fossil Maniac's subsequent revelation underscored Hu Yang's suspicion: "It wasn't costly, just a modest 50 million!"

Absurd, right?!

Yet, the man's simplicity shines through; his love for fossils mirrors the fossils themselves.

Despite being aware of Devon Company's fossil revival technology, he harbors no intentions of resurrecting the fossils—a sentiment earning him the label "crazy."

Uninterested in Aerodactyl's skeleton, Hu Yang meandered through the collection, recalling that in Emerald, the player's Hall of Fame entry would trigger the collapse of the fossil dug hole, unveiling the Desert Underpass.

It conceals a second fossil previously lost in the collapse of the Mirage Tower.

In this tangible realm, does the hole created by these fossils still lead to the Desert Underpass?

Hu Yang remains uncertain, for this subterranean passage solely manifests in the "Emerald" game, absent in other game versions.

"That's the fossilized body of an ancient Golem. Pokémon from ancient species always surpass contemporary Pokémon in size."

"Those were from a thousand years ago, still fossilized Pokémon eggs that haven't hatched."

"These are items I unearthed underground..."

The Fossil Maniac tails Hu Yang, providing continuous introductions.

"That piece, what is it?" Hu Yang inquired, gesturing towards a rock equivalent to the fists of two adults.

The stone, though colored, appears unpolished, its hues decidedly lackluster.

Fossil glanced around, scratched his head, and admitted, "That... I can't recall. It seems it was excavated in an unnamed underground cave."

He sought assistance from friends for research but yielded no results, so he brought it back, adorning his space with it.

"I want this," Hu Yang declared.

"Huh?" Fossil froze momentarily, then erupted in joy, "Are you sure?" fearing it might be a ploy to swindle his complete Aerodactyl skeleton.

Hu Yang clarified, "Well, unlike you, I'm not captivated by fossils. I'm more interested in Fire Stones and Dawn Stones, useful for Pokémon."

Because it's a Key Stone shard from ancient times.

[Key Stone Mineral Fragments: Stones with unknown power, once polished and forged, they can be worn by trainers, possessing the magical ability to evolve Pokémon carrying Mega Stones.]

"But that stone won't allow Pokémon to evolve," the Fossil Maniac noted, relieved that Hu Yang wasn't after his Aerodactyl fossil but finding the stone useless for trainers.

Hu Yang deadpanned: "..."

This individual is remarkably forthright, exploiting a lack of information.

Deliberately misleading, he stated, "That's correct. Then, I want that Aerodactyl fossil."

Fossil Maniac's complexion shifted, mouth agape, unsure what to utter.

Seeing this, Hu Yang chuckled, "Just kidding. I find its color appealing and want to craft a ring for my girlfriend."

The Fossil Maniac sighed in relief, simultaneously puzzled by today's mature youth.

Do kids these days mature so quickly? He, nearly thirty, remains single while a young lad already has a girlfriend.

Regardless, girlfriends matter less to him than fossils.

This realization eased Fossil Crazy's mind considerably.

Surveying the collection, Hu Yang found most fossils ordinary, deciding he wanted nothing. After a pause, he asked, "Do you have a Shiny Stone here?"

His Roselia requires a Shiny Stone to evolve into a Roserade.

"Yes, I've previously unearthed a Shiny Stone vein," the fossil madman replied, producing a stone block emitting faint rays of light.

"Another thing," Fossil Maniac reminded.

Hu Yang considered and responded, "I haven't decided yet. I'll inform you when I return with the fossil."

Fossil Maniac agreed, "Alright. Consider this stone a deposit. Take it first to fashion a ring for your girlfriend. The rest will be waiting. When you return, I'll hand it over."

Hu Yang deadpanned again: "..."

A mere excuse for a girlfriend, not fitting the shoes of this Key Stone.

Can a girlfriend rival the cool Mega Evolution of Mega Pokémon?

Certainly not.

Hu Yang accepted the Key Stone, saying, "Happy cooperation."

The Fossil Maniac echoed, "Happy cooperation."

KeyStone + Mega Evolution Stone

All set, awaiting only the catalyst.

With another Gardevoir, it truly would be a perfect beginning.

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If you want to read 5 chapters ahead go to

patreon.com/Blaze987