Chapter 98: Rough Diamonds

The night was calm, and Julian enjoyed an uninterrupted rest. There was no wild Pokémon attack, despite the abundance of Pokémon around the lake.

This tranquility wasn't by chance—it was due to Julian's careful preparation.

Before going to sleep, Julian had ordered Metagross to drive away any nearby Pokémon. He also used Max Repel around the campsite to ensure an extra layer of security.

Additionally, he posted three guards around his tent: Metagross, Dragonair, and Lucario. With this triple protection, no wild Pokémon dared to approach him overnight.

As the morning sun rose, Julian was awakened—not by a graceful sound, but by the heavy weight of Aron and Meltan stirring in the tent with him. Despite Shellder's efforts to keep the two from disturbing Julian, their playful energy was impossible to contain. 

Imagine waking up with a 300-kilogram Aron jumping onto your stomach! If not for Julian's enhanced "Mega Pallet Town" physique, that would've spelled the end of his life right there.

Aron, still a growing Pokémon, had become a Totem-type after inheriting the Soul of Totem, which gave it a larger size than normal Aron—already around one and a half meters tall.

As it matured, this habit of jumping on Julian had to be broken. Otherwise, when Aron eventually evolved into a Totem-level Aggron, that morning greeting could be disastrous.

Mega Pallet Town physique: I don't know if even I can handle it.

After firmly telling Aron not to do this again, Julian got up to wash and prepare for the day.

He made sure his Pokémon had their specialized energy cubes while he ate some fresh Xiaolongbao(dumplings) and soy milk, which were still as fresh as when they entered the system space.

The system's ability to maintain the state of food was incredibly convenient for Julian.

Though this world had not yet developed space backpack technology, Julian knew it was likely hidden in some Ruins yet to be discovered. For now, his system space provided the perfect solution for carrying supplies.

"Alright, let's move out"

Julian announced after packing up the tent, barbecue grill, and other equipment. He called most of his Pokémon back into their Poké Balls, leaving only Metagross and Dragonair by his side. 

Mounting Metagross, he activated the Dowsing Machine, which quickly displayed several red dots on the screen. However, none of them were large enough to catch Julian's interest. They likely indicated low-value treasures. 

"Let's fly over the lake, Metagross. We'll keep moving forward until something bigger appears,"

Julian decided, directing Metagross to fly over the vast body of water, while Dragonair swam gracefully below, following along.

Dragonair, while adept at flying, preferred the water. It swam effortlessly beneath the surface, exuding a beauty almost comparable to that of the famed Milotic.

The lake was even larger than Julian had anticipated. After flying for over an hour, the far shore was still not in sight.

Along the way, they encountered two large red dots at the bottom of the lake—one marking a Deep Sea Tooth, and the other, a Shell Bell. Both were valuable items, with Shell Bell slightly more coveted due to its healing properties.

"Roar~"

Suddenly, about thirty meters away, a massive blue Gyarados erupted from the water, roaring as it blocked Metagross' path. Its intimidating display was clearly a warning, signaling that they had intruded on its territory.

"A green-qualified Gyarados,"

Julian murmured. It wasn't surprising to find such a Pokémon in this vast lake. The Gyarados was clearly displeased by their presence, not appreciating their intrusion.

Before Julian could order Metagross to engage, Dragonair had already reacted, launching a powerful Dragon Tail from beneath the surface.

The attack struck the Gyarados with such force that it was thrown into the air, crashing back down into the water with a tremendous splash.

"BOOM~"

Dazed and confused, the Gyarados surfaced again, but thought better of picking a fight with Dragonair. After a few more seconds, it slunk back into the depths.

Dragonair: These days, it seems like everyone is looking for a beating.

After flying for another hour, Julian finally spotted the rocky shore on the opposite side of the lake.

As they entered the rocky terrain, a few Geodude jumped out, looking to defend their turf. But after a single menacing glance from Metagross, they quickly retreated.

Julian, ever the curious explorer, couldn't resist taking out his pickaxe and chipping away at a rock. Inside, he discovered a faint green crystal—chlorite.

He continued walking for about 500 meters and tested another rock. Again, it was chlorite. After a further 1,000 meters, more chlorite. 

Surveying the rocky area, Julian's interest piqued.

"If this whole area is composed of chlorite, then there might be associated minerals here," he muttered.

Chlorite deposits often occurred near diamonds.

Taking out the Dowsing Machine, his suspicion was confirmed. A massive red dot appeared on the screen, taking up nearly a quarter of the display.

Julian rode Metagross for several kilometers before stopping. The Dowsing Machine indicated the treasure was directly beneath his feet.

"Metagross, use Bullet Punch to break the rocks and dig down," Julian commanded.

"Meta~"

Metagross instantly transformed into a digging machine, its powerful punches driving deep into the ground. Each hit created a dent of over ten meters.

With Dragonair protecting him, Julian was safe from the flying debris as the excavation continued.

Half an hour later, a pit over 100 meters deep and 500 meters wide had been formed. Metagross showed no signs of fatigue, dutifully following Julian's instructions.

"Clink~"

Suddenly, there was a different sound that echoed up from below.

"Found something!"

Julian's eyes gleamed with excitement as he rushed over. Metagross had struck something hard—far harder than the surrounding rock.

Julian carefully inspected the site and, with the help of a detector from his system space, confirmed the hardness of the material.

"That's it—rough diamonds."

He smiled in satisfaction. Though the diamonds were still in their raw form, waiting for polishing, Julian knew this was a rich find.

"Metagross, keep digging. There should be plenty more down here," Julian said, knowing that his treasure hunt was far from over.

*****

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