Time flies.
In the blink of an eye—
Three days passed.
Chen Ran wore the system-issued exploration suit. It automatically cleaned itself and adjusted its color, so even after days in the wild, it showed no signs of dirt or wear.
As for Chen Ran himself—
A quick rinse in a nearby pond or stream was enough to stay fresh.
---
He returned to the location where Larvitar had gone underground.
After gathering some dry firewood, he set up a simple rack and took out the ingredients he had prepared in advance.
"Charmeleon, your turn."
Fire-type Pokémon handling a barbecue?
That was practically professional specialization.
Besides, in this summer heat, there was no way Chen Ran was standing next to an open flame.
He'd roast alive.
Charmeleon was the perfect grill master.
---
Over these three days, the gains had been substantial.
Charmeleon reached Level 30.
Riolu climbed to Level 25.
Both were approaching their evolution thresholds. With steady training, evolution should come within half a month.
In addition—
Chen Ran obtained three Evolution Stones.
Several rare Berries.
And a Ground-type treasure:
Soft Sand.
---
Soft Sand
Effect: A fine-textured sand. When held, it boosts the power of Ground-type moves.
---
In games, Soft Sand was just a held item.
But in this world, it could actually be consumed.
When a Ground-type Pokémon absorbed Soft Sand, it purified and strengthened the Ground-type energy within its body.
"If Larvitar absorbs Soft Sand after emerging, it might even trigger evolution…"
Of course—
Larvitar normally needed Level 30 to evolve.
Chen Ran didn't believe ordinary soil-eating alone could raise it more than ten levels.
But with Exp. Share active—
The odds were much higher.
"Rhydon says it should surface in a few hours."
According to the updates, Larvitar had worked relentlessly.
It had eaten through half the mountain.
Only a few dozen meters remained.
Chen Ran returned specifically to welcome its rebirth.
---
This trip had yielded three Shiny Pokémon as well.
Fewer than the Redwood Secret Realm run—
But still impressive.
Each Shiny Pokémon was worth at least several million.
And this time—
He captured something special.
A Shiny Magikarp.
Not just red-tinted.
Not recolored.
Pure gold.
A true Golden Magikarp.
Chen Ran remembered the red Gyarados associated with Elite Lance. Despite the name "Gyarados" containing "dragon," it didn't gain the Dragon typing—even after Mega Evolution.
If not for public sentiment, perhaps it wouldn't have even received the Dark typing.
The word "dragon" in its name was almost ironic.
But if this Golden Magikarp evolved—
And retained its coloration—
A golden Gyarados.
A holy dragon of gold.
Oppressive. Majestic.
He wasn't selling this one.
This one, he would raise himself.
Among Water-types, Gyarados had terrifying offensive output.
Especially Mega Gyarados—
Wide coverage, brutal pressure.
Even stronger offensively than some traditional Water-type starters.
Originally, Chen Ran had considered several starter options:
Blastoise.
Greninja.
Swampert.
Even Milotic.
But since Gyarados came first—
He would build around Gyarados for now.
"Once I reach Gym-level Trainer status, I can legally purchase starter Pokémon."
That was the frustrating part.
He had money.
But regulations in the Dragon Kingdom restricted starter Pokémon purchases to certified professional Gym-level Trainers.
Otherwise—
You paid a ridiculous markup.
Chen Ran wasn't interested in wasting money.
He still had three Pokémon to raise seriously.
Starter acquisition could wait.
---
Besides the Golden Magikarp—
He also captured:
Shiny Oddish (with a faint pink tint).
Shiny Meowth (silver-furred).
Solid condition.
Sellable assets.
Chen Ran planned to register as a merchant on the Pokémon App to list them himself.
Control pricing.
Avoid being undercut.
But when he opened the merchant registration page—
Professional Trainer Certification required.
He stared at the screen.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
The next certification exam was in November.
"Fine. I'll wait."
Shiny Pokémon didn't depreciate easily.
He could afford to hold inventory.
---
"Roar!"
Charmeleon raised a large skewer of grilled meat proudly.
Juicy.
Glossy.
Perfectly cooked.
The aroma alone was enough to make Chen Ran's stomach rumble.
"Not bad."
Chen Ran grinned.
"I didn't know you had this talent."
After days of eating simple rations, this barbecue tasted heavenly.
He even grabbed a few bottles of Coca-Cola from the nearby shop to cool down.
Not iced—
But still refreshing.
"Ahh—"
Chen Ran, Charmeleon, Riolu, and Jirachi were enjoying their meal—
When the ground began to tremble.
A rumble.
Distant—
Then closer.
Chen Ran's eyes lit up.
"It's coming."
Larvitar—
Was about to break through.