Chapter 17: Strongest Lottery System in Pokémon World [17]
Chapter 17: Mysterious Rock
Marcel cast a skeptical glance over the collection of stones on display.
"Do I look like someone who's easy to fool?"
The unshaven man's face twitched slightly at Marcel's bluntness.
Though Marcel wasn't an expert on fossils, he'd watched enough science programs in his past life to recognize one. True fossils often bore visible remnants of ancient creatures—bones, shells, or other organic patterns embedded within the rock. Yet, the stones before him were uniformly dark and unremarkable.
"Ahem!" The middle-aged vendor cleared his throat, quickly recovering. "These are unidentified fossils, kid. You know how it works—fossils need to be analyzed and dissected to reveal their value. I don't have the money for that kind of thing. But trust me, there's a high chance these stones could yield fossils or even amber containing fossil Pokémon!"
Marcel stared at him in silence, unimpressed. Analyzed? Dissected? If even one of these stones held a valuable evolutionary stone or fossil, the vendor would've been the first to crack them open, loan sharks or not.
Just as Marcel was about to turn and leave, something caught his eye—a large, mossy stone in the corner of the stall.
"What's that one?" he asked, pointing to it.
The man's face lit up. "Oh, that? I found it while traveling in the Sinnoh region. No matter what I tried, I couldn't scrape the moss off, so I decided to keep it. Interested? I'll give you a discount!"
Marcel squatted down, carefully examining the rock. His heart skipped a beat.
No way… Is this what I think it is?
If he wasn't mistaken, this was a Moss Rock, a unique stone that allowed Eevee to evolve into Leafeon when it leveled up nearby. These rocks were rare, naturally occurring only in regions like Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, Hoenn, Alola, and Hisui. Kanto and Johto didn't have any recorded sightings of such stones.
Back in his previous life, he'd only seen these rocks in the Pokémon games. However, the illustration and this rock matched about ninety percent and from the vendor's words, it seemed to be a genuine Moss Rock.
"How much?" Marcel asked, his voice calm.
"A thousand Pokédollars," the man replied, smiling slyly.
"Deal." Marcel didn't hesitate. With a fluid motion, he handed over the money, picked up the Moss Rock, and placed it into his system backpack.
After all, it was a small price to pay for something that could unlock Eevee's next stage of evolution. For a trainer like Marcel, who carefully strategized his team's development, this purchase was an opportunity he couldn't afford to pass up.
Besides, the cost barely made a dent in his wallet. Marcel was overflowing with funds from selling off the troublesome trio to the police and handing over Slowking to the Pokémon Center.
The vendor blinked, momentarily stunned by Marcel's decisiveness. He scratched his head, suddenly suspicious. Could that stone actually be valuable?
But it was too late. Even if the young man had struck gold, the vendor wasn't the type to renege on a deal or hike up the price post-sale. All he could do was grumble about his own poor judgment.
"Hey, I've got a question for you," Marcel said, turning back to the vendor.
"What is it?" The man quickly shook off his regret and composed himself.
"Do you know where I can find an Onix in Mount Moon?" Marcel asked casually.
The vendor raised an eyebrow. "An Onix, huh? You sure about that? Let me give you some advice, kid. Onix isn't the kind of Pokémon you want to mess with right now. They're tough as nails."
Marcel smirked. "Don't worry, I'm not some amateur charging in blindly. Do I look like an idiot?"
The man paused, recalling how confidently Marcel had paid for the Moss Rock. "...Fair point. Alright, listen up. Southwest of Mount Moon, there's an abandoned mine with warning signs posted around it. There's an Onix holed up in there. The Pewter City Mining Association has even put out a bounty for anyone who can capture it. But let me warn you, that Onix is no pushover. Trainers stronger than you have tried and failed."
"Got it. Thanks for the tip."
Marcel gave the vendor a nod and continued down the street. As he walked, he glanced toward the distant silhouette of Mount Moon and the Mining Association's building at the city center.
"A bounty for catching an Onix? Where else would I find an opportunity this perfect?"
He idly tossed Metagross's Premier Ball in his hand, a confident grin spreading across his face. Despite his bold attitude, Marcel knew better than to rush in recklessly. He'd stop by the Mining Association first to gather more information on the Onix.
After all, preparation and knowing your opponent was half the battle done.
Well, that, and also he believed in the strength of Metagross the most.
════════════════
Marcel's Pokémon:
1. Bulbasaur
[Seed Pokémon.]
[Grass and Poison Type.]
[Bulbasaur can be seen napping in bright sunlight. There is a seed on its back. By soaking up the sun's rays, the seed grows progressively larger.]
[{Bulbasaur} → Ivysaur → Venusaur]
2. Metagross
[Iron Leg Pokémon.]
[Steel and Psychic Type.]
[Metagross has four brains in total. Combined, the four brains can breeze through difficult calculations faster than a supercomputer. This Pokémon can float in the air by tucking in its four legs.]
[Beldum → Metang → {Metagross}]
3. Eevee
[Evolution Pokémon.]
[Normal Type.]
[Eevee has an unstable genetic makeup that suddenly mutates due to the environment in which it lives. Radiation from various stones or causes this Pokémon to evolve.]
[{Eevee} → ???]
4. Ghastly
[Gas Pokémon]
[Ghost and Poison Type]
[Ghastly is largely composed of gaseous matter. When exposed to a strong wind, the gaseous body quickly dwindles away. Groups of this Pokémon cluster under the eaves of houses to escape the ravages of wind.]
Marcel's Skills and Abilities:
1. Pokémon Breeding Knowledge (Elementary)
Marcel's Items:
1. Metal Coat
[An item that allows specific Pokémon to evolve.]
[When held by a Steel-type Pokémon, will increase the power of its Steel-type Moves.]
[Held by: Metagross]