Trainers returning from the Kingdom of Roc

Chapter 37: Evolved

"That, that's it!"

Hou Hao's eyes widened suddenly.

Although he had seen it countless times on television before, the shock and surprise he felt when that miraculous light first enveloped his Pokémon was still incredibly intense.

This white light is the light of evolution that most Pokémon experience!

In the white light, the mosquito coil tadpole's body shape began to grow rapidly. Its iconic long tail gradually disappeared under the white light, and in its place, two arms grew out from the sides of its body.

He had grown two sizes larger, transforming from a round and cute boy into someone with a more agile and athletic appearance.

The white light slowly dissipated, revealing a completely new form before the two of them!

It still had pale blue skin, but the texture seemed more resilient. The iconic black mosquito coil pattern on its belly became clearer, and its round black eyes were full of intelligence. Its new arms were moving their fingers unconsciously, as if it was still adapting to this new body structure.

"Great! Mosquito coil tadpoles, oh no, I mean mosquito coil frogs!"

Hou Hao was incredibly excited. Nothing makes a trainer happier than witnessing their partner's evolution firsthand.

"Congratulations, monkey." Luo Yan smiled. "However, I'm afraid you won't be able to use the tail-wagging skill anymore."

"hey-hey."

Hou Hao's lips curled into a smug smile, and his eyes suddenly turned to Heracross, who was also slightly wary due to the evolutionary light.

"No need!"

Hou Hao simply waved his hand.

"Go, Poliwag! Let Heracross see your evolved power!"

"Let's continue with the [repeated slaps]!"

"Yo!"

The newly evolved mosquito coil frog let out a powerful croak. It quickly adapted to its new body, and with a powerful push of its legs, it became even more agile and swift than when it was a tadpole, charging towards Heracross like a cannonball.

Then, her arms transformed into a dazzling array of palm strikes, accompanied by a whooshing sound, raining down on Heracross!

Heracross tried to parry with his horn, but faced with the continuous slaps, he only managed to block two before revealing an opening, and was then forced to retreat by the Poliwag's slaps.

If the mosquito coil tadpole's series of slaps is a single tail, then the mosquito coil frog, with its two arms, instantly elevates the power of its slaps to a whole new level.

Seeing Heracross swaying and unsteady on its feet, Hou Hao didn't hesitate any longer and decisively threw a Poké Ball at it.

pat!

The Poké Ball struck Heracles perfectly on the shoulder, and then a red light captured it.

Before Hou Hao could catch his breath, the Poké Ball began to shake violently. The two of them, along with Poliwag, stared intently at the swaying Poké Ball, holding their breath slightly.

...

...

...bite!

After struggling for a while, with a crisp sound, the Poké Ball finally stopped shaking, which also meant—

"I've subdued Heracross!!"

Hou Hao raised his hands and cheered.

Strictly speaking, this is the first time Hou Hao has caught a Pokémon on his own; last time, he borrowed Iris to catch Poliwag.

Seeing Hou Hao hugging the Politoed and holding the Poké Ball, Luo Yan was genuinely happy for him. Heracross, the dream of so many bug-catching boys.

"With the Poliwag evolving into the Poliwag, and Heracross joining the fray, you're probably going to start a massacre in this tournament."

"It's not that easy." Although Hou Hao was happy, he wasn't overconfident. He waved his hand. "I'm not afraid in Jiangcheng, but it might be difficult once we get to the provincial capital."

Generally speaking, after obtaining your first Pokémon, it takes about a year to train it, and most people can raise their Pokémon to level 30 or higher.

This is what people commonly refer to as the "three stages of a year".

Basically, those players who got their Pokémon earlier than Luo Yan and Hou Hao, as they spent more time training them, their Pokémon were all close to their final evolution forms.

Based on this, Hou Hao was really unsure how well he could rank in the Beginner League. He was certain that his ranking wouldn't be bad, but at this point, who wouldn't want to strive for a higher position?

"Perfect, you've got off to a great start. Let's rest here for a bit, spray some medicine on your Pokémon, and then we can grab something to eat."

While watching the battle, Luo Yan was also observing the surrounding situation. He was still worried that Hou Hao's capture battle might attract some curious little guys.

However, after looking around for a while, there was no sign of anything unusual, which meant that the area was relatively safe and suitable for them to stay temporarily.

"Okay, I'll listen to you." Hou Hao didn't refuse; that was what he had been thinking anyway.

In the wild, keeping your Pokémon in good condition at all times is a professional skill for trainers, especially for novice trainers with a small number of Pokémon, because encountering danger can really be fatal.

"Let's just have something simple to eat today."

Luo Yan shook the contents of her hand—several well-sealed packets of instant noodles.

While this may not be considered a delicacy, it has irreplaceable advantages in wilderness exploration: it is lightweight, takes up little space, and is quick and easy to cook.

Moreover, drinking a bowl of hot soup on a cloudy day makes your stomach feel incredibly comfortable.

"Instant noodles are great! I'm starving!" Hou Hao's eyes lit up, and he quickly came over to help boil water.

Soon, a slightly artificial aroma, but enough to whet the appetite, filled the air.

By the dim light of the stove, the two of them each held a bowl of noodles and began to eat them with gusto.

After finishing the hot soup, Hou Hao sighed contentedly. "Tsk, I used to think this stuff was just so-so at home, but now it tastes really delicious!"

"Who says otherwise?" Luo Yan had already drunk every last drop.

Just as the two were engrossed in eating their dinner, the previously dim sky above them began to rumble with low, muffled thunder.

Immediately afterwards, a brief flash of lightning tore through the night sky and began to flicker silently among the thick clouds, instantly illuminating the dark forest below in a ghastly white light before quickly fading back into darkness.

"Whoa, a flash of lightning?" Hou Hao put down his chopsticks and looked up at the sky through the gaps in the leaves. "Is it going to rain? Don't mess with me, bro, I didn't bring many changes of clothes."

He then stood up and looked at Luo Yan. "If it rains in this forest, there's nowhere to take shelter. If it rains heavily, we won't even have a chance to sleep tonight. What should we do?"

Luo Yan also put down his bowl, but his reaction was different from Hou Hao's.

He didn't immediately look up at the sky, but instead frowned in confusion.

Hou Hao could only sense changes in the weather, but Luo Yan was different. As someone who possessed magic, he was extremely sensitive to changes in the 'natural energy' in his surroundings.

...