Chapter 475: Where's My Little Dragonfly?
Afterward, Arthur received a detailed map of the Ashen Desert from Dr. Zeratano. This information alone was priceless.
As the largest desert on the planet, the Ashen Desert covered nearly ten million square kilometers, an area roughly equivalent to the entire landmass of the Kubfu Alliance. Very few people had ever fully explored its entirety. The maps available on the market generally only marked the outer regions, with the deeper areas left as blank voids.
In modern times, simply crossing the Ashen Desert was considered a remarkable feat. To date, only Dr. Zeratano had ever managed to complete a full survey of the entire desert in his youth. That expedition had taken him over four hundred days. His team of assistants had been replaced more than a dozen times, and many nearly died in the desert, but the doctor himself had persevered from beginning to end.
He was a scholar with truly noble convictions. His research papers were not born from idle speculation in an office but were the product of real-world experience, summarized from countless desert crossings. Only he and his ecological research team could produce a map of the Ashen Desert with such detail.
This was precisely why, upon hearing that Arthur was heading into the desert, Forrest had immediately thought to introduce him to Dr. Zeratano. This map was one of a kind.
However, the doctor showed no pride in this achievement. Instead, as he handed the map to Arthur, he was filled with melancholy. "In my youth, I entered the desert over a hundred times, and I could only refine the map to this extent. There are still so many places I've never been. Unfortunately, I'm old now and can't make the journey anymore. This fieldwork must be passed on to you young people. Don't trust the map too blindly, my child. This data is from over a decade ago. Whether the underground rivers have changed their course or the oases have migrated, you may have to discover for yourself."
But after these careful instructions, the great man's aura vanished, seamlessly replaced by the air of a shrewd merchant.
"As for entering the reserve, you don't need to worry. The Pokémon throughout the desert recognize my name. This is a lucrative opportunity for you. Just by gaining access to the reserve, if your judgment is sharp and your luck is good, you're bound to come out with a good haul! So, you see, this is a win-win situation. Don't you think asking for payment is a bit—"
"..."
Arthur was speechless. He was amazed at how a person's demeanor could switch so quickly and completely, yet so naturally, without a hint of awkwardness or embarrassment. Even a master thespian couldn't change masks that fast.
"Then tell me about the Pokémon populations in the desert. If that information is detailed enough, I can accept it as partial payment. I heard before I came that there are 'Three Phantoms' and 'Seven Chieftains' here. Can you tell me more about them?"
Hearing that Arthur was willing to accept information as payment, the doctor's eyes lit up. There was so much he wanted to do. Whether it was planting sand-proof forests, modifying desert plant species, restoring oases, or breeding more Grass-type Pokémon skilled at soil conservation, it all required a continuous and massive investment of funds. He had a lot of funding, but his expenses were even greater.
So he was a penny-pincher. A notorious one.
"Ahem, of course, of course. Come, young Arthur, let's sit inside."
The doctor then gave Arthur a very detailed introduction to the local Pokémon ecosystem. "The wild Pokémon populations in the Ashen Desert are very strong. You must not underestimate them. Because they have been constantly harassed by human wars, they are generally hostile towards humans and much more aggressive than in other regions. You must be extremely careful when you enter the desert. The 'Three Phantoms' and 'Seven Chieftains' that people talk about refer to the ten most famous wild Pokémon leaders in the deep desert.
"The Three Phantoms are not actual Legendaries, but three particularly powerful pseudo-legendary Pokémon. In the south, there is the Fighting Dragon: Kommo-o. In the north, the Land Dragon: Garchomp. And in the west, the Great Tyrant: Tyranitar! They are not only powerful individually but are also the leaders of local Pokémon tribes, like regional overlords.
"As for the Seven Chieftains, they are the leaders of seven powerful Pokémon tribes with slightly smaller territories than the Three Phantoms. I've marked their approximate ranges on the map I gave you."
Arthur looked at the map. Sure enough, there were seven Pokémon icons with red warning borders: Krookodile, Rhyperior, Nidoking, Probopass, Aggron, Duraludon, and Tyrantrum.
After looking it over, Arthur was a bit puzzled. "No Flygon?"
He hadn't come to the Ashen Desert for a vacation. He was here to find his Pokémon partners from two hundred years ago. Forrest's Dragon "senior" had told him some secrets—that his former Tyranitar and Flygon were not the type to settle down. While they hadn't gone off and started a terrorist organization like Specter had the moment Arthur disappeared, they also hadn't stayed quietly in the Kubfu Alliance to fight and retire like Old Flame.
Tyranitar had taken the then-young Flygon and left the Kubfu Alliance, traveling thousands of miles to the Ashen Desert to become a ruler. It was even said that it had foolishly challenged the Legendary of the desert on its own. The result was, naturally, a disaster.
However, Celebi could confirm that Tyranitar was definitely still alive. It had probably just been taught a harsh lesson. The Legendary in the desert was a major one, after all. Back then, even with his entire team, Arthur could only barely manage to hold it off.
The aged Salamence had sighed with emotion at the time. "I never thought it was that brave. I have no idea how you raised it."
Arthur had silently thought, It wasn't me, I didn't, don't spread rumors!
Tyranitar's personality was not something Arthur had taught it. It had been just as rebellious and untamed when he first captured it. The moment it evolved, it had wanted to usurp Old Flame's position as the ace, spending its days either challenging him or preparing to challenge him. It was incredibly headstrong.
Flygon, the youngest member of Arthur's team back then, had been Tyranitar's number one fan. Although it was called a dragonfly, Flygon was actually a Dragon-type with a very long lifespan. When Arthur had disappeared, it was still just a young Vibrava.
Before coming here, Arthur had suspected that the "Great Tyrant of the West" among the Three Phantoms was his old Tyranitar. But now, he was curious.
"Where did Flygon go?"
According to Celebi's senses, neither of them should have died of old age. Yet, it was not among the current Three Phantoms or Seven Chieftains.
This made Arthur wonder: Where's my little dragonfly?
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