After defeating the two Tyrantrum, Cain's three Pokémon leveled up.
Slowking reached level 66, which, in comparison, may not seem like much, but he had reached the limit of the Intermediate Elite level.
But it was different for Gengar and Florges.
Both had been at level 64, just at the beginning of the Intermediate Elite level, and now had reached level 65, fully consolidating themselves within the Intermediate Elite level.
At the very least, they were now on par with the two Tyrantrum they had faced.
The energy of the Mega Evolution suddenly disappeared from Gengar's body, returning him to his usual form.
That brief moment of Mega Evolution had barely consumed any energy for Cain.
With this, Cain now had three Pokémon at level 65, which gave him a solid standing even among elite-level trainers.
To the side, Pupitar looked at Gengar and the others with admiration, so imposing in battle, and also at the Tyranitar still fighting in the distance, showing a mix of envy... and a bit of frustration in his eyes.
In moments like this, if he were strong enough, he should have gone out to fight himself.
Even though the strength of his teammates also counted as his own, not having personally defeated the enemy made him feel like something was missing.
Cain noticed Pupitar's disappointment. He approached, gave him a few gentle pats, but said nothing.
Sometimes, this kind of yearning for strength becomes an essential drive for evolution.
After dealing with the threat of the two Tyrantrum—and with some regret for not being able to capture them—Cain and his Pokémon stayed in the same spot waiting for the Tyranitar's battle to end.
Without those two infiltrators, the Tyrantrum group suddenly lost their momentum. After so many fruitless battles, they had finally found an opportunity, but it was thwarted by Cain.
"ROAARR!"
The leader of the Tyrantrum let out a long roar.
It was the signal to retreat.
The Tyrantrum, with no intention of prolonging the battle, quickly broke away from their opponents to flee.
But the Tyranitar weren't about to let them escape so easily.
If not for Cain and his team, they might have suffered great losses today.
The reproductive cycle of Tyranitar was extremely slow, and raising a new one involved immense time and cost.
The fleeing Tyrantrum didn't even glance at the two fallen comrades in front of Cain.
It might seem cruel, but that's how they preserved their life force.
The Tyrantrum scattered, and the Tyranitar chased them for a stretch before stopping.
When they returned, each Tyranitar was covered in wounds, but their faces still displayed that natural ferocity.
It wasn't easy to approach them in that state.
The leader Tyranitar walked with his group to where Cain and Pupitar stood.
He bowed slightly.
Immediately, all the Tyranitar also bowed slightly as a sign of respect.
"TYRA!"
The leader expressed his gratitude for the help rendered.
Cain simply waved his hand and gave Pupitar a pat on the back.
The message was clear: being of the same species, of course he would help.
The leader Tyranitar gave Pupitar a grateful look.
"TYRA!"
He shouted again to his group.
Two Tyranitar stepped forward.
They picked up the unconscious bodies of the two Tyrantrum from the ground and carried them with the rest toward the interior of the valley.
Though somewhat brutal, this was nature's law: survival of the fittest.
Cain made no comment.
Since he couldn't capture those Pokémon, his interest had diminished considerably.
Though he was curious about how the Tyranitar planned to deal with the two defeated ones.
Already in the valley, the hidden Larvitar and Pupitar came out to welcome their elders.
Seeing the Tyranitar returning with two unconscious Tyrantrum slung over their shoulders, they erupted in cheers.
BANG!
BANG!
The two Tyrantrum were thrown to the ground, and two Tyranitar who had barely been injured prepared to deal with them.
The others, led by the chief, began removing a pile of rocks in one corner of the valley, from which they took out some plants that looked like medicinal herbs.
Obtaining medicinal herbs in such rocky terrain wasn't easy.
But if they had a water source, maybe they could cultivate them.
That was probably one of the reasons the Tyrantrum were trying to seize the springs: not just for drinking, but also for growing valuable resources.
The Tyranitar let themselves fall heavily to the ground.
"Florges, Grassy Terrain," Cain ordered.
Since he was helping, he'd see it through. Building affinity was a good thing.
Beneath the Tyranitar, a wide grassy area appeared, from which a bright green energy rose and penetrated directly into their wounds.
These began to heal rapidly.
The Tyranitar were stunned to see how the terrain and their wounds changed so suddenly.
They hadn't expected such an ability.
Now, when they looked at Florges, they did so with eyes of admiration and longing.
A healing-capable Pokémon was extremely rare in that world.
"Tyran!"
Though he was the most injured, the leader Tyranitar stood up.
He looked at Cain and Pupitar for a few seconds and headed to another corner of the valley.
He rummaged through a pile of rocks and after a while returned with two objects the size of Cain's head that emitted earthy energy waves, like stones.
"Tyran!"
He let out a growl as he placed the two stones in front of Cain.
Then he pointed at Pupitar, roared again, and returned to the other Tyranitar.
The other members of the clan looked at Pupitar with pride, while the other Larvitar and Pupitar looked at him with envy.
Upon seeing those two stones, Cain immediately knew they weren't ordinary items. The expression of the others confirmed it.
"System, scan these two stones," Cain ordered.
Soon, the data appeared before his eyes:
Item Name: Unknown Rock Blocks
Description: Rocks that contain a large amount of Rock-type energy, created through a special process.
Effect: Provide a large amount of pure Rock-type energy to Pokémon of that type. Can be absorbed without negative effects, though if the Pokémon lacks sufficient strength, they must be absorbed with caution.
Notes: Possibly manufactured with the heart of a Rock-type Pokémon, combined with a special process and environment. Besides Rock energy, they also contain traces of Dragon-type energy.
Upon reading the analysis, Cain was surprised.
Could this be... created with the heart of one of the Tyrantrum?
After all, they were Rock-type with a bit of Dragon energy. It made sense.
What surprised Cain the most wasn't the stone's contents... but the fact that the Tyranitar knew how to make them.
(End of Chapter)