Chapter Ninety-Two: Heading to the Treasure Site

Come back, Little Vanillite.

For your first time in a Gym Challenge, you’ve done very well. Now it’s your turn. Go, Cryogonal.

Cryogonal, huh? Go on, Chimecho, you’re still up.

Chimecho, use Astonish.

Chimecho’s Astonish struck Cryogonal.

Now, Healing Wish.

Cryogonal was still almost at full strength, so Healing Wish only affected Chimecho. Chimecho’s injuries were healed.

Cryogonal, use Rapid Spin.

Cryogonal spun rapidly and came whirling toward Chimecho.

Chimecho, stop it with Confusion.

Chimecho made the spinning Cryogonal come to a halt.

Throw it away.

Cryogonal was hurled to the ground.

Cryogonal, use Powder Snow.

Soon, a blizzard of snowflakes filled the field, turning the tide badly against Chimecho.

Chimecho, Psywave.

Cheng Cheng could now only rely on broad, wide-ranging attacks to deal any damage to Cryogonal.

Cryogonal, Ice Beam.

Chimecho, dodge it quickly.

Rapid Spin.

Cryogonal continued to use Rapid Spin while firing Ice Beam. A portion of Chimecho’s body was struck by the beam and frozen.

Now, Laser Focus.

The beam struck Chimecho, and it collapsed to the ground.

Chimecho is unable to battle. Cryogonal wins.

Return, Chimecho. You worked hard. All right, now it’s your turn. Go, Gardevoir.

Cryogonal, Rapid Spin.

Gardevoir, Confusion.

Cryogonal stopped.

Use Shadow Ball.

Shadow Ball hit Cryogonal, and Cryogonal lost the ability to battle.

Very good. Now it’s my last one. Go, Beartic.

A towering white polar bear stood before Cheng Cheng, its sheer presence somewhat overwhelming to the eye.

Gardevoir, Shadow Ball.

Beartic, Icicle Crash.

An icicle fell before Beartic, blocking the Shadow Ball’s attack.

Beartic, Ice Beam.

Gardevoir, Teleport.

Shadow Ball.

Beartic, block it.

Gardevoir dodged the Ice Beam with Teleport, then moved behind Beartic. It used Shadow Ball again, but Beartic still managed to block it.

Beartic, grab it.

Gardevoir, dodge.

Gardevoir slipped backward, and Beartic failed to catch it.

Beartic, Ice Punch.

Gardevoir, Protect.

Gardevoir blocked Beartic’s Ice Punch.

Now, use Imprison.

Gardevoir sealed Beartic’s power, and Beartic was temporarily unable to use Ice Punch.

Gardevoir, once more, Shadow Ball.

Beartic, Thrash.

Cheng Cheng had not expected Beartic to know Thrash. Gardevoir dodged the first blow, but was still struck by the second.

Beartic, Ice Beam.

The Ice Beam slammed into Gardevoir, freezing it solid.

Gardevoir is unable to battle. Beartic wins.

Cheng Cheng could tell that Beartic still had plenty of strength left. Truly worthy of Hachiku’s ace.

In that case, come out, Slowking.

Slowking, use Mega Punch on the ice.

Slowking shattered the ice covering Gardevoir with a Mega Punch.

Return, Gardevoir. Rest well.

Cheng Cheng recalled Gardevoir into the Poké Ball, where it would be warmer.

My last one is Slowking.

A Water type? That puts you at a disadvantage. Don’t tell me you don’t have any Fire types?

All of my Pokémon are Psychic types. I don’t have any Fire types. Don’t worry. Slowking may be at a slight disadvantage by type, but my Slowking is very strong.

Is that so? Then I’ll look forward to seeing it.

Slowking, use Water Gun.

Beartic, Ice Beam.

In such bitter cold, Water Gun froze almost instantly. A large icicle crashed to the ground.

I told you, Water types are at a real disadvantage here.

Slowking, Water Gun again.

Slowking kept firing Water Gun.

Trying to win by speed? Useless. Beartic, Blizzard.

A mass of snow swirled through the air all around them, and the Water Gun froze the instant it left Slowking’s mouth, turning straight into icicles.

Beartic, use Icicle Spear.

Many icicles appeared overhead and shot down toward Slowking.

Slowking, smash every icicle with Mega Punch.

Soon, every icicle was shattered and blocked by Slowking.

Slowking, use Hydro Pump.

No use. Beartic, Ice Beam.

The Hydro Pump was frozen into a huge icicle.

Good. Now grab that icicle and throw it back.

Slowking seized the newly frozen pillar of ice and hurled it at Beartic, sending Beartic flying at once.

Now, use Confusion.

Though Slowking had chosen the Water path, its psychic power was formidable as well.

Soon, every icicle on the ground lifted into the air, then shot toward Beartic.

Because Beartic had been sealed from using Ice Punch, it could only rely on its fists to defend itself. In the end, under the relentless barrage of icicles, Beartic finally collapsed.

Beartic is unable to battle. The winner is Cheng Cheng from Fortree City.

You did wonderfully, Slowking.

Cheng Cheng patted Slowking on the head, and Slowking was delighted.

Congratulations, Cheng Cheng. You did truly well in this battle. It’s been a long time since I faced a Trainer as strong as you.

No, I believe you’ll definitely meet even stronger Trainers in the future. But Hachiku, sir, you probably still didn’t use your full strength this time, did you?

Cheng Cheng looked straight at Hachiku.

So you noticed. I didn’t use my full strength, but I did use about eighty percent of it.

In that case, if I ever get the chance, I’d like to witness your full-power battle.

Very well. This is the proof that you defeated me, the Icicle Badge.

Cheng Cheng took the Icicle Badge into his hand, and a cool sensation rose through him.

Thank you, Hachiku, sir.

That’s the result of your own hard work.

Then, Hachiku, sir, I need to take my Pokémon for treatment, so I’ll take my leave.

All right. I look forward to our next battle.

Cheng Cheng left the Icicle Gym and returned to the Pokémon Center. After handing his Pokémon over to the nurse for treatment, he returned to his room and rested for the night.

Early the next morning, Cheng Cheng set out for his destination.

Following the direction on the map, Cheng Cheng arrived at the foot of a mountain. When he saw the difficult path ahead, he could not help but grow troubled again.

Another mountain trail like this one. I’m counting on you, Gardevoir.

Gardevoir.

Having a Psychic type Pokémon really made things easy; one Teleport brought him straight to the mountainside. There was a large flat area here, though it was not really flat at all. There were many boulders, and the path was difficult to traverse.

Let me see... where is it? Most of this mountain is just rock. There are some trees in a few places, but from the map it’s hard to tell where anything is.

Am I supposed to search every inch of this place? I don’t even know what I’m looking for.

Seeing the map, Cheng Cheng felt rather helpless. Well, no matter. Keep looking. There are still a few very obvious landmarks on the map. If he could find those, things should become much easier.

Cheng Cheng pressed onward. He climbed onto one rock, then stepped across to another, leapt over one here, then another there. In short, for Cheng Cheng, who was about as strong as a wet noodle, this mountain path was a little hard to bear.

Cheng Cheng noticed that the rocks along the trail seemed to have been tampered with, deliberately arranged this way by someone. He truly wanted to drag that person out and beat him senseless.

At that moment, far away at the Icicle Gym, Hachiku suddenly sneezed.

Hachiku could hardly believe he had actually sneezed. He had lived in Snowbelle City for so many years, and this was the first time. It seemed he would have to intensify the mountain training from now on, and make the rocks even harder to climb.

Cheng Cheng crossed many rocks and finally reached a forest. He took out the map provided by the system and discovered that the item was indeed in a woodland. Moreover, this forest seemed to be the largest on the entire mountain, perfectly matching the location of a hidden treasure.

Cheng Cheng knew he was probably very close to the treasure now, so he and Gardevoir entered the woods.

After entering the forest, Cheng Cheng saw many Pokémon. But this was a Pokémon preserve, and catching Pokémon was forbidden. Besides, Cheng Cheng was not particularly interested in these Pokémon. He only wanted to find the treasure as quickly as possible.

He continued along the path, consulting the map as he searched for the distinctive tree. Its shape was very unusual: the trunk split directly into five branches and rose upward, like a candelabrum.

In a forest with so many trees, it was no easy task to find one like that. Cheng Cheng decided to ask a Pokémon whether it knew where this tree was.

Just as he was about to communicate with a Pokémon, a person appeared before him. The person had a blue Pokémon with him, and a gun was slung across his back.

A Pokémon Hunter.

That was the first identity Cheng Cheng’s mind flashed to.

He grew wary at once. Many Pokémon Hunters liked to murder for profit and seize what they wanted. He had to be careful.

Hey, kid. Have you seen a Fire Bug Pokémon around here that can breathe flames?

No. Who are you talking about?

Volcarona. You know it?

I do, but I haven’t seen it.

Tch.

The Pokémon Hunter studied Cheng Cheng, and Cheng Cheng stared back at him. In the end, the hunter still turned and left.

Volcarona? That was a very rare Pokémon. Cheng Cheng decided to leave this troublesome business alone. He headed off in the opposite direction.