MTLNOVEL Chapter 46: Chapter 46: Setting Off Again
As Su Yi's four partner Pokémon appeared, the already compact battle area—never designed for Dynamax battles—instantly felt crowded.
"Whoa!! These Pokémon are huge!" Sonia gasped in astonishment.
Great Jagras sprawled on the ground like a small truck, while Odagoron, with its long body and fearsome appearance, resembled a predator ready to strike.
Compared to those two, Kulu-Ya-Ku and Great Girros seemed more like underlings.
"They look strong… and fierce!" Marnie's eyes lit up as she observed Great Girros and Great Jagras.
As the sister of a Dark-type Gym Leader, she clearly had a unique sense of aesthetics. Conveniently, both of Su Yi's Pokémon happened to have the Dark-type as well.
However, suddenly finding themselves in a bright and open space, Great Jagras and Kulu-Ya-Ku remained relatively calm. On the other hand, Great Girros and Odagoron—creatures accustomed to the dim and toxic environment of Galar's Poison Swamp—were visibly unsettled.
"Rooooar!"
Great Girros growled in agitation. However, having been captured through battle, it recognized Su Yi as its leader. As a result, it restrained itself and made an effort to adapt.
"Graahh!!"
Odagoron, on the other hand, was different. Still retaining its wild nature, it let out a sudden screech and sniffed the air. The unfamiliar scent—so different from the Poison Swamp—triggered a low, menacing growl.
"Morpeko!!"
Startled, Morpeko immediately dashed into Marnie's arms for cover.
"Su Yi, have you not had this Pokémon for long?" Sonia quickly noticed the issue.
"Yeah. And to be precise, I didn't capture it through battle," Su Yi admitted as he hurried over to Odagoron's side.
"Easy now. No one here will hurt you, and there's no danger. I'm right here," he said gently, stroking its head in an attempt to calm it down.
Dragalge twitched its nose, detecting Su Yi's scent. It relaxed slightly but still remained wary.
"Take your time to adjust," Su Yi reassured, knowing that this process couldn't be rushed.
"Even though you haven't had it for long, it trusts you so much already, Su Yi," Sonia said, impressed.
A large, wild, and aggressive Pokémon like Odagoron quickly calming down under Su Yi's touch showed how much it already trusted him.
Sonia didn't know what experiences they had shared, but it was clear that Su Yi had genuinely cared for his Pokémon, earning their loyalty and trust in return.
"That's really incredible," she remarked.
"Building trust with Pokémon…"
Marnie observed as Su Yi interacted warmly with his Pokémon, deep in thought.
"Beep beep! New Pokémon detected! Opening Pokédex, Rotom!"
The Rotom Phone flew out of Su Yi's bag and scanned the four Pokémon.
"Beep beep! No data found! These are unidentified Pokémon?!" Rotom exclaimed in shock.
"Really?! I thought when Leon said 'unseen Pokémon,' he meant species from other regions… But these are completely undocumented Pokémon! This is a huge discovery!"
Sonia pulled up her own Pokédex, only to confirm that none of them were recorded anywhere in the official Pokémon League database.
"Su Yi, where did you catch these Pokémon? Do they have a habitat? What's their ecosystem like?" Sonia bombarded him with questions, her curiosity burning intensely.
Though she wasn't a full-fledged Pokémon Professor yet—only an assistant—her deep passion for Pokémon research had led her down this path.
For Pokémon researchers, a never-before-seen species was as valuable as an unopened treasure chest.
"Uh…"
Faced with Sonia's eager expression, Su Yi was momentarily at a loss.
"Um, Sonia, calm down," he said awkwardly.
"Ah, sorry! It's just that seeing so many unidentified Pokémon at once got me really excited… But this is big news! Aren't you planning to report this to the League?" Sonia asked, now more composed but still filled with curiosity.
"Uh, sorry, but I don't plan to disclose this information for now," Su Yi shook his head. "These Pokémon are unique to this world, and I don't want them to be harmed."
What he said was true. Right now, he wasn't strong enough to deter those who coveted rare Pokémon. If news about his Pokémon spread too early, it would surely bring trouble.
Hearing this, Sonia imagined all sorts of possible scenarios in her head. But since reporting newly discovered Pokémon wasn't her responsibility, she decided to drop the subject.
"The world of Pokémon is still full of mysteries, with so many things we haven't discovered yet," Sonia sighed as she gazed at the distinct appearances of Su Yi's Pokémon.
"Su Yi, you're really lucky to have encountered so many unique Pokémon," Sonia said enviously.
"I do feel lucky to have met them," Su Yi replied with a smile, patting his Pokémon on their heads.
"I'm also lucky to have met Su Yi, meow!" Rucao cheered happily.
"A fateful encounter with strong and trustworthy partners..." Watching the scene, Marnie suddenly felt an urge to set out and catch her own Pokémon.
"I've always wanted to do something to help Spikemuth thrive again. I'll start by catching Pokémon! I want to meet strong and trustworthy partners too, just like he does!" Marnie silently made up her mind.
"Thanks for the ice cream. I'm heading out now. Let's exchange contact info—once I've caught a reliable partner, I want to battle you," Marnie said, holding Morpeko as she took out her Rotom Phone.
"Sounds good," Su Yi replied with a smile.
Beep beep! Contact info exchanged!
Rotom Phone scanned Marnie's device, completing the exchange.
"See you around." With light steps, Marnie left Motostoke. The worries she had been struggling with suddenly seemed to have a clear answer today.
As she walked away, Sonia turned to Su Yi. "I should get going too. Leon needs my help. If you ever have any questions, feel free to ask me."
"And of course, if you catch any new Pokémon, you have to share them with me!" Sonia added, exchanging contact info with Su Yi before leaving.
With both of them gone, Su Yi found himself in a nearly empty park—most people were attending the lively festival outside. A feeling stirred within him.
"What should I do next? Keep wandering around?" He glanced up at the still-bright sky, murmuring to himself.
"I just can't sit still. Watching these characters, whom I once only knew through a game, express emotions so vividly and then set off on their own paths..."
"I want to take action too!"
"Next destination: Corsola Plateau!"
Without wasting time, Su Yi found a quiet spot in the park and chose to descend into the rocky cave campsite of the Galar Mine.