Chapter 228: Evolution The Water-type Pokémon from the east weren't particularly strong. The strongest among them were only at the pseudo-Elite. Although their numbers approached 10,000, their overall quality was lacking. Dragonite's Draco Meteor erupted in the sky, a dazzling, beautiful, yet deadly light. Amid the explosions, nearly half of the Water-types fell. The evacuating crowd erupted into cheers. Dragonite's mastery of Draco Meteor was impeccable. Despite being a wide-range attack, it avoided harming the humans in the evacuation zone. "Growlithe, Lairon!" Julian sent out two more Pokémon. Their levels were perfectly suited to face these Water-types, which were only slightly weaker than them. Lairon's massive body charged forward like a heavily armored tank. Against the tightly packed Water-types, all it needed to do was plow straight ahead. There was no need for fancy moves—despite its Rock typing being weak to Water, its durable armor was more than enough to withstand most attacks. In no time, Lairon's charge created a clear path through the horde. Growlithe, meanwhile, stayed behind Lairon, unleashing searing flames that even the Water-types found terrifying. The intense heat felt like it was drying the very moisture from their bodies. "Lucario!" Among the Water-types were several pseudo-Elites. Seeing an opportunity, they aimed to attack Growlithe and Lairon, but suddenly, a sleek and handsome dog appeared before them. Pokémon: Lucario (Fighting/Steel) Level: 62 Potential: Blue Ability: Inner Focus Held Item: Muscle Band Gender: Male Moves: Work Up, Quick Attack, Endure, Detect, Feint, Metal Claw, Aura Sphere, Rock Smash, Bullet Punch, Metal Sound, Bone Rush, Meteor Mash, Heal Pulse TMs: Low Sweep, Brick Break, Agility, Swords Dance, Dig, Bulk Up, Focus Blast, Dark Pulse, Vacuum Wave Genetic Moves: Mind Reader, Close Combat, Force Palm, Thunder Punch --- The Water-types, numerous, were confident that this lone pseudo-Elite opponent wouldn't pose a serious threat. Lucario, however, quickly showed them what true strength looked like. With its elegant and precise fighting combinations, paired with swift, fluid movements, the pseudo-Elite Pokémon couldn't even touch the hem of Lucario's fur. In just a few exchanges, the pseudo-Elites were all knocked to the ground, defeated. The dog just stood there handsomely. In the crowd, a boy of about ten stared at Lucario with wide, sparkling eyes. Excitedly, he tugged at his father's sleeve and exclaimed, "Dad, it's so cool! Super cool!" The father nodded, a small smile, "Yes, super cool." Unknowingly, Lucario had gained a new little fan. "Dad, when I turn seventeen, my first Pokémon is going to be a Riolu!" Pokémon knowledge had long been integrated into the school curriculum, so kids learned about them from an early age. The boy knew that Riolu evolved into Lucario. "Work hard for me, okay?" The father nodded seriously, though he knew the challenge. A Riolu was as rare as a pseudo-legendary cub—not something one could acquire with mere effort alone. About twenty minutes later, all the Water-type Pokémon were fallen unconscious on the ground. "Roar!!" Lairon stood amidst the defeated Pokémon, a wave of pride surging through its heart. It couldn't help but let out a mighty roar. Crack. Crack. The invisible shackles binding it shattered in that instant. A bright evolutionary light enveloped Lairon. Julian wasn't surprised—Lairon had long since built up enough experience. All it needed was an intense, exhilarating battle to push it over the edge. Earlier, it had battled countless Water-types trying to come ashore on the west coast. Now, it had defeated even more on the east side. Though these battles didn't have particularly strong opponents, Lairon had taken down nearly a thousand Pokémon. Its physical energy was greatly drained, but its spirit was brimming vigorously. As Lairon began to evolve, Julian kept a close watch on their surroundings to ensure nothing interrupted the process. If a Pokémon's evolution was disrupted, at best, the evolution would fail. At worst, it could result in severe, lingering injuries, preventing evolution for life. Amid the glowing light, Lairon's body, previously four-legged, began to shift into a bipedal stance. At the same time, it grew taller and larger. A little over a minute later, the white glow subsided, revealing a massive six-meter-tall prehistoric beast clad in hardened armor. Two long, sharp horns protruded from its head as it appeared on the field. The ferocious aura it exuded caused the nearby people to instinctively back away. Pokémon: Aggron (Steel/Rock) Level: 42 Potential: Blue Ability: Heavy Metal Held Item: Metal Coat Gender: Male Moves: Roar, Tackle, Harden, Headbutt, Protect, Iron Head, Rock Tomb, Metal Claw, Earth Power, Take Down TMs: Earthquake, Sandstorm, Dig, Shock Wave, Rock Slide, Rock Smash, Water Pulse, Dragon Claw, Focus Punch, Iron Tail, Thunderbolt, Stone Edge, Reckless Genetic Moves: Stomp, Heavy Slam, Endeavor, Dragon Rush --- Being a Totem Pokémon, Aggron's height reached an intimidating six meters, far surpassing the usual 2.1 meters of a standard Aggron. Its massive body carried an overwhelming sense of oppression. At Aggron's feet, the small Growlithe appeared utterly insignificant. Growlithe stared at Aggron in a daze. Its companion had suddenly evolved, and now it towered so high that Growlithe could barely believe its eyes. "Wow! So cool, super cool!" The comment came from the same young boy as before. He clung to his father's arm, his eyes sparkling as he gazed at Aggron in admiration. "Dad, for my second Pokémon, I want an Aron!" Father: "I'll work hard" Julian pulled out two boxes of energy cubes and handed them to Aggron and Growlithe. After such intense battles, both Pokémon were undoubtedly low on energy. Each box contained ten cubes. Aggron devoured the entire box, packaging and all, while Growlithe only ate three cubes from its box. It was clear that Aggron's appetite had grown exponentially after its evolution. Even a wealthy family would struggle to sustain such a Pokémon—it could easily eat them into bankruptcy. "Grow!" Growlithe barked at Julian. 'I want to evolve too.' Julian gently patted its head. "No rush. It's not your time yet." The Fire Crystal in Growlithe's body hadn't been fully absorbed. Once it was close to complete absorption, Julian planned to pair it with a top-tier Fire Stone. The combined energy surge from these two sources would provide Growlithe with immense energy during its evolution, unlocking even greater potential for its future as an Arcanine. Hearing its trainer's response, Growlithe's wagging tail drooped, and it looked visibly deflated. "I'll take you to the dog park next time," Julian said. At that, the previously downcast Growlithe instantly perked up. Its eyes sparkled with excitement, the mere mention of the park had rejuvenated its spirit.