Pokémon: Start with an Admiral Crab!

"This is Binu City... There are quite a lot of tourists at the beach~"

The next morning, Dr. Oak and Wang Yao drove to Binu City.

Because there are many Shellders on the beach here, it is perfect for Wang Yao and Professor Oak to conduct the evolution experiment of Slowking.

"Ayao, let's go to the beach to dig for giant clams later... I want to visit Professor Nishinomori while I'm at it."

Professor Oak suggested.

"Eh——If that's the case, wouldn't the research results be shared by the other party?"

Having said that, Wang Yao is actually worried about his research allowance.

"You're probably going to make Professor Nishinomori feel really disappointed by saying that. After all, he was the one who gave you the illustrated guide."

Dr. Oak looked at Wang Yao speechlessly.

"Professor Nishinomori is also one of the editors of the Pokémon Encyclopedia. With him co-signing the publication, we will get more research funding!"

Professor Oak really understands Wang Yao's little thoughts.

"Well... I have always admired Professor Nishinomori's scientific research spirit. It is indeed safer to have him participate in the research together."

Wang Yao had no objection.

"Now that we're at Binu, should we call Xiaozhi and the others along as well?"

Wang Yao stuck his hand out of the car window and felt the sea breeze.

"But I don't have the Holiday Inn's contact information... maybe I can meet them at the beach later?"

Professor Oak was still driving, looking at the road ahead, and said with some distress.

If there was a chance, he would naturally want to let the two little guys see the evolution of Slowpoke...

This is a rare study on Pokémon evolution!

……

Ding dong——!

"Here you are... How strange! Who would come to visit me at this time?"

Professor Nishinomori, who was sorting out data on legendary Pokémon, stopped what he was doing, stood up and opened the door.

"Ohki? Long time no see - the research on Gardevoir's characteristics that you published last time caused a great response in the academic community~"

Seeing that it was Dr. Oak who came to visit, Professor Nishinomori immediately welcomed him in.

"Who is this young man... He looks familiar?"

Professor Nishinomori looked at Wang Yao who was following behind Dr. Oak, stroking his chin in thought.

When Dr. Bepo asked him for a place in the illustrated book, he gave him a photo of Wang Yao.

But now half a year has passed, and he has long forgotten about this matter.

This was also the first time Wang Yao met this friend of Dr. Danbo...

The short and fat bald old man looked like Dr. Agasa without his glasses and shaved his beard.

"Didn't you hand out Ayao's illustrated guide yourself?"

Dr. Oak looked at Wang Yao, then at Professor Nishinomori, and asked in confusion.

"Ayao? Picture book? Oh - I remember now!"

With Professor Oak's reminder, Nishino Mori also recalled the matter of Wang Yao.

An orphan boy born on Crimson Lotus Island, although his life is difficult, he has a heart that loves Pokémon!

That’s why I was recommended by a former classmate...I specially mailed a copy of the illustrated book to him.

Hey - what was that friend's name?

It seems to be Nan...Dr. Pumpkin, right?

"Ayao is now a very remarkable trainer... I came to visit you this time because..."

Dr. Oak explained his purpose to Professor Nishinomori.

……

After a moment of transition...

"The secret of Slowking's evolution - that's a great discovery in the academic world!"

Professor Nishinomori looked at Professor Oak in surprise.

"What are you waiting for? Let's go to the beach and look for the giant clam!"

Professor Nishinomori's short and fat body moved flexibly.

Holding Wang Yao and Dr. Oak's arms, he ran to the beach outside the research institute.

"Shellbone... Shellbone, where are you?"

"Come out quickly-Shellblade~"

The clam likes to bury itself in the moist sand at the seaside.

In order to find the giant clam, Professor Nishinomori, like an ordinary old man going to the beach to catch fish, lowered his head and looked for traces of the giant clam on the beach.

"Let the Pokémon find it - come out!"

Wang Yao looked at Professor Nishinomori with some embarrassment as he was digging in the sand with his butt sticking up on the beach, then reached into his bag and took out two Poké Balls.

In order not to delay his special training, he only brought three Poké Balls with him this time.

Giant Crab, Pidgeot... and today's protagonist, Slowpoke.

The main food of giant crabs in the wild is various shellfish and fish, so they are naturally good at finding large clams.

The high-altitude vision of the Pidgeot can also effectively spot giant shellfish appearing in the shallows.

"Giant Crab, go find the Shellder - don't eat it secretly! Once you find it, bring it back intact~"

Wang Yao instructed the giant crab.

"Guji~"

"Pidgeot, go check if Satoshi and the others are on the beach first...if you see them, call them over as well."

Wang Yao released the Pidgeot toward the beach where a crowd of people were gathered.

It was Xiaozhi who evolved Pidgeot himself. Even if we forget Wang Yao the trainer, we will never forget Xiaozhi the keeper.

"Compare--!"

The Pidgeot chirped and flapped its wings to fly towards the beach where tourists were gathered.

……

"It's Shellder..."

Xiaozhi curiously poked the giant shellfish found by the giant crab with the small wooden stick he picked up.

Because there was a Shellder among the Pokémon that Wang Yao teleported to the research institute, Xiaozhi got to know this Pokémon in advance.

"…Is it possible to evolve like this?"

Ten minutes ago, Xiaozhi was on the beach competing with Xiaomao to see who could build a taller sand castle.

After receiving the guidance from the Pidgeot, the two said something to Hanako who was sunbathing, and happily followed the Pidgeot to another beach where Wang Yao and the others were.

And listening to Professor Oak's explanation, it seems that they are going to observe the evolution of Slowpoke together on the beach...

So the two younger brothers also excitedly joined the sand digging team.

"Hey, Satoshi, not everyone is as ignorant as you. If you want Slowpoke to evolve, Shellder has to bite Slowpoke's tail!"

Having been with Ohnoki for many years, Xiaomao's knowledge is much better than Xiaozhi's.

"Ah - bite... the tail? What kind of evolution method is this?"

Things like fusion evolution are obviously beyond Xiaozhi's knowledge.

ten minutes later……

"There are five giant clam shells on this beach... Which one should I choose?"

The entire beach of Shellders was in front of him, and Wang Yao began to select the evolution materials for Slowpoke.

Excellent materials can increase the probability of strengthening - this was a common setting in the card drawing games of the previous life.

"I knew you were going to be picky again... let me help you choose."

Dr. Oak sighed and walked over to analyze the situation for Wang Yao.

"In the past, people would collect its shells to make shields - so the thicker the shell, the stronger it was."

Professor Oak squatted down, stroked the shell of one of the Shellders and explained.

"Is that so? Giant Claw Crabs! Let them all open their shells, and I'll see whose shell is the thickest!"

After these big clam were turned out of the sand by the giant crab, they all became shy and cowardly.

They all closed their shells tightly, leaving only half of their tongues exposed.

[Pokémon trivia: Shellder cannot retract his tongue.]

"Gulp! Gulp~"

The giant crab gently scratches the shell of each giant clam with its claws.

[I will count to three... If you don't open your shell, you will be my dinner tonight~]

"Tongue~"

"Tongue~"

"..."

"Tongue~"

[Shellbender's Japanese version of the call is sei (second tone) lu, I can't find a corresponding word for this sound, so I'll localize it here. ]