Pokémon: Start with an Admiral Crab!

"No, no, none of them are right - the real answer is the duck-billed dragon!"

Xia Bo shook his head helplessly and could only shout out the real answer himself.

"Come out! Duck-billed Fire Dragon!"

Xia Bo shouted loudly, and huge waves of magma suddenly surged up under the platform!

In the hot magma, a red figure broke through the huge waves and appeared on the field.

"Hoo~Hmm!"

The duck-billed fire dragon exhaled a breath of hot air, and even the ground where its feet touched made a sizzling sound as if it was being roasted by the high temperature!

"This is……"

Xiao Feng hurriedly took out the atlas and scanned it.

Although Wang Yao knew this Pokémon, he still did the same thing as Xiao Feng in order to complete the Pokémon Dictionary.

"Ding! Charmeleon - the fire-breathing Pokémon! It is the evolved form of Charmeleon. It has a hot body and can spit out flames from its mouth. The first group was found near the crater."

"The hotter the place, the more freely it can move. When it is injured, it will soak in the lava like a hot spring to heal its wounds."

"...According to the latest scientific research reports, using a special communication method can evolve into a duck-billed flame dragon."

"They can actually live in magma - Yao, they look really strong..."

Xiao Feng put away the illustration. She was a little shocked by the way the duck-billed fire dragon appeared.

"Old man! Can't your duck-billed fire dragon evolve again?"

After Wang Yao finished reading the information in the illustrated book, he felt something was not right.

"Why don't you let it evolve a little bit?"

Wang Yao asked.

"You are quite knowledgeable...boy!"

After hearing Wang Yao's question, Xia Bo did not get angry, but smiled instead.

"Then do you know who published the research report on the evolution of the Duck-billed Flame Dragon?"

“——It is this old man!”

Xia Bo folded his hands across his chest somewhat proudly and spoke slowly.

"…Then why don't you let it evolve?"

Wang Yao asked thoughtfully.

"This requires mentioning the specific content of that evolution report!"

It was rare for Xia Bo to meet someone like Wang Yao who was interested in the evolution of the duck-billed fire dragon, so he took the time to introduce it to him.

"...The [Lava Amplifier] used to evolve Charmeleon is actually a container that absorbs volcanic energy through technological means and stores huge amounts of lava energy."

Before becoming a gym leader, Xia Bo was the director of the Red Lotus Research Institute... and an expert in the study of Fire-type Pokémon.

Mr. Fuji, who is also a member of the Red Lotus Research Institute, can help Sakaki create Mewtwo after leaving the institute!

As the director of the institute, his scientific research ability is naturally not bad.

After a pause, Xia Bo continued to explain.

"...To gather enough magma energy to evolve, even a volcano as large as Guren Island would fall into a dormant period of at least ten years!"

Xia Bo explained his concerns.

"But now the volcano on Red Lotus Island has boosted the business of local hot spring hotels... If the whole town is to close for ten years because of the duck-billed fire dragon..."

"...and I'm about to retire..."

The actual conditions of Honglian Town after reconstruction and Xia Bo's current age are the reasons why he does not want the duck-billed fire dragon to evolve through the lava amplifier.

Besides, the evolution of the duck-billed fire dragon is not something urgent...

And similar to Onix's situation, if it is allowed to absorb the magma energy naturally to evolve, it will only take a few more years - at least it won't take as long as a hundred years.

"So that's how it is... Are you really planning to open a hot spring B&B?"

Wang Yao nodded and said with some doubt.

"——That's not the point!"

Several tic-tac-toe patterns appeared on Xia Bo’s bald head!

He is clearly thinking about the development of the town!

Protecting the pillar industries of Honglian Town is also his responsibility as the master of Honglian Gym.

"Never mind! Never mind!"

Wang Yao gave a flattering smile and raised his hands in front of him.

He was thinking about going to Xia Bo's hot spring for free after the gym battle...it would be bad if he made the old man angry.

Wang Yao tried to change the subject and said with a light cough.

"Well - for my third match, I'll use the giant crab first!"

He planned to let the Giant Claw Crab gain some experience first, and then find an opportunity to switch out the Steelix.

"Hmph - even if it hasn't evolved, the strength of the Duck-billed Rathalos won't be that bad!"

Xia Bo emphasized stubbornly.

"Go ahead! Rathalos——Use Big Word Explosion!"

“Hoooooooooo!”

The duck-billed fire dragon compressed a ball of flame through its flat duck-billed mouth, which quickly spread out at the moment of ejection, forming a large character shape!

call--!

The huge explosions emitted by the volcanic environment carry extraordinary heat!

"Weaken it with Bubble Beam! Then crush it with Crab Punch!"

Wang Yao wanted to test the opponent's firepower first.

As the bubble beam came into contact with the large-character explosion, a large amount of steaming mist instantly exploded on the field.

Bah, bah, bah—!

The fire had just weakened a little when a huge explosion of flames flew in front of the giant crab!

"Gurg!"

As the crab punch was thrown with all its strength, a corner of the large-character Explosion was shattered by the crab's claws, and the remaining Na-shaped Explosion flew past the giant crab's body.

Although it was still slightly scratched by the remaining flames, this injury was nothing to the giant crab.

Na,?,-亅…The remaining incomplete flames slowly dissipated in the air, and the last -亅-shaped explosion hit the rock wall.

"You're quite good at this... Use your flaming fist next!"

Xia Bo said as he looked at the dispersed flames.

"call!"

Flames burst from the duck-billed fire dragon's fists as it quickly approached the giant crab.

"——Then let's use the crab punch!"

If he meets a suitable opponent, Wang Yao actually prefers to throw away all tactics and fight with fists!

"Gurg!"

The giant crab took the initiative to attack the claws of the duck-billed fire dragon!

Bang!Bang!

The moment the flame and water collide, high-temperature steam bursts out instantly.

"Continuously use the Flame Fist!"

Xia Bo’s fighting spirit was also raised!

"Keep going! Don't stop with the crab punches!"

The clenched claws and heavy crab claws collided again and again, and the energy of water and fire produced a violent reaction at the moment of contact.

Hiss, hiss, hiss! More steam surrounded the two Pokémon.

The duck-billed fire dragon, which should have been afraid of water, had its extremely high body temperature distorted by the volcanic magma, forming an invisible wall of air.

The air wall on the body surface repels the generated high-temperature steam, and the swung fist is wrapped with this high-temperature steam flow, even further enhancing the power of its own flaming fist!

"Gurg!"

The giant crab gradually felt uncomfortable. The high temperature steam around it made it feel like it was in a steamer.

"Don't give them a chance to breathe - use jet flames!"

Xia Bo ordered the duck-billed fire dragon to continue its attack.

"Block it with bubble rays!"

The flames and bubbles were released one after another, and they first came into contact with the two Pokémon when they were very close to each other, and then two streams of energy with opposite attributes exploded instantly!

Bang-!

The water mist produced by the explosion covered the entire area.

"Giant Claw Crab!"

"Duck-billed Charmander!"

Trainers from both teams looked nervously at the field that was becoming foggy.