After finally completing his Gym challenge, Tianlin not only obtained his first Badge, but his Treecko had also successfully evolved into Grovyle.
Naturally, he was in a great mood.
He planned to return to the Pokémon Center so that Scyther and Grovyle—both exhausted—could rest.
But as soon as he stepped inside, he found Ash Ketchum and Misty arguing.
It seemed that because Tianlin had spent extra time in Viridian Forest, they had managed to catch up to him.
“Idiot Ash!
You’re going to challenge Brock with those Pokémon?
That’s basically asking to lose!
Don’t you know he’s a Rock-type expert?!” Misty snapped.
“What?!
Why are you looking down on me?
So what if they’re Rock-types?
I’ll definitely win!” Ash shot back.
“Hey, isn’t this you two?
What’s going on?” Tianlin stepped forward.
“Tianlin!
See?
I told you I’d catch up!” Ash grinned.
“Oh, and I caught a Butterfree and a Pidgeotto in the forest.
Pretty great, right?”
Butterfree and Pidgeotto… just like in the original storyline.
But Tianlin frowned slightly.
Even after being warned in advance about the Pokémon League, Ash still hadn’t adjusted his team at all.
“So you only have Pikachu, Pidgeotto, and Butterfree?” Tianlin said.
“And you still plan to challenge Brock?
His Rock- and Ground-types completely counter you.
Didn’t you prepare anything like a Grass- or Water-type?”
“I told him that already!” Misty added, clearly frustrated.
Tianlin sighed and briefly showed them his Boulder Badge.
Ash’s eyes lit up.
“So that’s a Badge?
If you can get one, I definitely can too!”
Despite their warnings, Ash rushed off toward the Gym.
Misty shook her head.
“He never listens…”
Tianlin didn’t stop him.
He knew Ash would lose—but sometimes, failure was necessary to grow. This chapter was taken from g.com without permission.
Later, Tianlin resupplied and explored Pewter City.
Aside from the Gym, the most famous attraction was the museum, so he decided to visit.
Inside, he found displays filled with stones—Evolution Stones and fossils of ancient Pokémon.
“This really fits the city’s theme,” Tianlin thought.
A researcher approached him.
“Hello, welcome.
My name is Li Ke.
Would you like me to introduce the exhibits?”
“Sure, thank you.”
“These fossils,” Li Ke explained, “belong to ancient Pokémon like Kabutops and Omanyte.
And in the center, we have a fossil of Aerodactyl.
Extremely rare specimens.”
Tianlin knew those Pokémon weren’t truly extinct—but they were incredibly scarce.
“Over here,” Li Ke continued, “are Evolution Stones.
Fire Stones, Water Stones—even rare ones like Sun Stones and Dawn Stones.
And all of them are at least mid-grade quality.”
Tianlin nodded.
“A high-quality Evolution Stone is crucial.
It can even affect a Pokémon’s long-term potential.”
Li Ke smiled.
“Then let me show you our finest piece.”
He led Tianlin to the center display.
Inside was a crystal-clear stone.
“This is, the moon stone?
However, this color, this degree of crystal clearness, is it too much more than the high-grade moonstone, could it be that this is?” Tian Lin asked with a surprised face.
“Oh, the guest is really smart, that’s right, this is the legendary priceless best moon stone, I accidentally got it before, and it is also the best collection of our museum, many wealthy businessmen or powerful trainers before, and even Mr.
Steven Stone, the champion of the Hoen area, have come to ask if they want to buy but we have refused, what do the guests think?”
“It’s great.” For Pokémon that need stone evolution, the quality of evolution stones can even affect their lives, although the inferior evolution stones can barely make Pokémon evolve, but they contain too many impurities, the strength of evolution and improvement is extremely small, and it may damage the original potential of Pokémon, the middle-grade evolution stone is the most used by the most people, and it can meet the evolutionary needs at the same time, and there will be no negative impact, the high-grade evolution stone is completely different from the beginning, not only can improve the strength of Pokémon, but also has a certain chance of improving the potential, the market price is extremely high, and the last best evolution stone, a sentence of price is the most appropriate, crystal clear, does not contain a trace of impurities, can make the evolved Pokémon greatly improve its ability, and almost certainly improve the potential, the effect is simply similar to the washing of tendons and marrow in the martial arts novel of the previous life.
Tianlin studied it carefully.
A perfect Evolution Stone could dramatically enhance a Pokémon’s evolution—far beyond ordinary ones.
It was truly invaluable.
By the time Tianlin returned to the Pokémon Center, only Misty was there.
“Where’s Ash?” he asked.
“Then he followed some bearded guy who said he could make Pikachu stronger.”
Tianlin immediately realized what was happening.
He rushed toward the outskirts.
When he arrived, Ash and the others were preparing a machine.
“Wait!” Tianlin called out.
“Tianlin?
What are you doing here?” Ash asked.
Ignoring him, Tianlin turned to the older man.
“You’re Mr.
Flint, right?”
Flint nodded.
“And you’re the Trainer who beat Brock.”
“You’re planning to boost Pikachu’s power using electricity,” Tianlin said seriously.
“But methods like that usually come with side effects.
Are you sure it won’t harm its potential?”
Ash hesitated.
“If it hurts Pikachu, I won’t do it.”
Flint replied, “Normally, yes, it would.
But this Pikachu is different.
I believe it can handle it.”
Tianlin consulted his system internally.
*Result:* Over 90% success rate.
*Condition:* Can only be used once without damaging potential.
Tianlin nodded.
“If it’s only once, it should be safe.”
Ash turned to Pikachu.
“It’s your choice.”
Pikachu thought back to its defeat against Onix—then nodded firmly.
“Pikachu!”
“Alright,” Tianlin said.
“Then I’ll help too.
But remember—only once.
No second attempt.”
Ash and Flint both agreed.
The plan was set.