Chapter 21: Salamence!

Edward's eyes became unfocused.

The light of Pokémon evolution has always been hailed as the greatest miracle in the Pokémon world. It represents the defiant roar of the weak, the struggle of a Pokémon enduring hardships against its destiny—it's truly the miracle of life.

Before Edward, the small, cumbersome form of Shelgon began to change. It grew larger and stronger.

"Roar!" After the light of evolution dissipated, a Salamence covered in scars—a grim and fearsome sight—let out a deafening roar, flapped its wings, and shot skyward, screaming into the heavens.

Edward gasped when he saw Salamence's scars. Even as a spectator, those marks made him feel a chill. Yet, Salamence bore them all over its body.

"Headmistress Lillian, Ruckus truly is a remarkable Pokémon," Edward remarked, looking at the scarred Salamence. Though its appearance was marred by scars, its fierce aura only grew more intimidating.

"Ruckus is an outstanding Pokémon, capable of becoming part of a champion-level team," Headmistress Lillian said with a gentle smile, sipping her tea. She gazed at the soaring Salamence with affection, as if looking at her own child.

As Edward and Headmistress Lillian marveled at Salamence, it suddenly dived from the sky. Its sheer speed generated a violent gust, yet Q remained unfazed. Instead, Q's body radiated Fairy-type energy comparable to the light of evolution—a Dazzling Gleam!

Watching the dust-covered Salamence crash to the ground, Edward coughed twice to suppress the urge to laugh.

Despite Ruckus achieving a breakthrough and evolving into Salamence, overcoming Q—a Ghost and Fairy-type Mimikyu—was still a daunting challenge due to the type disadvantage.

"That's enough, Q. Let it go." Edward waved his hand, signaling to Q, who reluctantly returned to his arms, grumbling softly.

"Don't worry, when Steven comes by next time, you'll get another chance to battle," Edward said with a wry smile, patting Q's head. Despite its timid nature, Q transformed into a relentless fighter during battles, refusing to stop until its opponent was nearly defeated.

Thanks to the bond Edward and Q had developed, he could control its battle instincts. Otherwise, persuading Q to stand down would have been a daunting task.

Reassured by Edward's promise, Q settled down and gave a triumphant glance at the defeated Ruckus.

"Q really is amazing," Headmistress Lillian said, tending to Ruckus's injuries while teasing it about its loss.

"Ruckus is incredible too. With time, it will undoubtedly become a formidable Pokémon," Edward said with admiration. Despite its rough start in life, Ruckus had endured and displayed such resilience that its future seemed boundless.

Of course, proper guidance from a skilled trainer was essential. Without it, Ruckus's growth would likely lag behind that of a Pokémon raised under a trainer's care.

Fortunately, Ruckus didn't need to worry about that. Headmistress Lillian was a former Gym Leader.

"Are you sure you won't reconsider?" Headmistress Lillian asked, hoping Edward would take Ruckus under his wing.

"Ruckus would rather stay here to protect this place," Edward said, smiling as he patted Ruckus's head. The joy in Salamence's eyes was unmistakable. Only Edward could see its true feelings—it was genuinely happy.

"This little one..." Headmistress Lillian shook her head. She truly wanted Edward to adopt Ruckus. Considering their bond and Edward's affluent background as the son of the Devon Corporation's president, he seemed the perfect candidate to support Ruckus's growth. However, Ruckus's refusal left her with no choice.

At that moment, a delicious aroma filled the air. Ruckus straightened up instantly, eyes gleaming as it stared eagerly toward the doorway.

Headmistress Lillian paused, then gave Edward a helpless smile.

"Headmistress, let's celebrate Ruckus's evolution with a feast today," Edward said, shrugging as he noticed Ruckus's anticipation.

"Edward, thank you," Headmistress Lillian said gratefully. Feeding so many Pokémon was no easy task, especially with a Salamence that had a voracious appetite. Edward's contributions were substantial.

Initially, Headmistress Lillian had suspected Edward was seeking to adopt one of the Pokémon. But as she got to know him better, she realized he simply wanted to care for these unfortunate creatures.

Uncle Hughes soon wheeled in a large cart, the aroma of fried chicken growing stronger. A swarm of Pokémon rushed over, except for a few herbivores who remained indifferent. Among them, a small Shroomish sneaked off to Ruckus's sunbathing spot, contentedly lying down and releasing spores.

A Poochyena rushing toward the food accidentally inhaled the spores and collapsed, twitching on the ground. Its three legs flailed wildly, unable to reach the delicious meat.

Fortunately, Headmistress Lillian was prepared. Salamence glanced back, flapped its wings to clear the spores, and helped Headmistress Lillian carry the three-legged Poochyena out, placing a piece of meat in its mouth.

Though paralyzed, the Poochyena happily chewed on its meal.

"Headmistress Lillian, have you seen the news lately? The Pokémon thieves are quite the hot topic," Edward mentioned, recalling the two Pokémon thieves still on the run. If caught, they would likely end up at Headmistress Lillian's center.

"Yes, I've seen it. Those two Pokémon even dropped off supplies here once. But that Kirlia's personality..." Headmistress Lillian hesitated, her expression turning peculiar.

"I'll kick your *** if you don't get up. I brought you stuff!" Headmistress Lillian mimicked the Kirlia's rough speech, summarizing what she overheard when the supplies were delivered late one night.

Edward's mouth twitched at the recount.

(End of Chapter)