Chapter 171: The Rotom Joins the Team!

In the Wild, at a Secluded Clearing

Paul sat with his eyes closed, meditating. He was focused on honing his strength and gathering his mental energy.

Meanwhile, his Pokémon were locked in intense battles, sharpening their attack techniques and strengthening their bodies.

Electivire and Garchomp were sparring fiercely, pushing each other to the limit in a brotherly yet competitive clash.

One was refining its attack patterns while training its mastery over the Rough Skin ability and Sandstorm control.

The goal was simple: ensure that any contact with an opponent whether attacking or being attacked would inflict damage through Rough Skin.

As for Sandstorm, Paul aimed to reach the level of Bertha's Hippowdon, transforming the weather move into an offensive tool, making it a versatile technique that could be used for attack, defense, and battlefield control.

However, progress was slow.

On the other hand, Electivire was also working on strategies to counter Ground-type Pokémon, focusing on moves like Psychic and Focus Blast.

Its progress was both promising and frustrating.

Promising—because through training, Electivire discovered that Ground-types weren't as overwhelming as it had once thought. Against most of them, it could hold its own relying on Ice Punch, Focus Blast, and Psychic to turn the tide.

Frustrating—because when faced with a tank like Torterra, the ultimate artillery platform Electivire struggled.

Long-range attacks barely scratched it, and closing the distance was even harder.

Even if it did manage to get close, one wrong move could spell disaster. Finding an effective strategy was proving to be a real challenge.

Ironically, out of all the Pokémon in the team, the one that fared the best against Torterra was actually Ninetales—the youngest and least physically imposing member of the group.

By utilizing Nasty Plot and Flash Fire, Ninetales could unleash relentless fire attacks, completely overwhelming Torterra.

Although Electivire could also learn moves like Fire Blast and Flamethrower, its potential in that area was ultimately limited.

Since that's the case, why bother learning them at all? It simply chose to abandon the idea altogether.

Both Paul and Electivire agreed that rather than focusing on improving Fire Blast to counter Torterra's Ground typing, it would be more practical to refine its electromagnetic burst technique for high-speed engagement—delivering an Ice Punch in close quarters for a decisive finish.

Nearby, Ninetales and Dewott were engaged in an intense melee battle, neither holding back in the slightest.

Ninetales weaved through the battlefield, lashing out with its nine steel-like tails while combining Hypnosis, Attract, and Psychic to launch a relentless assault on Dewott.

Dewott, on the other hand, maintained extreme focus, utilizing its Scope Lens to enter a "Keen Eye" state, relentlessly striking at Ninetales' weak points with precise and ruthless slashes.

At a glance, Ninetales held the advantage due to its versatile attack methods.

However, for the fiercely competitive Dewott, this was the perfect training environment.

Meanwhile, Ursaring and Metagross were engaged in a more straightforward brawl—no elaborate strategies, just pure unrestrained force. Their battle while seemingly unrefined, was by far the most intense.

Recently, Paul had restarted his "Pay-to-Win" plan, resuming Metagross' high-purity mineral consumption regimen. By consuming refined ores and undergoing specialized training, Metagross was gradually forging an even stronger body.

"Beep beep—"

As time passed, the sudden ringing of Paul's phone interrupted his meditation.

Landing smoothly on the ground, he retrieved his phone and glanced at the caller ID. Seeing that it was Reggie, he answered it without hesitation.

"What's up, bro?"

"I've got a friend in Sunyshore City who recently bred a batch of Rotom. I hear they're pretty impressive."

"I managed to get one for you. When you have time, you can come pick one out and sync it with your Pokédex or phone—it should be a great asset to your training."

Reggie didn't waste any time and got straight to the point.

"Rotom… Phone… Pokédex… I should give it a try. Send me the address later."

Paul considered it for a moment before agreeing.

In recent years, with the introduction of Rotom Phones, Pokédexes, and even drone-based surveillance, travel had become more dynamic and convenient than ever.

Thanks to the voice functions of the Rotom-integrated devices, they could effectively "speak human language" and even translate Pokémon speech.

Beyond that, they offered various useful features. For Paul, the most practical function was the ability to scan Pokémon in real time, allowing him to monitor their condition and analyze data on the go.

Of course, there were drawbacks—mainly, using the phone manually became more cumbersome and privacy was virtually nonexistent since Rotom had access to everything stored on the device.

Not that Paul had anything to hide.

Previously, he hadn't caught a Rotom due to their rarity and the lack of a suitable one for his needs. But now that the opportunity presented itself, he figured he might as well capture one and put it to good use.

"I'll let him know. Just mention my name when you get there, and they'll take care of you. Good luck with your journey."

"Yeah, I will."

After hanging up, Paul observed his Pokémon as they continued their training. Once their session concluded, he returned to his meditation.

A Few Days Later...At Sunyshore City

As demand for Rotom surged and research into its appliance-integration capabilities expanded, the Pokémon League had established a dedicated Rotom breeding and research facility in Sunyshore City.

Reggie's so-called "friend" was none other than the person in charge of Rotom breeding at the facility.

After explaining his reason for visiting at the entrance, Paul was soon escorted by a staff member to a designated area.

There, he spotted a blue-haired man in a breeder's uniform, playing with a newly hatched Rotom.

"So, you're here… No wonder, you really do look like Reggie's little brother." The man said, turning around with a smile.

"Good day to you." Paul greeted him.

"Just as Reggie described. Come with me—I'll help you pick a Rotom."

"Roo~"

The man tapped his own small Rotom on the head before leading Paul toward a special area.

As the doors opened, a naturally simulated environment was revealed—flowing water, vibrant flowers, and lush trees filled the space. Numerous Rotom zipped around, playfully darting between the scenery.

"You're free to choose any Rotom here."

The man guided Paul further inside, then added, "Reggie mentioned that you place great importance on a Pokémon's potential, right?"

"Weak Pokémon require significantly more time, effort, and resources to reach the same level of strength that a naturally gifted Pokémon can achieve with far less training."

"If I can raise a weak Pokémon into a powerhouse, then naturally, I can make a strong Pokémon even stronger."

Paul stated his philosophy plainly.

"There's some logic to that… In that case…"

The man nodded thoughtfully, scanning the Rotom around them. His gaze eventually settled on one, and he pointed toward it.

"How about that one? Among all the Rotom in this facility, it has the highest natural talent."

Paul looked over, he saw a bright yellow electricity crackling in midair as a mischievous Rotom cackled gleefully, teasing the other Rotom around it. After successfully pulling off another prank, it burst into laughter, exuding the unmistakable air of a troublemaker.

"No."

Paul shook his head decisively.

He had never been particularly fond of Rotom, a Pokémon that needed to possess electrical appliances to unleash its full potential. While its ability to change forms depending on the appliance offered tactical versatility, his current team had no need for a Rotom.

Well, to be honest, the real reason was that after scanning this Rotom, Paul found that its natural talent wasn't high enough to qualify as a main battle member.

A noisy, troublesome Pokémon? Absolutely not.

"Not even the most talented one? What exactly are your requirements?"

"Quiet, obedient, and well-behaved. Talent doesn't matter."

Right now, what Paul needed most was a simple tool Pokémon.

And for a tool Pokémon, strength wasn't the priority—obedience and silence were.

If he wasn't planning to use it for battle anyway, then a mischievous or unruly personality would be more of a liability than an asset. If that were the case, he'd rather not have it at all.

"Quiet and well-behaved…"

The man nodded thoughtfully and slowly walked deeper into the area, scanning the surrounding Pokémon as if searching for a Rotom that met Paul's criteria.

In a species known for being energetic and playful, a quiet and well-behaved Rotom was certainly an oddity. However, he vaguely recalled that there was indeed one such Rotom at the facility.

At the edge of the area, resting atop a small generator, a little Rotom lay fast asleep, completely unbothered by the outside world—utterly indifferent to everything around it.

"What about that one? Its talent is considered excellent, but its personality is rather reserved. It prefers solitude over play and often spends its time resting or meditating in a corner."

"The unique thing about this Rotom is that—it's one of the rare few capable of using Psychic-type moves. If I remember correctly, its Hidden Power is also Psychic-type."

The man gave a brief introduction. Without hesitation, Paul pulled out his Pokédex to scan the Rotom, wanting to confirm if it truly had psychic abilities.

"Roo..."

At that moment, Rotom regained consciousness. It hovered calmly over the generator, silently observing the two trainers and Paul's Pokédex without making a fuss.

"Not bad. I'll take it."

After completing the scan, Paul nodded decisively.

"Rotom, from now on, you'll be traveling with Paul." The man said gently, bending down to pat Rotom on the head.

"Ro~"

Rotom studied Paul for a few seconds before giving a subtle nod.

"Come inside for now." Paul said, extending his customized black Pokédex toward Rotom.

His Pokédex was specially designed to house a Rotom, unlike his current phone which couldn't accommodate one yet. He'd have to upgrade it later.

"Ro~"

With a soft chime, Rotom swiftly entered the Pokédex.

The once-dim device automatically flipped open, revealing a pair of glowing eyes at the top. Two semi-transparent "arms" emerged from its sides as the Pokédex floated up from Paul's hand.

Unlike the animated and expressive Rotom Pokédex seen in the games and anime, this one reflected Rotom's quiet nature, making it seem far less lively.

However, Paul preferred it that way.

"Hmm, not bad. I'll take you to retrieve Rotom's Poké Ball, then transfer it to Reggie."

The man nodded and walked outside with Paul.

"Alright, thanks for the help."

The two then carried out a series of procedures to transfer Rotom's Poké Ball to Reggie and officially change its ownership.

While he was at it, Paul also used the transfer system to adjust his team, temporarily swapping out Torterra for Ninetales in preparation for his upcoming Gym battle.

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