Chapter 138: A Gathering of Solrock

Setting aside the subjective bias from his previous life, Maki acknowledged that Pokémon like Lunatone and Solrock were relatively rare. After all, they could only be encountered in places similar to Mt. Moon. Though they certainly couldn't rival pseudo-legendary Pokémon, they were still highly sought after by many trainers.

Of course, their high value wasn't due to their battle prowess but mainly because of their rarity—similar to Farfetch'd. Despite Farfetch'd's modest combat capabilities, its scarcity made it valuable.

Farfetch'd also had the added appeal of its delicious meat—seasoned naturally with its own leek.

While the idea of capturing the Lunatone crossed his mind, Maki refrained from rushing in. Lunatone's Rock and Psychic typing endowed it with extraordinary sensory abilities. Approaching recklessly would undoubtedly alert it.

Since the likelihood of finding a Larvitar was slim, capturing a Lunatone to sell later could help cover some of his outstanding debts on paper.

However, just as Maki contemplated how to get closer, the Lunatone's body trembled unexpectedly. Its crimson eyes gleamed brighter, and it slowly turned toward a direction, floating away at a leisurely pace.

Maki was momentarily stunned, unsure why the Lunatone had departed so suddenly. But letting such a prize slip away was out of the question—especially with Dragonite as backup. His plan was simple: charge forward.

He had already recalled Charmeleon and Mawile into their Poké Balls—too many companions would draw attention in the cave. Cottonee, as usual, perched atop his head, claiming that with Charmeleon and Mawile gone, it was her duty to protect Maki.

After Mawile's previous reckless behavior, Maki had preemptively locked both Charmeleon and Mawile's Poké Balls. Without his manual release, they couldn't emerge. This precaution stemmed from the danger of Mawile's last battle—if not for its Steel-type immunity to Poison-type moves, Mawile might have perished.

According to the Breeder Association's guidelines on Poké Ball manufacturing, such locking mechanisms could only last a maximum of one week. This safeguard prevented Pokémon from being trapped indefinitely if their trainer suffered an accident.

Dragonite, however, was a different story. For a Pokémon of its caliber, no Poké Ball—not even the strongest Ultra Ball—could truly contain it. To Dragonite, a Poké Ball was merely a convenient place to rest.

Trailing the Lunatone from a safe distance, Maki remained undetected.

"Cotton~"

Cottonee whispered softly, pointing with its leaf to one side.

Maki spotted several more Lunatone, all drifting in the same direction as the one he was following. The deeper they ventured, the more Lunatone appeared—accompanied by numerous Solrock, all converging on the same destination.

What was going on?

Maki furrowed his brow. Why would so many Lunatone and Solrock gather like this?

He quickly ducked behind a rock as a Lunatone floated by, its crescent body bobbing as if suspicious of something. After scanning the area without finding anything amiss, the Lunatone resumed its journey.

Breathing a quiet sigh of relief, Maki remained hidden. Though he wasn't afraid of the Pokémon, getting caught would jeopardize his chance to witness what was happening.

His curiosity burning, Maki resumed his pursuit, the sheer number of Lunatone and Solrock making it easy to follow the right path.

After what felt like an endless walk, a dazzling light appeared ahead—a possible exit?

The distance made it difficult to discern the scenery beyond, but Lunatone and Solrock continued drifting through the opening. Emerging now would surely expose him.

Suppressing his curiosity, Maki hid once more, waiting until the last Lunatone had vanished through the exit.

When the coast was clear, he cautiously approached the opening, glancing around for stragglers.

Luckily, these Pokémon seemed to be punctual—no latecomers in sight—making Maki's infiltration remarkably smooth.

As he stepped into the light, his eyes squinted to adjust after the prolonged time in the cave. But once he adapted, the sight before him left him utterly stunned.

A colossal valley stretched out, encircled by towering cliffs that formed an almost perfect circle. Despite the imposing rock walls, the area was bathed in brilliant sunlight.

However, the most astonishing sight was the thousands—possibly tens of thousands—of Solrock floating in the sky. Even a single Solrock commanded a high price, but here they gathered in unimaginable numbers.

Yet Maki had no time to dwell on their value. His attention shifted to the why—what was drawing them here?

Each Solrock occupied a precise position, forming what seemed like a deliberate pattern. Their bodies angled in various directions, and after careful observation, Maki realized they were reflecting sunlight toward a central point.

All the beams converged on one location—an area encircled by the gathered Lunatone.

What on earth was about to happen?

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