Chapter 124: Another Encounter With The Little Monk

At the entrance of a cave in the simulated garden, an Eevee tilted its head, curiously watching the strangers who had suddenly entered.

Suddenly, it noticed that one of them was staring at it without blinking, as if confirming something.

"Vee~"Shyly, Eevee hid inside the cave, hopping over to its mother, a noble and elegant Umbreon!

"Vee~ Vee~"

Eevee affectionately rubbed against Umbreon, then curiously asked why those people had come.

Why? Umbreon opened its eyes, gazed at Eevee for a moment, and then gently nudged it toward the entrance.

"Vee?"

Go outside, try to interact with them, and see if there's someone you like.

Eevee found Umbreon's order strange, but it was also curious about the people outside. It happily hopped out again.

Umbreon slightly lifted its body, watching its little Eevee leave.

Back then, it had also been taken from this place, how nostalgic, the days of adventuring with a Trainer.

Umbreon didn't reject human Trainers, because only when its bond with a Trainer reached a certain level, when it wished to reciprocate that affection, would it evolve in the darkness of night.

So, it had no objections if its child was captured. More than that, it hoped its child could meet an excellent Trainer and begin its own exciting journey.

....

Eevee stepped out of the cave once more, and Sato was already squatting at the entrance, causing the hopping Eevee to freeze in surprise.

"Don't be afraid."

Eevee looked up and sniffed the air instinctively, then cautiously moved closer to Sato.

Sato extended his right hand, patiently waiting as Eevee slowly approached, step by step.

When Eevee finally reached him, a gentle hand covered its large ears, giving them a soft rub.

"Evee~"

The comfortable whimper Eevee let out was so soft and sweet that it almost melted Sato's heart.

Eevee flopped onto the grass, allowing Sato to scratch its belly, its little eyes half-closed in complete bliss.

Sato had imagined this scene countless times, but now that it was happening again, he couldn't help but smile warmly.

"Eevee, do you want to come with me? Let's go see the outside world."

"Vee?"

The outside world… does it have delicious food?

Sato seemed to understand Eevee's meaning and chuckled.

"There's plenty of delicious food! But more importantly, you can become stronger!"

"Eveeee!"

Become stronger!

Eevee flipped onto its feet, blinking its large eyes at Sato. Becoming stronger seemed even more important than delicious food.

"That's right, become stronger!"

"…Evee."

Eevee was about to nod enthusiastically when it suddenly hesitated and glanced back into the cave.

Moments later, a graceful Umbreon emerged from the shadows. It glanced at its child before turning its gaze toward Sato.

Suddenly, Umbreon lowered its head, staring intently at Sato's shadow for a few seconds.

Just as Sato was about to call out Gengar to greet it, Umbreon shifted its gaze away.

"Umbreon!"

Umbreon nodded slightly at Eevee, then, without hesitation, returned to the cave, leaving behind an overjoyed Eevee.

"Evee Vee!"

Eevee ran to Sato's side, shaking its body and chirping excitedly.

Sato gently lifted it, placing it onto his right shoulder. Eevee looked left and right, as if evaluating its new seat.

As Sato stood up, it felt slightly nervous at first, but soon, it became enchanted by the elevated view.

Happily, it nuzzled its tiny face against Sato. This was its first time meeting Sato, but for some reason, it felt an instant connection.

Without using a Poké Ball, Sato simply walked toward the exit, while the four little girls were still searching for their ideal partners.

Sato's swift and effortless way of taking an Eevee left White stunned and even made Fuyuko's eyes sparkle with intrigue.

"That's it? You're not going to look around a bit more?" White couldn't help but ask.

"No need. This one is the best choice."

Sato smiled slightly, gently stroking the Eevee that was glaring at White in defiance.

"Eveee!" Eevee nodded in agreement. Even though they had just met, their bond was already undeniable.

White seemed to realize something, suddenly nodding in understanding.

Sato knew White had misunderstood but didn't bother explaining.

In reality, since Eevee hadn't evolved yet, Sato couldn't sense its true potential.

However, in his past life, after evolving into Umbreon, this same Eevee had broken through to Pseudo-Elite Four. Its potential couldn't be bad.

"Congratulations, Sato! The speed at which you picked an Eevee really surprised me. It felt like you already had a target in mind."

Sato raised an eyebrow and smiled at Fuyuko.

"To be honest, Auntie Fuyuko, I plan to raise an Umbreon, so I chose the child of an Umbreon to make things easier."

"Oh? So you prefer Dark-type Pokémon?" White chimed in from the side.

"Dark-type Trainers are quite rare. Most Dark-types are known for their destructive power, but Umbreon is different, it specializes in defense. You won't regret your choice, will you?"

"I understand. Thank you for the advice, Auntie Fuyuko," Sato replied obediently, putting on a thoughtful expression.

-----

It took over half an hour before the four little girls finally earned their Eevee's approval and came out with their new partners.

Having obtained the Eevee he longed for, Sato had completed his journey in Ecruteak City. After packing up, he and White bid farewell to Fuyuko.

Just as they stepped outside, a refined-looking young monk stopped them.

"Sato, do you remember me?"

The young monk ran over excitedly, his face beaming.

"I remember. You're from Bell Tower. How is Head Monk/Reverend Mingguang these days?"

"He's doing well! He sent me to invite you to visit Bell Tower once more."

Sato frowned. His first instinct was to refuse, but then, another thought crossed his mind.

"Alright, let's go now. White, do you want to come? If not, you can wait for me at the Pokémon Center."

"Go? Of course, I'm going! I've never even been inside Bell Tower before!"

Without hesitation, the three of them headed toward Bell Tower.

This time, Reverend Mingguang was waiting for Sato directly at the entrance, as if he had already expected his arrival.

"Sato, young benefactor! I hope you have been well."

"Everything has been good. Thank you for your concern, Reverend. This is my friend, White, I hope you don't mind me bringing him along."

"No worries, no worries. A guest is always welcome. Also, young benefactor, I imagine you must have many questions. Let's sit and talk."

Mingguang led the way, guiding them to a pavilion.

"Young benefactor, would you mind taking out the Rainbow Feather for us to examine?"

"Sure. Wait a moment."

Sato retrieved a small box from his backpack containing the Rainbow Feather.

To be honest, it was a bit embarrassing, ever since he had obtained the Rainbow Feather, he had never even opened the box.

Mingguang didn't seem to mind.

With a solemn expression, he carefully accepted the box and gently opened it.