Chapter 7: Resources and Treasures

Under the urging of the Charizard Leader, Zhu Tianxing had no choice but to see Zhang Yun and his daughter Zhang Qian out of Charicific Valley, directing his clan members to show them other wild Pokémon. While it was highly unlikely that Zhang Qian would find her initial Pokémon here, it was still something that needed to be done.

Zhang Yun could guess what was about to happen. After all, this was the son of the tribe leader, and his treatment would certainly differ from that of an ordinary Charmander. Although curious about what was next, he didn't press the matter further. After saying goodbye to Su Chuan and Su Wen, he and his daughter left the inner valley.

Once Zhang Yun and his daughter were settled, Zhu Tianxing hurriedly returned to act as a translator.

"Ah Chuan, we need to discuss the Leader's requirements. The Leader hopes that every year, Su Wen can bring the Charmander back to check on its training progress. If it doesn't meet the Leader's expectations, he will take the Charmander back. However, as compensation, Su Wen can choose another Pokémon."

Upon hearing this, Su Wen and Su Chuan's expressions darkened. Su Chuan frowned. "Old Zhu, this is outrageous."

Just that notion of having the Charmander taken away if expectations weren't met felt like a heavy burden for Su Wen. What if he spent years training it only for the Charizard Leader to snatch it back?

"Listen to me completely," Zhu Tianxing replied. "The Leader said that if, by this time next year, the Charmander can reach the second stage of Novice Level, this year will count as a pass. If the Charmander reaches Master Level by the fifth stage, he won't ask you to come back for evaluations again."

At this, Su Chuan and Su Wen's faces grew even more strained. Novice Level? To break through two stages within a year seemed excessively demanding.

Although it appeared there were only seven tiers—Amateur, Novice, Elite, Champion, Master, Gym Leader, and Elite Four—these actually corresponded to stages zero through seven.

Stages zero and one were grouped in the Amateur level since Pokémon that had not reached the Novice Level were simply too weak to merit subdivision.

Thus, reaching the Novice level meant raising the currently early-stage Charmander all the way to stage two.

"Don't worry! Charicific Valley will provide the highest-level training resources for the Leader's child. The resources will be sent to Su Wen monthly. I'll forward the list to you." Seeing the sluggish expressions on Su Chuan and Su Wen's faces, Zhu Tianxing added hastily, pulling out his phone to send the prepared list.

These resources weren't provided by the Zhu family but rather by the Charizard tribe—the Charizard Leader himself. They had already been arranged.

Had a member of the Zhu family captured this Charmander, they would receive the same resources, though the family might provide additional support for training.

"Monthly supplies include two Fire Stones, one piece of Charcoal, ten Fire Gems, and fifteen Fire Seeds..."

"Hiss~~" The abundance of resources left Su Chuan astonished.

After taking the phone from his father, Su Wen gasped. The value of the items listed likely totaled in the millions.

On the market, Fire Stones ranged from 50,000 to 500,000, depending on quality. Almost everyone bought them for Pokémon evolution purposes.

Of course, the Fire Stones also contained Fire-type energy that could be absorbed directly, which was effective, albeit wasteful.

The "Charcoal" here didn't refer to the kind used for cooking but rather an item that, when absorbed by a Pokémon, would enhance the power of Fire-type moves.

"Absorption" was a term created specifically for items related to Pokémon. When an item was absorbed, it did not disappear; instead, it bonded with the Pokémon in a special way.

This meant that items could be absorbed and later "separated," indicating they weren't wholly integrated with the Pokémon—their effects merely provided a temporary boost. Of course, if a Pokémon absorbed an item for a lifetime, that could be considered a permanent enhancement.

However, a Pokémon could only absorb one item at a time. For instance, while Charcoal and Life Orb were both items, a Charmander could only choose one. To absorb another item, it had to first separate the previously absorbed one.

Moreover, the same item couldn't be absorbed repeatedly; if one Charcoal was absorbed, another couldn't be absorbed until the first was removed.

Su Wen still didn't fully understand how items were produced.

However, the list showed one piece of Charcoal would be supplied each month, indicating the Charcoal's purpose wasn't for absorption but rather for direct consumption.

The Fire energy contained in Charcoal wasn't as volatile as that of a Fire Stone—instead, it provided a gentle boost, making it an excellent option for absorption. The price of a piece of Charcoal could go as high as 300,000.

The use of Fire Gems was somewhat underwhelming—they were one-time use items. Allowing Pokémon to absorb their energy just before battle would boost the power of Fire-type moves temporarily. However, providing ten Fire Gems monthly clearly wasn't for combat reasons.

If not for fighting, then Fire Gems served another purpose: they helped Pokémon quickly familiarize themselves with their own energy during training, resulting in faster mastery of various Fire-type moves.

Such lavish uses were beyond anything Su Wen had ever imagined. How would he ever get to experience this kind of wealth?

Not to mention the rare fruit and various other scattered resources listed.

With these resources, even if Su Wen used a few for training and discarded others, he could easily raise a Fire-type Pokémon to the Novice Level within a year.

Su Wen's gaze toward the Charmander changed completely—it wasn't just a Pokémon; it was a walking goldmine.

"The usage of these resources is up to you, but with this many resources, I believe you can do it," Zhu Tianxing said, patting Su Wen on the shoulder. "I'll send a training manual for Charizard to you shortly—it's a compilation of knowledge accumulated by the Zhu family over the years. I can't share the core details, but if you study this carefully, it will definitely be useful. Just remember not to share it outside."

"Thank you, Uncle Zhu." Su Wen was very grateful; this manual's worth would surely rival or exceed that of the resources listed. It represented the pinnacle of knowledge regarding Charizard cultivation, crafted over centuries by the Zhu family.

Su Chuan clapped his hands together as if to emphasize, "Don't worry, Tianxing. If Su Wen fails to train that Charmander properly, I'll definitely give him a good thrashing."

What a dedicated father...

Once Zhu Tianxing had finished discussing matters with Su Chuan and Su Wen, the Charizard Leader signalled for them to wait, spreading its wings and soaring into the depths of the valley.

Zhu Tianxing stroked his chin, as if remembering something. He smiled and shook his head. "The Leader is very attentive to his child."

Su Wen and his father were left puzzled. Su Chuan asked, "What's the Leader going to do?"

Zhu Tianxing hesitated for a moment, weighing whether to share, but ultimately decided to be truthful. "Ah Chuan, you know that the Fire-type energy concentration in Charicific Valley is much higher than in most other places, right? Take Yun City, for example—the concentration of Fire-type energy here is probably only a fraction of what it is in Charicific Valley."

Su Chuan sighed. "There's no way around it. In the city, resources are limited, and with so many Pokémon, the energy available is scarce. Over time, the concentration diminishes."

Generally, the richer the energy in an environment, the better it was for a Pokémon's growth. Thus, most Gym Leaders and powerful Trainers settled in the suburbs or deep in the mountains, avoiding urban areas.

Zhu Tianxing nodded. "There are three ancestral treasures within the Charizard tribe: one is the Charizard stone carving you know about, while the other two are the Crimson Flame Orb and the Indigo Flame Orb. The stone carving is essential for the Flame Ritual, while both orbs contain abundant energy and help condense Fire-type energy."

"I suspect the Leader is going to retrieve one of those orbs."

Su Chuan was aware of the Charizard stone carving but hadn't known about the two other treasures; he went wide-eyed and instinctively licked his lips. "This... is far too valuable. If those are taken, what will happen to Charicific Valley?"

Zhu Tianxing chuckled. "It's not that dramatic. Charicific Valley is essentially a dormant volcano. After thousands of years, the Fire-type energy is exceptionally rich there. The energy drawn from the two orbs can cover a radius of several meters, and it's particularly effective for the Charmander—it's as if they are naturally suited to one another."

Su Chuan breathed a sigh of relief. In that case, it wouldn't be a problem. Meanwhile, Su Wen felt a bit perplexed. What were these ancestral carvings, and what about the orbs? This was clearly a topic beyond his knowledge.

Damn it, I feel disconnected from this world all of a sudden.

Nearby, the Charmander ignored the conversation, circling Su Wen in excitement, keen to understand the 'Chef' who would be its partner.

While Su Chuan and Zhu Tianxing were discussing, the Charizard Leader returned, clutching the so-called "Indigo Flame Orb."

Su Wen felt a sudden jolt of surprise at what the "Indigo Flame Orb" really looked like.

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