https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-235-Arrival-at-the-Zero-Zone-Laboratory-New-Possibilities-/12537287/
Chapter 236: Mega Evolve, Gurdurr!
Chapter 236: Mega Evolve, Gurdurr!
The research institute didn't offer a wide variety of food options, indicating that the researchers' culinary demands were not particularly high.
Led by Dr. Olin, Naoki and Gurdurr made their way to the dining area of the institute.
It was mealtime, and several researchers, both male and female, had already gathered there, holding their trays. They nodded and greeted Dr. Olin as they spotted her.
Naoki looked at the researchers and noticed admiration in some of their eyes.
"It seems that Dr. Olin and Dr. Fortu are highly respected here, and rightfully so given their capabilities," Naoki thought to himself.
Dr. Olin strode forward with a confident gait, responding to her team of researchers while speaking to Naoki, "Due to limited ingredients, the food here might not compare to what you're used to outside. Apologies in advance for any inconvenience during your stay."
Naoki wasn't bothered by this, and he turned to Gurdurr with a smile, "It's fine, we're not picky eaters."
A slight curve formed on Dr. Olin's lips as she smiled gently, "After your meal, I'll have someone show you to your accommodations. We can give you a tour of the institute tomorrow morning."
"Thank you very much for your hospitality," Naoki replied politely.
"No need to be so formal; age-wise, Fortu and I are only eight years older than you, so it's not that big of a gap," Dr. Olin said.
She found Naoki to be an interesting person, and she continued, "And if it weren't for you, we might not have been able to figure out how to communicate with Paradox Pokemon so quickly."
Naoki smiled but remained silent, thinking that even without his involvement, the two doctors would have found a way to get Milank to adapt to them.
Dr. Olin escorted them to the food counter and introduced Naoki to the chef, "Feel free to come here for meals over the next few days if you or your Pokemon get hungry."
The chef inside, sporting a bushy beard, waved his spoon in greeting, flashing a welcoming smile at Naoki and Gurdurr, "Don't worry, Doctor. I'll make sure our guests are well-fed!"
"Thank you for your help," Dr. Olin nodded to the chef and then called out to a younger researcher, "After they're done eating, please show our guest to their accommodations."
"Yes!" The researcher nodded respectfully.
With that, Dr. Olin bid them farewell and turned to leave.
The young man, named Butchie, flashed a brilliant smile at Naoki, "Hello, I'm Dr. Olin's assistant, Butchie. I'll be your guide and show you around!"
He then turned to Gurdurr, "And this is Gurdurr number one, right?"
Naoki was perplexed, "Number one?"
Butchie explained, "Yes, the first Gurdurr summoned by the doctor. Besides this one, we also have Gurdurr number two and Milank number one in the institute, but their personalities clashed, so the doctor decided to separate them."
Hearing this, Naoki was taken aback.
So, there were a total of two Gurdurr and one Milank in this Zero Zone institute?
Wait, something wasn't adding up.
Logically, if this were a fused world, there should be four Pokemon—two Gurdurr and two Milank.
Following the game's narrative, these four Pokemon would engage in a fierce conflict over territory, leading to number one escaping the giant pit and eventually being found by the game's protagonist.
"Could it be that the fusion of the Ruby and Violet versions of the world has caused certain aspects to change automatically?" Naoki wondered, his confusion growing, though he didn't let it show.
He released his Fast Dragon and Papu from their Poke Balls and provided them with some Pokemon food before finding a spot to sit down.
To his surprise, while the food options for humans were rather plain, the Pokemon had a wide variety of delicious treats to choose from. There were dessert Pokeblocks, wondrous energy blocks, tasty Pokemon cookies, and fresh berries—a veritable feast.
Naoki guessed that the doctors had specially prepared this assortment to help tame the Paradox Pokemon.
Butchie was an outgoing and cheerful young man, around the same age as Naoki. As Naoki ate, Butchie sat across from him and shared many stories about Dr. Olin and Dr. Fortu—their remarkable talents, their invention of Mega Evolution, and their fearless approach to interacting with Paradox Pokemon.
Naoki listened, his mind drifting back to the events that had transpired since he first met the two doctors.
Setting aside the doctors' decision to summon ancient future Pokemon to the present for their dreams, they were genuinely good people.
Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly heard a grumbling voice from behind.
"Darn, those Paradox Pokemon are so scary. Dr. Olin and Dr. Fortu still insist on studying them and letting them live outside the giant pit. I've heard that quite a few researchers have been attacked and lost their lives. I'm scared; I can't die, my wife and daughter are still waiting for me at home."
Another researcher asked, "Do you want to quit?"
"What can I do? Sigh, I don't know what's going on upstairs. Why did they suddenly restart the frozen Project Tael, and even move the entire base to the Zero Zone Institute..."
As the man was about to say more, Butchie interrupted him.
"Hey! Now's not the time for that kind of talk! We're at a critical stage in the research on Paradox Pokemon. Even if we lose our lives because of them, it'll be worth it! At least we'll be contributing to the entire Pokemon scientific community!"
The two researchers quickly shut their mouths and fell silent.
Butchie turned back with a smile and said to Naoki, "Don't worry about it. Humans have never stopped their journey of exploration, and sacrifices along the way are inevitable. It is because of the sacrifices of our predecessors that we are here today, so we should also try to leave something behind for future generations!"
Naoki nodded, indicating his understanding, but his mind was racing with thoughts.
"No wonder there wasn't a single researcher in that huge institute in the game."
Due to the severe lack of manpower and the doctors' growing distrust of newly recruited researchers in the later stages, they had created their own AIs to assist them with their work.
So, the signs were already there even at this point in time.
Naoki quietly finished his meal and, under Butchie's guidance, made his way to his accommodations—a simple, silver-colored room.
The room wasn't spacious, containing only a bed, a desk, and a closet. Near the door was a bathroom and toilet.
The overall decor of the room leaned towards a cold, metallic, tech-inspired style, giving off a chilly vibe and lacking any sense of homeliness.
Upon arriving, Fast Dragon, Papu, and Gurdurr all wore slightly dejected expressions, clearly not fond of the place.
Seeing this, Naoki said helplessly, "Sorry, I didn't know it would be like this either. But I promise you, once we're done here, we'll go home and never come back to this place."
His curiosity about this place had already been satisfied.
Moreover, the atmosphere in the Zero Zone Institute was strange, and the overwhelming presence of the Crystal Buds and Crystal Blooms outside made Naoki feel that the place was extremely eerie. He didn't like it here.
Noticing Naoki's expression, the Pokemon chirped and nodded obediently.
Naoki smiled and patted each of them affectionately before saying, "Alright, let's get some rest now!"
Early the next morning, Butchie knocked on Naoki's door.
Naoki had already finished washing up and eating breakfast, so he opened the door and stepped out.
"Good morning!" Butchie greeted him with a lively smile. "The doctor asked me to bring you to her!"
"Okay."
Naoki nodded and followed Butchie out of the room, Gurdurr trailing behind them.
After walking down a corridor and turning a corner, they arrived at a laboratory filled with various research instruments.
Doctors Olin and Fortu, clad in their white lab coats, were busy adjusting a machine.
When they noticed Naoki, Doctor Olin approached him, exchanged greetings, and then said, "Next, we'd like to perform a physical examination on Gurdurr."
"Ah ga sso..." Gurdurr tilted its head, looking confused.
Seeing this, Doctor Olin smiled and said, "Don't worry, we're just going to check your body and see how healthy you are. We won't hurt you."
Gurdurr looked at Naoki.
Naoki nodded to it encouragingly. "Go on."
Gurdurr stepped forward and stood on the machine.
Doctor Olin stood in front of Gurdurr and began scanning it while Doctor Fortu turned to a large computer.
As Doctor Olin scanned, Gurdurr's physical data appeared on the computer screen.
Looking at the results, Doctor Fortu was astonished. "This Gurdurr's energy reaction is incredibly strong! Its strength far surpasses that of Gurdurr number two and Miltank!"
"Hmm?" Doctor Olin was equally surprised.
"It's clear that this Gurdurr has been well taken care of. Judging from its muscle density, it's an exceptionally robust Gurdurr!" Doctor Fortu's gaze turned appreciative as he looked at Naoki, who had been caring for Gurdurr.
At that moment, Dr. Fortu made a new discovery, his tone filled with excitement: "Sure enough, Gurdurr is slowly adapting to this world! Its brain is very active, indicating that it's engaging in deeper levels of thought! Just like those intelligent modern Pokemon!"
"Are you sure?" Dr. Olin quickly stepped forward to examine it.
Dr. Fortu nodded: "Compared to Gurdurr number two and Miltank, it's showing signs of gradually adapting to this world and the presence of humans!"
"Wonderful!" Dr. Olin exclaimed: "This is truly fantastic!"
Naoki quietly observed this scene from the sidelines.
He began to wonder if his presence had changed something.
"No, even without me, the two doctors would have eventually discovered this," he thought to himself.
After all, in the game, they never gave up on their dreams until the very end of their lives.
Even AI, the successor to the emotions of the two doctors, eventually traveled through time to the place where the Paradox Pokemon lived.
At this moment, Dr. Olin approached Naoki and sincerely expressed her gratitude: "Thank you so much for taking care of Gurdurr during this time."
Naoki: "?"
What was going on? From the sound of it, it seemed like they wanted to take his Gurdurr back. Naoki's heart sank, and he would never allow such a thing to happen.
However, that wasn't Dr. Olin's intention.
She glanced at Gurdurr and then at Naoki before continuing, "It seems that the two of you have formed a deep bond. Then, it's time."
Naoki was taken aback: "What?"
Dr. Olin clapped her hands, and an assistant brought over a black bead about the size of a Poke Ball.
Dr. Olin handed the bead to Naoki, introducing it, "This is the Mega Crystal that Dr. Fortu and I developed. From now on, it belongs to you. With it, you can have your Pokemon undergo Mega Evolution and engage in Mega Crystal battles. I believe you've heard about it outside."
"Ah?" Naoki reached out and took the Mega Crystal, feeling a sense of incredulity. "You're really giving it to me?"
"Of course," Dr. Olin smiled slightly. "You are an excellent Trainer, and you deserve this."
Naoki: "..."
Although he wasn't, he could be now.
Then, Dr. Olin waved at Gurdurr, signaling it to come over.
"Ah ga sso?"
Gurdurr walked straight to Naoki's side.
Looking at the man and Pokemon before her, Dr. Olin's eyes sparkled with anticipation as she said, "Now, let's Mega Evolve Gurdurr! Dr. Fortu and I want to witness this moment ourselves!"
Naoki was completely bewildered, staring at the Mega Crystal in his hand, utterly clueless.
Under the expectant gazes of the two doctors, he hesitantly looked up and asked, "How... do I use this?"
Dr. Olin: "..."
Dr. Fortu: "..."
They exchanged a smile, and then Dr. Fortu spoke up, "Just like when you usually throw a Poke Ball, toss it towards the Pokemon. As it gets close, the Mega Crystal's energy will automatically fuse with the Pokemon."
Upon hearing this, Naoki looked at Gurdurr and then tried to throw the black Mega Crystal.
Gurdurr's golden eyes were fixed on the Mega Crystal floating in mid-air.
When the Mega Crystal reached directly above it, a dazzling burst of Mega Crystal energy erupted from within, instantly enveloping Gurdurr below and transforming into a massive crystal.
The next second, accompanied by a "crack!" a sound like shattering glass emanated from the crystal, and in an instant, the huge crystal shattered, turning into stardust that drifted around them.
Within that radiance, Gurdurr's body began to shine like a sparkling jewel, as if covered in a layer of transparent crystal.
Above Gurdurr's head, a Mega Crystal gem resembling a crown appeared, and above the gem, a massive fist made of pure Mega Crystal energy materialized.
Dr. Olin and Dr. Fortu's eyes reflected Gurdurr's new form.
"We did it! Gurdurr can Mega Evolve too!"
"This Gurdurr's Mega Crystal attribute is the Fighting type! In this state, if Gurdurr uses Fighting-type moves, the power of those moves will become even stronger, perfectly suiting Gurdurr!"
(End of Chapter)
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