https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-457-Challenge-Me-You-Need-to-Beat-My-Student-First/12944668/
Chapter 458: The "Salt King's" Self-Cultivation
Chapter 458: The "Salt King's" Self-Cultivation
Saltstone Golem, a Rock-type Pokemon, is a simple Rock-type Pokemon.
Nicknamed the "Salt King" or, alternatively, the "Salt Emperor."
Its signature move, "Salt Encrustation," is a move that strikes fear into countless Pokemon in the Pokemon battle games.
"Yo-gee!" (╯▽╰)
Tyrogue gazed at the towering Saltstone Golem, its mouth slightly agape, eyes shining with excitement, and tears of joy almost rolling down from the corners of its mouth.
If one were to translate its expression, Tyrogue would be saying—
"It smells so good!"
Given its knowledge of minerals and the unique salt encrustations on the Saltstone Golem, the latter's allure was far greater than that of the three Sandi Shu it had encountered earlier.
"Hooong!"
The Saltstone Golem noticed Tyrogue's drooling gaze and instantly felt provoked, letting out a roar.
"Yo-gee!!!"
Tyrogue, facing its "food," responded with a feeble yet defiant roar.
Seeing the tiny Tyrogue showing a hint of determination, the Saltstone Golem couldn't help but pause in surprise.
How dare it?
A surge of anger welled up inside the Saltstone Golem, and it picked up a nearby stone, which was covered in a layer of white, snow-like or crystal-like substance. This substance quickly spread from its palm to the stone, and then it hurled the stone towards Tyrogue.
Salt Encrustation!
Inflicts the Salt Encrustation condition on the target!
[Salt Encrustation Condition: A Pokemon affected by Salt Encrustation loses one-eighth of its HP at the end of each turn. If the affected Pokemon is Steel or Water-type, it loses one-fourth of its HP!]
Not only does it cause damage equivalent to "Poison" for most Pokemon types, but it also deals even more damage to Steel and Water types.
Moreover, Salt Encrustation is an attacking move that deals damage on its own.
With an incredibly high accuracy rate, nearly a hundred percent chance of inflicting the Salt Encrustation condition on the opponent, and more...
"Jinghe, be careful!" Crystal exclaimed, witnessing the scene.
Such a tiny Tyrogue.
But she noticed a smile on Jinghe's face.
"Look, Tyrogue is taking this seriously," Jinghe said with a smile.
Hmm?
Crystal turned to Tyrogue and saw the little guy looking extremely serious, eager to give it his all.
The next second.
Her eyes widened slightly.
And then.
Facing the stone thrown by the Saltstone Golem, Tyrogue unceremoniously opened its mouth wide and—
Crunch!!
The stone was bitten down by Tyrogue, and then—
"It... ate it?" Crystal exclaimed in disbelief.
This tiny Tyrogue actually ate the Salt Encrustation move of the Saltstone Golem?
In terms of eating, Tyrogue had already learned some of Gramps' essence.
The Saltstone Golem was also stunned.
It never expected that the stone it threw would be dealt with in such a manner by Tyrogue.
"Yo-gee! Yo-gee!"
After swallowing the stone, Tyrogue wiped the salt residue from the corners of its mouth and excitedly waved at the Saltstone Golem.
More, give me more!
In terms of appetite, Tyrogue might not be able to match Gramps.
But when it comes to the seriousness with which it treats food, this little guy is probably the most dedicated of all Jinghe's Pokemon.
"Hooong!"
The Saltstone Golem, seeing this, lifted its foot high, as if to show Tyrogue what it was about to eat.
Jinghe narrowed his eyes and shouted, "Tyrogue, stomp!"
"Yo-gee?"
Tyrogue, upon hearing this, paused for a moment.
Then, it became even more excited and agitated.
Is this a battle?
It was born just as Jinghe was participating in the Lily of the Valley Conference.
Although it didn't get a chance to compete, watching the other Pokemon battle and display their incredible strength from the sidelines had left a deep impression on the young Tyrogue.
It realized that this was the specialty of the Jing family!
And now, hearing Jinghe's words, it suddenly understood that its first battle was upon it!
"Yo-gee!!!"
So, after a brief moment of distraction, Tyrogue quickly reacted, lifting its tiny feet with a fearless attitude, and stomping them down with full force.
Boom!
Instantly, a massive crack appeared on the ground, resembling a dragon lying on the earth, and quickly spread towards the Saltstone Golem.
"This... is a stomp?"
A question mark appeared above Crystal's head.
Seeing the crack that caused the Saltstone Golem to stumble, Crystal thought—
Tyrogue's ability is Stamina, which boosts its attack power when it's in a status condition.
Is Salt Encrustation just an abnormal condition?
Why does this Tyrogue seem so bold?
Jinghe's gaze, however, was fixed on the Saltstone Golem.
As it unleashed its move, the Pokedex already displayed information about it.
【Ability: Clean Salt】
【Clean Salt: Due to the purity of its salt crystals, it is immune to abnormal conditions, and damage from Ghost-type attacks is halved.】
This is also one of the reasons why the Saltstone Golem, a Pokemon, is nicknamed the "Salt King," as it is extremely effective against Ghost-type Pokemon.
As everyone knows, Ghost-type Pokemon are often very skilled at stacking negative buffs, like Gramps.
The Saltstone Golem, immune to abnormal conditions, and with its targeted resistance to Ghost-type attacks, has become the "nemesis" of Ghosts.
A thunderous roar shook the ground, causing the surrounding rocks to tremble, and a group of Saltstone Golems rose to their feet.
"Come back, Tyrogue!" Jinghe shouted.
One Saltstone Golem might be manageable for a Tyrogue, but a group of them was a different story.
"Chirp!"
The Tyrogue shuddered, instantly realizing its disadvantage, and scampered towards Jinghe, not forgetting to pick up a rock along the way.
Among the swaying Saltstone Golems, one with an exceptionally large build, at least one-third bigger than the others, squeezed through and took the front position.
Ordinary Saltstone Golems typically stand between 2.2 and 2.5 meters tall, but this one exceeded three meters in height! Its aura was also significantly stronger than the others.
Upon seeing this Saltstone Golem, Crystal's expression tightened, and she said, "Jing, Jinghe-sensei, it's this one!"
The main issue that brought Jinghe here originated from this Saltstone Golem.
"Huff!"
It spread its arms wide and roared at Jinghe and the others, exuding an intimidating aura.
Hmph!
Scared, aren't you?
The massive Saltstone Golem couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction.
What about it?
Jinghe's thoughts stirred.
Based on Crystal's brief description, he learned that this Saltstone Golem was somewhat unruly and had a bit of a temper, which made the entire group of Saltstone Golems restless.
Dr. Komoku and Crystal both suspected that the Golems' restlessness might be due to their relocation from the Paldea Region to the Chengdu Region, causing some discomfort.
Despite Dr. Komoku's substantial investment in creating a simulated environment for these Paldea Region Pokemon to live comfortably, some adjustment issues were inevitable.
Even with the best efforts to replicate their natural habitat, there might still be some challenges in adapting.
Uncomfortable? Jinghe's expression betrayed a hint of strangeness.
The 'Mood' section of the ordinary Saltstone Golem's Pokedex entry didn't describe it that way.
However, this massive Saltstone Golem might be different.
So...
"We'll find out soon enough," Jinghe thought, as the Poke Ball at his waist seemed to sense his intention and opened on its own.
In the red light, a Martial Bear Master, with its fists clenched in a bowing gesture, appeared before Jinghe.
Its fur rippled in the windless air, its head bobbing slightly, and its serious gaze fixed on the Saltstone Golem.
"Roar!"
The Saltstone Golem's aura was formidable!
A worthy opponent for my Bear Vanguard!
Upon seeing the Martial Bear Master, the Saltstone Golem across from them instinctively took a step back.
This guy... seems quite bold.
"Huff!"
The Saltstone Golem nodded slightly.
After moving here, I've finally found a worthy opponent! It waved its massive stone palms towards the Martial Bear Master in a gesture of challenge.
"Chirp! Chirp!"
The Tyrogue stood to the side, mimicking the Martial Bear Master's punching motions.
Bear Master, beat it! Beat it!
Knock it out, and we'll take it with us!
The stones on this Saltstone Golem seemed even more enticing than the previous one's.
"Roar!"
The Martial Bear Master nodded slightly, its eyes sharp.
Knock it out, and take it with us!
It remembered Jinghe mentioning that they needed a salt-producing partner.
With salt, we can make salt-baked chicken, duck, and lobster!
The Martial Bear Master licked its lips.
Meanwhile, the Saltstone Golem across from them noticed the change in the Tyrogue and Martial Bear Master's expressions and scoffed inwardly.
As expected, they're eyeing my salt. No one's leaving today!
As it spoke, its body began secreting large amounts of salt, and the surrounding rubble was scattered by its aura as it assumed a fighting stance.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
It actually took a step forward and launched an attack on the Martial Bear Master.
Eat my Salt King's fist!
"Be careful!" Crystal shrank her neck.
And facing the Saltstone Golem's aggressive move, the Martial Bear Master also unleashed its full momentum.
"Roar!!"
Boom!!
A wave of energy rippled out from its center, its fur bristling, and it unleashed a punch that was unstoppable and powerful enough to shatter mountains.
Facing the Saltstone Golem, it fearlessly swung its fist to meet the attack head-on, the sound of water rushing filling the air.
At the same time.
As the Saltstone Golem launched its attack, Jinghe finally obtained its Pokedex information.
【Saltstone Golem】
【Type: Rock】
【Ability: Clean Salt】
【Known Moves: Arm Thrust, Block, Slam, Wide Guard, Harden, Rock Blast, Rock Slide, Mud Shot, Rock Tomb, Rock Polish, Headbutt, Salt Encrustation.】
【Mood: Tough (You can lose a fight, but never lose your momentum!), Apprehensive (Why isn't this person scared yet?)】
【Condition: Excellent (It takes time to adapt to environmental changes)】
【Friendship Level: 10 (If you turn around and leave now, we can be good friends!)】
Got it.
Seeing this Pokedex entry, Jinghe's suspicions were confirmed.
Because from the previous Saltstone Golem's Pokedex entry, he saw in the 'Mood' column - 'Big Guy' said, being tough won't get you in trouble! As for who 'Big Guy' is, it couldn't be confirmed before, but now it's certain.
"Martial Bear Master, stop." Jinghe suddenly shouted.
"Roar?"
The Martial Bear Master's fist was less than five centimeters away from the Saltstone Golem, and out of absolute trust in Jinghe, it stopped its action.
It turned its head back towards Jinghe, a bit confused.
And the Saltstone Golem also stopped in its tracks, staring at the fist that was within an inch of it, drenched in cold sweat.
So close, just a little bit more
【Friendship Level: 30 (Hmph, good thing I acted convincingly enough!)】
Both Crystal and Dr. Komoku were stunned.
Why did they both stop?
The Martial Bear Master stopped because of Jinghe's command, but what about the Saltstone Golem?
It was just so fierce a moment ago, why
Jinghe's eyes narrowed, and he slowly approached.
This Saltstone Golem was interesting.
He hadn't encountered many Pokemon pretending to be tough, brave, or powerful in the wild.
In fact, it wasn't uncommon in the wild environment.
All for survival, after all.
But this Saltstone Golem, it was truly 'brave', taking its act all the way, even initiating the attack.
It wouldn't show its 'weakness' until the last moment.
Hmm. It had the shadow of an old veteran actor.
Jinghe walked to the Martial Bear Master's side, patted it, signaling it not to be nervous.
Then, under the watchful eyes of the Saltstone Golem, he rubbed his leg, scraped off some salt residue, and put it in his mouth to taste.
Hmm, salty enough!
"Hmm"
The Saltstone Golem let out a low growl, wanting to act fierce again, but it noticed the Martial Bear Master staring intently at it, and its back immediately cooled.
However, it remained unyielding, not budging an inch.
"Don't shake your legs, it will give it away." Jinghe's voice echoed in the Saltstone Golem's mind.
Saltstone Golem: ⊙▽⊙
Was...was I seen through?!
Jinghe turned to look at Dr. Komoku and said with a smile, "Dr. Komoku, I feel...I have a connection with it."
Upon hearing this, Dr. Komoku was stunned.
He immediately understood Jinghe's meaning and also smiled, "That's great."
Jinghe nodded, having received Dr. Komoku's permission.
He patted the big guy's leg, shaking off the salt residue, "How about it? Are you interested in coming with me?"
With this big guy leaving, the other Saltstone Golem wouldn't have so many thoughts.
The Saltstone Golem's expression hardened, just as it was about to show its toughness again.
At the same time, another voice echoed in the Saltstone Golem's mind.
"If you don't leave, you'll definitely give it away today."
Saltstone Golem:
"If you come with me, I'll teach you 'Actor's Self-Cultivation', how about it?"
Actor's Self-Cultivation?
"It's about teaching you how not to give it away."
Saltstone Golem: !?
Its eyes lit up.
"I'll make you a 'Salt King'."
Salt King?
"The 'Noble' among Saltstone Golems."
"Hmm?!"
Is it true?
Jinghe smiled and nodded.
Tyrogue, you're in luck.
(End of Chapter)
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