Pokemon: Gym Leader

"What did father your say?"

Seeing Dylan's expression, Ilene couldn't help but be curious.

"Nothing much, just that he's still the same old joker."

Dylan calmly folded the letter back into the envelope, making a light-hearted complaint about his father.

"Pfft~ Who talks about their dad like that? And what does 'joker' mean?" Ilene laughed softly, covering her mouth.

"Just take it as a compliment," Dylan replied after a moment's thought.

"He prepared these two Pokémon for me. I wonder what they are; let's take a look."

Dylan then curiously picked up the two Poké Balls.

"Sure!" Ilene was also very interested.

The two of them went to the backyard, and Dylan tossed out the two Poké Balls.

Two beams of white light flashed, and two Pokémon appeared in front of them.

The Pokémon on the left had a rather peculiar appearance, with ten tentacles hanging down like hair, covering its body. However, the tentacles in the front were short, allowing them to see its purple body.

It was a Mareanie.

The one on the right also had a strange appearance, resembling a shell-less snail with a pale purple body, green spots on its cheeks, and two antennae on its head.

Dylan was a bit surprised because this was a Goomy! Its final evolution is one of the Pseudo-Legendaries, Goodra or Hisuian Goodra.

Goodra, a Pseudo-Legendary!

Of course, Pseudo-Legendary is just a common term among players. Officially, Pokémon like Goodra and Dragonite are referred to as "Late Bloomers."

"Beep~ Goomy, Dragon-type, Soft Tissue Pokémon.

Ability: Sap Sipper

Moves: Dragon Breath, Water Gun, Absorb, Tackle, Counter (Egg Move)

Description: The weakest Dragon-type Pokémon. If its skin dries out, it won't be able to breathe, so it always stays in shady places."

"Beep~ Mareanie, Poison/Water-type, Brutal Star Pokémon.

Ability: Merciless

Moves: Recover, Venoshock, Bite, Wide Guard, Poison Sting, Peck, Haze (Egg Move)

Description: It stabs its prey with its poison spike and then grabs it with its ten tentacles when it's weakened, delivering a fatal blow."

Ilene took out her Pokédex and checked the information of the two Pokémon. Although she wasn't a trainer, she had still purchased a Pokédex as a useful tool.

At that moment, Goomy curiously looked around, while Mareanie remained quiet and seemed a bit shy.

Sprigatito took a few steps forward, its eyes full of curiosity as it looked at its new companions.

"They're both excellent."

Dylan also finished checking the information on the two Pokémon. Well, it made sense—his father wouldn't have given him any subpar Pokémon.

"Hello there, from today on, I'll be your trainer. Let's work well together."

Dylan squatted down, speaking gently as he offered a Dragon-type and a Poison-type Pokéblock to the Pokémon. A mysterious wave of energy also emanated from him.

"Goo~"

Goomy, clearly the more outgoing of the two, took a small bite of the Dragon-type Pokéblock, and its eyes lit up. It then happily called out to Dylan, its eyes squinting with joy.

Mareanie, on the other hand, remained quiet and shy, but it didn't reject Dylan's Pokéblock.

Pokéblocks are nutritious treats made from Berries that not only serve as food but are also delicious, making them a popular choice for Pokémon.

"I'm glad you like it." Dylan's smile remained warm and comforting, making the two Pokémon feel very close to him. The mysterious energy continued to flow.

Yes, this was his special ability: the Power of Viridian.

The Power of Viridian is a natural force, a blessing from the Viridian Forest. Children born in the Viridian Forest have a chance to receive its blessing. Those with the Power of Viridian are naturally close to Pokémon, possessing the ability to heal them, communicate with them, and possibly even other special abilities.

Thanks to the Power of Viridian, the Pokéblocks, and Dylan's gentle demeanor, Goomy and Mareanie quickly warmed up to him.

"No matter how many times I see it, Dylan, your ability to easily gain the trust and friendship of Pokémon is truly amazing," Ilene quietly marveled as she watched the two Pokémon devour the Pokéblocks.

"That's why I love Pokémon and want to become a trainer. This is a gift from nature," Dylan replied with a gentle smile, his eyes reflecting a soft glow.

The Power of Viridian, an ability only found in the Pokémon Adventures manga, doesn't exist in the anime or games.

So, is this world not just the anime world? Compared to the anime and games, the Pokémon world in Adventures is far more dangerous.

But the current Champion of Kanto is Lance, so that must be right. However, in Adventures, Lance is a major villain. So, there are some differences.

"Speaking of which..."

Dylan glanced at Sprigatito, then at Goomy and Mareanie, finally fixing his gaze on Mareanie.

From what he knew, Mareanie's growth rate was clearly higher than that of Sprigatito and Goomy.

"What's on your mind, Dylan?" Ilene asked, noticing the thoughtful look on his face.

"Nothing, just thought of something. Ilene, do you know how to make a Gym famous quickly?"

"Huh?"

"Uniqueness. For a Gym to be well-known, it needs to have a unique feature," Dylan said with a snap of his fingers, his eyes brightening.

"Like what?" Ilene still didn't quite get it.

"It could be a signature terrain feature, a distinctive battle style, or even a specific typing theme."

Dylan explained further.

"For example, the current Cerulean Gym. Although it benefits from its history as a former official Gym, what keeps its fame alive now is the underwater dance performances by the Cerulean Sisters who currently run it."

"Even though their battle skills are terrible, they put on a good show, which makes it a unique feature."

Dylan had a good idea of the path he could take early on. His Pokémon weren't very strong yet, so attracting challengers with difficulty was out of the question.

Ilene was amazed, even if she didn't fully understand.

"Mareanie, come here. I have something interesting to show you."

"?"

Mareanie, having finished its Pokéblock, tilted its head in confusion as Dylan approached.

Why does this trainer's smile seem a bit suspicious?

Dylan then began taking out one TM after another. TMs are tools that allow Pokémon to quickly learn new moves.

Normally, Pokémon learn moves through their own experiences, special training, or by observing other Pokémon. There's no real need to buy TMs.

But Dylan's family was wealthy, so his father had bought a lot of them—because it was convenient.

After teaching Mareanie more than ten moves in one go, Dylan had a satisfied smile on his face.

Now, all that was left was a few days of training, and he would be ready for challengers.

(End of Chapter)