Chapter 57: Journey to Chimney Mountain

The mountain range between Canaz City and Green Shade Town is also part of Chimney Mountain, but Green Shade Town is famed for its constant fresh breeze, which ensures that volcanic ash never settles there. It is celebrated as the most suitable place for healthy living. However, if Zhao Fang wished to visit Green Shade Town, he would have to traverse a long route, possibly passing through the domains of powerful Pokémon along the way.

Therefore, Zhao Fang had no intention of risking it. He planned to follow the map given to him by Azalea and head to the place where Azalea had last seen the Phantom Tower, to see if he could glimpse that mysterious, enigmatic structure.

"This mountain looks enormous..." Zhao Fang muttered as he gazed at the range before him, clicking his tongue. In the game, it didn’t seem so impressive, but in reality, its height was truly astonishing. In the distance, he could see the smoking crater of a volcano. It was said that a super-ancient mythical beast slumbered within Chimney Mountain—a certain creature often persecuted simply because it could not fly.

Zhao Fang tightened the straps of his backpack and, taking up the map, began walking along a nearby path. Along the way, he encountered only a few trainers and saw no one else, likely because the Canaz-Green Tunnel had not yet begun formal construction.

"The location of the Phantom Tower should be ever-shifting; that’s probably why Azalea couldn’t find it last time," Zhao Fang thought as he climbed the mountain path. He had wondered before why Azalea, a trainer of such great strength, was unable to locate the Phantom Tower. Either the tower moved around and appeared randomly, or there was some unknown restriction.

"The worst possibility is that the Phantom Tower can only be entered once..." Zhao Fang sighed as he watched a small Rattata scurry past.

It was no exaggeration to say that the mountain path was difficult; after only a short walk, Zhao Fang felt more exhausted than after a long trek on level ground. Still, the mountain air was wonderfully fresh, giving him a sense of comfort.

After walking a bit further, Zhao Fang finally arrived at the campsite he had chosen for the day—a spot beside a small lake, which Azalea had marked on the map. There was a large tree in the middle of the lake, looking quite mysterious.

Zhao Fang paid little attention to the tree. Instead, after quickly setting up camp by the lakeside, he released his Gyarados and Dragapult.

"Gyarados, go play underwater, but don’t get into any fights with other Pokémon," Zhao Fang cautioned. He wasn’t too worried about Dragapult, but Gyarados had a unique temperament—ever since evolving, its disposition had grown fiercer, and it often sought out wild Pokémon to practice its Iron Head technique.

"Roar!" Gyarados responded with a mighty bellow and immediately dove into the water.

"Dragapult, help me gather some branches—we’re having a barbecue tonight," Zhao Fang instructed. He planned to try grilling for dinner, and as for his own meal, it would naturally be a grilled sandwich.

There was no help for it; though Zhao Fang was now earning money at a decent pace, Gyarados had turned into a voracious eater after evolving, making the challenge of raising these two nearly rival that of a Snorlax. Zhao Fang had hoped to improve his lifestyle, but reality remained bittersweet.

"Roar!" Suddenly, a loud roar erupted behind him. Zhao Fang turned, just in time to see Gyarados head-butting a Crawdaunt out of the water. The startled Crawdaunt flailed its pincers in midair, but before it could retaliate, Gyarados soared upward and smashed it down again with its head.

"...You could at least use Iron Head!" Zhao Fang complained. Gyarados always practiced Iron Head without actually using the move, simply bashing with its forehead. Most of Zhao Fang’s healing supplies had been spent treating Gyarados’s battered head.

Still, this had its advantages; Gyarados’s skull was growing ever tougher. Zhao Fang reckoned that even without Iron Head, Gyarados could soon achieve similar effects.

"Dragapult is so much easier to handle, sigh." Zhao Fang watched as Gyarados played with Crawdaunt, feeling helpless.

"Dragapult~" Dragapult emerged from the forest, carrying a bundle of branches, but what caught Zhao Fang’s attention most was the small item clamped in Dragapult’s mouth.

"What did you bring this time?" Zhao Fang asked, puzzled. He was all too familiar with Dragapult’s habits; back in Petalburg Forest, Dragapult’s penchant for picking up random objects had led Zhao Fang to be teleported straight into a haunted mansion, nearly costing him his life.

Dragapult sped over, dropped the firewood on the ground, and then spat out the item in its mouth. Zhao Fang took a look: it was a small ornament, glinting in the sunlight. He cautiously touched it, but no system prompt appeared, which allowed him to relax.

He then lit the fire and placed the skewers on the grill—meat and berries, Pokémon-style meat-and-fruit kebabs.

As the aroma of grilled meat and seasoning filled the air, Gyarados stopped sparring with Crawdaunt and surfaced, its massive head waiting quietly for a meal.

Dragapult spun wildly around the barbecue, drooling as it circled. Zhao Fang wondered if Dragapult was marking its territory. Yet the scent of barbecue attracted not only his own Pokémon, but a few uninvited guests as well.

Amidst a sudden clamor, branches flew out from the woods nearby, crashing toward him. Thankfully, Zhao Fang had been alert when he heard the noise, or he would have been struck.

"Gyarados, get over here," Zhao Fang stepped back, wanting to see who dared attack him.

Gyarados flew directly in front of Zhao Fang, facing the source of the disturbance. Soon, several white-bodied, red-topped monkey Pokémon emerged from the forest. Zhao Fang counted four.

"Vigoroth?" Zhao Fang groaned inwardly; the characteristics were unmistakable. These were the evolved forms of Slakoth, Vigoroth.

Unlike their lazy pre-evolution, Vigoroth had no trace of indolence. On the contrary, they possessed the Vital Spirit ability. Many people had dreamed of owning a Vital Spirit Slaking—it would be akin to having a legendary Pokémon.

"Roar!" Despite Gyarados’s intimidating presence, the Vigoroth showed no fear. The leader even let out an excited cry.

"Gyarados! Use Twister against your enemies. Dragapult, use Sucker Punch on the one at the front!" Zhao Fang immediately issued attack commands. These four Vigoroth clearly had no intention of peaceful negotiation.