Chapter 63: Assistance and Gratitude

The fact that the Crystal Onix could also achieve MEGA Evolution was something Zhao Fang had not anticipated. After all, the Crystal Onix only appeared in the animated series; it did not exist in the games. Yet now, right before Zhao Fang’s eyes, this Crystal Onix had undergone two evolutions, finally transforming into a Mega Steelix. However, its entire body still retained that crystalline appearance, giving it an unusual and striking beauty.

“If only I had such a Steelix, I wouldn’t have to worry about training Gyarados and the others,” Zhao Fang sighed as he looked at the Mega Steelix before him. If he were to reveal the existence of such a Steelix to Daigo, it would probably fetch him a hefty sum.

But now Zhao Fang was beginning to doubt the authenticity of this Crystal Onix, and the reason was the Unown he had just identified.

Unown—this peculiar kind of Pokémon—was generally considered useless in the games. Yet, due to their variety, they became a sought-after prize for many Pokédex completionists. They only appeared in certain generations; for instance, there were none in Sword and Shield. However, in the real world, these Unown seemed to possess some special abilities.

Zhao Fang now suspected that this Crystal Onix was, in fact, a phantom constructed by the Unown. For reasons unknown, it felt strangely tangible.

“Gyarados! Give it all you’ve got—tear through this illusion!” Zhao Fang commanded. Gyarados opened its massive jaws once again and executed a Crunch, biting down on the transparent membrane.

Mega Steelix also opened its maw, energy gathering inside, radiating a terrifying power. Zhao Fang immediately recognized the move: Hyper Beam, an immensely powerful attack, and especially so when unleashed by a Mega Steelix. If Gyarados took a direct hit, it would surely suffer serious damage, and if Gyarados was gravely injured, Zhao Fang had no idea how the battle would end.

“Gyarados!” Zhao Fang clenched his fists and shouted loudly. He could only place his trust in Gyarados now.

With a sharp crack, the body of the Mega Steelix before Zhao Fang began to distort, as if the television signal had been disrupted, and then it vanished from sight.

The once dazzling crystal arena was now just an ordinary tower. However, the walls were covered in Unown, their eyes wide open, gazing at Zhao Fang and Gyarados.

“So that’s how it was…” Zhao Fang let out a long breath, collapsed to the ground, and joyfully patted Gyarados’s massive head.

The Crystal Onix had been a formidable foe, especially for Gyarados, whose current moves had little effect on it. Fortunately, Zhao Fang had uncovered its secret and managed to pass this level through a clever trick.

Yet, as he looked at the Unown covering the walls, Zhao Fang felt a heavy pressure. The sheer number of these Psychic-type Pokémon was staggering; their eyes alone would give anyone with trypophobia a fright. If all these Unown attacked at once, Zhao Fang knew he wouldn’t stand a chance.

Standing up quickly, Zhao Fang applied some medicine to Gyarados’s wounds, then warily observed the Unown around him. He soon noticed something odd: though all the Unown were watching him, none showed any sign of aggression. In fact, they seemed as if they were imprisoned within the walls.

Zhao Fang approached cautiously. Standing before him was an A-shaped Unown, its large eye fixed intently on him. Zhao Fang couldn’t decipher their intentions, but he sensed a silent plea.

“Are you… trapped here?” Zhao Fang asked, reaching out to touch them. He wondered why Dujuan had never mentioned the Crystal Onix, nor these Unown. What exactly was going on here?

The Unown didn’t speak or move; they simply watched Zhao Fang in silence.

After a moment’s hesitation, Zhao Fang reached out and touched the Unown. Its body was as cold as stone, yet slightly yielding, like a gummy candy.

He tried to slowly pull the Unown off the wall, but immediately felt a tremendous resistance, as if the Unown and the wall were two powerful magnets locked together.

“Gyarados! Dreepy! Come help me!” Zhao Fang gritted his teeth and released his Pokémon, then pulled with all his might.

Dreepy chirped cheerfully, placing its small hands on Zhao Fang’s shoulders, while Gyarados gently grabbed Zhao Fang’s collar with its mouth and pulled backward.

However, the force was overwhelming. Despite their combined efforts, they could only move the Unown about ten centimeters from the wall before it became impossible to pull any further.

A strange humming filled the air. Zhao Fang opened his eyes to see white light emerging from the Unown around him, gathering together and converging on the Unown in his hand. The magnetic pull weakened sharply. Zhao Fang gritted his teeth, gave a final tug, and fell backward with such force that he landed hard, pain shooting up from his tailbone.

Ignoring the pain, Zhao Fang looked up. The A-shaped Unown was now floating in the air, completely separated from the wall. The other Unown hummed louder, then began to slip free of the walls, swirling through the fifth floor of the tower.

They glowed with a soft white light, like fireflies drifting through the night sky.

Zhao Fang smiled; his suspicion was correct—the Unown had been trapped within the walls.

Before he could stand, the ground beneath him began to tremble violently. The tower was collapsing.

“Gyarados! Dreepy! Quickly, we have to go!” Zhao Fang called Gyarados to his side, intending to mount up and escape. Although the fossils were on the sixth floor, with the tower shaking this way, who knew what would happen if they went up.

Just as Zhao Fang was about to climb onto Gyarados, the Unown swirled around him, forming strange patterns in an odd, dance-like motion. The next moment, Zhao Fang found himself standing on a grassy field. Volcanic ash drifted down from the sky, and his familiar tent stood behind him.

“Did they teleport me out?” Zhao Fang stared at the vanished tower, his heart a mixture of emotions. Had he failed to achieve his goal again?

But then, two fossils landed before him, and the Unown winked at him playfully before disappearing into the night.