The most significant function of the Fire Crystal was its ability to increase a Fire-type Pokémon's elemental energy, making their Fire-type moves more powerful and their temperature more intense.
At the same time, it also had the ability to improve a Pokémon's potential. For any Pokémon below cyan qualification, consuming this crystal would instantly raise them to cyan aptitude.
Fire-type Pokémon gain the maximum benefit from this treasure, while other types can only enhance the power of their Fire-type moves.
The Fire Crystal was undoubtedly among the top three fire-related treasures in existence.
Julian had never expected to find such a rare item in the magma. Although he currently didn't have a Fire-type Pokémon, this discovery alone was enough to convince him to seek one in the future. Owning a treasure like this was too valuable an opportunity to pass up.
He couldn't help but compare the Magmortar clan to his own team. Their lack of talent was apparent, none even reaching the cyan aptitude level. They clearly didn't have the same drive and discipline as his Steelix.
Storing the Fire Crystal in his system space, Julian noticed something else. The Dowsing Machine showed another valuable item hidden beneath the magma, its signal initially concealed by the strong energy of the Fire Crystal.
"There's more down there. Keep diving," Julian instructed the tired Magmortar.
Magmortar was about to mention the Magmarizer, having already provided Julian with the treasure. However, Julian's firm order made it clear he wasn't done yet.
Magmortar: Might makes Right, sigh.
Shooting a resentful glance at Julian, Magmortar took the Dowsing Machine again and plunged into the lava.
After about ten minutes, it emerged once more, this time carrying a massive, dark red stone that radiated intense heat.
The stone weighed dozens of pounds and looked incredibly dense.
"Fire Ore," Julian murmured with a smile. "Aron will love this."
"Don't think you can fool me. There's plenty more down there. You and your subordinates are going to dig them all out for me, and once that's done, I'll give you this"
Julian promised, holding up a box of high-grade Fire-type energy cubes. To tempt them further, he gave one to Magmortar.
Magmortar quickly fell under the spell of the delicious energy cube and, with renewed vigor, led its Magmar underlings back into the lava, now working as Julian's miners.
Fire Ore was a valuable material in which most Fire Stones were formed.
While it was beneficial to the Magmortar clan, they didn't prioritize it since magma provided them with more significant benefits.
Had magma not been their primary resource, they might have been more reluctant to allow Julian to mine.
Each time a Magmar emerged, it carried a large chunk of Fire Ore, some weighing up to a hundred pounds.
In return, Julian rewarded them with basic energy cubes. Though these cubes were of lower quality, they were unlike anything the Magmar had ever tasted, making them eager to keep working.
The mining operation continued until nightfall, and by the end, the Magmar had hauled up an impressive seventy to eighty tons of Fire Ore.
With the Dowsing Machine now showing no further treasure, Julian concluded the digging session.
As promised, he handed over the high-grade energy cubes and a Magmarizer to Magmortar.
In return, the leader barked an order, and a heavily scarred, sturdy Magmar stepped forward, its eyes gleaming as it gazed at the Magmarizer in Magmortar's hands.
The younger Magmar clearly sensed that this item was very important. The other Magmar shared similar expressions of longing, but none dared speak up, restrained by the authority of their leader.
Magmortar, however, hesitated for a moment, unsure how to properly use the Magmarizer.
(T/N: for anyone asking how did he evolve than, well that's the thing he just knew this thing was related to his evolution somehow but didn't know how to use it properly.)
Julian noticed this and spoke up, "Just attach it to Magmar."
A bright white light enveloped the scarred Magmar, and it began to evolve. When the light faded, a powerful new Magmortar stood before them.
"Well done" Julian said, smiling slightly.
The Pokémon's aptitude had shifted from green to cyan with the evolution, marking a significant transformation in its potential, and this guy was already half way to cyan.
Normally evolution alone was not enough to make a breakthrough, but it was clear that this Magmar had accumulated enough strength over time, combined with a bit of luck, it broke through its previous limits.
The evolution had fundamentally transformed the newly evolved Magmortar, setting it on a potential path toward becoming an Elite-level Fire-type Pokémon.
Even though the new Magmortar's aptitude had turned Cyan, Julian didn't have any desire to catch it. It had its responsibilities here as the future leader of the Magmortar clan, especially given the looming threat from the Magcargo clan.
Besides, Julian preferred to raise his Pokémon from a young age, building deep bonds that allowed them to reach their full potential.
Steelix was just an exceptional case, as he himself came to Julian, who just decided to keep him.
The newly evolved Magmortar roared in excitement, feeling a surge of power.
Flames shot from its mouth, soaring into the sky, and the remaining Magmar, along with the older Magmortar, joined in, firing off celebratory blasts of fire.
The Volcano's night sky glowed a bright red, illuminated by their fiery display.
After the celebration, the leader Magmortar and the newly evolved Magmortar approached Julian, their expressions filled with gratitude.
"Don't thank me," Julian said, shaking his head. "You earned it."
In truth, he had only given them a box of high-quality fire energy cubes, a Magmarizer, and some basic energy cubes, all of which were insignificant compared to the rare treasures he had gained: the Fire Crystal and tons of valuable Fire Ore.
The Magmortar clan didn't realize just how much they had given away, but their gratitude still made Julian feel a little embarrassed.
'As long as the employees work hard enough, the boss will change his villa next year.'
In the end, it was a deal where hard work was rewarded, and Julian certainly didn't mind playing the role of a "black-hearted boss," as he put it.
He gave them a small incentive, and in return, they mined for him treasures beyond their understanding.
Bidding farewell to the Magmortar family, Julian decided it was time to leave the Volcano area.
He'd normally set up camp for the night, but with temperatures still soaring around 50 degrees Celsius, sleep was out of the question here.
"Let's head back to the Rock area and check it out," he said, mounting his Metagross.
Julian hadn't forgotten about the treasure he'd seen there earlier. Though someone had reached it first, he wanted to confirm whether it had been dug up or if it was still waiting for him.
With that, he and Metagross left the Volcano area, heading for the Rock zone.
*****
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It was well past one o'clock in the morning by the time Julian returned to the Rocky Area, his eyes heavy with sleep as he fought back a yawn.
The Dowsing Machine in his hand continued to beep, signaling that the treasure was still nearby. It appeared the previous visitor hadn't managed to uncover it, even though numerous large and small holes dotted the area.
Julian observed the scene before him—there were at least a dozen holes scattered about, ranging in size. The largest was over a hundred meters wide, while the smallest was around seven or eight meters across.
He made his way toward one of the medium-sized pits, which stretched about fifty meters wide and ten meters deep. The Dowsing Machine indicated the treasure lay somewhere below.
Without having to say a word, Metagross immediately understood the command and began to dig.
Thanks to the efforts of whoever had dug before, much of the hard work had already been done.
Julian and Metagross were essentially finishing what someone else had started. It only took another five or six meters of digging before they hit the jackpot.
"Mega Evolution Stone"
Julian's eyes lit up with surprise and excitement as Metagross carefully handed over the shimmering stone.
He knew full well the significance of this find. Mega Evolution stones were treated as a type of currency among trainers.
Many coveted such treasures, especially when money wasn't enough to buy certain rare items, tools, or Pokémon with excellent potential. With a Mega Evolution stone, however, trades like these became much easier to pull off.
"Meta~"
Suddenly, Metagross emitted a low, warning growl and positioned itself in front of Julian.
Julian, who had been caught off guard by both his exhaustion and the thrill of the discovery, instantly tensed up.
Two Poké Balls clicked open, releasing Dragonair and Lucario, both now on high alert, flanking Julian.
"Young Master Walker, don't misunderstand—I'm not here to cause trouble," a voice called out.
From behind a nearby rock, a man stepped into view, raising both hands to show he meant no harm. Walking a few steps behind him was a Golem, keeping pace as he cautiously approached.
Julian narrowed his eyes. He recognized the man as the same person who had been at the Rocky Area earlier, the one who had likely dug those holes. The man hadn't managed to find the Mega Evolution stone, but it seemed he hadn't left the area after all.
"The Smith family," Julian murmured, recognizing him.
"It's rare that Young Master Walker still remembers. My uncle is Luke."
The young man smiled in acknowledgment.
Luke, he was the leader of the Steel-type Gym in Lake City and a figure Julian had encountered on a flight once. Before entering the secret realm, it was Luke who accompanied this man.
That's why Julian knew that the other party was from the Smith family.
Though the stranger insisted he had no ill intent, Julian remained wary. Trusting someone too easily in a place like this—especially in the secret realms—was a good way to meet a dead end.
Sensing Julian's caution, the man stopped in his tracks, keeping a respectful distance. He glanced at the Mega Evolution stone in Julian's hand, eyes flickering with envy.
Originally, he wasn't able to find the treasure earlier and had left. But as he was heading out, he saw Julian fly in on his Metagross.
Intuition told him that Julian's destination was the place where he was digging for treasure before. After all, Julian had also discovered that place at the beginning, and it was only because he came first that Julian gave up.
Out of curiosity, he went back to take a look.
But When he saw Julian had dug out a Mega Evolution stone, that too from the hole he himself had dug halfway, he deeply regretted coming back.
'That's a Mega Evolution stone, and I was only a few meters away from it, but unfortunately I missed it.'
The young man sighed, his dreams of owning such a powerful item dashed.
With the stone, he could have made significant strides within his family, even if it was not for one of his Pokémon, he could have used it to trade for a Mega Evolution stone suited to his own Pokémon.
It could have set him apart, perhaps even positioning him as a contender for leadership in the Smith family someday.
Julian watched as the man's expression soured with deep regret. He could see the gears turning in the man's head—the realization that he had been just meters away from the Mega Evolution stone and had somehow missed it.
Despite his jealousy, Tom knew better than to attempt anything rash. Julian was not only from an influential family, but his Metagross was exceptionally powerful. He would be a fool to provoke a fight.
And as the member of a clan himself, he knew very well that a person from a family's like Julian would definitely carry a powerful Pokémon, a bodyguard given to him by an elder.
Although he couldn't get the stone, but if he took this opportunity to form a friendship with Julian, he might not get any less benefits.
"Young Master Walker, I heard that you have been recruited by the Imperial University."
Tom said, changing the subject with a forced smile.
"Um"
Julian gave a slight nod, this was no secret, after all, he had already sent the admission notice to his circle of friends.
"I'm a sophomore there myself," Tom said, attempting to make conversation.
"It looks like I'll be seeing you around campus. Though, calling myself your senior would be a bit of a stretch." He chuckled awkwardly, realizing that Julian was much stronger than him, despite the age difference.
Julian remained quiet, though his expression softened slightly. He hadn't expected to run into a fellow Imperial University student out here, much less one with connections to his own family.
"So, you train Rock-type Pokémon?" Julian asked, glancing at the Golem standing by Tom's side.
Tom nodded. "Yes, although most of my family trains Steel-types, but I've always had a natural affinity for Rock-types, so I decided to specialize in them."
Julian raised an eyebrow.
"Interesting. The only Rock-type Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution are Tyranitar, Aggron, and Aerodactyl, You got any of those?"
Tyranitar was a pseudo-legendary, and Aerodactyl was even more rarer. Only some ancient secret realms had them. Only an Aron was available, that too because of them now being under the Walker family.
Tom chuckled weakly. "I wish, Tyranitar and Aerodactyl are way out of reach. Aggron is more within the realm of possibility—if I'm lucky."
Julian smirked. "Well, keep at it. Maybe one day you'll get your hands on an Aggronite."
Tom's forced laughter echoed through the Rocky Area, but there was an unmistakable note of bitterness in his voice.
Even if he were to obtain an Aggronite, the Walker family would likely claim it for themselves, given their standing.
He realized that even if he stumbled across the rare stone, he might not have the power to hold onto it for long.
As Tom's expression soured once more, Julian observed him quietly, aware of the unspoken struggles behind his polite words.
"Well, good luck with that," Julian said, his voice light but carrying a subtle undertone of finality.
Tom forced a smile, feeling a wave of disappointment and frustration wash over him.
He had been so close to something great, but now it was nothing more than a missed opportunity he'd regret for a long time to come.
*****
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POWERSTONES
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