Chapter 136: Mega-(Spoiler Alert!) Key- (Spoiler Alert!)
"So, you left him alone and ran away? You bastard!" Kang Jihoon, overwhelmed with anger, rushed at Hu Tianyi and began to strangle his neck.
"You… Stop… cough, I, I…can't breathe," Hu Tianyi choked and struggled, feeling the intense pain as Kang Jihoon's grip tightened.
"Stop it, both of you!" Kanraku intervened, shouting to break up the conflict.
Linh swiftly stepped in, holding their shoulders and pushing them apart to each side.
"Linh Captain, just let me strangle this guy for a bit longer," Kang Jihoon, still furious, attempted to rush again, but Linh held him back.
"Are you siding with this traitor just because he's under your command?" Kang Jihoon accused Linh, his eyes blazing with anger. "The thing I hate the most is betrayal among comrades!"
Kang Jihoon's words echoed the sentiments of many present. Ivan looked on coldly at Hu Tianyi, Li Qin displayed disgust, especially since Hu Tianyi was a fellow countryman and a disgrace to Longdong. Kanraku was caught in a whirl of complex emotions, while Linh appeared calm but her eyes betrayed a hidden fury.
"As his superior, I will deal with him," Linh stated, trying to maintain her composure.
"What do you all know? Do you think Floyd and I could have defeated all those beasts? That would have been suicide, do you understand?" Hu Tianyi's voice rose in desperation. "My only option was to RUN! To run as fast as possible and seek help! That's the most logical solution. And yet, you all accuse me of treachery!" Tears began to stream down Hu Tianyi's face as his emotions overwhelmed him.
"I KNOW I'M A COWARD! I'm not strong enough! That's why I came here, seeking powerful beasts! Yes, I'm greedy, I admit it! Do you think you're the only ones grieving for the youngest? I regret it too, but I was terrified! I felt so helpless and scared," Hu Tianyi screamed at the top of his lungs, his voice cracking, before collapsing to the ground in tears.
(AN: Let's give him an Oscar!)
Almost everyone present was affected by his words, prompting them to question their own actions in a similar scenario. Would they have helped Floyd or, like Hu Tianyi, choose to flee? Some might not want to admit it, but there was a real possibility that they might have acted similarly in such a dire situation.
They realized they had no right to judge him so harshly. Hu Tianyi's decision to call Kanraku for help, despite his flight, was indeed a prudent move.
"But… But… from the very beginning, why did you come here?" Kang Jihoon, still grappling with his emotions, couldn't help but feel there was something amiss in Hu Tianyi's account.
"Isn't it clear? I've already told you, I came here to catch strong beasts because of my greed and overconfidence! I envied how the Youngest could roam freely here, and foolishly thought I could do the same! But I didn't expect to be so outmatched... I regret it deeply, I'm sorry! Youngest, I'm truly sorry," Hu Tianyi explained, his voice choked with emotion, as he continued to cry on the ground.
"Brother Hu, stand up. There will be time later to assign blame, but right now, our priority is to rescue Floyd-san," Kanraku said empathetically, helping Hu Tianyi to his feet. "This applies to you too, Kang-san, Le-san," he added, turning to Kang Jihoon and Linh.
Kang Jihoon, though still wanting to express his frustration, acknowledged that rescuing Floyd was paramount and nodded in agreement.
Linh also nodded in assent.
The eldest Gyarados gazed at Hu Tianyi with disdain. 'Such a coward. Truly deserves to be called a weak human,' he thought contemptuously.
"Come on, let's move!" Kanraku urged, hastening forward.
The group, along with their Pokémon, followed Kanraku, and Hu Tianyi silently grinned. However, his smile faltered as he felt someone's gaze on him. Turning, he saw Ivan, not looking at him but hurrying behind Kanraku.
'Am I hallucinating?' Hu Tianyi wondered, his gaze lingering on Ivan.
He then shook his head, dismissing it as his imagination, and rushed forward with his Pokémon.
…
"T-this… T-this is…" Floyd's eyes widened in astonishment upon seeing the unique stone before him.
'A Mega Evolution Stone,' he thought excitedly, rushing toward it and seizing it.
This Mega Evolution Stone had a striking black and yellow color scheme, its patterns swirling together reminiscent of a wasp's bold striping. Angular and sharp-edged, its glossy, smooth surface caught and reflected light, giving it a subtle sparkle.
'Game Panel, can you scan this?' Floyd inquired mentally to the Game Panel.
[Ding! Game Panel starts scanning… 1% 12% 24% 38% 54%... Sorry, it's an error, please try again.]
'Start Scanning again!' Floyd insisted.
[Ding! Game Panel starts scanning… 1%...57%... Sorry, it's an error, please try again.]
"I understand now," Floyd sighed, a hint of disappointment in his voice. He realized what the Game Panel's error implied – this Mega Evolution Stone was not related to Dragon types.
Yet, he still examined the stone's colors, pondering which Pokémon it might correspond to. He knew that some of the colors of the Mega Evolution Stones were actually similar to the Pokémon themselves.
"Beedrill? Manectric? Ampharos? No, it definitely can't be Ampharos," Floyd pondered, shaking his head dismissively at the thought of Ampharos. He reasoned that if it were related to Ampharos, his Game Panel would have shown a response, given Ampharos's connection to the dragon type, but there was no reaction.
"Black and yellow? Beedrill? I'm not certain," Floyd mused, feeling a bit perplexed.
He considered the possibility of testing it with the Beedrill in the Safe Zone.
His Pokémon looked at him, filled with curiosity about the stone, but Floyd just shook his head, pretending ignorance. He knew not all Pokémon were capable of Mega Evolution, and none of his current team had that potential.
He debated internally whether to tell them that the Mega Stone could transform them into more powerful versions of themselves as a means of motivating their training. However, revealing this and then later admitting that they couldn't actually Mega Evolve would be cruel and could shatter their trust and morale.
Choosing to avoid such deceit, Floyd decided it was best to focus on their inherent strengths and collective growth, reinforcing the value in their current abilities rather than an elusive power to Mega Evolve.
Opting for honesty, Floyd stored the Mega Evolution Stone in his backpack.
"Everyone, let's break this rock open and see if there's anything inside," Floyd proposed, directing their attention to the rock.
All his Pokémon nodded in agreement and began to unleash their moves on the rock.
Fraxure used Dragon Claw.
Horsea employed Water Gun.
Growlithe unleashed Flame Wheel.
Goomy attacked with Water Gun.
Dratini whipped up a Twister.
…
Minutes later, the ground was littered with rock fragments. Among them, Floyd spotted a small, round stone with a smooth surface, displaying an iridescent sheen that shifted colors under different light angles. At its core, the stone glowed softly, accentuating a unique, intricate symbol at the center.
'A Key Stone!' Floyd thought excitedly, struggling to contain his enthusiasm. His heart raced with exhilaration, his reaction bordering on ecstasy.
'Are Mega Evolution Stones and Key Stones as common as cabbages here? I've already found two?' Floyd wondered incredulously, his mind abuzz with amazement and questions.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone