Chapter 342: Arrival at Mount Uruk
Mount Uruk was located in the central part of the Ashkule region and was one of the largest volcanoes in the area.
Following the map provided by Adil, Basalt and Ember spent a day traveling and finally arrived at Mount Uruk.
Mount Uruk was home to a massive population of Fire-type Pokémon. The Camerupt clan was one of them. Under a clear blue sky, the landscape was idyllic. Camerupt, Numel, Rapidash, and Ponyta were all leisurely strolling, a scene of complete harmony. They were playing, grazing, and living carefree lives.
"Senior, it's beautiful here! So peaceful and harmonious!" Even Ember was captivated by the sight, let alone Basalt. Of course, this was partly due to the fact that Camerupt and Rapidash were generally docile Pokémon.
However, Basalt hadn't forgotten the real reason they were here. He looked at the hundreds of almost identical Pokémon and turned to Ember. "Ember, can you help me assess which Camerupt or Numel has the most talent?"
As someone from a Fire-type training family with a long lineage, Ember had her own methods for evaluating Fire-type Pokémon.
"Just a moment, Senior. I'll do a quick look," Ember nodded, raising her hand to shield her eyes from the bright sun as she scanned the nearby Numel herd.
As she looked, Ember explained fluently, holding nothing back, "For Fire-type Pokémon, there are two main things to look for in a Numel or Camerupt's talent."
"First, the brilliance of their coats. The more vibrant and brilliant the coat, the higher the flame temperature and the greater the affinity for Fire-type energy. That's the quality."
"Second, the size of the humps on their backs. The wider the hump opening, the more fire they can spew out instantly. That's the quantity."
Ember spoke confidently. "As for their Ground-type talent, we mainly look at the strength of their hooves. The more powerful the hooves, the greater their explosive power. And the larger the surface area of their hooves, the easier it is for them to generate force."
Besides those key points, Ember added nearly ten other supplemental criteria, such as battle will. Although most Numel looked dull and vacant, the ones who were truly focused had a fierce glint in their eyes, which was crucial for battle spirit.
Of course, these were all rules of thumb; they weren't one hundred percent accurate. The Pokémon's actual potential still had to be determined through individual analysis.
"This one's coat is no good. This one's coat is no good either. Nope, nope, nope..."
After checking dozens of Pokémon, Ember rejected all of them based on the first criterion alone, much to Basalt's surprise. He wondered if Ember's standards were too high, or if these Pokémon were genuinely untalented.
"This is the Ashkule volcanic region. The Fire-type energy is incredibly rich. The environment is perfect." Basalt blinked. He still felt Ember was being too picky.
After passing on all the nearby Numel and Camerupt, the two began to stroll across the grassy areas, continuing their search. Excadrill, Bronzong, Delphox, and Arcanine stood guard around them.
"Ah! Senior, this Camerupt's coat is excellent, and its hump openings are the right size!" Ember finally spotted a Pokémon that met her criteria, but she still looked dissatisfied. "It's a shame it's already evolved. Its moldability is a bit low. But we can keep it as a backup for now."
Ember glanced at Arcanine, who immediately trotted forward and sniffed the Camerupt intently.
Odor Sleuth!
By marking the Camerupt with its scent, Arcanine ensured they could easily track it later. The Camerupt was clearly nervous to see the fierce Arcanine approach, but seeing no hostile intent, it simply backed away, refusing to meet the Arcanine's gaze.
Ember subtly shook her head. This Camerupt was too timid. That was not a good sign. Although she didn't say it out loud, she mentally gave it a big "X."
They continued their search, but after checking many more Pokémon, Ember's eyes were starting to glaze over. She had only found three Pokémon that were even remotely suitable as backups, including the first Camerupt.
Rubbing her eyes, Ember looked toward the summit. "Senior, let's go check the magma pool at the crater. There might be better options there."
"Sounds good."
Basalt's eyes narrowed, but he nodded.
The magma pool at the summit was naturally the best spot on Mount Uruk, as the Fire-type energy was at its most dense and purest there. But according to Adil, the area was constantly occupied by a Magmortar clan, making it dangerous. That was why they had started their search on the grassy plains.
On the plains, a Fire-type Pokémon's strength might increase by one or two tiers. But at the crater, its power would increase by at least five tiers. And near the actual magma pool, the boost was even greater, especially for Pokémon like Magmortar, who could thrive in high-temperature environments.
"Senior, look! There are a few Numel and Camerupt there." Ember spotted them from Arcanine's back.
Numel and Camerupt were also among the few Pokémon that could live in magma. But unfortunately, they were being attacked by a group of Magby and Magmar, led by a large, ugly, red-and-yellow Pokémon with cannons for arms. Its power was not to be underestimated.
"A Magmortar?"
Basalt's eyes widened in astonishment. "A Magmortar actually formed here in the wild!"
In the games, Magmortar required a Magmarizer to evolve, putting it on the same level as Electivire and Rhyperior.
Basalt was quickly reminded that this was the real world. A wild Magmar could evolve if it absorbed enough high-level Fire-type energy over a long period. It was just a slower, more difficult process than using an item.
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