The tournament concluded with Shanren claiming the victory.
The television broadcasted the scene where this young man personally received the medal from Ying Yuan, basking in glory, adorned with ribbons.
That afternoon.
Baimu's prize as one of the top eight contestants was also delivered to his residence.
The items were what he specifically chose, important tools that he was willing to pay extra to obtain, yet surprisingly, they weren't expensive.
"Hmm?"
He looked at the two small boxes and the envelope handed over by the arena staff, slightly surprised, "Why are there two?"
"The person who handed these over said you'd understand once you open them."
The employee tipped his hat, considered it a greeting before turning away and leaving.
The top forces are indeed remarkable.
Baimu watched his back, clicked his tongue, thinking that only the arena and the mayor's side would dare to handle the Extreme Path with such an attitude.
They have backing and aren't afraid of them at all.
Taking the boxes back to the living room, where Mawile, who was watching TV, immediately turned its gaze, "Ci da?"
"Yes, it's finally here."
Baimu waved the box in his hand, and Mawile hurriedly trotted over, eager to help open it.
"Wait, let me read this letter first, we'll talk about the rest later."
He stopped Mawile's actions.
Were it before, even if he said something like this, Mawile would have opened it in advance, then looked at him with an innocent and endearing expression.
But recently, this has greatly improved.
After Aggron evolved, it became even more obedient, not opening things if told not to.
Sometimes its mischievous behavior became quite lovable.
There was no name outside the letter.
Baimu tore it open and saw the signature was from Shanren. It only contained one sentence—"Perhaps you need this more than I do."
Hmm?
He nodded to Mawile, signaling, and the long-waiting Mawile excitedly opened the package.
Inside were a pair of light purple, water-drop-shaped stones, and another was a shiny little bell connected with red silk.
"Ci da?"
Mawile looked curiously at them.
Baimu raised an eyebrow slightly, "Calming Bell?"
He truly didn't expect that Shanren, whom he barely knew, would suddenly give him such a generous gift—the little bell that helps Pokémon and trainers bond more quickly, clearly meant for Chansey.
After all, only Chansey here needed to increase closeness to evolve into Blissey.
However.
"I just got the Evolutionary Wondrous Stone." Baimu picked up the light purple stone, feeling a bit conflicted.
The top eight rewards were originally a set of three evolution stones for water, fire, and grass, but he had done his homework from Flop and learned that Pyrite Arena had many uniquely shaped and extraordinary effect stones, so he asked the arena's manager if he could exchange it for an "Evolutionary Wondrous Stone" if they had any.
The manager initially said it couldn't be exchanged but then went to ask a higher-up after Baimu expressed his willingness to pay extra.
He returned shortly, informing that an additional hundred thousand would secure it.
Baimu immediately understood that someone in the arena had done him a personal favor, and he smoothly obtained this Evolutionary Wondrous Stone.
This item's effect is to help still-evolving Pokémon enhance defense and special defense, very suitable for a defensively weak Chansey, and in games, it could even make it sturdier than a same-level, same-effort-value Blissey.
If Chansey ordinarily wore the Calming Bell and only the Evolutionary Wondrous Stone during battles, it might evolve soon.
It would be a shame to let such a divine-level item go unused after just two uses.
It would be equally a pity to forgo the Calming Bell…
For a moment.
Baimu was at a loss for choice.
Meanwhile, Mawile, hearing that the Calming Bell could enhance intimacy between Pokémon and trainers, its eyes lit up.
It hasn't given up its great ambition of taming the trainer, although it seems more likely for the trainer to tame it, hearing the bell's effect made it restless.
So.
Mawile looked up at Baimu, gently tugging on his clothes.
"What's up?"
He looked down, and there was Mawile tying the Calming Bell between its head and jaws, like a hairpin, seemingly wanting praise.
"...Do you like this thing?" Baimu asked in surprise.
Mawile eagerly nodded, the Calming Bell gently swaying, its sounds soft and pleasing, unlike typical noisy bells.
It naturally relaxed both their moods.
This made Mawile like the Calming Bell even more.
"Hold on a moment..."
Baimu thought it over then said, "Since the Calming Bell can speed up Chansey's evolution, it's currently unobtainable to buy another one. I'll need to ask Chansey about its thoughts on evolution… you can wear it for now, but you'll have to return it when I need it."
"Ci da~"
Mawile responded absentmindedly, thoroughly lost in the bell's pleasant chime.
Looking at it like this, who knows if it really took his words to heart, in case it forgets all about it within days.
Baimu patted the guy on the head, taking the Evolutionary Wondrous Stone and headed toward the kitchen.
Meanwhile.
Chansey was holding a kitchen knife, trying to cook for itself.
The pink Little Egg had no real hobbies, unlike Aggron, who liked reforestation, or Mawile, who could watch TV with a doll in its arms all day.
Making good food to ease Baimu's stress and bring smiles to its companions was its current goal.
Today it was cooking alone for the first time, but its actions were quite skilled—
As long as Baimu wasn't around.
"Chansey."
"Lucky!"
Chansey was startled by his voice, almost cutting its hand, its expression quickly turning panicked.
Baimu sighed, "Don't be nervous, I'm not here to inspect your cooking results, just put the knife aside, there's something else."
He was really worried that if he got closer, Chansey would get nervous to the point the knife would fly.
This child was too anxious about not meeting others' expectations, creating lots of pressure for itself.
"Lucky..."
Chansey put down the knife and followed Baimu to the dining table outside.
Baimu asked it, "Do you want to evolve as quickly as Aggron, or do you think you can take your time, using the Evolutionary Wondrous Stone to immediately enhance your strength?"
The light purple stone was placed in front of Chansey.
Even before discovering the Evolutionary Wondrous Stone, he had already told it about its effects, so it had been silently anticipating it these past days.
But hearing the trainer suddenly bring this up, Chansey felt it was hard to grasp.
Evolve?
Evolutionary Wondrous Stone?
It stared at the purple Raw Stone, pondering for two seconds, then decided to give up, "Lucky!"
"Let me choose?"
"Lucky!"
Baimu saw Chansey nodding firmly, and wasn't surprised by its response at all.
After all, Little Pink Egg lacked assertiveness, habitually giving decision-making to him as the trainer, maintaining absolute trust, never complaining.
But even if he knew the answer beforehand, he should still ask.
"...Then I'll leave the Evolutionary Wondrous Stone with you, keep it close." Baimu nodded at the stone on the table.
Compared to Aggron, Chansey wasn't in a rush to evolve. It should focus more on overcoming psychological weaknesses and learning more transformation techniques.
And of course, improving its defensive abilities.
"Lucky!"
Chansey smiled, tucking the Evolutionary Wondrous Stone into its little pocket with the nutritional egg.
From the outside, you couldn't even tell a stone had been added to its belly pouch.
"Then I won't disturb you, keep working on your cooking."
Baimu stood up, patting Chansey's fluffy head, heading out to find Aggron in the backyard.