While browsing the internet, Tetsuya happened to come across a lecture by Professor Witherwood. After making some inquiries, he learned that Professor Witherwood was still alive. If a Pokémon like this Aerodactyl were handed over to him for the League to purchase and research, it would certainly fetch an excellent price.
Moreover, research of this nature conducted by the League was usually kept extremely confidential. After all, a region's research direction and achievements could never be publicly disclosed. This would also help him avoid a dead end. Someone from Shadow Team might recognize Raven's Aerodactyl. If they followed the clues back to their source, they might even uncover his identity, putting him back into a passive position.
In short, he intended to eliminate Shadow Team. Although its lifespan was already not very long, as long as it continued to exist in this world, it would remain a constant concern in his heart.
With 200k Pokédollars in cash on hand, there was no need to worry about funds for the time being. He stored the money in a hidden compartment, packed his belongings, bought dried rations, milk, fresh water, and Pokéfood from the market, purchased two new tents, and prepared to set off for Ecruteak City.
To the west of Olivine City lay a vast desert, and this was the route Tetsuya and Catherine chose. Ordinary roads were certainly easier to travel on, but properly training Pokémon there was impossible. Damaging public facilities would result in liability, so the wilderness was far more convenient.
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An endless desert stretched before them, with yellow sand filling the sky and not a single person in sight.
Originally, they had planned to travel by flying on Golurk and Skarmory for part of the journey. Unfortunately, the blowing sand constantly found its way into the Pokémon's eyes, making it difficult to determine direction. In the end, they chose to travel on foot.
This terrain was best suited for Camerupt, but Ditto had not had much contact with Camerupt yet and still could not complete a perfect Transform.
Night fell unusually quickly in the desert, and once the sun set, the cold wind blew across the sands, bringing a piercing chill.
Tetsuya and Catherine set up their tents early.
The vast desert meant there was no need to worry about training space, so they released all of their Pokémon.
Milk for Ditto, nectar for Beedrill, and premium Pokéfood suitable for Mamoswine, Houndoom, and Koffing.
Having money really did make a difference~ Catherine was also using the best Pokéfood available!
After dinner, aside from Golurk, the other Pokémon could not wait to stretch their bodies and began running and flying freely across the great desert.
Mamoswine was Tetsuya's strongest combat asset and also his most versatile Pokémon. It could use offensive, defensive, and recovery moves alike. Its control over Ice-type energy had already reached a masterful level. Its current training focused mainly on Curse and Amnesia.
Golurk had gone through an extended period of flight while remaining in a highly tense state the entire time. This had further stimulated its potential. Energy now covered its entire body through six layers, raising its power to a new level.
After learning Phantom Force, Golurk's combat style had become even more diverse. It could freely enter and exit dimensions, and its strength was rapidly approaching that of Mamoswine.
The little fellow who once could only roll around and could barely even walk properly had now erupted with such formidable power!
The ones most astonished by this were Ditto and Mamoswine.
Ditto's greatest strength lay in its versatility. It could handle all kinds of battles on land, in the sky, and in the ocean. Combined with the physique it had built up over a long period of time and the Speed increase gained after integrating Quick Powder, regardless of what Pokémon it transformed into, it never fell behind in terms of physical condition or speed.
However, if it wanted to achieve victory, it still had to rely on his command.
Therefore, the strength Ditto displayed was closely tied to his command ability. Originally, a Trainer's command during Pokémon battles was merely a supporting means of combat. After all, a Pokémon's speed was not something a Trainer's eyes and thoughts could fully keep up with.
Therefore, Tetsuya's original estimation of Ditto was that a Gym Leader-level Pokémon was already its limit. This was, as mentioned, because it relied too heavily on his command.
A Trainer's command became increasingly insignificant in higher-level battles, yet at the same time remained critically important.
It was insignificant because Pokémon at that level had abundant battle experience and could adapt to rapidly changing battle situations. They could also flexibly employ all kinds of tactics, so they did not need endless commands from their Trainer.
Yet it remained critically important because of the guidance provided at key moments, serving as the finishing touch.
When a Pokémon became confused, a Trainer could provide timely direction. This was a fundamental quality of a high-level Trainer. They needed to see the battle situation clearly, promptly identify their opponent's strengths and weaknesses, and provide their Pokémon with the most correct direction.
Previously, Tetsuya had been limited by the fact that he could not constantly follow Ditto's battles, which had also restricted Ditto's strength. But things were different now. He was confident that Ditto could rise to another level because he now possessed psychic abilities. His thinking had become sharper, and he could basically capture every detail of a Pokémon battle.
No matter the weather, or even against invisible Pokémon, this was the power of psychic abilities!
Therefore, his command could completely keep up with Pokémon battles, and Ditto would also rise to a higher level because of him.
Houndoom was born with the bearing of a king. Whenever it encountered an opponent stronger than itself, it would work hard to train and strive to surpass them. As a result, Houndoom trained the hardest, and the improvement in its strength was obvious to all. Especially during battles, it fought with the ferocity of a mad dog. Opponents were often intimidated by such momentum, so the chance of Houndoom making mistakes in battle was very low. It rarely suffered defeat.
Since Beedrill and Koffing had left the poisonous forest, their toxins had become even more potent. Beedrill's development path had never changed. Although its rate of improvement was smaller now, there was still room for growth. Once they reached the mainland, it would be necessary to buy it a few TMs.
As for Koffing, it was practically two malignant tumors. Once its poison and toxins entered the body, very few could escape unscathed. Due to the special circumstances of its birth and its long period of special training with Mamoswine, it had actually learned Icy Wind…
To this day, no one had figured out how Koffing could learn such a move!
Of course, Tetsuya himself was also researching how to maximize Koffing's strengths. He now had a direction in mind, though it would require support from TMs.
This was one of the advantages of returning to the mainland. As long as you had money, everything was negotiable!
After a simple warm-up, the Pokémon all continued their move training until the moon hung high overhead, only then gradually falling asleep. Tetsuya and Catherine each recalled their own Pokémon.
"Good night, Catherine ."
Back inside the tent, the desert night was truly cold. Even though it was summer, the nights were still freezing. The only option was to curl up in a corner of the tent. This was the consequence of not buying a blanket. The only thing that could provide warmth was Mamoswine, but unfortunately it was far too large to fit inside the tent.
Time to sleep. No one to warm the bed…