The group from the Research Institute stared at the Marshtomps peeking out from the grass, and time seemed to freeze. The entire scene was eerily quiet. These Marshtomps, with their round eyes, gazed intently at them, their mouths not moving, as if they wanted to say something but made no sound. A strange silence fell, and it was as if countless question marks hung over everyone's heads...
Swampert let out a low Growl towards the Marshtomps, like an old father lecturing his sons, the sound not loud but extremely penetrating, as if he was afraid of pulling out a Seven Wolf cigarette later. The Marshtomps, who had been standing still, stumbled out as if waking from a dream. Their bodies looked a bit clumsy, and their movements seemed slow.
Seeing these comically endearing Marshtomps, Ou Yishu and Chen Xue both chuckled.
Zhang Heng began to scan the Marshtomps in front of him. They had orange gills, and their eyes and bellies were also orange. Their bodies and heads were sky blue, while the fins on their heads and backs were black. However, their colors appeared slightly duller compared to the Marshtomps in his original memories. Not only that, but even their physique was somewhat lacking.
It's important to note that a normal Marshtomp should be 0.7 meters tall and weigh 28 kilograms, but these Marshtomps were clearly much smaller.
Pokémon Name: Marshtomp
Attribute: Water Attribute
Level: 17 (Rare-grade combat power)
Potential: Lord-grade
Terastallization Attribute: Water Attribute
Nature: Serious (No change)
Ability: Torrent
Affection: -
Held Item: None
Special Ability Bonus: None
Learned Skills: Tackle, Water Gun, Mud Shot, Protect
Egg Moves: Ancient Power
TM Moves: None
Looking at the panel provided by the system, the best of them only possessed Lord-grade potential, with no particular outstanding qualities. Faced with this situation, he couldn't help but sigh with regret.
"Alas..." Zhang Heng sighed softly, thinking to himself, "If only I could encounter a Marshtomp or a Mudkip with good potential, that would be perfect." After all, as a Trainer who can only capture Water Attribute and Dragon Attribute Pokémon, Swampert, the strongest physical attacker in Rainy Day, is undoubtedly the most ideal choice.
Perhaps someone might ask in confusion, "Isn't that One-Eyed Marshstomp good enough?" In fact, the One-Eyed Marshstomp's potential had already reached its limit; its successful evolution into a Swampert had already exhausted all of its potential.
Although its willpower was incredibly strong, such an experienced Pokémon would never easily trust a novice Trainer. Moreover, game players like Zhang Heng often only care about stats, and items that can change a Pokémon's potential are exceedingly rare and hard to come by in this world.
Grala~ Grala~
Suddenly, a crisp, pleasant, and joyful Growl broke the surrounding silence. It turned out to be two lively and adorable Mudkips playing and roughhousing. They held onto each other tightly, like Stephen Chow's 'Invincible Fire Wheel,' rolling out from the dense grass until they stopped at Zhang Heng's feet.
The two Mudkips seemed a bit dizzy. They gently rubbed their small heads, then wobbled to their feet. Then, they supported themselves on their four short legs, straightened their backs, and looked up, curiously gazing at Zhang Heng in front of them, letting out questioning Growls: "Grala?" as if asking the stranger, 'Who are you?'
Zhang Heng's lips curled into a faint smile, and he slowly squatted down. He extended both hands and gently stroked the heads of the two Mudkips, feeling their slippery skin and lively aura.
At the same time, Zhang Heng activated the talent skill gifted by the system—Water-type Affinity. This mysterious power instantly spread throughout his body and was transmitted to the Mudkips through his palms.
As his fingers moved, Zhang Heng slowly moved from the Mudkips' heads to their chins. He gently scratched this sensitive spot with his fingertips, as if he had found the Mudkips' favorite itching spot.
The Mudkips, treated with such gentleness, immediately showed a state of extreme contentment. They closed their eyes tightly, and low, pleasant Hoothoot sounds came from their throats, as if they were pampered kittens enjoying their owner's affection.
Immediately after, several more Mudkips joyfully bounced out from the grass. They blinked their round eyes, curiously observing the scene before them. When they saw their little companions enjoying Zhang Heng's gentle petting, these cute little creatures also couldn't suppress their inner desire and, wagging their tails, quickly ran to Zhang Heng's side.
Zhang Heng was surrounded by these enthusiastic little ones, his heart filled with joy and emotion. He gently extended his hand, carefully touching each Mudkip that approached. Ou Yishu quietly squatted beside him, smiling as she joined in this intimate interaction with the small animals. She gently stroked the small and exquisite Mudkips, feeling their smooth scales and soft bodies.
In this beautiful moment, humans and nature coexisted harmoniously, as if time had frozen. The Mudkips fully enjoyed the care of their human friends, while Zhang Heng and Ou Yishu were immersed in this pure happiness.
Pokémon Name: Mudkip
Attribute: Water Attribute + Ground Attribute
Level: 6 (Infant-grade)
Potential: Lord-grade
Terastallization Attribute: Water Attribute
Nature: Naughty (+Attack -Special Defense)
Ability: Torrent
Affection: -
Held Item: None
Special Ability Bonus: None
Learned Skills: Tackle, Water Gun, Growl, Rock Smash
Egg Moves: Ancient Power
TM Moves: None
Zhang Heng thought, "These little cubs don't have very high potential either; they're at the same level as the evolved first-stage Marshtomps."
Dr. Chen Chunjiang stood quietly to the side, waiting patiently for a while. He was not in a hurry to disturb Zhang Heng and Yi Shu, the two adorable children who were immersed in interacting with the Mudkips. At this moment, a wonderfully warm atmosphere permeated between them and the Mudkips.
After a moment, Dr. Chen Chunjiang spoke softly, "It seems we have successfully located Swampert's tribe." His eyes were filled with joy, and he then turned to look at the One-Eyed Marshstomp in front of him.
"Next, we plan to carry out a series of simple physical examinations and necessary medical treatments for your tribe members. Do you have any questions?"
As a member of the third generation of starter Pokémon, Swampert naturally possessed an innate friendliness and trust towards humans. When he heard Dr. Chen Chunjiang's words, he did not ponder much but nodded without hesitation, indicating his agreement.
This trust did not stem from foolishness or blindness but was based on the long-established tacit understanding and emotional bond between Swampert and humans. They knew that humans were mostly friendly and trustworthy companions, especially individuals like Dr. Chen Chunjiang, who possessed professional knowledge and experience.