Buzz, buzz, buzz ~ The lawnmower possessed by Rotom roared with the sound of a mechanical engine, its body enveloped in fireballs as it charged through the Electivire group, forcefully carving out a path.
Frogadier, whose type had already changed to Ground-type, charged forward right behind Cutting Rotom, continuously spitting out Mud Shot attacks to bombard the Electivire, preventing them from getting close to the Trainer behind.
With the help of Cutting Rotom and Frogadier, Zhang Heng and Zhu Zi also slowly advanced along the passage.
Zhang Heng and the Shiny Mudkip on his shoulder both kept their eyes on the Frogadier charging ahead, but their points of focus were different.
Zhang Heng was observing the Protean ability, because this ability was too special; it could change types freely, somewhat similar to Terastallization in the ninth generation, which was severely weakened to only activate once per battle entry.
However, under Zhang Heng's observation, he found that Frogadier only used the Ground-type Mud Shot ability. If it could only activate once, it would have already been fixed as a Ground-type. Why didn't it use other abilities to link up?
Because the attack speed of Mud Shot was still too slow, making it difficult to deal effective damage to Electivire. So the only reason could be that using other abilities would reset its type, losing the effect of Ground-type immunity to electric-type.
This shows that the Protean ability in this world still adheres to the rules before the eighth generation, where each use of an ability refreshes the type.
Mudkip, watching Frogadier's Mud Shot ability, was eager to try it, its cheeks puffing out as if it were concentrating Ground-type energy, but it couldn't find the trick.
Zhang Heng felt Mudkip stirring on his shoulder and turned his head to observe the little guy's situation, finding that it was imitating Frogadier's movements for releasing Ground-type abilities.
Zhang Heng's mind was like an electric shock, as if he had connected some key information. He pondered, saying, "That's right, Mudkip can learn Mud Shot when it evolves into Marshtomp, but in its Mudkip state, it shouldn't be able to learn it on its own. So, could the trigger for evolution be mastering this Ground-type Mud Shot ability?"
Zhang Heng thought this to himself and encouraged Mudkip aloud, saying, "Go, Mudkip, go ahead and try it."
Mudkip had long been itching to try it, very interested in Ground-type abilities, feeling like it could master the ability very quickly. Mudkip leaped down from Zhang Heng's shoulder, its four limbs touching the ground, and began to gather Ground-type energy, but it still couldn't grasp the knack.
Zhang Heng had somewhat expected this, feeling that it would be very difficult for Mudkip to do it on its own. He murmured, "It seems I still have to find Tianwang Ou's Seismitoad for special training?"
After a round of fighting, the Electivire group gradually lost and scattered, fleeing back into the depths of the passage. Zhu Zi breathed a sigh of relief watching the retreating Electivire group, but noticed that Zhang Heng hadn't followed. He looked back to see one person and one Pokémon training.
He said, "In this environment, I really admire that you still have the mind to train. Does your Mudkip want to learn Mud Shot? Here, borrow this. Remember to return it to me, I only have this one left."
Zhang Heng looked at the leaf-shaped item Zhu Zi handed over. The leaf's color was mainly a gradient of green and yellow, with wavy edges. Below the leaf was a slender yellow stem.
Zhang Heng didn't understand Zhu Zi's meaning, so he used the system's ability to check the item panel.
Item Name: A-rank Item - Mimic Herb
Effect: When a Pokémon holds this item and participates in a battle, there is a 75% chance it can learn a move from another Pokémon participating in the battle. Moves that can be learned this way must be moves that the Pokémon itself can learn from its move pool.
Zhang Heng slapped his forehead. How could he have forgotten this? In the Scarlet and Violet games, Pokémon with fewer than four moves that hold a Mimic Herb during a picnic can learn moves from other Pokémon participating in the picnic. It's a very convenient way to learn moves, and he didn't expect it to be possible in reality too.
Zhang Heng said with some gratitude, "Thank you so much, really."
Zhu Zi was a bit embarrassed, clearing his throat twice and saying, "Ahem, I'm a bit short on funds. Many of my Pokémon's abilities were secretly learned by having them hold Mimic Herbs and finding others. Remember to return it to me when you're done."
Zhang Heng was also somewhat puzzled by this, feeling that it was truly inappropriate for the Hua Country Alliance to allow the descendant of the first Champion to be in such a state.
"Even if you are the descendant of the first Champion, coming to seek the Pokémon left behind by the Champion, won't the Alliance make things convenient for you?"
Zhu Zi was carefree, saying, "After losing my grandfather's protection, my family lost its voice long ago. If the Zhang family loses Grandpa Zhang as its spokesperson, how much influence will your family still have among the Hua Country high-ranking officials?"
What Zhu Zi said was somewhat similar to what Zhang Heng's father had said, both due to changes in status leading to unequal distribution of benefits. The difference was that Zhang Heng's father had the strength to challenge for the Champion position and break the power monopoly of those high-ranking officials, while Zhu Zi's Jiang family had no successor.
Zhang Heng did not continue the topic, changing it to, "It's okay. Once your Gimmighoul evolves into Gholdengo, one Make It Rain ability, and you'll reach the peak of your life."
The two smiled at each other and did not continue speaking. Zhang Heng placed the Mimic Herb on Mudkip, and without further rest, the two continued deeper along the main road, vigilantly looking ahead.
That Electivire had already hidden itself, possibly lurking in the passage, waiting for an opportunity, and the location where it disappeared was precisely on the path the two had to take.
At this time, it was around ten o'clock in the morning in the South Sea waters of Hua Country.
On the sea, there was a team of twenty people. They were wearing the unified official leather uniforms of the Hua Country Alliance, riding various Pokémon, hovering above the sea where the cargo ship plundered by Zhang Lei Yuan had sunk.
This team was the special operations unit dispatched by Champion Li of Central China to plunder the Water Blade Gang's cargo ship. The leader was a female Trainer named Xiao Chu, one of the eight strongest Elite Four Trainers in the South China region.
This female Trainer was about thirty years old, with neat short hair. Although her looks were ordinary, she exuded a compelling aura. She coldly ordered, "Have the divers explore the sunken ship at the bottom of the sea and see what they find."
Two divers, with the help of Floatzel, began to descend to the seabed, exploring the trench where the cargo ship had sunk.
Within the seemingly calm team, there were actually undercurrents. Several accompanying ordinary Elite Trainers, registered with the Alliance, received a text message that read: "Cargo ship sunk, mission canceled, do not expose target."