Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command!

In the end, Rhydon fell to Charizard.

Seeing his opponent down, Charizard opened its mouth and released a stream of flames in a triumphant display.

Watching Charizard look so lively even now, Gary couldn't help but twitch at the corners of his mouth. He was still reeling from the fact that his Rhydon had been taken down by a burn.

"It still has energy to spare…"

Suddenly, he didn't feel so disappointed anymore.

From the looks of Charizard's current state, even if Rhydon had managed to pull off its Stone Edge, it's doubtful it would have posed any real threat.

"A total loss."

Gary thought, sighing internally.

Oddly, though, he didn't feel too bad—in fact, he was actually in high spirits.

Of course… this wasn't because Luo Yuan had beaten him into some kind of defeatist mindset. Rather, he had just come to an uplifting realization.

If Luo Yuan was this powerful, didn't that mean that he, Gary, who'd fought him to a near standstill (well, almost), was also pretty strong?

At the very least, defeating Ash would be a breeze.

As this thought crossed his mind, Gary's mood brightened considerably.

Luo Yuan, on the other hand, couldn't quite decipher the smile creeping across Gary's face.

Professor Oak, meanwhile, had already pulled out a potion and approached Rhydon, preparing to treat its burns and other injuries.

He always seemed to be going the extra mile for Gary.

But Luo Yuan stepped forward and held Professor Oak back.

"Professor, let me handle it," he said, holding his hand near Rhydon and activating the Viridian Force.

A gentle, healing energy radiated from Luo Yuan's hand.

As he passed his hand over Rhydon, its burns and wounds began to close and heal rapidly.

Within moments, Rhydon was nearly back to normal.

"What is this?" Professor Oak asked, surprised, as he looked at Luo Yuan.

"This is an ability I awakened while in Viridian Forest. I call it the Viridian Force," Luo Yuan explained.

He hadn't changed its name; he simply claimed it was an ability he'd awakened in the forest and named after it.

"The Viridian Force? So it can heal Pokémon?" Professor Oak asked.

From what he'd seen, Viridian Force appeared to have remarkable healing properties.

"Yes, it can heal Pokémon—and it also lets me communicate with them." To demonstrate, Luo Yuan extended his hand toward a curious Bulbasaur that had wandered over, attracted by the Viridian Force's gentle energy.

"Bulba~!"

Bulbasaur trotted over to Luo Yuan and rubbed its head affectionately against his hand.

"A truly invaluable ability!" Professor Oak marveled.

While the healing aspect was impressive, it was the ability to communicate with Pokémon that especially piqued Professor Oak's interest. As a researcher, he understood how transformative such an ability could be.

When it came to researching Pokémon, communication was key.

The difference between working with cooperative Pokémon and uncooperative ones was night and day.

With this in mind, Professor Oak turned to Luo Yuan with an idea.

"Luo Yuan, are you interested in Pokémon research? How about joining my lab?"

He extended the invitation, hoping to bring Luo Yuan on board.

With the Viridian Force, Luo Yuan's presence would undoubtedly make his research efforts far more effective.

Gary, overhearing the invitation, looked at Luo Yuan in surprise.

Having grown up alongside Professor Oak, Gary couldn't recall a single time his grandfather had invited someone to join the lab so openly.

Was Luo Yuan's Viridian Force really that amazing?

Hearing Professor Oak's invitation, Luo Yuan smiled.

Revealing his Viridian Force was part of his plan to strengthen ties with Professor Oak.

However, he had no intention of joining the lab permanently.

Shaking his head, Luo Yuan replied, "My goal is to become a Pokémon Master. Research isn't really my calling. But if you ever need help, Professor, I'd be glad to assist whenever I have the time."

"Rejected…?"

Gary's surprise grew.

It wasn't that he couldn't understand someone turning down an offer, but he hadn't expected Luo Yuan to refuse so decisively.

Professor Oak, hearing Luo Yuan's response, realized that his invitation had been a bit forward.

Given Luo Yuan's exceptional abilities as a Trainer, his future in competitive training looked bright. Besides, Luo Yuan was still young; even Professor Oak hadn't transitioned from Trainer to researcher until he reached a certain age.

In his experience, a Trainer's journey could often deepen one's understanding of Pokémon, providing invaluable insights for future research.

"Well, if you ever find yourself interested in research, you're welcome to come to me," Professor Oak said with a smile.

From Luo Yuan's previous help in locating that giant Dragonite, it was clear he had a knack for these things. So Professor Oak offered him an open invitation to join at any time.

That the esteemed Professor Oak was extending such an offer was proof of how much he valued Luo Yuan's abilities.

Luo Yuan understood the weight of Professor Oak's words.

"Thank you for the invitation, Professor. I'll certainly give it some thought."

He patted Bulbasaur's head, urging it to rejoin its friends.

Then, Luo Yuan released Slowbro from its Pokéball, healing it with the same Viridian Force energy.

"Slow~!"

Slowbro lay happily on the ground, basking in the soothing energy.

"It's already noon—why don't you stay for lunch? I have everything we need for a hot pot," Professor Oak suggested warmly.

In a rare turn, Professor Oak, in high spirits, decided to skip his usual instant noodles and instead opted for a hot pot feast.

Luo Yuan couldn't help but chuckle at this.

Hot pot was almost as convenient as noodles; both were quick to prepare with minimal fuss. Professor Oak truly had a soft spot for simple meals.

But hot pot was certainly a step up from instant noodles, so Luo Yuan gladly accepted the invitation.

With Machamp's help, Professor Oak gathered the ingredients.

Meanwhile, Luo Yuan released all of his other Pokémon for a bit of fresh air.

Eevee crawled into his lap, stretching lazily.

Ditto morphed into Slowbro's likeness and lay on the ground, mimicking Slowbro's relaxed posture almost perfectly.

Dragonair coiled around him, allowing Luo Yuan to rest against her as a cushion.

Porygon-Z and Mimikyu, off to the side, communicated in their own silent way, using gestures as if in some form of sign language.

Charizard lay sprawled out, napping to regain its strength.

Gyarados soaked in the nearby lake, accidentally frightening a group of local Pokémon into huddling nervously in a distant corner, eyeing it warily without daring to move.

It was a peaceful scene.

Luo Yuan pulled out special Pokémon treats he had packed and handed them out.

Gary, observing the scene, looked somewhat puzzled.

After a moment's hesitation, he asked, "Luo Yuan, how are you carrying eight Pokémon?"

With eight Pokémon on him, Luo Yuan was exceeding the usual six-Pokémon limit.

---

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