"Riolu! Battle with ! If I win..."
"I'll go with you."
Will grinned.
He knew what Cynthia was going to say next.
"...Right!"
Cynthia was stunned for a mont, then nodded heavily.
"Follow to the mountaintop plateau first."
"Emmm, okay!"
Cynthia hesitated for a mont, then agreed.
Although she wanted to take Riolu away imdiately, she didn't want to refuse Riolu's invitation.
"Then follow ."
Will turned around and led her toward the mountaintop plateau.
The four little ones standing at the very back looked at each other, sadness flashing in their eyes.
They knew.
Will was really going to leave with this blonde girl this ti.
The key reason for taking this blonde girl to the mountaintop was to tell the leader about this.
Let the leader see the trainer he had chosen.
The final difficulty this blonde girl needed to face wasn't defeating Will, but whether she could satisfy the leader and make her relent.
Arriving at the mountaintop plateau.
Cynthia's face lit up seeing the scene before her.
Dozens of Mightyena figures were on the flat grassland.
So exposed their bellies, sunbathing and sleeping.
So tumbled and played together.
And so puppies hid in their parents' shadows, panting heavily, not knowing what they did just now to be so tired.
Wild Pokémon clans weren't rare.
But such a large wild Mightyena clan wasn't easy to see.
Even Professor Rowan had to personally follow Will to visit and research, let alone Cynthia who had only been traveling for two years.
"Wow~ So many Mightyena!"
Cynthia opened her mouth slightly, issuing a sound of amazent.
Many Mightyena saw a human appear here, stood up, and stared at Cynthia vigilantly.
The Mightyena clan's attitude toward humans was originally quite bad.
Because Will had once been kidnapped by humans.
Later.
Professor Rowan lived with the Mightyena clan for a month, changing many Mightyena's views.
Now, Mightyena wouldn't bare their teeth imdiately upon seeing humans, but would just stop and watch quietly.
At this mont.
So Mightyena seed to recognize this blonde girl.
They were the Mightyena who followed Wolf Mom to Celestic Town to pick up Will back then.
So after looking up for a few seconds, they lay down again.
This blonde girl wasn't the one who kidnapped their Young Master; instead, she was the one who saved him.
Moreover.
She was brought up the mountain by the Young Master personally.
Could be trusted.
"These are my clansn. I grew up here since I was little; this is my ho."
Will introduced casually.
Actually, there wasn't much to introduce; this was just an ordinary mountaintop plateau.
"It's a beautiful place, and very lively. But won't it be noisy sleeping at night?"
Looking at so many Mightyena, Cynthia couldn't help but ask.
"No, Mightyena sleep quieter than you imagine."
'And quieter than I imagined too.'
Will muttered in his heart.
When he was first born in the Mightyena clan, he had the sa thought as Cynthia.
But the actual situation wasn't like that.
Mightyena slept very quietly.
So quiet that even their breathing was faint.
This was because Mightyena's sleep quality was very low; in other words, they maintained a light sleep state almost all the ti.
In this state, they could detect any movent around them imdiately.
Similarly, under light sleep, they hardly made any sound.
The advantage of this was that almost no creature could sneak attack the sleeping Mightyena clan.
The disadvantage was also obvious.
Because of low sleep quality, Mightyena had to extend their daily sleep ti.
24 hours a day, humans sleep 8-10 hours, Mightyena have to sleep 12-14 hours.
"Woof!"
Wolf Mom's voice rang out.
She stood under the shade of a tree not far away, calling Will.
Will led Cynthia over.
Wolf Mom walked out of the shade.
Instantly, Cynthia felt imnse pressure and power.
Because Wolf Mom was different from ordinary Mightyena; she was the Alpha, possessing the unique aura and massive body of a leader.
Other Mightyena might only be 0.8 ters at the shoulder.
While Wolf Mom's shoulder height was 2 ters, about 2.3 ters counting the head.
Note that.
An adult male polar bear's shoulder height is only about 1.6 ters.
Facing such a terrifying giant wolf, it was already extrely good that Cynthia didn't tremble.
And right now.
Cynthia raised her head to et Wolf Mom's gaze, pupils trembling slightly but not retreating.
"Wolf Mom, I want to go traveling with Cynthia."
Will pulled Cynthia behind him and looked up at Wolf Mom.
This ti.
He didn't act cute or shalessly like before, but seriously told Wolf Mom his request.
"Riolu, no need to battle? Is this expressing your liking for ? Hehe."
Hearing Will's words, Cynthia happily held his hand.
Catching a Pokémon without battling.
That undoubtedly ant.
This Pokémon must like this trainer!
"...Narcissist."
Will curled his lip.
His impression of Cynthia was not bad, but far from "liking" yet.
Will's impression of Cynthia ca more from gas and ani.
He only knew that the future Cynthia would beco an excellent trainer.
As for other things, he wasn't sure.
Specifics.
Had to be known slowly on the journey ahead.
"Woof."
Wolf Mom looked at Will for two seconds, then shifted her gaze to Cynthia.
She turned and called One-Eye over, then stepped aside.
"This is?"
Cynthia looked at Will in confusion.
"Wolf Mom wants to test you. Defeat that Mightyena, and you can take away."
Will frowned.
One-Eye.
This was one of the Mightyena most loyal to him in the clan, talented and motivated. He was around Lv. 45 when following Will two years ago.
So Will trained him a lot.
With his training, One-Eye's leveling speed naturally wasn't slow.
Will estimated One-Eye's current level was at least Lv. 55.
Undoubtedly.
This was a bit excessive for Cynthia, a 12-year-old girl.
Moreover, Garchomp had just fought Toxicroak and her stamina probably wasn't full, yet she had to face the stronger One-Eye.
The final stage of Wolf Mom.
Was hell-level for Cynthia.
Wolf Mom stood not far away quietly staring at Cynthia. She wasn't unwilling to let her puppy leave.
Just...
She wanted to see if this human girl possessed so qualities.
Qualities indispensable on the road ahead.
"I accept this battle! I will definitely take Riolu away!"
Cynthia stepped forward two paces without hesitation.
"I can only count on you for this battle, Garchomp!"
The Pokémon she sent out was naturally her most trusted partner, Garchomp!
A powerful figure appeared on the plain; the domineering appearance made many watching Mightyena vigilant.
"Hoho, impressive."
Will pursed his lips.
The grumpy fat fish back then had grown into a majestic big shark.
Moreover.
He rembered Cynthia's Garchomp was female. Logically, her height should be slightly lower than the Pokédex value of 1.9 ters.
However, the fact wasn't so.
This Garchomp's height, influenced by overly rapid level growth, had reached 2 ters.
This height.
Even if Will evolved, he probably wouldn't surpass her.
Clearly suppressed the little fat fish in the first stage, but suppressed by her in the final stage.
Suffered from having only two evolution stages.
The battle on the field began.
Many Mightyena gathered around to watch.
They cheered for One-Eye outside the battlefield, hoping One-Eye could take down the opposite shark and keep the Young Master on Wolf Mountain. Garchomp was very strong.
Strong physical quality, fairly rich move pool.
But her condition wasn't good; she was still [Poisoned] from the battle with Toxicroak.
And.
One-Eye was even stronger than Will imagined.
His level was only Lv. 55.
But his fighting style was different from other Mightyena, not so straightforward; every move was full of cunning.
Unlike a Mightyena.
Like a Persian.
Gradually.
Cynthia and Garchomp's situation beca worse and worse.
Will could even see beads of sweat on Cynthia's forehead.
She didn't lose her reason.
It was just that the current situation was too tense, and she couldn't find a chance to turn the tide.
Finally.
Under an Ice Fang that One-Eye hid for the whole ga, Garchomp couldn't hold on anymore, lying on the ground losing combat capability.
Cynthia stood there stunned on the spot.
She lost.
Lost in this most critical battle.
Was she not working hard?
Or was Garchomp not working hard?
But Cynthia really felt they had tried their best.
Failure after trying one's best left no excuses for self-comfort.
"We are still too weak..."
Cynthia lowered her head, eyes red, full of loss.
She seed unable to take Riolu away.
Clearly confident before coming.
Clearly worked hard for two years for today.
Wolf Mom looked at her like this, narrowing her eyes.
She turned around, seemingly not planning to pay attention to Cynthia anymore.
However, before she could walk a few steps.
The girl's voice ca from behind again.
"I will continue to work hard! I will beco stronger with Garchomp! Although we are far from mature now, we will continue to grow. I believe in her! And I believe in myself!"
The blonde girl clenched her fists, bowing deeply to Wolf Mom's retreating figure.
"Can you give another chance to challenge? Please!"
"!"
Will opened his mouth, looking at such Cynthia, lost in thought.
He didn't expect.
This 12-year-old girl could cheer up imdiately after defeat.
This was different from Lorelei's optimism.
Wolf Mom stopped, grinning.
She originally thought she would have to wait a few days to see it.
Unexpectedly saw it imdiately.
The quality a trainer must possess—persistence.
This girl not only possessed it but was quite excellent.
In that case.
Wolf Mom turned to look at Will and lifted her chin:
"Woof awooo."
Get ready, let's depart.
~~~
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