Pokémon: When the World Changed Chapter 259 - 256: Before Evolution

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Start: December 30, 2025 at 11:55 p.m.

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In the artificial desert of the Sky Secret Kingdom.

At that mont, Professor Harris and Professor Reynolds were researching Steelix.

The Steelix, who had originally been extrely proud and rebellious, after being crushed by Professor Harris's Rhydon last ti, was now much more docile.

Suddenly, as if sensing Ethan Black's arrival, Steelix abruptly raised its entire body, staring with hostility in that direction.

"Steelix, long ti no see."

Ethan Black's gaze showed not the slightest hint of fear when eting Steelix's eyes.

After this period of growth, his wariness toward Steelix had already disappeared.

Now, if he let his Pokémon face Steelix, he was fully confident they could defeat it head-on.

Steelix, apparently, also sensed the change in Ethan Black's aura. After staring deeply at him, it lay back down on the ground of its own accord.

"Ethan, you finally have ti to visit this poor old man!"

Professor Harris greeted him with a face full of joy, clearly showing that he had been doing very well lately.

"Good afternoon, Professor Harris."

"Good afternoon, Professor Reynolds."

Ethan Black bowed respectfully to the two professors.

"Very good, very good."

It was clear that Professor Harris greatly enjoyed that courtesy, and he squinted his eyes with a smile.

After exchanging a few words with Professor Harris and Professor Reynolds about his recent training and life, Ethan Black went straight to the point and asked them for advice about Trapinch's training plan.

In particular, regarding the mastery of the move Fissure. As an expert in Ground-type Pokémon, Professor Harris would surely have a thod.

"You want Trapinch to learn the move Fissure before evolving?" asked Professor Harris, sowhat surprised after hearing him.

Ethan Black, without hesitation, nodded: "After Trapinch evolves into Vibrava, although it will still be Ground-type, Dragon will be added. By gaining the ability to fly, its control over the ground will be greatly weakened."

"That's why I want Trapinch, before evolving, to awaken all of its Ground-type potential. And the move Fissure, being a great representative Ground-type move, is perfect to unearth that potential."

As he spoke, Ethan Black's eyes shone. In truth, he wanted to tell Professor Harris that both the move Dig and the move Fissure were moves only Trapinch could learn, and that once it evolved into Vibrava, it would never be able to master them.

But reason prevented him from revealing it; after all, he had no way to explain how he knew. He couldn't just say he had guessed it, much less that he was a traveler from another world, right?

Besides, before evolving, Trapinch could also learn three other moves —Bite, Crunch, and Feint— which would also be impossible to master after evolution.

Of those, Bite and Crunch had already been practiced under Ethan Black's guidance during training with Absol, though mastery was still not high.

As for Feint, Ethan Black had no intention of teaching it, since he didn't have a training thod for that move.

"I see. In the coming ti, I'll help you complete Trapinch's training."

Professor Harris, after listening, nodded in satisfaction and accepted without hesitation, which filled Ethan Black's heart with warmth.

On his path as a trainer, Professor Harris's help had been imnse. In a sense, Ethan Black already saw him as a close relative, and Professor Harris felt the sa.

In the following ti, Ethan Black practically spent the entire day with Professor Harris. In addition to guiding Trapinch in training the move Fissure, the professor also gave valuable advice to Sandslash, Cacturne, Slowking, ltan, and Shuckle, improving their abilities to greater or lesser degrees.

And, at his side, was Professor Reynolds, an expert in Steel-type Pokémon. In Sandslash's training with the moves Gyro Ball, tal Claw, and Iron Tail, Professor Reynolds provided nurous invaluable recomndations.

Regarding ltan, Professor Reynolds had long wanted to study it, and she took the opportunity to research it thoroughly while also instructing it in training.

anwhile, Alex Baxter, after learning the thod of Slowking's evolution, inford the research team working on the project "new direction of Pokémon evolution."

After several experints, the team finally succeeded in evolving a Slowking.

When Ethan Black received the news, he imdiately rushed over, eager to compare that Slowking with his own Slowking.

The result proved that Ethan Black's Slowking was truly unique in the world. The research team's Slowking, although it also possessed the great intelligence of the species, had nothing special in the Shellder on its head.

With the evolution achieved, the entire research team was ecstatic. Ethan Black's discovery was truly extraordinary, a great breakthrough in the new direction of Pokémon evolution!

Afterward, they even brought out three King's Rocks, intending to test them one by one on different Pokémon. It was only a matter of ti before they also obtained a Politoed thanks to the King's Rock.

Thus, another month passed. When the calendar approached July, Absol, who had remained in a deep sleep, finally awoke. Upon hearing, Ethan Black rushed over imdiately.

"Absol, are you alright?" he asked with concern, crouching at its side.

"Abbssss!"

Absol gently shook its head, indicating it no longer had any problems and reassuring Ethan Black.

Confirming that its condition was excellent, Ethan Black let out a sigh of relief and had Absol undergo a full examination.

"Incredible... Absol completely absorbed the dark energy that was inside."

"And moreover, we don't know how, but its physical condition improved enormously compared to the last check-up!"

The researchers examining Absol exclaid in astonishnt, their faces full of surprise.