Chapter 167:
A searing pain, a numbing cold, the agony of frostbite— a sense of powerlessness washed over him.
This was the first ti Salance had endured the suffering, and nearly broke through the alloy restraints. But then ca a thick needle plunged into its arm, injecting a clear, pale liquid that sapped all its strength imdiately.
Yet its consciousness remained and could only watch helplessly as its blood was drawn while its body grow weaker and weaker.
After that, the needle remained lodged in its arm, perpetually draining its strength. Combined with the frost coating applied every three days and the blood draws, this tornt continued unabated for half a year. Cold, piercing, weakness—these suffering clung to it for six long months, until wtwo arrived, destroyed the base, and gave it a chance to escape.
These sensations didn’t fade with ti; they grew sharper, more vivid, increasingly debilitating.
"Damn..." Hayashi Kaede couldn’t help but curse under his breath after sensing all this.
No wonder Salance was so volatile.
It was a naturally fierce Pokémon to begin with, compounded by six months of relentless suffering. That it only had -50 affinity was probably only due to the buff from his Veridian power.
Seeing Salance still glaring at him with malice, Hayashi Kaede released his hand and asked instead, "It hurts, doesn’t it?"
Salance’s expression faltered for a mont before it turned its head away.
Can’t fight? Then I just won’t look.
But Hayashi Kaede didn’t give up. He stepped in front of it again. "Salance, are you hungry?"
"Salance?"
Salance instinctively nodded, but then imdiately grew furious again. "Salance!" (What’s it to you!? Don’t ss with !)
"If you’re hungry, eat sothing."
Hayashi Kaede took out a pack of Petaya Berry SSS-grade Energy Cubes.
The cubes emitted a subtle, enticing fragrance.
These were SSS-grade Energy Cubes for enhancing special traits, but for Dragon-type Pokémon, they did more than just boost special energy.
The first ti a Dragon Pokémon consud them, the effectiveness of their stat-boosting moves would also significantly increase.
Plus, they helped heal old injuries, making them the most suitable Energy Cubes for Salance at the mont.
But Salance turned its head away again, refusing to even look, and clamped its jaws shut.
Though it hadn’t eaten anything since being electrocuted on that island, did this human really think a little food would win it over?
No way!
This ti, however, Hayashi Kaede didn’t respond with gentleness. Instead, he turned to wtwo, his expression serious. "Whether it wants to eat or not isn’t up to it. wtwo, help pry its jaws open!"
"Huh?" wtwo was taken aback—this was the first ti it had seen Hayashi Kaede like this.
"Just do as I say."
"Okay..."
wtwo imdiately used its psychic power to force Salance’s mouth open. Under Salance’s stunned gaze, Hayashi Kaede used his own psychic abilities to stuff the Energy Cubes into its mouth one by one. After feeding it quite a few, he turned to wtwo. "Help it chew and swallow..."
"Uh..."
wtwo fell silent but complied.
Salance’s eyes burned with even greater fury, but restrained by wtwo’s overwhelming psychic power, it could only glare angrily at Hayashi Kaede. This ti, however, there was a hint of confusion in its gaze.
These Energy Cubes felt... strange.
Right now, the feeling of weakness in its body was fading, and there seed to be so other change happening.
It suddenly felt like doing Dragon Dance?
It also instinctively felt that performing Dragon Dance now, its power increase will be even more?
But held captive by wtwo, it had no way to try.
After force-feeding about a dozen Energy Cubes, Hayashi Kaede had wtwo return Salance to its Poké Ball.
After watching the entire process, wtwo asked, "You want to ease its relationship with humans?"
Hayashi Kaede nodded. "I have so ideas. After all, my main job is being a Breeder."
Then he shook his head. "But it’s going to be difficult. Judging by Salance’s reaction, six months of intense suffering is just too long. Its hatred will not dissipate overnight.’"
"We’ll see. If it can be eased, that’s best. If not, it’ll just have to stay in the Berry Plantation for the rest of its life."
"At the very least, it can’t be released until it holds less malice toward humans. Otherwise, it’ll be captured again quickly, and next ti, things probably won’t end well again."
"For the next few days, we’ll have to let it out regularly. It can’t stay cooped up in a Poké Ball—that’ll just make it brood more. So, keeping an eye on it will be up to you."
Hayashi Kaede looked sincerely at wtwo. "It’s a Pokémon you saved, after all."
Only wtwo or w had the power to ensure Salance wouldn’t cause trouble. Even Gardevoir wouldn’t be enough to put Hayashi Kaede at ease.
But w’s temperant wasn’t calm enough for this, so the task could only fall to wtwo.
wtwo: "...Alright."
Just then, Goodra finished the Energy Cubes in its hand and looked sparklingly at wtwo. Its gaze toward Hayashi Kaede had also softened considerably.
"Good girl~" Hayashi Kaede tentatively reached out to rub its belly. It didn’t resist this ti; instead, it affectionately nuzzled closer.
This lifted Hayashi Kaede’s spirits a little.
He sighed inwardly.
After all, this Goodra still had a childlike temperant—quick to hold a grudge, but quick to let it go too.
He needed to find a place for it to stay and let Indeedee (little sister) look after it, to help liven up its personality.
The cowshed would do for now... By stacking so Grepa Berry wine barrels, he could create a makeshift "room."
As for Salance, it would have to stay obediently in wtwo’s Poké Ball at night.
But speaking of places to stay...
Hayashi Kaede suddenly rembered sothing and said to wtwo, "Oh, right, I forgot to tell you—I gave the room you weren’t using to Gardevoir. So, it seems you don’t have a room now."
wtwo: "..."
"That’s how it is. How about you stay in a Poké Ball for now too?"
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