Elf: Who told him to be an investigator!

Seeing the troubled expression on the bug-catching boy's face.

Ze Shu asked, "Did your shield cocoon only evolve recently?"

"Yes, yes. Just yesterday, there seemed to be a lot of activity in the woods to the west near that lake. A lot of fruit fell, but no one seemed to care."

"So I collected a lot of different kinds of berries for my Pokémon to eat, and unexpectedly, Wurmple evolved..."

The bug-catching boy, bewildered, picked up the dazed Shield Cocoon and said with distress, "This is clearly a good thing, right? But... but... why does it seem even weaker after evolving?"

Shield Cocoon: "Ugh..."

Its bloodshot eyes looked at the bug catcher with confusion, and it made a weak sound.

Ze Shu smiled and said, "It's currently in a phase of accumulating strength and waiting for its transformation, so there's nothing to worry about."

I've provided a simple explanation of the relationship between the stinging beetle, the shield cocoon, and the poisonous mealy moth.

The bug-catching boy suddenly realized. He looked at Ze Shu with admiration, a stark contrast to his previous fear of Ze Shu. "Oh, I see! You're amazing!"

Ze Shu: "..."

In fact, Zeki didn't expect that as a bug catcher, he wouldn't even know the basics of the Pokémon Wurmple.

Zeshu hesitated for a moment, then asked, "You should be old enough to attend the Pokémon School in Sandstone Town, right?"

He remembered that most of the children at that Pokémon school were around 8 years old. It was a place where they were taught basic Pokémon knowledge.

But upon hearing this...

Bug Catcher awkwardly scratched his head, then finally raised his head, his eyes stubborn: "It's me who doesn't want to go! I'm that, that... traveling type of trainer!"

Ze Shu paused for a moment.

A traveling trainer? But seeing that this Bug Catcher spends all day in this wilderness trail looking for others to battle, it doesn't really count as traveling... This is obviously something he overheard and used as an excuse.

"I see." Ze Shu didn't refute, and went along with what the bug-catching boy said.

"Hehe." Seeing that Zeju acknowledged him, Bug Catcher scratched his forehead and grinned foolishly, tightening his grip on Cocoon. "Thank you for telling me about my partner, but I need to go to the Pokémon Center to heal Cocoon now..."

"I'll go with you," Ze Shu said. "By the way, what's your name?"

"My name is Chongtai!"

……

This was Zeki's first time visiting a Pokémon Center. The surrounding pink and white walls were decorated in a cozy style, and Nurse Joy's smile was very warm.

But Chong Tai clutched his somewhat depleted pocket, his face full of reluctance, yet he resolutely pulled out fifty Alliance Coins.

Upon seeing this, Ze Shu was taken aback for a moment, then said, "I'll pay for the treatment."

"After all, it was my Pokémon that injured you, wasn't it?"

In fact, the treatment cost of fifty Alliance Coins is not expensive; in fact, it can be said to be very cheap.

Even if a Pokémon is seriously injured, the treatment fee at the Pokémon Center will not exceed 500 League Coins. In fact, trainers with a Pokédex can receive treatment for free, making it a completely charitable project.

Even so, Chongtai was finding it difficult to sustain.

Ze Shu didn't quite understand why Chong Tai kept seeking out opponents for battles.

But seeing the extremely surprised and delighted look in Chongtai's eyes, Zeshu smiled and said, "Although I don't have much money, I still have this much."

And then she voiced the question she'd been asking earlier, "...So why do you keep looking for people to fight?"

Bug Tai scratched his head again, then said happily, "I want to become a respected trainer! To be watched on TV with my friends! So I have to become strong! I heard that battling is the best way to make Pokémon strong!"

"I see..." Ze Shu paused for a moment, then fell silent. Only the silly grin of Mushita, who didn't have to pay for treatment, remained.

The shield cocoon was quickly healed; in fact, its injuries were not serious.

It was already late.

Mushita said goodbye to Sawaki, "Thank you! Sawaki! I'll remember you paying for me!"

He was about to leave.

Unexpectedly, Ze Shu pulled out a notebook: "Yes, Chong Tai owes me fifty Alliance Coins today, I've written it down."

Chongtai's eyes widened: "Huh?!"

"No, it wasn't you who said that..."

"Just kidding." Before Mushita could finish speaking, Zeki laughed. "You don't need to pay me back, and besides, this isn't an account book."

After saying that, he handed the notebook in his hand to Chongtai: "It's a gift for you."

When Mushita saw the title "[Basic Explanation of Bug-Type Pokémon]" on the cover of the notebook handed to him, he was stunned: "W-this is..."

"It's just like the title of this book," Ze Shu said. "On the page about the poisonous white moth and the speaker cricket, I wrote some personal insights. I don't know if they're correct, but take a look."

"But you can't read, can you?"

"Of course I recognize you!" the insect exclaimed, his head trembling slightly beneath his straw hat. "Thank you! No stranger has ever been so kind to me... I, I..."

"Alright," Ze Shu waved his hand. "Goodbye!"

Without waiting for Chong Tai's reply, he left on his own.

Chongtai stood there, stunned, clutching the book he had given him, holding it preciously to his chest. He watched Zeshu's figure gradually disappear into the night until he could no longer see him, before Chongtai managed to hold back the tears that welled up in his eyes.

"goodbye!"

……

Back at the Yamanashi Research Institute, before even opening the door, Sawaki heard a commotion inside. Two bursts of laughter mingled with a furious voice.

Ze Shu: "..."

He pushed open the door.

Then I saw Dr. Yamanashi in the research institute's living room, waving his arms wildly and grabbing at the sky.

"You bastard! I've been feeding you for so long! Can't you at least show me some respect?!"

In the air, a brightly colored parrot skillfully dodged Dr. Yamanashi's frantic clawing, while chirping, "Gaga~ Bald head~ Pretty~ Bald head~ Pretty~ Gaa gaa gaa~~"

It still had a few strands of white hair tightly clutched in its paws.

Researchers from the institute were standing around the living room, wanting to help Dr. Yamanashi but not knowing where to start, and could only stand aside, trying not to laugh.

They never expected that Dr. Yamanashi, who usually appeared strict, would have this side to him.

Only one person on the second floor, dressed in a black uniform, couldn't hold back and burst into laughter. He was none other than Investigator Yuzheng, who had appeared in Zeshu's bedroom not long ago.

Ze Shu: "..."

I heard Ze Shu open the door.

Dr. Yamanashi's eyes lit up: "Sawaki, you're back! Quick, quick, help me catch this..."

He hadn't finished speaking.

The stubborn, noisy bird in Dr. Yamanashi's hands tugged at its back feathers in fear, then with a "cluck," obediently grabbed the lamppost at the top and remained still.

In the air, only a few strands of white hair drifted gently down.

Dr. Yamanashi: "..."