Guagua Paowa was dazed when released, at least he was dazed seeing the pyramid on Xia Hanao's body. He couldn't understand how Xia Hanao had turned into Torterra overnight.
However, since Xia Hanao asked him to dismantle the sand sculpture on his body, Guagua Paowa naturally obeyed the command.
Guagua Paowa was quick. He jumped up and in just a few moves, dismantled more than half of the sand sculpture. Coupled with Xia Hanao's actions, it didn't take long to dig Xia Hanao out of the ground. Xia Hanao felt like a potato dug out of the earth.
After washing his face thoroughly, Xia Hanao packed his sleeping bag into his backpack, bid farewell to the animals in the oasis, and continued his training.
"System, how much experience on Guagua has not been digested yet?"
"None, it's all digested."
Xia Hanao's eyes widened after hearing this: "Huh? None? What do you mean? It was a level forty monster, and it sparred with many Pokémon yesterday, so why is it all consumed?"
The system's explanation was: The experience gained from battles with Pokémon yesterday was used to digest previous experience. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to reach level thirteen in an afternoon.
Speaking of the battles yesterday afternoon, Xia Hanao still felt quite tired. To train Guagua Paowa's Special Attack and Speed EVs, Xia Hanao racked his brains to control the pace of his attacks. For those with appropriate EVs, he had to find a way to win; for those with inappropriate EVs, he had to devise ways to leave them with a sliver of health, his brain cells almost dying.
Wandering through the desert, Xia Hanao looked at the surrounding yellow sand: "Damn it, why isn't there even a single cactus? At least that's a bit green."
"No, you actually want to see a cactus? Can you beat it?"
Xia Hanao stopped: "A cactus, if I remember correctly, is called Sunflora, right? Kojiro had one. That thing is Grass-type and Poison-type, I really can't beat it."
The system was stunned: Sunflora.gif
"Are you talking about this thing? I think you're confused by the Sphinx. Firstly, while this thing has the translated name Sunflora, its official translated name is Cactus of Song. Secondly, Kojiro's was a Kakuna, which is Sandshrew. Thirdly, this thing doesn't have the Poison attribute. Before evolution, it's pure Grass, and after evolution, it's Grass/Dark, with no relation to Poison at all."
Xia Hanao scratched his head: "Is that so? It must be the weather being too hot. You know, there are many examples of external conditions affecting human organs."
The system just watched you talk nonsense and absolutely wouldn't interfere.
In the desert, it was scorching hot as soon as the sun came out, with not a single cloud in the sky. Xia Hanao had drunk a bottle of water in no time.
"I say, take it easy. Is drinking so much water okay?"
"But I'm thirsty. Remember next time, if I'm going to some Rock-type or Ground-type hidden realms, you must tell me to find a place with better external conditions."
"Mm, if there's a next time, I definitely will."
As he walked, Xia Hanao saw a Rhydon leisurely strolling in the desert. Xia Hanao's eyes lit up: "Oh, this is great, this is great. System, what do you think if I try to chat with it and ask it to give us a ride?"
"Are you sure? That thing has a temper."
Xia Hanao waved his hand: "Don't be afraid, what's so scary about being temperamental? The Pokédex also says this thing has a single-track mind. See if I can trick it."
Saying that, Xia Hanao approached the Shiny Rhydon and gently touched its horn: "Your horn is so beautiful, can I touch it?"
The Rhydon's single-track mind seemed to recognize that Xia Hanao was complimenting it, and it raised its head to let Xia Hanao touch it more comfortably. After touching it for a while, Xia Hanao said to the Rhydon, "Can you give us a ride? There must be mountains nearby, right?"
The Rhydon took a slightly longer time to think this time, but it still lowered its body, allowing Xia Hanao to climb on. Then, it started walking with its four short legs.
Xia Hanao sat on the Rhydon's back. To be honest, it was quite uncomfortable without a saddle. But as they walked, Xia Hanao got used to it and started to get reckless...
"Yoohoo!"
Xia Hanao shouted happily, but the Rhydon misunderstood. It thought he was asking it to accelerate, so it ran away with a clatter. Xia Hanao was caught off guard and was thrown off the Rhydon's back...
Looking at the retreating back in the sun, Xia Hanao felt it was a perfect representation of his lost youth...
Knowledge about Rhydon: With their single-track minds, once they start running, they can't stop. They run and run without even knowing why they are running, though they might remember occasionally.
This Shiny Rhydon, while running, remembered that it seemed to be carrying a very talkative person...
After stopping, the Rhydon thought for a long time and finally confirmed that it had indeed carried a person. Where did that person go? He had enjoyed touching its horn.
The Rhydon turned around to go back and pick up Xia Hanao, but looking at the vast desert: Huh? Which way did I come from just now?
Fortunately, the two eventually reunited. Xia Hanao touched the Rhydon's horn: "You're a girl, why are you so wild when running?"
It was only under the system's prompt that Xia Hanao realized this reddish-brown Rhydon was a female individual with smaller horns. This made Xia Hanao even more confused. So, are female individuals also so wild?
Climbing back onto the Rhydon's back, Xia Hanao and the Rhydon embarked on their journey again. This time, Xia Hanao dared not say a word, for fear that the Rhydon would bolt again and throw him off.
As the person and the Rhydon walked, they saw a large mountain in the distance. Xia Hanao exclaimed with joy: "Good, I see a mountain."
Seeing the mountain, the Rhydon was also very happy and forgot that it was carrying someone on its back. However, Xia Hanao was not one to be outdone. When he felt the Rhydon's intention to accelerate, he learned to hold onto the protrusions on the Rhydon's back.
"Slow down, slow down~"
After arduous struggle, Xia Hanao ultimately failed to make the Rhydon slow down. He was bumpy all the way to the foot of the mountain: "Oh, man, two more times like this and I'll get motion sickness."
Xia Hanao took a sip of water, then examined the snow-capped mountain before him: "This must have been born in the hidden realm based on the snow mountain near Snow City. There should be a small number of Ice-type Pokémon here too."
"That's right, this hidden realm originated from Arceus's Rock-type plate. However, because Rock-type and Ground-type are somewhat similar, there will be more Pokémon of these two types. But it's not impossible that some special Ice-type Pokémon exist under the influence of the snow mountain."
Xia Hanao's eyes lit up: "Excellent, let's go up the mountain for a stroll!"
If Xia Hanao wanted to go up the mountain, he naturally had to inform the Rhydon. Old friends should say goodbye. However, the Rhydon did not let Xia Hanao go up the mountain alone. She lowered herself, allowing Xia Hanao to climb onto her back again.
Riding on his beloved Rhydon, Xia Hanao began his ascent, chatting with the system as he walked: "System, do you think there's anyone else like me in this world?"
"How so?"
"Is there anyone in the world as handsome as me, who can make a Rhydon willingly give me a ride? If this were a fairy tale, I'd be riding a unicorn right now. This is the script of a prince riding a white horse to save a princess!"
The system couldn't stand Xia Hanao bragging to himself. It immediately debunked him: "Uh, feel your direction and position. You and the Rhydon are heading east to west along the mountain path. So, what you're holding now is likely not the script of a prince, but a story of Tang Monk riding a mythical beast to the west, like the Red Bull Tang Monk."
Ideals are full, reality is skinny. But Xia Hanao's stubbornness was one of his inherited traits from his previous life.
"Impossible, absolutely impossible. I believe in my own character. This time, I'll definitely get a prince's script. Don't you agree, Niuniu?"
The Rhydon was concentrating on the road. Hearing Xia Hanao ask her a question, she stopped. Xia Hanao dismounted from the Rhydon: "Niuniu, do you think I'm a prince who saves princesses?"
Xia Hanao and the system both knew that the Rhydon couldn't understand the question well. But you couldn't stop Xia Hanao's cheat code. He reached out and touched the Rhydon's horn: "Niuniu, answer me, am I a prince who saves princesses?"
The Rhydon was very happy to have its horn touched and let out a cry. Xia Hanao immediately started to sarcastically address the system: "Did you hear that? Even Niuniu thinks I'm a prince who saves princesses. What grounds do you have to object? Two to one, the conclusion is established. You should obey the majority."
The system was speechless. This was another day of you not behaving properly. But it was used to it: "Then what about your white horse? You're not going to save the princess riding a Rhydon, are you?"
Xia Hanao got angry when he heard this: "What do you mean riding a Rhydon to save a princess? I'm clearly riding a unicorn... clearly a unicorn, right, Niuniu." As he spoke, he stroked Niuniu's horn.
Niuniu was happy to have her horn touched again and stomped the ground excitedly. Xia Hanao quickly told her to calm down: "Okay, okay, don't be like this. You're a girl, be more elegant..."
Seeing that the Rhydon had been pacified, the system asked him: "No, is it really okay to fool such a simple Rhydon like this?"
Xia Hanao put his hands on his hips: "What's not okay about it? As long as the whole world believes in a fallacy, then a fallacy is no different from the truth."
After speaking, Xia Hanao climbed back onto the Rhydon's back: "Let's go, Niuniu, we're going to save our Princess!"
As soon as Xia Hanao finished speaking, he saw the Rhydon stomp its front feet and run forward excitedly. In the dust kicked up, Xia Hanao's cry of anguish could still be heard.
Regarding this scene, the system remarked: "Heaven's wrath can be tolerated, but self-inflicted misfortune is unpardonable. Didn't I tell you it's best not to use exclamatory endings when riding a Rhydon?"