Chapter Seventy-Two: Fossil? Fossil!

Although he had set his next goals in the world of Pokémon, there were still a few matters that needed to be settled beforehand. Su Yi took out his Rotom Phone and carefully noted down his plans for the coming days.

That evening, after dinner, Leon bid farewell to his family, ready to throw himself into his new duties.

“Big brother…” Hop called after him, reluctant to see him go.

Leon swung on his cape, emblazoned with countless sponsor logos, and smiled. “Hop, the gifts and surprises Su Yi and I prepared for you this time are meant to tell you that I look forward to the day you officially step onto the Gym Challenge stage. Until then, I have the responsibilities of a Champion to fulfill.”

Hop slapped his cheeks to chase away his dejection, forcing a bright smile. “I understand, big brother! Go ahead and do all those great things—I think they’re amazing too! You’ll always be the coolest in my eyes.” Hop’s voice was full of admiration.

He understood well that his brother Leon’s burden went far beyond the sponsors on his cape—he carried the entire Galar region on his shoulders. Hop had always been proud of his brother’s sense of duty and his achievements.

“Su Yi, I’ll take my leave now. I’m looking forward to whatever surprise you’ll bring me next time,” Leon said, nodding to Hop and then turning to Su Yi with a grin.

“Just wait—the surprises I bring will be as unforgettable as a rampaging Tyrantrum or a descending Dracozolt,” Su Yi replied with a laugh.

Leon couldn’t quite catch the meaning, but the playful tone made him laugh heartily. In just a couple of days, he’d enjoyed delicious meals, an exhilarating battle, and even witnessed the hatching of a Pokémon. It was a rare moment of joy amid his busy life.

“Farewell!” With that, Leon mounted his Charizard and soared into the night sky, heading for the station at Hammerlocke.

…

The next day, Su Yi said goodbye to Hop and set out for Stow-on-Side.

“Su Yi, come visit again sometime! And don’t worry, I’ll take good care of this egg. Let’s battle again next time!” Hop called out with a wide grin.

“I believe in you, and I’m looking forward to seeing you grow,” Su Yi replied, bidding him farewell.

…

After a lengthy Corviknight taxi ride, Su Yi and Dewdrop arrived at Stow-on-Side. The town exuded an atmosphere of ancient art, likely due to its many murals and ruins.

The streets were lined with two- and three-story buildings, the ground a dusty ochre. The combination of ancient relics and murals conjured images in Su Yi’s mind of treasure hunters and Egyptian tomb explorers.

The shops along the roads bustled with vendors selling “artifacts.” Some were imitations of ancient works, while others claimed their wares were genuine relics—though their authenticity was questionable.

“Let’s call Bea first,” Su Yi suggested, inputting the contact information she’d given him into his Rotom Phone. No one answered. Su Yi immediately guessed Bea was probably off somewhere with her Pokémon, immersed in training once again.

“Never mind. Let’s look around for a bit,” he said.

Su Yi and Dewdrop wandered through the streets, occasionally stopping to examine the trinkets and curios sold by the roadside vendors. Star fragments, pearls, sparkling shards in every color, evolution stones, and even some objects Su Yi had never encountered in the games—he marveled at it all.

“How much for this?” Not far away, a peculiar woman in a lab coat was haggling with a vendor.

“You have a good eye! This is a mysterious Pokémon fossil, a valuable collector’s item,” the vendor said with a smile.

But the woman just chuckled, replying confidently, “This is a fossil of an ancient fish Pokémon.”

Noting she knew her stuff, the vendor pressed his advantage. “In that case, you must appreciate the value of these rare fossils. My price is truly a bargain.”

Watching this odd researcher bargain over what seemed to be a Pokémon fossil, Su Yi suddenly realized—“Isn’t this the researcher from Route 6, the one who reconstructs and revives fossil Pokémon? What was her name again?”

Both in the games and the anime, this fossil researcher had made an appearance. She could take four types of fossils—Fish Fossil, Bird Fossil, Dino Fossil, and Drake Fossil—combine any two, and revive them into four hybrid Pokémon, which players often dubbed “Franken-fossils.”

Her work and the designs of these Pokémon were said to have been inspired by historical cases of fossil forgeries and fierce competition among paleontologists. The resulting Pokémon were combinations of two different creatures, creating bizarre appearances—but one among them became famous for its strength thanks to its ability and moves.

That was the renowned Dracovish, which, with its Strong Jaw ability boosting the power of its signature move Fishious Rend by 50 percent, and the move itself doubling in power when striking first, was a force to be reckoned with among the four fossil Pokémon.

“Young man, are you interested in fossils too?” The researcher, noticing Su Yi staring at the fossils in a daze, approached him with interest.

“I am, actually,” Su Yi replied honestly. The technology to revive fossil Pokémon always struck him as something of a cheat.

“Hmph! If only I had the other half of this fossil, I could try reviving these ancient Pokémon right now!” the researcher said with confidence.

“You could always try searching the market for more,” Su Yi suggested. Along the way, he had noticed one or two stalls selling what looked like fossils.

“You don’t understand—not all fossils can be combined,” she explained. “After years of research, I’ve discovered four possible fossil combinations that can be joined and revived as ancient Pokémon. Now I just need the right fossils to test my theory,” she declared proudly.

Su Yi fell silent. Given the “Franken-fossils” she’d created, her words didn’t inspire much confidence. Yet, in another sense, the fact that her mismatched combinations could actually be revived was a kind of genius.

“Can you revive other fossils? Like Aerodactyl or Tyrunt?” Su Yi asked.

“What are those?” the researcher replied, looking puzzled.

Su Yi could only sigh. Clearly, her expertise was limited to Galar’s unique fossils.

“But as long as it’s a fossil, it shouldn’t be a problem,” she said. “Oh, by the way, my name’s Mo Shi. If you’ve got any fossils, let me study them—maybe I can help you revive a fossil Pokémon!” she said, hands on her hips with confidence.

That name, Mo Shi—so fitting for someone a bit scatterbrained.

“I don’t have any fossils…” Su Yi shook his head.

“That’s too bad.”

…

Fossils!? Su Yi jolted, his mind racing—he needed to get to the Glimwood Tangle right away!