Chapter 23: The Aron Colony, and a Shiny Aron with Golden Potential!

After clearing his name, Zhang Feng left Rustboro City and continued his journey toward Dewford Town.

To reach Dewford Town from Rustboro, one must cross the waters near the island of Carvanha and take Mr. Briney’s boat. Only then can one proceed to challenge the Dewford Gym—a Fighting-type facility.

By the time Zhang Feng reached Mr. Briney, a few days had passed. The old man greeted him warmly and gladly ferried him to Dewford. If not for the sea being infested with Carvanha and Sharpedo, Zhang Feng would have preferred to travel by his Milotic.

Upon arriving in Dewford Town, Zhang Feng decided against challenging the gym immediately. Instead, he planned to head to the nearby mountains for some training. If luck was on his side, he might even capture a new Pokémon.

Currently, all three of his Pokémon were over level thirty, placing them in the mid-Elite tier. With a little more training, his Grovyle and Pidgeotto would likely be ready for their final evolutions. This was why he was keen on catching some new additions in the mines.

After restoring his team's energy at the Dewford Pokémon Center with Nurse Joy, Zhang Feng set out for the mountain mines. It was rumored that Steven Stone, the former Champion of the Hoenn region, frequented these mines to prospect for minerals and even do some mining himself. Zhang Feng found such a hobby rather difficult to understand; if he were the heir to the Devon Corporation, he would surely be out living a life of leisure and luxury.

Once Zhang Feng reached the mines, he discovered that most of the local Pokémon were Rock, Ground, Steel, or Fighting types. Furthermore, these Pokémon lived in aggressive packs and were quick to attack humans or other Pokémon on sight. Even at the foot of the mountain, Zhang Feng had to fend off no fewer than five skirmishes, including groups of Geodude and Phanpy, as well as a few encounters with Onix.

After defeating a Donphan, Zhang Feng finally made it past the initial danger zone and continued toward the mountainside. As he climbed higher, the wild Pokémon became scarcer. Coincidentally, after knocking out a sudden Onix attack, he stumbled upon a hidden tunnel. Initially thinking it was just a small cave, he ventured inside out of curiosity, only to realize by its endless depth that it was an abandoned artificial tunnel.

Driven by curiosity, Zhang Feng pulled out a high-intensity flashlight and, with Grovyle by his side, ventured into the dark. No sooner had he stepped inside and made a noise than a massive swarm of Zubat erupted from the darkness, startled by the intrusion. Seeing this, Zhang Feng concluded that this tunnel was rarely visited; otherwise, the entrance wouldn't be occupied by such a large colony of Zubat.

It is well known that the more inaccessible a place is, the more likely it is to harbor rare Pokémon. Perhaps Steven’s obsession with mining was also a way to scout for rare populations?

Inside the tunnel, Grovyle used the Flash move to illuminate the path. They hadn't gone far before a group of Diglett and Dugtrio poked their heads out, only to quickly burrow back into the earth, seemingly sensitive to the bright light.

"There seem to be many Pokémon in this tunnel," Zhang Feng cautioned. "Grovyle, stay alert. Who knows what kind of powerful Pokémon might be living in here."

Grovyle nodded, its expression turning solemn. After walking about two hundred meters, they stopped seeing any Pokémon at all, making the pair even more vigilant. Finally, when a light appeared ahead, Zhang Feng emerged from the tunnel into a vast, new mining cavern. Before him sat a large pack of Aron, led by a Lairon.

Fortunately, there was no sign of an Aggron; if there had been, Zhang Feng would have had to call upon Rayquaza to handle the crisis.

Upon sensing Zhang Feng and Grovyle, the Aron, which had been playing and brawling, all turned their gaze toward the intruders. Their eyes held a clear warning for the outsiders. The Lairon, acting as the pack leader, approached Zhang Feng and signaled for him to leave, threatening an attack from the entire pack if he refused.

"Ding! The Lairon's current stats are as follows:"
Pokémon: Lairon
Level: 38
Ability: Sturdy
Type: Steel/Rock
Potential: Purple
Bond Evolution: Locked
Mega Evolution: Locked
Moves: Harden, Metal Claw, Rock Tomb, Rock Slide, Iron Head, Take Down...

A level 38 Lairon was no small threat, but having previously battled a level 40 Walrein, Zhang Feng felt he could handle it. The real issue was numbers; there were over three hundred Aron in total, with three Lairon present. The leader before him was the strongest of the lot, which made Zhang Feng wonder if this pack was really as strong as it seemed.

However, as he pondered this, his eyes drifted toward the back of the pack. To his surprise, he spotted a golden-colored Aron. Was this a Shiny Pokémon?

Zhang Feng used his system to perform a comprehensive scan, and the results were a pleasant surprise. Within the pack, there was indeed a Shiny Aron with Golden potential. Even more shocking, there were over ten other Aron with Purple potential! The rest of the Aron possessed Blue potential, while the other Lairon were also Purple.

While Aron were inherently rare, it was unheard of to find an entire colony with such high potential. Normally, a Pokémon with Golden potential would only emerge from a massive population of over ten thousand. Purple potential was similarly rare, usually appearing only among thousands.

What did this mean? It was obvious that something in this area—something Zhang Feng had yet to discover—was enhancing the potential of these Pokémon. It was a treasure trove!

With this realization, whether it was to uncover the source of their potential or to capture that Golden-potential Aron, Zhang Feng had no intention of leaving. The Lairon’s warning was effectively rendered moot. Since he had always been fond of the Aron evolutionary line, leading to the mighty Aggron, there was no reason not to take the whole pack with him.

Zhang Feng reached for a Poké Ball. In the next instant, Milotic materialized before the Lairon. After recent battles, including a clash with Team Aqua's Admin Shelly, Milotic had reached level 33. It was well-matched against the Lairon, and Zhang Feng was confident in a one-on-one fight.

"Lairon leader, I wish to capture you. Will you battle me?"

In packs ruled by strength, the only way to claim the group was to defeat its leader. As expected, the prideful leader roared in acceptance, signaling its pack to stay back and not interfere.

Zhang Feng couldn't help but smile. Pokémon were powerful, but their simple, prideful nature made them easy to bait.

As the battle commenced, Lairon charged forward with a powerful Take Down.

"Milotic, use your full-power Hydro Pump to stop its advance!"

Milotic let out a cry, its slender, pearlescent body shimmering as it unleashed a massive torrent of water. Despite the pressure, the sturdy Lairon pushed through the Hydro Pump, closing the distance rapidly.

"Now, Aqua Tail!"

At Zhang Feng’s command, Milotic canceled the Hydro Pump, surging with aquatic energy as its tail began to glow. Just as Lairon lunged, Milotic struck with a crushing Aqua Tail.

The massive impact sent the Lairon flying back over ten meters, the surging water dealing significant damage. After all, the type advantage was impossible to ignore.