Floette wasn't pleased with Yuga always having her and the other Pokémon battle. She tried to find ways to be lazy, and even contemplated going on strike.
So, Yuga pretended to be saddened and said, "Well, if you're not willing, I won't force you. I'll just pretend I didn't hear your promise about getting stronger to protect me in the future. After all, with Absol by my side, I'll have its protection too."
With a hopeful look on his face, Yuga turned to Absol and said, "Absol, you'll protect me in the future, won't you?"
"Aboss!" Absol nodded, indicating its commitment to protecting Yuga.
"Absol, you mentioned that if I had a strong Pokémon by my side in Rusturf Tunnel, I wouldn't need to hide when encountering those people who were after you. We can become stronger together and face those people without fear, turning the tables on them. How does that sound?"
While Yuga spoke, he extended his hand toward Absol.
Firmly, Absol nodded in agreement, displaying a resolute determination to become stronger.
It reached out one of its front paws and placed it on Yuga hand, symbolizing their shared commitment.
Upon hearing this, Floette couldn't stand it any longer. Yuga actually dared to "move on to something new," so she flew onto Yuga head and pulled his hair in a chaotic manner.
However, it was evident that Floette, with her simple mind, was no match for the theatrics of Yuga. In the end, she willingly engaged in battles with wild Pokémon, just to avoid being "abandoned" by Yuga.
And so, without realizing it, Yuga and the others arrived at the foot of Jagged Pass.
From a distance, Jagged Pass certainly didn't resemble an active volcano.
Lush vegetation covered it, as if the entire mountain had been draped in a green cloak. Occasionally, groups of Beautifly danced through the forest, and the cries of Taillow searching for food could be heard everywhere. The whole place teemed with vitality, creating a picturesque view.
This is why part of Jagged Pass had been developed into a tourist attraction.
On that side, visitors didn't need to climb the mountain themselves. Instead, they could take a cable car from the base, watching volcanic ash float outside the window as the car ascended slowly.
Yuga chose to climb the sparsely populated side of the mountain.
Compared to regions like Kanto, Johto, and Sinnoh, the climate of Hoenn Region was more humid and tropical, resulting in denser vegetation, and Jagged Pass was no exception.
As soon as Yuga started climbing the mountain, something fell from the sky and hit him directly in the face.
Quickly pulling the unknown substance off his face, Yuga felt a burning sensation on his skin and wondered if he had been disfigured.
Looking at his hand, he realized that the substance that hit him was a rare Pokémon – Chimecho.
It's worth noting that all Psychic-type Pokémon are very rare, even non-combative ones like Chimecho.
Yuga hadn't expected to encounter such a rare Pokémon today.
However, as he looked at the unconscious Chimecho in his hand, he felt puzzled. How had it fallen unconscious, and how did it end up sticking to his face?
Just then, Yuga noticed a Murkrow hurtling straight toward him from the sky, its beak sparkling with white light – clearly the move Peck.
Why would Absol allow a small Murkrow to attack its trainer?
Absol swiftly jumped out, positioning itself in front of Yuga. The target of Murkrow attack naturally switched to Absol.
As Murkrow attack was about to hit Absol, a black light flashed across Absol body. It suddenly leaped up and collided head-on with Murkrow.
Yuga recognized that Absol had used the move Pursuit.
Although Murkrow was small in size, it was no match for Absol. The force of Pursuit sent it flying, and it crashed to the ground.
It was clear that this sneaky Murkrow was the culprit behind Chimecho unconsciousness.
The Murkrow that had landed on the ground clearly wasn't ready to give up. After taking flight again, it charged towards Absol once more.
This time, it used Wing Attack.
However, before it could get close to Absol, a blade of light shot out from the sharp bend on Absol right face, directly hitting the Murkrow. This attack incapacitated the Murkrow, rendering it unable to fight.
Murkrow was a decent Pokémon and not a common sight in Hoenn region. It was more frequently encountered in Johto Region.
However, Murkrow, like many other Pokémon, could be found to some extent in various regions other than Johto Region, thanks to its broad distribution.
Its evolved form, Honchkrow, was a formidable Pokémon.
However, for Murkrow to evolve into Honchkrow, it required the assistance of a Dusk Stone. This made it quite rare to see Honchkrow in the wild.
Yuga used his Insight ability to examine the Murkrow.
Moves: Peck, Wing Attack, Haze
The nature of Timid was quite good, but the move set was a bit disappointing. It only had three moves, and both of its attacking moves were basic.
However, it didn't matter much. Yuga had already obtained the qualifications for building an Ecopark through the system modification. This time, he would prepare to establish the main garden of the Ecopark, and he could consider this Murkrow as the first inhabitant.
The 32 genetically modified Pokémon eggs Yuga had purchased weren't meant for selling. Instead, he planned to hatch them and use them as the first batch of breeding seeds in the Ecopark.
Yuga took out a regular Poké Ball and captured the incapacitated Murkrow, which didn't put up any resistance.
Yuga used a standard Poké Ball, not the specially designed one from the system, since Murkrow wasn't going to be his main battling Pokémon.
With the Murkrow dealt with, Yuga shifted his attention to the Chimecho in his hand.
Moves: Gravity, Healing Wave, Healing Bell
At a glance, Yuga was stunned by Chimecho move set – it was exceptionally well-rounded.
With three moves, all of them rare, excellent, and useful advanced moves, this move set was impressive.
Having Chimecho meant that Yuga wouldn't need to worry about training his Pokémon in the future. He could practically use it to gain an unfair advantage.
Using Gravity for training assistance and Healing Wave to recover fatigue seemed like a perfect combination.
Apart from its slightly inferior Nature, Chimecho had no other drawbacks; it was a perfect support Pokémon.
Yuga took out a system-modified Poké Ball and captured Chimecho, determining to prioritize its growth. Missing out on this opportunity would be regrettable.
Yuga hadn't expected to have such a successful start upon arriving at Jagged Pass. Not only did he acquire a future breeding seed for the Ecopark, but he also obtained a main battling Pokémon.