Chapter 120: Sunny Brother and Competitive Sister

“Caw!?” Steelclad Crow stared in disbelief.

Watching the Molten Mountain Dragon step out of the sea and onto land, its colossal body dripping with molten lava, it was an overwhelming sight. The immense, magma-flowing form filled Steelclad Crow with unparalleled awe.

“Steelclad Crow, this is one of the world’s top-tier forces. Wherever it goes, the terrain itself changes. Even its death energy can stir the earth’s veins, turning whole continents into seas of fire!” Su Yi was equally stunned to witness such a gigantic ancient dragon land ashore.

Apart from divine beasts, Su Yi could think of no other Pokémon that could influence its path.

“What a huge ancient dragon, meow!” Lu Cao’s eyes widened.

“What is that, Rotom? I want to see!” Phone Rotom flew out, marveling at the massive figure rising from the sea, snapping photo after photo in amazement.

“Want to get closer for a better look?” Su Yi smiled.

“Meow?”

“Steelclad Crow! I’m counting on you!” Su Yi pointed toward the distant Molten Mountain Dragon.

“Caw!” Steelclad Crow spread its wings and let out an excited cry.

Su Yi mounted Steelclad Crow, while the cat nimbly scrambled onto his back.

“And I’m coming too, Rotom!” Phone Rotom floated into the side pocket of his backpack, poking out a small segment.

“Board the Molten Mountain Dragon! GO!” Su Yi laughed, pointing at the dragon as it steadily made its way from the ocean toward the shore.

“Caw!” Steelclad Crow flapped its wings and soared high.

The wind currents swirled, Su Yi clung tightly to Steelclad Crow’s back.

As they drew closer to the Molten Mountain Dragon, the surrounding temperature gradually rose. Steam billowed from the seawater around the dragon, forming white curtains of vapor.

From high above, this ancient dragon carrying a volcano on its back resembled a moving island. The fiery glow of lava illuminated the sea, each step sending towering waves crashing.

On the dragon’s back, boats trapped atop were ignited not by magma but by the dragon’s organ fluid seeping out and catching fire.

Countless figures displayed their skills as they fled from the boats. Some agile hunters hooked onto the Acidwing Pterosaurs circling the dragon and flew toward the shore.

“Let’s land!” Su Yi shouted.

“Caw!” Although the intense heat near the dragon was uncomfortable, Steelclad Crow deftly landed on its back.

“So hot!” Su Yi wiped sweat from his brow.

The air around them warped under the heat. Before his eyes lay dark rock and crust, interlaced with flowing, lava-like organ fluid.

“Great opportunity! Need to gather some materials; they’ll come in handy later.” Su Yi eyed a piece of scorching rock.

“Scratcher, your help please!” Su Yi released Scratcher.

“Waka?!” At first appearance, Scratcher was startled by the Molten Mountain Dragon’s overwhelming aura and heat.

“Don’t panic. The Molten Mountain Dragon won’t notice us,” Su Yi reassured.

“Waka.” Scratcher exhaled in relief.

In truth, if angered, the Molten Mountain Dragon would attack targets on its back. In the game, when fighting the veteran Molten Mountain Dragon, it would actively spray lava at players riding on its back.

“Scratcher, gather materials from here and use Rock Slam.” Su Yi commanded.

Scratcher steadied itself and quickly focused the power of the dragon’s rock crust beneath its feet. Soon, it held a blazing energy rock in its arms.

“Caw!” Scratcher swung the rock with all its might, smashing it against the hot rock.

Bang!

Fragments tumbled down, revealing some minerals.

“That’s Monazite and Draconite,” Su Yi identified.

These were minerals the Molten Mountain Dragon had gathered as it moved across the earth. Some were mineral-rich gravel and stones that the dragon’s high-temperature organ fluid had gradually refined and solidified.

In essence, the dragon’s shell was a massive mineral mine.

“One more Rock Slam!” Su Yi said.

“Caw!” Scratcher swung the stone again.

Unexpectedly, the energy rock exploded with a boom, and Scratcher scrambled to dodge.

“It can explode?” Su Yi was taken aback.

He then recalled the Molten Mountain Dragon’s lore: its primary food was explosive minerals, so its shell likely contained similar components. Gathering materials on the spot, they had accidentally picked up a bomb.

The explosion separated the minerals from the rocks, and Su Yi quickly collected them.

“Are these fragments from the Molten Mountain Dragon’s shell?” Among the shattered stones, he found hard, dark gray shards resembling a type of carapace tissue or mineral.

“Excellent! With these fragments, I can try to germinate the ancient tree.”

“That way, I can easily cultivate many materials, and perhaps this top-grade fertilizer might even boost the growth of tree fruits,” Su Yi said happily.

This was, in fact, Su Yi’s main reason for boarding the Molten Mountain Dragon.

The dragon’s shell fragments contained subtle ancient dragon energy—fertilizer that could stimulate the sprouting of ancient tree seeds.

The ancient tree could catalyze the growth of symbiotic plants and fungi and positively affect the insects depending on those plants.

Perhaps, in the Pokémon world, Su Yi could grow an ancient tree himself.

“A towering giant tree—wonder if I’ll live to see it grow,” Su Yi mused.

While Su Yi was mining, two figures slid down the dragon’s back slope, looking bewildered.

“Wow! There are monsters on the Molten Mountain Dragon’s back!”

A hunter with a mohawk hairstyle spotted Scratcher and Steelclad Crow and exclaimed in surprise.

Beside him, a sharp and decisive short-haired woman quickly said, “That hunter is in danger!”

“Don’t be afraid, friends! I’m coming!” The mohawk hunter raised his sword and charged forward.

“Sunshine and Competitive Sister? Wait! Those aren’t monsters—they’re my partners!” Su Yi, mining nearby, turned and saw the young man ready to strike his Scratcher and Steelclad Crow.

“What?” Sunshine stopped in disbelief, facing the youth standing before the ‘monsters.’

“They’re not monsters; they’re my partners!” Su Yi hurriedly explained.

“Caw!” Scratcher, clutching some materials, glared at Sunshine unhappily.

“You can partner with monsters?! Wait! You’re not a hunter from the Phase Five team, are you? Why are you mining here?” Sunshine was utterly baffled.

A stranger hunter, accompanied by monsters, mining on the back of an ancient dragon they wanted to escape from?

Boom!

A tremendous roar and tremor from beneath the Molten Mountain Dragon made everyone stagger.

“We’re about to land, meow!” Lu Cao reminded.

Boom!

Due to the shaking, lava on the dragon’s back erupted, and flaming rocks tumbled down.

Woooh!

The low, heavy roar was oppressive. Everyone on the dragon’s back felt the ground beneath them begin to shift.

“The Molten Mountain Dragon is switching from quadrupedal to bipedal stance!” Su Yi realized the dragon was changing posture to walk ashore.

This colossal ancient dragon was rising from crawling on all fours to walking upright on two legs.

Its movement caused the volcanic rocks on its back to shift; lava and falling stones cascaded down.

“We can’t stay here!” Su Yi decisively abandoned mining.

“We have to grab onto the wyverns and fly!” Sunshine’s editor and attendant, Competitive Sister, said promptly.

“No need for that hassle. Steelclad Crow! Let’s go!” Su Yi recalled Scratcher into its Poké Ball amid the pair’s incredulous looks and vaulted onto Steelclad Crow’s back.

“Caw!” Steelclad Crow flapped its wings and took off.

“Come aboard, you two—the New Continent welcomes you!” Su Yi smiled at them, while Lu Cao waved them over.

“What an eye-opener!” Sunshine regained composure, setting aside doubts to hook his grappling claw onto Steelclad Crow’s talons; Competitive Sister followed suit.

“Steelclad Crow, head home!”

Steelclad Crow easily lifted the two hunters, soaring away from the Molten Mountain Dragon.

Su Yi glanced back to see the dragon ashore, unstoppable as it marched in a single direction, leaving a trail of devastation and glowing, molten paths behind.

“So beautiful! Wow! Such massive trees!” In the morning light, Sunshine, dangling beneath Steelclad Crow’s claws, admired the dense ancient tree forest, then was drawn to the majestic giant trees.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Su Yi looked down at the forest bathed in morning sun; the scene held a unique charm.

“The New Continent! We made the right choice!” Sunshine said joyfully.

“Let’s land at the camp first,” Su Yi said.

Steelclad Crow adjusted its course and descended toward the seaside camp.

“Hungry? Want some drinks?” Su Yi fetched freshly grilled meat still steaming and some fruit juices from the tent.

“Thank you so much. It’s really hot on the Molten Mountain Dragon’s back; I was just parched!” Sunshine accepted the food with a carefree attitude.

“Thanks.” Competitive Sister was more reserved, her gaze curious and probing as she looked at Su Yi.

“Ha! This is fantastic! The first meal on the New Continent—is this a welcome feast?” Sunshine devoured a large platter of carefully seasoned grilled meat in a few bites, then drank deeply, exclaiming his praise.

“This isn’t quite a welcome feast yet; there’ll be plenty of delicacies at the base,” Su Yi smiled.

With his hunger satisfied, Sunshine leaned in, curiosity brimming as he studied Su Yi.

“Are you from the New Continent Survey Team base? Where did you capture that monster earlier? How did you make it your partner?” Sunshine asked relentlessly, like an inquisitive child, despite being around thirty.

“That’s a long story,” Su Yi smiled.

“You guys should check in at the Star Base,” Sunshine said, patting his head. “Right now, the priority is to report in and bring back other hunters!”

Meanwhile, some hunters had also landed in the ancient tree forest using Acidwing Pterosaurs.

“Let’s do the right thing. I’ll lead you to the base,” Su Yi stood up. Steelclad Crow spread its wings and flew low, alert to their surroundings.

“Your monster partner looks so imposing. Is that armor?” Sunshine asked.

“It’s called Steelclad Crow. Alright, follow me. Who knows if any old friends will greet us on the way?” Su Yi led them toward the plains beyond the forest.

(The end of this chapter)