Chapter 682: The Bloodied Stranger
Chapter 682: The Bloodied Stranger
Especially Lain, who had become deeply immersed in her fragrance research.
Solidad had bid farewell to Yuga and the others the day after they participated in the bidding event. She stayed in Lilycove City for a vacation because she had encountered a creative block in her work.
After much contemplation during her stay, the creative block hadn't entirely dissipated, but she had developed more ideas. So, she decided to embark on a new journey to refresh her mind.
Drew, on the other hand, had to end his vacation as his parents' leave came to an end. He left Lilycove City with his parents.
Before leaving, he informed Yuga that he wanted to visit Yuga in Verdanturf Town.
Yuga was nearly startled by this revelation. It seemed this kid hadn't given up on his dream of becoming a Trainer.
That evening, Yuga, Misaki, Lain, and others held a beachside bonfire party. They also invited Kris's parents as a token of appreciation for their care during their stay.
The night was exceptionally beautiful, with a large, full moon and countless stars illuminating the sky. The moonlight reflected on the ocean, creating a mesmerizing scene.
Since there were very few tourists on the beach that night, they had it all to themselves, and they enjoyed themselves to the fullest.
Their happiness led them to play late into the night.
As they prepared to wrap up and head back, they noticed they still had a considerable amount of food left. They decided to finish the remaining food before leaving.
As Yuga was devouring a skewer of grilled meat, he suddenly heard Anya calling for him.
"Gym Leader, come quickly! I found someone."
Hearing Anya's voice, everyone stopped what they were doing.
Yuga tossed his half-eaten skewer onto a plate and followed Anya's voice. In the distance, he saw Anya standing next to a dark figure lying on the beach.
Approaching the scene, Yuga turned the person over and saw a young man who appeared to be in his twenties to early thirties. The man had severe injuries, and the scent of blood was overpowering.
Misaki and Lain were taken aback upon seeing the injured man. However, Kris's mother furrowed her brows and remarked, "How did this young man get such serious injuries?"
"It seems like he's been in some kind of accident," Yuga replied, uncertain of the circumstances. The injuries resembled those inflicted by Pokémon, but it was unclear if he had been attacked by wild Pokémon or other Trainers.
"We should bring him back with us. At this rate, he might not make it," suggested Kris's father.
Everyone agreed. Despite not knowing the man's origins, they couldn't just leave him bleeding and injured on the beach.
Yuga asked Gardevoir to use its psychic powers to transport the injured man back to their hotel.
Gardevoir was not pleased with Yuga's casual use of its abilities to move people around, but it reluctantly agreed, considering Yuga was the reason it had awakened in the first place.
However, if Gardevoir knew that Yuga was doing this simply to avoid getting Absol's white fur dirty, it would have been furious.
After Yuga and the others had left, a tall figure emerged from the darkness of the night, accompanied by a Honchkrow.
"Meeting him here of all places, what incredible luck," the person murmured to themselves before disappearing into the night with the Honchkrow.
Because the night was so dark outside, Yuga and his group hadn't been able to see the injured man's condition clearly.
It was only when they returned to the hotel that they realized the man's injuries were more severe than they had initially thought.
He bore many scratches on his body, especially on his back, with a massive wound running from his left shoulder down to his right waist, from which most of the blood had flowed.
Yuga could discern that these injuries were likely inflicted by Flying-type Pokémon.
Seeing the severity of his injuries, Yuga and the others initially thought about taking him to the hospital. However, considering the late hour, they abandoned the idea.
Fortunately, Yuga had Gardevoir with him.
After several Heal Pulse from Gardevoir, the man's condition stabilized.
Yuga and Kris's father helped bandage the man's wounds, cleaned the bloodstains off him, and gave him a fresh set of clothes.
His original attire had been stained with blood and dirt and was in tatters, beyond wear.
The clothes belonged to Kris's father, as their heights and body sizes were quite similar.
To ensure someone was available to care for the man in case his condition worsened during the night, Yuga asked Gardevoir to stay behind and keep an eye on him to provide immediate treatment if needed.
"Hmph! Always bossing others around!" Gardevoir expressed its displeasure but reluctantly agreed.
Despite its somewhat bratty attitude, Gardevoir had a good heart. Otherwise, it wouldn't have helped Yuga protect Dragonite's mother.
Although Gardevoir agreed to stay, in reality, its presence made little difference.
After Yuga and the others had left, Gardevoir fell fast asleep.
The next morning, when the injured man woke up, Gardevoir was sound asleep at the edge of the bed.
Thankfully, the man had made it through the night without any issues, and his condition had improved significantly.
When Yasushi opened his eyes, he saw Gardevoir lying beside him, drooling and grinning foolishly.
His mind blanked for a moment before he recalled that he had been rescued by someone.
The previous night, as he was being chased, he had spotted a group of campfires and stumbled toward them, seeking help. However, he collapsed from exhaustion before reaching them, losing consciousness.
It seemed that someone had saved him. Yasushi couldn't help but wonder why that person had allowed someone else to rescue him.
Why hadn't the person taken him themselves? Yasushi stared at the pristine white walls, lost in thought.
Due to the severity of his back injuries, Yasushi had to sleep face down.
"Ah, you're awake!" Just then, the sound of a door opening snapped Yasushi back to reality. He struggled to turn his head and saw a young man entering the room with a tray.
It was Yuga.
Because Kris's parents were busy taking care of their guests in the morning, the task of looking after the injured man fell to Yuga.
Misaki and Lain, being girls, found it somewhat awkward to care for a grown man at times.
"How do you feel?" Yuga placed the tray on the table beside the bed and asked Yasushi.
"Nothing much. You saved me... Hiss..." Yasushi tried to sit up, but it seemed he had pulled at his wound, causing him to gasp in pain.