In the game where he first appeared, Volo was a member of the Ginkgo Guild, selling supplies at various locations to the protagonist. However, as revealed through his own slip-ups, he frequently slacked off from his merchant duties, sneaking off to investigate ancient ruins instead.
Volo's tendency to shirk work and his constant complaints made him quite a headache for the guild's leader.
Despite that, he played a crucial role in guiding the protagonist toward acquiring the Plates, all in pursuit of his own ambitions—though in the end, he was thoroughly defeated on the spot.
Hikaru immediately recognized the Plate's type. The deep crimson color—it was the Draco Plate!
"Oh? You recognize this Plate?" Volo narrowed his eyes, carefully studying Hikaru's expression.
That nagging feeling that he had seen Hikaru somewhere before was growing stronger, yet no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't recall when or where.
In the past, only the chosen ones could obtain the Plates. But in this era, they seemed to be scattered into the hands of various people, passing from one owner to another. Their numbers also seemed different from before.
It was said that similar Plates had been appearing in various regions, and in Sinnoh's Grand Underground, explorers had occasionally unearthed them.
While Volo was lost in thought, Hikaru was contemplating something else.
In the game, the Draco Plate was found in Eterna City, specifically right behind the massive statues of Dialga and Palkia—essentially just lying there for anyone to pick up!
The original protagonist had never gone looking beneath the statue, so they had never found it. Hikaru also had no idea if this world's Eterna City had a Draco Plate. But unexpectedly, he had stumbled upon one here instead.
Wait a second… Rather than calling this Sinnoh's Plate, shouldn't this be Johto's Plate?
In Johto, no Plates were scattered around freely. Instead, one had to obtain them from Captain Silver of the S.S. Aqua. In the game, when he handed over a Plate, he mentioned it was a strange object from Sinnoh.
But what if the Plate originated from Shinto, not Sinnoh?
And considering how difficult Plates were to collect, they would definitely be extremely valuable to a craftsman.
[Mythical Artifact: Draco Plate (Not Yet Obtained)]
Description: A Plate imbued with Dragon energy. When held, it enhances the power of Dragon-type moves.
Can unlock unique crafting methods and hints for crafting mysterious artifacts.
These thoughts solidified Hikaru's resolve.
"Hmm… 20,000 Pokédollars. Could you give me a discount?"
Hikaru suddenly spoke, snapping Volo out of his own thoughts. Hearing the request for a discount, Volo scratched his cheek, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Hah? This is a special item, you know? No matter how you look at it, an item that enhances a Pokémon's move power should be worth at least this much."
Hikaru shrugged. "If you lower the price, I can provide you with some high-quality items next time. I guarantee you'd be able to sell them for even higher prices."
"I am a craftsman, after all. Giving me a small discount shouldn't be a problem, right?"
Volo stroked his chin, weighing his options. But he didn't deliberate for too long—soon, he nodded.
"You make a good point. Merchants and craftsmen have a close relationship. Fine, having a craftsman contact could help expand my material supply. But if you find anything good, make sure you sell to me first."
"I'll give you a 20% discount!"
Hikaru successfully acquired the Draco Plate, and Volo began pulling more goods from his bag.
Among them were:
Razor Claw
Bugwort Herb
Micle Berries
Smoke Bombs
Various Pokémon materials
Evolution Stones—including Ice Stone and Leaf Stone
Hikaru's eyes sharpened as he realized something.
So this was why the Leaf Stone was linked to the ruins of Shinto.
And then… there was a peculiar blue-and-white radish.
"Hmm? That radish is quite special," the mountain elder suddenly commented. He pointed at the blue-white radish, saying, "It was originally a beach-growing root vegetable, but after some modifications, it can now be cultivated in frozen soil. It has a sweet and spicy taste—really quite unique."
"He tried selling it to me, so I bought some and started planting them myself."
Beach Radish.
Though its appearance resembled Icy Radish, it was actually an entirely different crop.
"Oya oya, this is an important survival crop for northern Sinnoh! It's a regional specialty, you know. Shinto doesn't have these, because they were only developed about a hundred years ago."
"But since not many people live in frigid environments, and most regions are fairly warm, it's tough to find buyers. I'm glad I finally sold some in Shinto!"
Volo raised a finger, looking quite pleased. When it came to business, his joy was genuine.
Hikaru also felt that this radish was an incredibly useful food item. He recalled that it could be used to make Double Pickles, which boosted Pokémon's damage output by 1.5x for five turns—essentially increasing both Attack and Special Attack by one stage.
Volo quickly noticed Hikaru's interest in the radish and immediately launched into a sales pitch.
"You seem very interested in this radish! Let me tell you a secret—most modern Sinnoh people don't even know about its special use!"
"If you combine it with Tough Salt, Crunchy Beans, and a King's Leaf, you can ferment it into Double Pickles! Feeding this to a Pokémon will make them incredibly powerful!"
"I've got some of the ingredients right here! As for the radish, it's 1,000 Pokédollars per piece, but if you buy the seeds too, I'll give you a 10% discount!"
"Also, keep in mind—you need two sets of Double Pickles to make a full batch."
1,000 Pokédollars… Hikaru recalled that in the Ginkgo Guild's shop, Beach Radishes were only 800 Pokédollars each.
Everything here was more expensive!
So even inflation hit the Pokémon world, huh?
Hikaru also purchased Smoke Bombs and healing items for fieldwork. However, Volo's pricing for Razor Claws and Evolution Stones was absurdly high:
Ice Stone: 12,000 Pokédollars
Leaf Stone: 10,000 Pokédollars
Razor Claw: 20,000 Pokédollars
After some careful consideration, Hikaru decided to purchase just two Evolution Stones.
"Much appreciated!" Volo grinned widely, clearly pleased with his profits.
Hikaru packed his newly acquired materials into his bag.
As he did, new information flashed in his mind—so much at once that it gave him a slight headache.
[Rare Material: Tough Salt]
A translucent mineral resembling rock salt. Loved by Grass- and Rock-type Pokémon, it attracts them when thrown.
[Gained Knowledge: 1]
[Mineral Search: Increased ability to find obtained minerals.]
[Rare Material: King's Leaf]
A radiant herb known as the "King of Herbs." When added to medicine, it enhances its healing effects.
[Gained Knowledge: 1]
[Potion Boost: Healing items restore an additional 5%.]
In addition, Hikaru had purchased various Pokémon-related materials:
Bidoof Fur
Starly Feathers
Shinx's Mane
Snover Berries
Drifloon Wisps
Gible Scales
Honedge floated nearby, using its blue ribbon to pack the items into Hikaru's large backpack.
[Mythical Artifact: Draco Plate]
Description: A Plate imbued with Dragon energy. When held, it enhances the power of Dragon-type moves.
[Gained Occupation Knowledge: 1]
[Dragon Tamer: Increases friendliness with Dragon-type Pokémon.]
[Unlocked Unique Crafting: 1]
[Gained Mysterious Crafting Recipe: 1]
Hikaru was momentarily stunned.
Occupation Knowledge?
Dragon Tamers were a real profession in the Pokémon world, present across multiple regions, each with their own traditions.
And the crafting clue… was related to legendary artifacts?
[Ancient Carving Craft (B)]
Description: "We shall engrave Pokémon into stone for the world to see."
Craftable Items: Ancient Statue, Ancient Urn, Ancient Crown, Ancient Bracelet.
[Mysterious Crafting Clue: "Transparent Bell"]
Useful Locations: Ecruteak City / Mt. Coronet.
[Required materials: Rainbow Feather, Suicune's Crystal/Rainbow Rock/Ancient Crystal.]
(End of Chapter)
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