A figure in the void seized the perfect moment, firing multiple colored beams at the Black Rock Giants' chests.
The beams mixed with the smoke from the explosions, obscuring the view from others.
After completing Porygon-Z, it flickered once more and vanished into the void.
After all, these were three S-rank experience points—letting them go to waste would be a shame.
Perhaps due to its Inventor trait, Meowth's strength was undefined and lacked an experience bar.
This meant Meowth couldn't gain experience points, a situation shared by Ditto.
Both were Pokemons with undefined strength, hence the absence of experience bars.
Meanwhile, Porygon-Z's strength was crucial to Akira's future plans, making it extremely important.
Thus, Akira would seek more opportunities for Porygon-Z to gain experience and accelerate its leveling progress.
"BOOM!!"
The three giants toppled backward, their massive bodies crashing to the ground with a thunderous impact, shaking the earth violently.
Fortunately, the area was composed of Black Rock, devoid of soil, so their collapse stirred up little dust.
All that remained was a tremor strong enough to shake one's footing.
Black Tremor Rock inherently possessed shock-absorbing properties.
Having long consumed Black Tremor Rock, the rock giants' bodies had transformed into the same material.
With both sharing the same composition, coupled with three massive giants collapsing simultaneously, the ground continued trembling for quite some time before settling.
Without exception, each giant bore a gaping hole in its chest.
Whatever had been inside had vanished without a trace, leaving only a sludge-like substance oozing out.
The murky black-brown sludge flowed onto the Black Tremor Rock, immediately producing sizzling sounds.
In moments, the rock was corroded into pits, wisps of white smoke rising from the surface.
Witnessing such extreme corrosion, everyone understood this sludge's acidity must be formidable.
"Equivalent to... gastric acid?"
Ging raised an eyebrow, pausing before speaking slowly.
To him, this sludge resembled human stomach acid, designed to digest various ores.
If his assumption was correct, these creatures likely fed primarily on stone, though other dietary options couldn't be ruled out.
The reason he didn't speculate this being the giants' blood was simple.
The giants' structure clearly consisted of the same black rock beneath their feet.
Since this sludge could easily corrode the ground's rock, there was no reason it wouldn't corrode the giants' bodies.
Moreover, during combat, numerous wounds had appeared on the giants without any fluid discharge.
Thus, blood was unlikely—these were probably gastric fluids contained within digestive organs.
Their purpose? To break down "food."
"Ding!"
"Pokemon incubation complete!"
As everyone observed the fallen black-rock giants, a crisp, melodious notification echoed in Akira's mind.
A flicker of joy crossed Akira's face as he focused inward.
The man who hadn't flinched before towering obsidian giants now saw his pupils constrict sharply upon viewing his new Pokemon.
The newly hatched creature was none other than Steelix—the Pokemon jokingly suggested for removal from the Pokédex!
Yet this specimen was extraordinary.
Its entire body gleamed with golden radiance, dotted with sparkling starlight.
Undeniably—a golden Steelix!
This marked it as a Shiny Pokemon!
Shinies represented exceptionally rare variants in the Pokemon world, distinguished by atypical coloration.
Some Shiny variants appeared more visually appealing than standard forms, while others... less so.
Take Dragonite: normally orange, its Shiny form sports an incongruous green hue.
Steelix undoubtedly belonged to the former category.
While its standard silver-gray already looked impressive, the Shiny version elevated its magnificence.
The massive serpent appeared forged from pure gold, emitting dazzling brilliance that screamed luxury.
Steelix's eyes burned crimson, its tail resembling a spike.
This metallic-rock serpent featured an enormous frontal bone and skeletal body structure.
Its form comprised interlocking steel-plated boulders, studded with protruding stone spikes.
As Onix's evolved form, Steelix exhibited significant morphological changes.
Its composition shifted from pure rock to steel-rock hybrid, marking a substantial defensive upgrade.
The head became flatter, resembling an iron shovel—one of the design inspirations said to be behind Steelix.
Its teeth, capable of effortlessly crushing countless metals, were incredibly hard and also served as a formidable tool for digging.
It would use its sturdy jaws to chew through rocks as it advanced, sometimes burrowing as deep as one kilometer.
Steelix lived even deeper underground than Onix, its body tempered by the intense pressure and heat beneath the earth, making it harder than any metal.
It was said that when an Onix lived for over a hundred years, the composition of its body would become akin to diamond.
Its entire form was coated in steel particles, with fragments of metal fused together across its body, creating an incredibly tough surface that reflected a dazzling gleam.
People believed its body transformed due to the accumulation of iron ingested along with soil.
It would dig toward the center of the earth, equipped with eyes capable of seeing clearly even in the pitch-black depths underground.
Overall, this was a fairly standard Pokemon.
The only highlight was that it was his first Shiny Pokemon.
And it looked incredibly cool!
Beyond that, the practical use of a Shiny Steelix for him would likely be in tasks like digging tunnels.
At first, Akira hadn't expected it to be Steelix, assuming it would be some Rock-type Pokemon instead.
After a brief moment of thought, however, Akira suddenly realized something—this might very well be the reason a Shiny Steelix had appeared!
And that was the Stone Giants!
Normally, the patterns of the Incubation Bar followed two main aspects, usually combining both but sometimes leaning more toward one.
The first was terrain—the most significant factor.
The type of Pokemon that emerged was generally tied to the location, so no examples were needed.
The second was local wildlife or other distinctive features.
For instance, on Flame Rock Island, the two Pokemon he had incubated were both fossil types, as the area was rich in fossils.
Or take the desert when he first set foot on the Dark Continent—he had incubated a Garchomp.
There were many Pokemon associated with deserts, but in the end, it was Garchomp, likely due to the land shark he had encountered.
Thus, Akira surmised that the reason for the Shiny Steelix's appearance was connected to the Stone Giants.
The reasoning was simple—it matched the information provided by the Pokedex Ability.
Stone Giants were divided into three tiers, from lowest to highest: Rock Giants, Silver Giants, and Golden Giants.
Their colors roughly corresponded to Onix, Steelix, and Shiny Steelix.
Additionally, like the Stone Giants, Steelix's body was composed of rock, metal, and similar materials, and it shared the habit of consuming ores.
There were probably other connecting factors, but he couldn't think of them at the moment—perhaps due to missing some key information.
At this thought, Akira frowned slightly before relaxing again.
Truthfully, he wasn't lacking in offensive power among his team.
Unless it was a legendary Pokemon, most were about the same to him.
Having a Shiny Pokemon like this to admire was still a nice bonus.
He also remembered that Steelix could use Magnet Rise, making it an unconventional mount he could take out for a ride now and then.
These were Akira's thoughts before checking the Pokedex details. But once he saw them, his perspective changed abruptly.
As usual, after employing Restriction and Vow, Akira began reviewing Steelix's specific information.
Name: Steelix (Shiny/Alpha)
Ability: Sheer Force
Type: Steel, Ground
Strength: S-
Moves: Magnetic Levitation, Autotomize, Rock Slide, Earthquake, High Horsepower...
Totem Pokemon: Initial strength is higher than ordinary Pokemon, and their size is significantly larger than normal forms.
Shiny: As a rare occurrence appearing in only one out of thousands of Pokemon, Shiny Pokemon have different colors from regular ones and possess unique special abilities.
For example, a Shiny Steelix can enhance its strength and even acquire new abilities by consuming various ores.
Akira's breath hitched as he stared at the string of text, barely able to believe his eyes.
His Steelix wasn't just a Shiny Pokemon?
It was also a Totem Pokemonr?
Totem Pokemon were special variants that appeared in the Alola region, typically larger in size and more powerful in ability.
This realization made Akira notice something odd about the Shiny Steelix in his mind.
Though visualized in a shrunken state within his consciousness, it was clearly much larger than any Pokemon he'd ever manifested before.
He hadn't paid attention initially—after all, Steelix were naturally large—but who would have guessed it was a Totem?
Now he hadn't just obtained his first Shiny Pokemon but also his first Totem Pokemon in one go.
Akira's gaze was first drawn to the "Totem" designation before immediately focusing on "strength."
As expected, it was extraordinary.
Steelix's base stat total was 510.
Theoretically, after applying Restriction and Vow, it should have A- rank strength.
Yet now it was S- rank!
This meant the Steelix had started at A- rank—a feat made possible by its Totem status.
Moreover, Steelix's ability was unusual too: the hidden ability Sheer Force.
Sheer Force: Boosts the power of moves with secondary effects by 30%, but those secondary effects will not occur.
For instance, Rock Slide has a chance to make opponents flinch.
But when used by this Steelix, it won't cause flinching while dealing greater damage.
Many competitive Pokemon battles utilize the combination of Life Orb and Sheer Force.
Examples include Nidoking and Darmanitan.
As Akira pondered this, his eyes moved downward to the most crucial information!
He was well aware of Totem Pokemons' effects, but what truly astonished him was the details under the Shiny category.
This indicated Steelix had even greater potential.
Like those Stone Titans, it could consume ores to gain additional abilities and enhance its strength.
In that case...
Akira turned his head toward the fallen Blackrock Titan's body on the battlefield and the three cores clutched by Meowth Unit One.
What if he fed them to Steelix?
No time like the present!
The thought barely formed in Akira's mind when a brilliant light erupted beside him.
Thick white radiance rapidly faded, replaced by dazzling golden brilliance!
This was a spectacle never seen with any previous Pokemon manifestation.
An effect exclusive to Shiny Pokemons!
The sudden commotion made Beyond and others turn their heads, eyes widening at the golden glow.
Within the radiance swirled countless glittering stars—golden stars dancing in whirling patterns.
Abruptly, the golden light's form rapidly expanded, stretching horizontally and vertically in all directions.
At first glance, it resembled dough being pulled apart.The crowd's heads kept tilting upward, their gaze shifting from level to upward, the angle growing ever larger.
"Gulp."
The sound of someone swallowing was especially loud in the silence, the tension on everyone's faces unmistakable.
Because the golden light, dotted with sparkling stars, was growing larger—just moments ago, it had already surpassed the size of the three giants!
The Totem Steelix was massive!
A moment later, the golden light reached a certain threshold, the radiance turning illusory before vanishing entirely without a trace.
Only a few golden fragments remained, scattered in the air, before they too gradually disappeared.
"ROAR!!"
The shining Steelix threw its head back and roared, its aura unleashed without restraint. Paired with its colossal size, it was an intimidating sight.
Its golden body was strikingly handsome, and with its S- rank strength, it was both impressive in appearance and power.
Akira nodded in satisfaction before commanding Steelix to devour the cores and the giants.
"Boom… boom…"
Steelix's body scraped against the ground, producing the sound of something enormous rolling forward.
The crowd could only stand frozen in place, staring blankly as this creature—resembling a snake yet seemingly forged entirely from gold—moved before them.
What kind of Nen beast was this?
How could it be so huge?
Ging stared up at Steelix—its size was so immense that everyone had to crane their necks just to look at it.
Akira had displayed many Nen beasts before, but one of this scale was truly rare.
Judging by its actions… was it going to…?
Ging suddenly realized something, roughly guessing what this Nen beast intended to do.
Though Steelix was heavy, its speed was still considerable.
In the blink of an eye, it appeared beside Meowth No. 1.
Clearly, the cores held a greater attraction for it.
Seeing this, Meowth No. 1 loosened its claws slightly, making it easier for Steelix to consume them directly.
Then, a flash of crimson flickered in Steelix's eyes as its jagged steel maw suddenly gaped open, swallowing the cores whole!
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
Three metallic collisions rang out in succession as the cores disappeared into Steelix's stomach.
In places unseen, the dark-brown rocky cores were being digested at an astonishing speed.
As this process unfolded, Steelix's experience points rapidly climbed.
In the end, though its experience had increased significantly, it still hadn't reached the next stage.
So Steelix slowly turned its head, its massive body coiling like a true serpent.
Its crimson pupils locked onto the bodies of the three giants, like a predator fixated on its prey.
Its movements were swift as a dragon's, closing the distance in an instant.
It wanted more!
Steelix's jaws were strong, never hindering its meals in the slightest.
After a series of metallic clashes, the bodies of the giants were fully digested.
Its strength successfully advanced to S-rank!
But this wasn't the news that pleased Akira the most.
Steelix had gained the effect of Black Tremor Rock!
This meant that any enemy attacking it at close range would suffer recoil damage.
It could roughly be understood as Steelix now carrying a Rocky Helmet.
This might not seem like much, but the implications were significant.
It confirmed that Steelix truly possessed the ability to continuously hunt and absorb traits!
Just like the stone giants, it could acquire the effects of the ores it consumed.
The sight of Steelix suddenly reminded Akira of someone he had met long ago.
The Gluttony among the Seven Deadly Sins!
His Nen ability allows him to gain the properties of whatever he consumes by eating it.
This power represents infinite possibilities.
Akira could already envision the terror of the ultimate shining boss, Steelix, after devouring countless ores from the Dark Continent!
-----------------------------
Read 40 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator