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Inside the Special Poké Ball, Kael lounged against the giant yellow cushion, eyes half-closed.
Beneath the soft yellow wool on his chest, the diamond-shaped Thunder Stone pulsed with a faint, emerald glow. Warm currents flowed from it into his body, crackling softly.
Bzzt… bzzt…
The magnetic field around him subtly shifted, his fur bristling as electric energy surged.
This necklace was unlike anything he'd seen. The moment it had touched the wool around his neck, it seemed to melt into place no discomfort at all.
And the Thunder Stone? Before, even touching it felt dangerous.
Now, with the necklace acting as a stabilizer, it radiated a sense of safety.
Those gentle currents it released not only replenished his stamina but also topped up his internal electricity reserves.
It made perfect sense Dark Star must have known he couldn't control a Thunder Stone of this caliber yet.
So they'd turned it into a wearable battery, feeding him energy at a safe rate.
For Kael, this was perfect. His electric reserves were already several times higher than most Flaaffy at his level, but his power-hungry combo techniques burned through that supply alarmingly fast.
In long battles, he often had to rely on [Charge] just to keep going not ideal, especially at higher levels where the pace would be faster and opportunities rarer.
He had two options: either shorten the time needed to use [Charge], or increase both the capacity and quality of his electricity.
The first option he'd tried and failed. He'd probably need to evolve into an Ampharos before it was possible.
The second option? He'd had no clear path forward… until now.
With this Thunder Stone necklace, he'd always have a high-capacity "power bank" feeding him energy mid-battle.
It was a massive upgrade and it meant he could start experimenting with high-power moves that were previously too draining to attempt.
And later, when he finally evolves, he might even be able to directly draw power from the Thunder Stone, making it a permanent boost to his strength.
That thought alone brought a smile to his face.
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Three Days Later
Kael sat cross-legged on the soft gray carpet, eyes closed, emerald light glowing faintly from his chest.
He focused on the flow of current within his body, trying to refine his control.
After a long while, he opened his eyes and sighed.
"Still nothing…"
He muttered to himself, wondering if control could only improve through evolution or rare training items.
Suddenly—
Vmmmmm…
The air around him began to vibrate. The light from above grew intense, forcing him to shield his eyes.
The semi-transparent walls of the Poké Ball brightened, shapes from the outside world slowly coming into view.
A mission.
He got to his feet.
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In a small coastal Town on the edge of the Dawn Sea. The economy here relied almost entirely on fishing, and while money was scarce, the people were warm and welcoming.
Over the years, its charm had drawn in small waves of backpacking tourists.
Inside a modest inn, two ordinary-looking Trainers spoke in hushed tones.
"Allen, are you sure we shouldn't tell the organization?"
"Trevor, I've told you a dozen times there's something big hidden on that island."
He leaned in, eyes gleaming.
"And based on my intel, the Pokémon there are mostly Flying-types, and not even that strong. We can handle it ourselves."
"But—"
"No buts. If we tell the organization, we'll lose our share of whatever's there. This is our chance."
Trevor hesitated. "…Alright, fine. But we should still rent a strong Pokémon from the organization. Just in case."
Allen rolled his eyes. "You and your caution. Fine."
He pulled out a sleek black smartphone and logged into Dark Star's Pokémon rental system.
Scrolling through filters, he checked Electric-, Ice-, and Rock-types ideal for countering Flying-types then turned the screen toward Bamboo.
"What do you think?"
Trevor's eyes lit up. "That one looks promising."
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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