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The battlefield hissed with static. Thick arcs of electricity painted the air a pale gold, while rising white smoke curled and drifted like mist across a battlefield scorched black.
A jagged trench scarred the stone floor, still glowing faintly from the blast. At its far end, Nolan's Goodra stood rooted in place.
The Dragon's heavy legs had sunk deep into the fractured ground. The green slime that normally covered its body had dried and blackened, curling off in brittle flakes. Its soft, sluglike skin was charred in patches, falling away in scorched fragments.
Head lowered, Goodra's emerald eyes were hidden beneath drooping lids. Its face was unreadable.
Behind it, Nolan finally exhaled.
Flaaffy was gone.
No—now it was Ampharos.
That Charge Beam had been devastating.
For a fleeting instant, Nolan had genuinely believed his Goodra might collapse under the strike, despite its famed resistance to special attacks.
But… no. He knew Goodra's defenses better than anyone. Even with all that power, it shouldn't have been enough to bring her down.
Then his eyes widened.
The mighty Dragon trembled. Charred fragments sloughed off in sheets.
Goodra swayed then crashed backward with a thunderous boom.
"Goodra is unable to battle! Ampharos is the winner!"
The referee's call echoed through the stadium. Crimson recall light swept over Goodra's ruined frame, pulling it back into its Poké Ball.
Nolan's fingers brushed over the capsule, lingering. His voice was quiet, almost tender.
"You did well. This isn't your fault."
---
Across the field, Kael was still stunned by what he'd done.
I really… one-shot Goodra?
In the games, Goodra boasted Special Defense that rivaled even legendary base 150. Translated into reality, it could shrug off elemental barrages that would flatten most Pokémon. Yet his first strike as Ampharos had crushed it outright.
The realization sent a chill and thrill through him all at once. His strength had leapt far beyond even his own calculations.
But it wasn't random. He knew that.
Every long hour of training as a Mareep, every sparring match, every session of stockpiling energy had been bricks in the foundation. The resources he'd stockpiled during the Dark Star period, the countless battles fought since, all had compounded.
And above all… the System.
His forbidden edge.
The ability to gain clean, perfect levels through battle had allowed him to grow without wasted potential. Even injuries couldn't blunt his momentum; each level was optimized, a peak expression of his species.
And the thunderous reserve he'd gathered in Thunder Canyon… it had all fused here.
Curious, Kael flicked his focus inward, calling up the translucent System window only he could see.
---
[Species: Ampharos
Level: 46 (17/100)
Moves: Tackle, Growl, Thunder Wave, Hidden Power (Dragon), Thunder Shock, Cotton Spore, Charge, Thunder Punch, Magnet Rise, Take Down, Electro Ball, Dragon Breath, Confuse Ray, Power Gem, Discharge, Cotton Guard, Zap Cannon, Magnetic Field, Plasma Bath, Dragon Pulse, Fire Punch, Charge Beam, Wild Charge
Status: Overcharged (Electric-type moves +20% power)
Duration Remaining: 5 days 12 hours
Evaluation: "The summit of this world is within reach. One more step—press on."]
---
Kael swallowed hard. Sixteen levels gained instantly the moment Flaaffy evolved, all that stored experience had detonated into raw growth.
And because those levels applied post-evolution, every single one hit like three or four of his pre-evolution levels. His power curve had skyrocketed.
He stared at the wall of new moves, mouth dry. Dragon Pulse. Fire Punch. Power Gem. Zap Cannon. Charge Beam…
His earlier attack had just been a taste.
---
On the far side, Nolan had already drawn his final ball. He whispered softly, stroking its surface.
"Easy now. It's almost your turn."
A breeze tugged at his sleeve, baring his wrist.
There, on a plain black cord, dangled what looked like a child's glass marble. But inside its transparent shell, red and gray light pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat.
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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