◉◉◉◉◉
The core brain controlling Guzzlord's massive body was shredded by the energy riding along the blade, reduced to nothing in an instant.
The enormous reserves of power stored inside its body, packed tight like explosives, lost control completely and detonated outward.
BOOOOM!!!
Dark blue energy waves surged out from Guzzlord's corpse like a raging tide.
Thick, foul black blood mixed with shattered stone and debris, swept high into the air by violent shockwaves and scattered between the surrounding high-rises.
Even the ground trembled beneath the blast, like a localized earthquake.
Only after a long while did the aftermath finally settle.
What remained was devastation.
Blood poured from the Ultra Beast's ruined body in staggering volume, flooding the nearby streets.
Concrete that had long since dried and cracked under constant sandstorms was now transformed into a stinking swamp of viscous black gore.
At the center of it all, Kael bent forward, breathing steadily.
The tension that had bound his nerves finally snapped as Guzzlord's death became undeniable.
Since being reborn as a Pokémon, this had been the strongest enemy he had ever faced.
Without Tapu Koko's source energy repairing the [Zamazenta's Heart] and unlocking [Shield King Form], the outcome would have been inevitable.
He would have been nothing more than food.
"…That was close."
Kael raised his left hand, brushing it across the solid shield etched with crimson patterns at his chest.
A lingering chill of fear flickered through his eyes.
He lifted his legs from the blood-soaked ground and moved toward a cleaner stretch of concrete.
Although the Shield King's armor completely blocked the corrosive blood from harming him, the stench and suffocating filth were still deeply unpleasant.
As if guided by some subtle force, the black mire parted smoothly beneath his steps, flowing away without resistance as he passed.
With Tapu Koko gone, the Ultra Wormhole sealed, and Guzzlord destroyed, the ruins of City were finally silent.
Only a few hardy low-level Pokémon remained, survivors like Rattata that had endured through sheer adaptability.
Nothing else here posed a threat to Kael anymore.
The battle itself had lasted less than ten minutes.
There was still plenty of time left before [Shield King Form] would naturally expire.
But there was no reason to maintain it.
Forcing his level thirty tiers higher had pushed his body to the brink.
Every second spent in that state was another burden.
Even with his exceptional physique and recovery, unnecessary strain was a bad idea.
With a thought, Kael summoned the [Shield Gauge].
What should have been empty after the release of Zamazenta's power had instead surged upward again after Guzzlord's defeat.
It would not be long before he could activate it once more.
Not bad.
Satisfied, Kael focused his mind and manually canceled [Shield King Form].
The change was immediate.
Pain crashed over him like a tidal wave.
"Hhk—!"
Before he could brace himself, his body pitched forward and hit the ground.
His back arched, veins bulging along his neck as his frame curled inward.
Every cell screamed.
Weakness and agony merged into a suffocating haze that threatened to swallow his consciousness whole.
Sweat poured from his skin, soaking the ground beneath him.
Compared to the benefits of forcibly raising his power, the price itself was not unreasonable.
But the sensation felt like thousands of needles stabbing him at once, sharp and relentless.
It was agony.
Only after more than twenty minutes did the pain begin to fade.
"Hah… hah…"
Gasping, Kael forced himself upright with trembling arms, his eyes unfocused.
The pain itself was manageable.
He had endured similar ordeals before.
Three reincarnations had seen to that.
What truly gnawed at him was something else.
The crushing emptiness.
After tasting power that felt nearly unrivaled in the Pokémon world, being dragged back down to his current level left him hollow.
The contrast was brutal.
"…If one day," he muttered, "I could reach that level without relying on equipment…"
He replayed the memory of that overwhelming strength in his mind, letting it fuel his imagination.
"…Maybe it's not impossible."
Light flared in his eyes.
With the solid foundation his current body had built, another evolution and enough levels could bring him closer to that realm.
He might never match Zamazenta itself.
But reaching something comparable?
That no longer felt like a dream.
The emptiness slowly transformed into resolve.
Heat returned to his chest.
His spirit reignited.
That mental resilience came partly from Kael himself.
And partly from his Fighting-type nature.
After all, relentless drive and unbreakable will were practically written into that typing.
Sitting on the cold concrete, Kael adjusted his breathing and began planning his next steps.
"Saving the world is one thing, but right now—"
"Wait."
His thoughts cut off abruptly.
Kael frowned.
Something felt… wrong.
He raised his right hand, fingers slowly curling into a fist.
Snap!
The air burst apart with a sharp crack.
Ignoring the aching protest in his forearm, Kael stared at his clenched hand.
His pupils narrowed.
"…Yeah."
"That's definitely not right."
◉◉◉◉◉
~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
◉◉◉◉◉
For early access to advanced chapters on P-atreon:
P-atreon/iamxeno
(Just remove the - hyphen to access Patreon normally)
Thank you so much for your support and for reading!