🎆 Happy New Year! 🎆
Thank you all for the amazing support throughout this year. 💙To celebrate the arrival of the new year, here is a special New Year code:
🎁 Code:NewYear: F3B16
📅 Code validity:
Start: December 30, 2025 at 11:55 p.m.
End: January 2, 2026 at 11:00 p.m.
Enjoy it and let's start this new year strong. 🚀✨Here's to an amazing 2026! 🎉
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"It's about to begin."
"Come, Slowpoke, Shellder."
In the eyes of the man in black burned a fervent blaze, as the object known as the King's Rock appeared in his hand, shining like a crown.
At their master's command, Slowpoke and Shellder, their faces expressionless, obediently stepped forward.
"Slowpoke, put on this King's Rock."
"Shellder, bite Slowpoke's head."
Very soon, the man in black had prepared everything. Following the records on the murals, he began the ritual for Slowking's evolution.
"Is it starting?"
"Do your best, Shellder!"
As Shellder slowly rose up and bit into Slowpoke's head—who was already wearing the King's Rock—Ethan Black began praying silently.
Boom!
In an instant, a dazzling white light enveloped Slowpoke and Shellder, fusing their bodies into one.
Within the blinding light, Shellder's body could be seen slowly transforming; after absorbing the energy of the King's Rock, its shell, once clam-shaped, began changing into a spiral form.
At the same time, Slowpoke's usually slouched body began to straighten, its hind legs growing stronger and sturdier.
At last, the silhouettes of both fused into one, and the white light of evolution gradually faded away.
Having evolved into Slowking, its body remained pink but now stood upright on two legs. At first glance, it didn't look much different from Slowpoke, aside from a cream-colored band across its belly.
Because it walked upright, its limbs were longer; three claws appeared on its forelegs and two on its hind legs. Around its neck was an orange-and-white collar resembling an umbrella.
On its head, Shellder had evolved into a spiral shell that bit firmly into Slowpoke's crown. On the back of the shell, a red gem shone brightly, gleaming like a crown.
"Evolution succeeded! This is the King of the Slowpoke!"
The man in black's face lit up with joy as he saw Slowpoke and Shellder evolve together into Slowking.
"Shellder, Slowpoke, break free from the Dark Ball's control!"
Confirming the evolution's success, Ethan Black shouted with all his strength.
Slowking's body trembled violently, and Shellder's eyes on the back of the shell flickered with a spark of confusion.
But the thick black mist surrounding them suppressed their consciousness, keeping them from fully awakening.
"It's reacting!"
"Go, Shuckle! Use Acupressure on Slowking!"
Ethan Black threw a Poké Ball, and Shuckle quickly emerged, immediately using Acupressure.
This caught the man in black off guard. The tiny Shuckle climbed onto Slowking, and the energy of Acupressure flowed through its tentacles, penetrating inside.
In that instant, the power radiating from Slowking surged even higher, unleashing a terrifying force.
"Are you trying to use this moment to free Slowking?"
"Don't even dream of it!"
The man in black snorted coldly and activated the Dark Ball, which glowed with ominous light, attempting to reabsorb Slowking.
But just as the black radiance surged toward it, Absol leapt swiftly and blocked the light with its body.
After stopping the attack, Absol positioned itself in front of Slowking, releasing a mysterious energy.
Under that enigmatic power, the black mist surrounding Slowking found an escape and was absorbed into Absol.
Boom!
Absol, wrapped in darkness, began gradually absorbing all of the malevolent energy.
"Absol!"
Ethan Black shouted in worry as he saw the pained expression on his companion's face.
"What's happening?"
"That Absol... is it absorbing the power of darkness?"
The man in black frowned in surprise.
"Gengar, finish it."
After a brief hesitation, he chose not to think further and ordered the attack.
"Kekeke!"
Gengar let out a sinister laugh, gathered energy into its fists, and lunged like a specter at Absol, delivering a crushing Shadow Punch.
"Absol!"
Alarmed, Ethan Black ordered his other Pokémon to help.
But before Sandslash, Cacturne, Meltan, and Trapinch could act, the enemy's other Pokémon intercepted them, blocking their path.
Boom!
Just as Gengar's Shadow Punch was about to strike Absol, a pink figure suddenly appeared before it. Surrounded by flowing currents of water, it unleashed a liquid whirlwind that completely blocked the attack.
"Slowking?"
"What's happening?"
"How did it break free from the Dark Ball's control?"
The man in black's face completely changed at the sight.
Crack!
At that very moment, the Dark Ball in his hand let out a sharp crack, splitting into pieces—the sign that Slowking had fully escaped his control.
"Could it be that Absol absorbed the dark power that bound it?"
"Of course! Absol has the ability Justified, which allows it to grow stronger by absorbing Dark-type moves. That mysterious energy that drew in the dark power... it was actually its ability!"
A flash of realization lit up Ethan Black's face. If so, it perfectly explained why Slowking was able to break free from the Dark Ball.
"Damn it! So because of that Absol, Slowking managed to escape?"
"But so what! Even if it's free, if I defeat it again, I'll just recapture it."
The man in black clenched his teeth, then snorted and pulled out two more Dark Balls.
Now that Slowking had evolved and escaped the Dark Ball, the enemy had only four Pokémon left in battle. But with two more in reserve, he could still fight at full strength.
(End of chapter)