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Unlike the cramped, classic red-and-white Poké Ball he was used to, the inside of this Special Poké Ball was ridiculously spacious at least fifty square meters.
A thick gray carpet covered the floor, the Dark Star insignia subtly woven into the center like a dark vortex. Warm light from a half-dome ceiling fixture bathed the room in a cozy glow.
The semi-transparent walls still allowed him to see outside, but now the view was sharper and clearer.
At the far end sat a massive yellow cushion shaped like a fluffy ball. Tiny arcs of electricity danced across its surface.
Kael took in the sight with wide eyes and inhaled deeply.
"Hm?"
A faint tingling spread through his body. The air here… was thick with Electric-type energy.
To be sure, he inhaled again. His eyes lit up there was no mistake. The concentration of electric energy was three or four times greater than outside.
It was like a fish dropped into the perfect stream waves of pleasant, tingling numbness coursed through his body.
"Oh, yeah… this is amazing."
His opinion of the Special Poké Ball instantly climbed another notch.
Ding!
The crisp chime of his system rang out in his mind.
[+1 Experience Point]
Kael blinked. "…Wait."
Could simply existing in this environment grant him experience?
If that was true, he could literally level up while napping. The thought was tempting but he shook his head. No shortcuts. Real progress came from effort.
Still, he couldn't resist exploring. Like a kid seeing a mansion for the first time, Kael padded around the room, poking and inspecting every corner.
The only "furniture" was that oversized yellow cushion.
But compared to the old Poké Ball, this place was a palace. A rest area didn't need training gear or clutter.
Hands on his hips, he eyed the cushion. His eyes gleamed mischievously.
With a short dash and a light leap, he soared through the air like a drifting leaf, limbs spread in a star shape before landing softly.
Poof!
Electric sparks popped beneath him as the plush swallowed his body.
The cushion radiated warmth and a faint, invigorating charge, its electric energy wrapping around him like a cocoon.
"Mmm~" Kael couldn't stop a pleased sigh.
It wasn't just a place to rest this was a cleverly designed energy bed. Whoever made it was a genius.
He rolled lazily, enjoying the sensation until something hard jabbed his side. Frowning, he reached into the cushion and felt around.
His fingers closed on something solid.
"Gotcha."
With a firm pull, he yanked out a dazzling silver necklace.
The chain shimmered faintly, engraved with intricate patterns. At its center hung a large, diamond-shaped gem pale green, the size of an adult's palm.
Arcs of electricity flickered across its surface.
When he shook it, a faint swish echoed from within the stone, as if liquid moved inside but a closer look revealed it was concentrated plasma, raw electric energy in liquid form.
Kael stared, momentarily stunned.
It was beautiful and dangerous, even. Like a rose with thorns.
Drawn by curiosity, he extended his mental energy toward the gem.
Zzzzt!
The gentle arcs turned violent, and a sharp sting shot through his head. His focus was instantly pushed back.
"…That's powerful."
This had to be a Thunder Stone, likely his reward from the last mission. But the energy inside was far beyond what he could safely handle. Forcing it now could end very, very badly.
Still… Dark Star wouldn't give him something unusable.
His gaze drifted to the chain.
They made it into a necklace for a reason.
Taking a deep breath, he unclasped it and carefully slipped it over his head, ready to fling it off at the first sign of danger.
Instead, the metal dissolved into shimmering light, seeping into the fluffy fur around his neck. The Thunder Stone settled perfectly against his chest, like it belonged there.
Bzzzt!
Fine arcs of electricity spread outward.
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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