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Under the sunlight streaming through the dojo windows, the creature's sleek, blue-black fur gleamed with a silken sheen.
Three ivory spikes, one on each wrist and one on his chest, caught the light like polished steel, their sharp edges flashing with lethal promise.
His muscular frame sat cross-legged in perfect stillness. Behind him, his long tail swayed through the air with a soft whoosh, the movement precise, controlled, and unnervingly calm.
It was the Aura Pokémon itself—Lucario.
For the first time in all his reincarnations, Kael stood face-to-face with one in the flesh.
In his past human life, Lucario had been an icon a Pokémon adored by millions for its balance of elegance and might.
Its mastery of [Aura] and its stoic, knight-like demeanor made it one of the most beloved Pokémon in the world.
Kael, back when he'd been human, had been a massive fan himself.
Now, standing before one in person, feeling the raw pressure that came off its very presence, he couldn't stop the thrill rising in his chest.
---
Lucario sat motionless in the center of the dojo floor, eyes closed, his clawed hands resting upon his knees.
The golden light spilling through the windows shimmered across the wooden boards, swirling gently as if drawn by some unseen current.
Then Kael felt the faint hum of energy in the air.
A soft breeze began to stir.
Threads of pale blue light flickered to life around Lucario, dancing like sparks of lightning before fading just as fast.
[Aura].
Kael's eyes narrowed.
So this was it the legendary power of life energy, the force that flowed through both human and Pokémon souls.
Aura wasn't just a weapon. It was consciousness itself instinct, empathy, and will, bound together into a tangible current.
Those who could master it, humans or Pokémon alike, became capable of miracles: sensing emotions, shaping energy, even bending the world's rhythm to their heartbeat.
Yet true Aura masters were exceedingly rare.
Among humans, only a handful had ever earned the title of Aura Guardians.
For Pokémon, even those born with Aura potential like Lucario's entire evolutionary line rarely reached such depth without guidance or fate's intervention.
And the one before Kael now… radiated power that was both refined and overwhelming.
---
The atmosphere in the dojo grew heavy.
Kael could feel his instincts screaming every sense sharpened to a knife's edge.
Across from him, Haus, the dojo master, stood calmly behind Lucario, arms crossed.
His sleeveless gi exposed arms thick with muscle, veins bulging like coiled ropes beneath bronzed skin.
His expression was unreadable, but the faint smile tugging at his lips hinted at anticipation.
"So this is the legendary Haus," Kael thought grimly. "The master of Ignis City's Fighting Dojo."
He wasn't here to pick a fight. Yet somehow, he'd found himself standing before a Lucario and its master as if he were challenging the Gym itself.
He could already guess that this was a "welcome test," a traditional show of dominance to gauge the strength and temperament of new arrivals.
The kind of ritual that reminded fighters where they stood.
"Figures," Kael muttered to himself.
The energy in the room rose, pressing down on him like an ocean tide.
He sighed inwardly, rolling his shoulders.
"So that's how it is, huh?"
A smirk tugged at his mouth. "Fine. Let's play along."
---
Kael lowered his stance, grounding his feet against the polished floor. His breathing steadied. His muscles coiled.
He'd already decided he would fight as a normal Pokémon here.
No ghost-type abilities, no strange energy manipulation.
If the League ever discovered what he truly was, what had been done to him, he'd become a specimen in a lab faster than he could blink.
He didn't need that kind of trouble.
Until he evolved and strengthened his body further, he'd keep a low profile.
That meant this battle would be pure.
No tricks. No shortcuts.
Just strength versus strength.
He glanced at Lucario again, reading the flow of its energy.
Even without using [Aura], Kael could feel it as a steady, controlled pulse radiating outward from its body. Every motion, every breath was deliberate.
This wasn't some mindless fighter. It was a warrior-priest, sculpted by decades of discipline.
A perfect opponent to test himself against.
Kael's eyes glinted. "All right then…"
---
From the sidelines, Haus's arms tightened slightly. His gaze followed Kael's every movement, assessing, measuring.
"Hmph," he murmured. "Good. He can read the field quickly."
Then his lips curved upward. "Let's see if he can handle the pressure."
---
Lucario's eyes opened calm, orange-gold irises gleaming with quiet intensity.
In that instant, the dojo's brightness seemed to sharpen, a pulse of blue Aura flaring across the floor before fading.
Lucario rose slowly, his movements smooth, precise, and utterly effortless.
The wind that had been circling him vanished. The light dimmed. Silence fell.
And then he tilted his chin slightly, orange eyes locking onto Kael's.
He didn't speak. He didn't need to.
The gesture said it all:
"You move first."
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Kael's lips twitched into a grin. "So that's how it is? You're looking down on me already?"
But there was no anger in his tone only excitement.
It had been a long time since anyone had looked at him like that.
Not as prey. Not as an experiment.
But as a warrior.
He flexed his right fist. The air cracked around it.
"Fine by me…"
His gaze sharpened. His body stilled.
Even his breathing stopped for a heartbeat.
And then—
He launched forward like a bullet.
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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