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As a Fighting-type Pokémon, Kael's control over his own body was extremely precise.
Even the smallest deviation would never escape his awareness.
Although the backlash from [Shield King Form] still left him sore and drained, once he pushed through the worst of the pain and adapted to the weakness, he began to notice something strange.
"…I'm stronger?"
Kael lowered his head, staring at his hands, still marked with countless shallow cuts.
His strength had increased.
His physique felt denser, sturdier.
Even the two elemental energies dormant within him had clearly grown.
Not explosively.
But undeniably.
His overall physical parameters had risen across the board.
And that was the unsettling part.
This kind of comprehensive improvement was not something ordinary training could produce.
In Kael's experience, there was only one way this usually happened.
"…Did I level up?"
The thought made him pause.
But the magnitude of the improvement felt far beyond what a single level, or even two, should provide.
Frowning slightly, Kael opened the system interface tucked away at the corner of his vision.
Ding.
The familiar notification chime echoed in his mind.
[Defeated Pokémon: Guzzlord]
[Experience Gained: 462]
"…Four hundred?"
Kael sucked in a sharp breath.
This was the first time he had ever received this much experience from a single battle.
Even in his previous reincarnations, gains on this scale were rare.
And this was with Kael already standing at the highest level he had ever reached across all his lives.
In the Pokémon world, his current strength already placed him solidly in the upper-middle tier.
At this stage, growth slowed dramatically.
Most Pokémon, aside from those with exceptionally long growth cycles like Dragon-types, eventually hit a bottleneck.
Progress became a matter of time and accumulation rather than sudden breakthroughs.
Even with the system's assistance, Kael had clearly felt that slowdown.
And yet—
Guzzlord alone had given him nearly five hundred experience points.
The sudden windfall left him momentarily at a loss.
At the same time, doubt crept in.
Even accounting for a level gap, this felt excessive.
He had relied on external power. The [Zamazenta's Heart] and [Shield King Form] had played a decisive role.
Under normal logic, the system should have discounted the reward, not inflated it.
The experience calculation was becoming… strange.
Still, since it brought no immediate downside, Kael chose not to dwell on it.
Instead, he opened his status panel.
---
Species: Machoke
Level: 50 (9100 EXP)
Ability: Steadfast
Moves:
Low Kick, Leer, Focus Energy, Confuse Ray, Payback, Spite, Low Sweep, Knock Off, Scary Face, Seismic Toss, Shadow Sneak, Shadow Punch, Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Thunder Punch, Aura Sphere, Strength, Dual Chop, Bulk Up, Shadow Ball, Night Shade, Earthquake, Sacred Sword (Locked)
Evaluation: A promise made before a higher existence has drawn the attention of the world itself. Whether this becomes a danger or an opportunity depends on your choices.
Held Items:
Terrakion's Shatter-Shoulder Plate
Zamazenta's Heart
---
With the experience from Guzzlord, Kael's level had crossed the midpoint of the long progression curve.
Level 50.
On paper, it looked ordinary.
In reality, Pokémon that reached this tier were exceedingly rare.
Even at the height of human civilization, many elite Trainers had ace Pokémon hovering around this level.
In this shattered world, where human influence had nearly vanished, it was even more exceptional.
Kael smiled faintly as he glanced at the number, then continued reading.
"Earthquake…"
Another move well-suited for close-range dominance. Worth practicing.
When his eyes landed on [Sacred Sword (Locked)], anticipation flickered across his expression.
He had already felt its edge while in [Shield King Form].
Its power.
Its flexibility.
There was no doubt it was a top-tier combat move.
But for now, it remained sealed.
Likely because his base level was still insufficient.
Only by borrowing the authority of [Shield King Form] had he been able to force it into use.
Still, Kael was confident.
With continued combat, repeated exposure, and higher levels, Sacred Sword would eventually become a standard part of his arsenal.
As he finished reviewing the panel and prepared to close it, something at the bottom caught his eye.
"…Hm?"
"This is new."
The evaluation text had changed.
"Higher existence?"
"Promise?"
"World itself?"
Kael's expression grew serious.
"The 'higher existence' should be Tapu Koko," he reasoned. "And the promise was my vow to save the world."
"But this 'world attention'…"
A realization began to form.
Kael had spent more than a decade in his previous life immersed in speculative fiction. He was familiar with the concept.
World consciousness.
Or, more precisely—
Gaia.
The idea that a planet could be treated as a macro-lifeform, possessing a form of instinctive awareness.
Not a god.
Not a thinking mind.
But a system.
One that regulated ecosystems, stabilized climate, balanced chemistry, and preserved the continuity of life.
In simpler terms—
A planetary caretaker.
And this Pokémon world was dying.
Nightmare Seeds.
Ultra Beasts.
Ecological collapse.
The natural system that Gaia represented had already suffered catastrophic damage.
Yet both of the primary species she once relied on humans and Pokémon had lost the ability to protect themselves.
Even if the world wanted to save itself, it lacked the means.
Gaia could not act directly.
To influence reality, she required an agent.
A being with a physical body.
And at the moment when this world teetered on collapse…
An outsider soul had appeared.
Kael.
An existence not native to this world, yet bound to it.
At that thought, a quiet tension settled in his chest.
He had not simply drawn the attention of a legendary Pokémon.
He had drawn the attention of the world itself.
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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