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This was a chest salvaged from the ghost ship. Considering its origin, what lay inside was bound to be extraordinary — at least, that was what Sato was hoping and expecting.
He first moved a safe distance away. That way, even if there were hidden traps inside, they wouldn't be able to harm him. Fixing his eager gaze on it, he slowly used his psychic power to pry the chest open, bit by bit.
Unfortunately, reality is often cruel — just as opening chests always carries risk.
This time, Sato's haul wasn't bad, but it wasn't a grand prize either. His psychic scan revealed that the chest's outer layer contained nothing more than ordinary ancient coins and some well-cut gemstones.
"Sigh… well, not bad. These old coins and gems are worth something. If I sell them to an antique shop, I'd probably get a few million PokeDollars. That at least solves my financial troubles for now."
After confirming there was no danger, he walked slowly to the chest. Seeing its contents with his own eyes, he consoled himself aloud.
Still, he wasn't ready to give up on his dream. Squatting before the chest, he began rummaging through it, hoping for something different hidden within.
Soon, his persistence paid off. In addition to the ancient coins and gemstones, he found one high-grade Water Stone, two mid-grade Thunder Stones, and — most valuable of all — a Shiny Stone.
At the very bottom of the chest, Sato uncovered the greatest treasure of them all.
"Oh my god… I hit the jackpot. There's actually an unpolished Mega Stone in here."
In his hands was a prismatic gem with spiral DNA patterns deep within. His heart raced uncontrollably, joy flooding his face.
To be certain, Sato quickly used the system's appraisal function on the gem. When the results appeared, his restless heart finally steadied.
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Item Information:
Item: Gardevoirite
Effect: Allows Gardevoir to Mega Evolve into Mega Gardevoir
Description: An unpolished Mega Stone containing the mysterious power to trigger Mega Evolution in a specific Pokémon.
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"I knew it… good deeds bring rewards! And it's Gardevoir's Mega Stone! Though not the rarest pseudo-legendary's, this one is still worth far more than Aggronite."
Seeing the results, Sato's grin nearly split his face. Happiness overwhelmed him like a heavy blow.
Gardevoir, a Psychic and Fairy-type Pokémon, was an ideal partner for him as a Psychic himself. The combination of a Psychic-type Pokémon and a Psychic Trainer could unleash tremendous power.
Moreover, Gardevoir was practically the bane of pseudo-legendaries. Sato could already imagine how much smoother his journey to challenge the Champions and Elite Fours of different Regions would be with a Mega Gardevoir by his side.
After all, many of those top Trainers specialized in Dragon-, Dark-, or Fighting-types. At least two Champions relied on Dragon-type pseudo-legendaries as their aces.
"Still… it's too soon to count on this Gardevoirite. I don't even have a Ralts yet."
"And a Pokémon that senses emotions and teleports freely isn't easy to find, let alone capture. Getting a truly gifted one? Without some miracle, that could take a lifetime."
"Sigh… the road ahead is still tough."
The initial rush of joy cooled as he considered the prerequisites for actually using the stone. His mood sank slightly.
But then he shook his head.
"No — finding a Gardevoirite by sheer luck is already incredible. If I keep training my psychic powers, Psychic-type Pokémon will eventually seek me out. Who knows? I might stumble across a Ralts sooner than I think."
Sato wasn't one to wallow in despair. Remembering that he already possessed the most crucial key — the Mega Stone — his heart quickly lifted again.
He carefully stored the Gardevoirite and the Evolution Stones. After sharing a meal with his three Pokémon, he collapsed into bed and soon drifted into dreams.
When he opened his eyes again, it was already past three in the afternoon.
Checking his wristwatch, he hurriedly got up. After feeding his Pokémon a late lunch, he rushed toward the captain's quarters.
He hadn't forgotten Captain Reggie's promise of a reward. The old captain was once an Elite-Four level Trainer, and after decades at sea, he surely had many treasures in his possession.
"Hopefully, there's another surprise waiting. This ghost ship incident has truly been a huge harvest for me. Surviving disaster really does bring blessings."
Following the signs, Sato reached the captain's cabin door. Taking a deep breath, he pressed the doorbell, heart full of anticipation.
After giving his name, the door opened automatically.
"Hahaha! You brat, I knew you wouldn't dare skip out. Perfect timing — I'm free now. Come with me, I'll show you my treasures."
Captain Reggie sat at his desk in a well-fitted captain's uniform. Seeing Sato arrive as promised, he stood with a smile, beckoning him warmly.
Of course, Sato had no objections. He followed Reggie into a hidden chamber within the captain's quarters.
Inside, shelves lined the room, filled with carefully secured valuables. Using the system's appraisal function, Sato was quickly overwhelmed by what he saw in Reggie's collection.
But even without the system, the item displayed most prominently in a glass case made his heart pound — a single silver feather glowing faintly with mysterious light.
Sato recognized it instantly. Even without scanning, he knew what it was: a feather shed by the legendary Pokémon Lugia.
And judging by its appearance, this silver feather still contained some kind of extraordinary power.