The air shifted the moment Kael stepped beneath the canopy of the Viridian Forest. The light dimmed as thick branches wove above him like the ribs of some ancient creature, the sun filtering in only as thin streaks of gold. Serena followed closely behind, her steps cautious, her eyes alert.
This forest had always been dangerous for rookie trainers. But for Kael, it was something else entirely—it was a crucible.
The Origin Engine buzzed softly in his mind.
[Entering Combat-Dense Zone. Wild Threat Frequency: High] [Current Sync: 5.3% — Minor Evolutionary Threshold Approaching]
Kael scanned the thick undergrowth with eyes that glowed faintly in the gloom. His senses extended far beyond human perception—he could hear the soft scraping of insect legs across bark, feel the shift in temperature as Beedrills moved high in the trees.
Serena whispered, "I heard that some trainers go missing in here. Swarmed by Beedrill nests or ambushed by territorial Scyther."
Kael didn't answer. His eyes were already tracking movement.
A flock of Pidgeotto suddenly burst from the trees ahead. Following them was a massive Pinsir, eyes wild, pincers clicking violently as it barreled toward the intruding humans.
"Get back," Kael said.
The Pinsir lunged.
Kael moved.
He met the creature head-on, his arm swinging with monstrous precision. The impact echoed like a thunderclap. Pinsir's charge was halted mid-air, its body flipping over from the sheer force before crashing into a thick tree trunk.
It didn't get up.
Serena blinked, mouth open. "That thing was twice your size."
"It wasn't stronger," Kael said.
He approached the Pinsir's unconscious body and placed his hand over its chest. The Origin Engine hummed again.
[Analyzing Target Biology… Adapting Exoskeletal Density Algorithms… Sync Rate Increased: 6.4%]
Kael felt a tightening sensation in his muscles, his skin briefly hardening with a silvery sheen before fading.
"I'm evolving," he said.
"You're… learning from them?" Serena asked.
He nodded. "Their traits. Their resilience. Their instincts. My cells interpret and adapt."
A rustle of wings broke their conversation. Above, dozens of glowing red eyes lit up the shadows.
Beedrill.
Serena stepped back. "We need to run."
Kael didn't flinch. "No. We fight."
Viridian Forest Clearing
They broke into a natural clearing, the swarm following close behind. Kael turned to face them.
The Origin Engine flared to life.
[Combat Optimization: Enabled] [New Trait Integrated: Armored Chitin Boost — Temporary Damage Resistance Increased 14%]
The first Beedrill dove. Kael's arm snapped upward, catching it by the horn and hurling it into two others. Serena, holding back with a Poké Ball, hesitated. "I can help—"
"No. I need to push myself."
Kael launched into the swarm. He weaved between stingers and jabs, his movements an elegant display of brutality. Every time he was struck, the Origin Engine recorded and reacted.
By the fifth Beedrill, his reflexes had sharpened.
By the tenth, his skin was repelling their attacks altogether.
By the fifteenth, they began to retreat.
Kael stood in the center of the ruined clearing, panting lightly. Serena ran to his side, worried. His shirt was torn. Blood trickled from one cut. Just one.
"Are you—?"
Kael smiled faintly. "Better than ever."
The Origin Engine beeped.
[Energy Sync: 9.9% — Secondary Evolution Node Unlocked]
[New Ability: Shock Pulse — Temporarily release absorbed kinetic energy in a directed blast]
Kael held out his hand. A low hum of energy formed around his palm, crackling with crimson arcs.
"I'm changing faster," he murmured. "Every fight brings me closer to what I'm meant to be."
Nightfall in the Forest
They found shelter beneath a large fallen tree. Kael gathered no firewood—his body heat alone was enough to keep the chill at bay. Serena sat beside him, watching the stars through a break in the leaves.
"Why do you do it?" she asked suddenly.
He looked at her. "What?"
"This. Pushing yourself like this. Fighting everything. Refusing help."
Kael was silent for a moment. "Because I remember what it felt like to be weak. Powerless. Before Mt. Silver… I was just another face in the crowd. Forgotten. Rejected. Now?" He looked at his hand, flexed it. "Now, the world remembers."
She looked at him, soft and sad. "You think power will fill that hole?"
Kael turned his gaze to the sky. "I don't know. But I'll reach the end of this path and find out."
She leaned slightly into him. "Just don't forget who walks beside you."
"I won't."
Morning – Forest's Edge
They neared the exit of Viridian Forest. The final stretch was quieter—eerily so. Kael's senses tingled.
Ahead, a lone Scyther blocked the trail. It stood tall, its blades glinting with dew, its aura calm but imposing. This was no random encounter.
[System Note: High-Rank Wild Detected. Battle Probability: 98%]
The Scyther looked at Kael, then bowed slightly.
Kael stepped forward.
Serena gasped. "Wait, Kael, that's not like the others. It's challenging you with honor."
"I'll answer with the same."
They met in the center of the path.
Scyther moved like a green blur. Kael blocked the first strike with his arm, grunting. The second cut his shoulder. Kael struck back with a palm strike that staggered the insect.
It grinned.
They clashed again and again. Kael's body adapted rapidly—by the fourth exchange, he was keeping up. By the tenth, he was matching it.
Then, Kael activated Shock Pulse.
His hand struck the ground.
A crimson shockwave erupted, blasting Scyther off its feet. It crashed into a tree but slowly got back up. It bowed.
Kael stepped forward, offered his hand.
The Scyther didn't retreat. It placed a claw on his shoulder, a sign of mutual respect, then leapt into the trees.
Serena whispered, "You didn't just fight it… you earned its respect."
Kael nodded. "That's what real strength does."
[Sync Rate: 11.2%]
As they stepped out of the forest and into the morning sun beyond Pewter City, the wind carried a new weight.
The world was starting to notice.
Kael Drakar was coming.
And nothing would stop his evolution.