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The electric field saturated Cerulean Gym, so heavy and charged it felt like the air itself was pressing down.
Kael hovered in midair, eyes opening to reveal a sharp flash of yellow light.
During his week of training with Electivire, he hadn't just boosted his physical strength and electric reserves he'd mastered two new techniques.
One was [Thunder Punch]. The other was [Magnet Rise].
By generating a powerful magnetic field beneath himself, Kael could ignore gravity entirely, gliding and maneuvering freely through the air.
Maybe it was the edge his strange reincarnation gave him, but his control over electrical energy was exceptional so much so that he had learned [Magnet Rise] in just two days. Even Electivire, ever the stoic drill sergeant, had been impressed.
Armed with memories from a world of constant information and invention, Kael loved experimenting with move combinations, especially creative synergies.
The [Cotton Spore] + [Static] trick was just the beginning. Before, his move pool had been too small to get ambitious. Now? He had options.
And this… this was one of his favorites.
The magnetic field around him began to thrum. Tiny flecks of golden light like stars sparked into being, drifting toward him.
The crystal orb on his tail glowed brighter and brighter as he activated [Charge], drawing in and storing vast amounts of electricity from the air.
When the power in his body felt ready to burst, he carefully funneled it into his right arm. Violent arcs snapped and coiled along his forelimb, whistling with lethal promise.
In the rafters, he shone like a miniature sun. [Thunder Punch] fully primed.
His gaze locked onto Cloyster below, still wheezing from the energy it had just spent on [Whirlpool].
He drew his fist back, muscles tensing—
BOOM!
He shot forward, the magnetic field flinging him down like a slingshot. Pale yellow shockwaves rippled through the air as his speed climbed higher and higher.
The lightning trailing behind him left brilliant streamers across the air. From a distance, it looked like a meteor made of pure electricity was plummeting toward the arena.
[Charge] + [Thunder Punch] + [Magnet Rise] is a triple-tech combination.
By stockpiling electrical energy, using magnetic fields for acceleration, and focusing everything into a single blow, the result was far more than the sum of its parts. This was Kael's proudest creation so far.
On the sidelines, Lanny could only gape, eyes wide as the "meteor" dropped.
A rental Pokémon can do THIS?
If this was what a Flaaffy could do, what kind of monster would it become as an Ampharos?
Even Misty's face had gone pale, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. "A rookie trainer with a Pokémon like this…? That combo could hold up even in a Master-level match."
Cloyster retreated into its shell, bracing with [Withdraw] but there was no stopping what was coming.
CRACK–BOOM!
Kael hit like a thunder god descending. Electricity erupted outward in blinding arcs, the impact cracking the rock beneath Cloyster and sending splinters of stone hissing through the air.
The shell itself shuddered violently, a faint splintering noise carrying through the arena.
Kael knew he could push harder, channel the current deep into Cloyster's body, and end it completely, but he didn't.
He'd recognized the Gym Leader now. Misty. A core member of the "main cast" from his old world's anime. If he killed one of her Pokémon here, he'd cause trouble for Dark Star and himself. That didn't fit his long-term survival plan.
He cut the excess power, drifting back to the ground on faint magnetic currents. His legs trembled slightly keeping [Magnet Rise] up this long had been draining.
"Cloyster is unable to battle! Flaaffy wins!" the referee called.
Misty returned her Pokémon, relieved to find the damage wasn't life-threatening.
Kael panted, but the gleam in his eyes said it was worth it. Moves like this proved his potential and that potential meant resources.
With a brief wave to Lanny, he returned to his Poké Ball. Two victories were enough. Pushing any further risked losing… or worse, injury.
Lanny smirked as he clipped the ball to his belt. One rental Pokémon taking down two Gym team members? Way above expectations.
If his Quilava couldn't win from here, he might as well quit Dark Star altogether.
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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