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There were many ways to vent negative emotions.
Back in his previous life, Kael might have listened to a calming song or treated himself to a good meal.
But now—
inhabiting a Pokémon body defined by raw physical power—
There was no better method than throwing a punch with everything he had.
As that devastating blow landed, the frustration weighing on Kael's mind seemed to disperse along with it, fading significantly.
He stood still and took a few deep breaths, steadying himself.
Once his emotions were under control, he prepared to move on.
His knees bent, calf muscles tensing as he prepared to leap out of the crater he had created.
But just before he jumped—
Something flickered in the corner of his vision.
"Huh?"
Interest glinted in Kael's eyes.
He relaxed his legs and turned his head to look.
A square, blue-black object had been partially exposed within the crater, revealed by the force of his earlier strike.
"This is…"
Kael swung his powerful arms, flinging away the sand that threatened to bury him again.
Under the force of his movements, sand shattered into fine powder and blasted outward.
The object gradually revealed its full form.
Clean, precise textures with no natural imperfections.
A strange material, neither metal nor stone, but possessing qualities of both.
There was no doubt.
This was not something nature could produce.
Every edge and angle carried the unmistakable mark of human craftsmanship.
Though time and sand had eroded its shape, Kael could tell from its block-like structure that it was part of an ancient building.
He curled a finger and tapped it lightly.
Clink. Clink.
A crisp metallic sound echoed.
Kael fell silent, thinking.
In a dead land like this, traces of former human habitation were not unusual.
But for someone stranded in a sea of sand, this discovery was nothing short of hope.
The technology required to create such material implied that this place had once belonged to a relatively advanced civilization.
Even if the environment later collapsed and forced abandonment, remnants should still exist.
If he could find them, there might be answers—or resources.
At the very least, it was something.
And right now, that was enough.
Encouraged by this unexpected find, Kael felt his steps grow lighter as he continued in the same direction.
Two hours later—
His sharp vision finally caught sight of several tall black silhouettes rising along the distant horizon.
Though blurred by distance and haze, Kael knew immediately what they were.
Ruins.
Human ruins.
Like a traveler spotting an oasis after days in the desert, Kael's heart surged.
Two days of nonstop, solitary walking through relentless sandstorms had pushed him to the brink.
This—
This was salvation.
His pace quickened, strides lengthening.
The dark-purple figure tore across the sandstorm like a speeding train, deep footprints left behind as he rushed toward the looming shadows.
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Skyscrapers that once pierced the clouds had been sheared in half, their remains collapsed across wide roads littered with broken stone and shattered glass.
Steel rebar jutted from crumbling concrete, rusted dark red by centuries of exposure.
Elegant white buildings, long abandoned and scoured by sandstorms, were now coated in dull gray decay.
A once-thriving metropolis—
Now reduced to a silent graveyard of concrete and steel.
Only the vast grid of streets and tightly packed structures hinted at its former prosperity.
Kael walked slowly through the empty streets, curiosity flickering in his eyes.
Even across four lifetimes, this was the first time he had ever seen ruins of this scale.
The grandeur mixed with decay stirred a strange sense of melancholy within him.
In a way, this too was one of the system's hidden gifts.
Reincarnation across worlds allowed Kael to witness scenes that ninety-nine percent of all life would never experience.
Untamed forests.
Neon-lit cities.
Apocalyptic wastelands.
In just over a decade as a Pokémon, he had already seen more than most beings would in a lifetime.
Without realizing it, he began to look forward to the endless journey ahead.
"—Chik!"
A strange cry suddenly echoed from the shadow between nearby buildings.
"Oh?"
Kael turned his head, eyebrow lifting.
Sheltered by the towering ruins, the sandstorm was noticeably weaker here.
Through the thinning haze, he spotted several small figures lurking in the darkness.
Rodent-like bodies.
Large, white, razor-sharp incisors.
Triangular crimson eyes.
Long, spindle-shaped tails.
They were Alolan Rattata.
Kael wasn't surprised by their strength.
He was surprised they existed at all.
Life surviving in an environment like this was unexpected.
But the moment Kael noticed them—
They noticed him.
A massive, muscle-bound figure over two meters tall standing in the open street was impossible to miss.
The overwhelming vitality radiating from his body was like a blazing flame.
To the Nightmare-infected Rattata, it was irresistible.
The scent of fresh flesh filled the air, igniting madness in their bloodshot eyes.
Driven by hunger and corruption, fear vanished.
With shrill cries, the small figures charged—
Straight toward the dark-purple silhouette.
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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