Chapter 38: A New Mission

Chapter 38: A New Mission

Inside the room, Lu Yun rested with his eyes half-closed, his body reclining against a plush mound. Beneath the pale yellow wool upon his chest, the diamond-shaped Thunder Stone emitted a faint, lustrous green glow. Currents of warmth flowed from his chest, coursing through every part of his body.

A subtle alteration of the magnetic field filled the air with a gentle crackling; electricity surged throughout Lu Yun’s body. He stilled his mind, focusing on the changes occurring within.

First, there was the peculiar necklace around his neck. Its material was unknown, but the instant it touched the wool at his throat, it seemed to melt into him, causing not the slightest discomfort.

Then came the Thunder Stone embedded at his breast. In the past, even touching it had seemed perilous, yet now—with the necklace’s aid—the stone, resting against his chest, unexpectedly emanated a subtle sense of safety. Warm currents flowed intermittently from it, dispersing throughout his body.

Lu Yun noticed that as these strange currents moved within him, both his stamina and electric reserves were noticeably replenished. He surmised that Dark Star had realized he was in no position to wield such a powerful Thunder Stone, much less absorb its energy to enhance himself. Thus, they had fashioned it into a necklace, using technology to transform the stone into a battery-like tool, allowing him to restore his strength.

Joy surged within Lu Yun; this was precisely the kind of tool he desperately needed. Although his foundation was solid, he was, after all, still only a Fluffy Lamb, with many shortcomings. His internal electricity reserves were several times that of others at his stage, but his formidable combo techniques consumed power at an alarming rate—often, just a few uses in battle would deplete his stores.

Thus, he usually included “Charge” in his skill combinations; though its main purpose was to amplify his abilities, it also helped reduce the strain on his body. But as his level increased, so too would the caliber of his foes and the pace of their battles. Skills like “Charge,” which required lengthy preparation, would soon become a hindrance.

Faced with this, Lu Yun had two options: either improve the speed of “Charge,” or increase the quality and quantity of electricity within him. He had already attempted the former, but with his current level of control, it was impossible—such feats would likely only be possible after evolving into an Electro Dragon. As for the latter, he had no immediate solution.

Now, however, the arrival of the Thunder Stone necklace solved his dilemma. From now on, so long as he wore the necklace in battle, it would be as if he carried a high-powered battery on his back, constantly replenishing his strength and electric reserves.

For someone like Lu Yun, who relied on a myriad of combo techniques, this was a tremendous boost. With ample energy on hand, even those powerful moves he had struggled to perform could now be attempted.

Most crucially, though the Thunder Stone necklace currently served only as a rudimentary battery, once he evolved into an Electro Dragon and underwent a qualitative transformation, he believed he would be able to gradually extract and absorb energy from the Thunder Stone itself, making it his own strength.

Envisioning a bright future, Lu Yun leaned back languidly, sinking into the plush mound and indulging in the comfort.

...

Three days later, within the Poké Ball’s space, Lu Yun sat cross-legged on a gray carpet, eyes closed in deep concentration. The blue light upon his chest shimmered as he tried to sense the electric currents within, striving to improve his control over his power.

After a long while, he opened his eyes, a hint of frustration in his expression.

“So difficult...” he muttered, disheartened by the lack of progress.

“Is it really only possible to improve through special items or leveling up?” he wondered aloud, bowing his head in thought.

Suddenly, a faint vibration grew steadily stronger within the Poké Ball’s space. The ceiling burst into radiant white light. Lu Yun instinctively shielded his eyes with a hand.

Around him, the translucent walls—which had previously been pitch black—became gradually clearer, revealing vague glimpses of the outside world.

Realizing that a new mission was imminent, Lu Yun readied himself in silence.

...

Fengyou Town was a remote seaside village nestled beside the Yao Sea. The local economy was underdeveloped, surviving only through the natural bounty of fishing. Perhaps because of this economic hardship, the people here were honest and warm-hearted, known for their hospitality. In recent years, the town had gained favor among backpackers, slowly becoming a niche tourist destination.

At this moment, in a small inn within the town, two unremarkable trainers were whispering together.

“Zhe, are you sure we shouldn’t report this to the organization...?” one asked.

“Xiao Zhu! How many times must I tell you? That island definitely hides an extraordinary secret!” Zhe insisted. “Besides, according to my sources, the Pokémon there are mostly Flying-types, and their average level isn’t high. With our abilities, we can explore it ourselves.”

“If we report to the organization, any great benefits hidden there will be out of our reach! Understand, Xiao Zhu?”

“But...”

“No buts this time! You must listen to me, Xiao Zhu. Think about it: once we get our hands on the rare resources from that island, maybe even capture some of its rare Pokémon, our future will be limitless!”

“Alright... I agree. But we must rent a strong Pokémon from the organization as backup. I’m worried something might go wrong...”

“Fine, fine. You’re always so cautious, Xiao Zhu.” Delighted that his companion had agreed, Zhe patted him on the shoulder, then pulled a new model of smart phone from his pocket.

With practiced fingers, he accessed Dark Star’s exclusive back-end. He opened the Pokémon rental database, adding keywords like Electric-type, Ice-type, and Rock-type to the search bar, consulting with Xiao Zhu as he did so.

“Which one should we rent, Xiao Zhu?”

“We already have an Ice-type Snorunt on the team, so let’s rent an Electric-type—something agile, with strong attack power.”

“Got it!” Zhe adjusted the search accordingly, scrolling nimbly through the results.

“Here we go. Take a look—how about these?”

Xiao Zhu leaned in to peer at the phone screen, his eyes lighting up.

“Oh! This one looks promising!”