◉◉◉◉◉
In addition to its highly effective tear-inducing ability, the young Sobble had evolved another special skill during its long evolutionary journey to increase its survival chances in the wild.
"Invisibility."
Sobble's skin was uniquely structured, and when exposed to a large amount of water in a short period of time, the blue skin and surface patterns would blend seamlessly with the surrounding environment, much like a chameleon, altering its color to achieve a camouflage effect.
These two special abilities worked together to help Sobble survive its brief and vulnerable early stage without the protection of an elder.
At that moment, Kael, using the tear-inducing liquid released from his tear ducts, hid his tiny body in the surrounding environment.
With the Zigzagoon's vision obscured by the tears, Kael seized the chance to escape.
"Sometimes, the heavens don't completely shut all doors..."
Kael thought with a mix of relief and appreciation. Moving quickly, he cautiously avoided making too much noise while using his four slender legs to sprint toward the water source.
He didn't know how long this invisibility would last. He needed to make the most of the opportunity.
"Chirp!!!"
Behind him, the enraged scream of Zigzagoon echoed through the forest. The prey had escaped, infuriating the young and reckless Pokémon, which wished nothing more than to tear the small, water-blue creature to pieces.
As for Kael, he couldn't help but feel a surge of panic.
He had come so close… so close.
In the previous world, he had been a force to be reckoned with, only to almost die at the hands of a young Zigzagoon.
This experience had taught him an important lesson about the importance of power.
No matter what goals he had in this new world, no matter what stories awaited him, one thing was clear: power was the foundation of it all!
Although he had narrowly avoided Zigzagoon's attack thanks to his special tears and invisibility abilities, it didn't mean he would be lucky enough to dodge every future danger.
In this world of Pokémon, even a slight increase in level would allow many Pokémon to easily counter his current abilities.
The urgency to gain power filled Kael's heart.
He needed to level up quickly and gain the strength necessary to survive in this dangerous natural environment.
But as he thought about how to level up, the next problem became apparent.
How should he level up?
His original plan had been to absorb the dense Water-type energy emanating from the Water Stone, gaining experience through his daily activities.
Given his current newborn state, even running or jumping, just engaging in basic physical movements, could earn him some experience.
With the help of the Water Stone, this process would be significantly accelerated.
But after the Zigzagoon attack, Kael's thinking shifted.
The method he had originally planned slow, steady, and safe was simply too slow.
According to his estimates, even with the Water Stone's help, it would take at least a week for him to reach level 5.
But who knew what dangers might appear in that time?
Uncertainty was too high!
To get through this fragile early stage of life faster, Kael needed to change his approach. He needed to earn experience through battles, defeating opponents!
However, with his current level of just 2, where could he find an opponent of equal strength?
Kael moved through the forest, deep in thought.
In the wild, most newborn Pokémon had the protection of their elders.
Even the weakest, most common Pokémon like Caterpie had a Butterfree watching over them until they were capable of fending for themselves.
Was he really left with only the option of natural growth over time?
sigh
Kael sighed inwardly.
"One step at a time."
He couldn't afford to think too much right now. As his speed increased, the moisture in the air thickened, and a strange sense of familiarity filled his heart.
He knew that he was getting closer to the water source.
With anticipation in his eyes, Kael quickened his pace.
About twenty minutes later, his destination finally came into view.
It was a lake, around 2,000 square meters in size. Although the number seemed large, in reality, it was still a small puddle.
Surrounded by dense shrubs and towering trees, the surface of the water was still, reflecting the entire blue sky above.
The atmosphere was quiet, serene.
Kael didn't even take the time to observe his surroundings as he rushed forward, driven by an urgent need. He leaped into the lake without hesitation.
Splash!
His tiny, water-blue form dove gracefully into the calm water, and the sparkling water droplets shone brilliantly under the sun as they splashed and fell like precious gems.
Kael immediately felt an overwhelming sense of comfort as his body was enveloped by the lake. His skin, tightly wrapped by the water, felt a level of comfort and exhilaration he had never experienced before.
In previous lives, he had never been able to swim. But now, following his body's instinct, his slender limbs gently stroked the water.
Splash!
The muffled sound of water echoed as the calm, cold water flowed swiftly past his body, carrying him like a fish gliding through the water.
A thin, transparent membrane covered Kael's blue eyes as he submerged, allowing him to see clearly even through the dense lake water.
His skin, which had temporarily lost its transparency after the tears had stopped flowing, now shimmered again in the water. The effect was even more translucent and clear under the lake's reflection.
If, earlier, Kael's form had been somewhat blurry and easy to spot when he hid in the forest, now, submerged in the lake, he perfectly blended in with the transparent, colorless water.
Silent.
Unseen.
Only the faintest sound of his movements or the ripples in the water hinted at his presence.
◉◉◉◉◉
~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
◉◉◉◉◉
For early access to advanced chapters on P-atreon:
P-atreon/iamxeno
(Just remove the - hyphen to access normally)
Thank you so much for your support and for reading!