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Kael summoned the system interface with a thought, opening the status panel before his eyes.
...
Species: Sobble
Level: 10
Ability: Sniper
Moves: Pound, Growl, Origin Pulse, Aqua Ring, Water Gun, Bind
Evaluation: A peculiar lifeform born from chaotic data currents and void fractures. The aura of another world surrounding you has drawn the attention of the Incarnation of the North Wind.
Items: Dynamax Band, Cosmic DNA of Deoxys (Speed Form)
...
Now that Kael had reached Level 10, he had finally passed the fragile newborn stage and gained a certain level of self-defense.
If he were to face that Zigzagoon from a week ago again, he still couldn't guarantee victory.
But at the very least, he wouldn't flee as miserably as before.
The two new moves he had naturally learned as his level increased, Water Gun and Bind, had greatly expanded his combat options.
They were basic Moves.
But for his Sobble body, they were extremely practical and perfectly suited to his current fighting style.
As for his system items, the Dynamax Band still looked dull and inactive.
Kael estimated it would need a long time to slowly accumulate energy before it became usable.
Meanwhile, the speed boost granted by Deoxys's Cosmic DNA had already begun to show its effect.
Even without comparing himself to others of his species, he could clearly feel that he was much faster than the other Water-type Pokémon in the lake.
This percentage-based speed bonus from special equipment would likely grow more terrifying as his own strength increased.
The high-quality Water Stone he had found when he first hatched was still tightly wrapped in his tail.
Its dense and pure Water-type energy continuously nourished his body, slowly improving both his physical constitution and the quality of his internal energy.
After glancing briefly over his system attributes, Kael stopped paying attention.
His curled tail flicked gently behind him.
With his slender limbs guiding the surrounding water, he kicked powerfully.
Splash!
The current surged.
A transparent figure with only a faint outline shot upward through the water toward the shimmering surface above.
Light.
Swift.
A moment later—
Plop… plop…
Kael's damp feet landed softly on the grassy shore beside the lake.
Freed from the surrounding water, his body quickly lost its transparent camouflage, revealing the glossy blue skin beneath.
Sobble's unique skin allowed it to retain moisture even under direct sunlight, preventing dehydration after leaving the water.
But despite that, he was still a Water-type Pokémon.
Lakes, rivers, and oceans places with high humidity were still the best environments for his survival and combat.
The fan-shaped yellow crest on his head, which had been slightly flattened underwater, now rose upright again, absorbing moisture from the surrounding air.
Without hesitation, Kael turned and walked into the dense forest ahead.
This lake was simply too small.
Its resources were far too limited.
Staying here any longer would accomplish nothing.
If he wanted broader opportunities in the future, he had to step out of his comfort zone and venture deeper into the forest where danger and opportunity coexisted.
And if possible, he wanted to go even further.
To find a river, or perhaps even the ocean.
Places rich with Water-type resources.
Rustle…
Branches and leaves swayed gently in the breeze, producing faint whispering sounds.
The thick canopy overhead blocked much of the sunlight, leaving the forest dim and shadowy.
Shapes hidden within the darkness were difficult to see clearly.
Kael moved cautiously.
Like a cat, he arched his back slightly and walked on his slender limbs with careful steps, alert to every movement around him.
Even though he had passed the newborn stage, that didn't mean he could roam the forest recklessly.
Carelessness and rashness were foolish in any situation.
Kael understood that very well.
With all the experience he had accumulated, he wouldn't make such a rookie mistake.
Step… step…
Rustle!
Suddenly—
An unusual noise erupted from the forest ahead on his right.
It sounded like light footsteps striking the ground, mixed with the cracking and scraping of dense bushes being pushed aside.
Kael froze.
His mind sharpened instantly.
Based on the volume of the footsteps and the force used to push through the bushes, his experienced instincts quickly judged that whatever was approaching was larger than him.
In the Pokémon world, body size alone didn't determine victory.
But for Kael, whose body was still immature, any Pokémon larger than him could easily become a troublesome opponent.
The risk of direct combat was too high.
So the moment he detected the approaching creature, he decided to hide.
Avoiding detection entirely was the safest choice.
His gaze swept quickly across the surrounding shadows, searching for the best hiding spot.
A flicker of hesitation passed through his blue eyes before being replaced by firm resolve.
Simply hiding in the shadows wasn't reliable.
He wasn't a Ghost-type capable of manipulating shadow energy.
Even though his body was small, crude concealment in forest darkness could easily fail.
If he had already decided to avoid a fight, he had to commit fully.
Otherwise, if the enemy discovered him while he was unprepared, the situation could become even worse.
Kael tensed his body.
With a thought, the calm Water-type energy stored within him surged through his bloodstream.
It spread through his veins and seeped out through his smooth skin.
"Aqua Ring."
Three rings formed instantly in the air around him, each made of countless crystal-clear droplets.
They floated around his body, crossing and rotating gently.
Tiny droplets shimmered faintly in the dim forest light before falling like gentle rain onto Kael's skin.
Life energy flowed back into his body.
His skin, which had begun to dry slightly after leaving the lake, quickly regained its moisture.
At the same time—
Under the nourishment of Aqua Ring's water, the unique ability of his Sobble body activated once again.
His blue figure slowly became blurry.
Patterns.
Skin.
Blood vessels.
Everything gradually faded beneath the moisture-rich coating.
His entire body turned transparent.
This was the special technique Kael had developed during the past week.
A clever way to use Aqua Ring to trigger Sobble's natural camouflage.
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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For early access to advanced chapters on P-atreon:
P-atreon/iamxeno
(Just remove the - hyphen to access normally)
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