They found a safe spot just outside the camp.
Under Bai Chen's guidance, the Sword Master strapped on the Z-Ring.
"To trigger a Z-Move, you strike a specific pose," Bai Chen explained. "The chant's up to you."
He taught the Sword Master the exact stance for a Fighting-type Z-Move. The older hunter mimicked the posture, steady and exact.
"Form looks perfect," Bai Chen nodded. "Now try to feel the ring's power."
The Sword Master obeyed, closing his eyes to sense the strange device.
Bai Chen thought through the mechanism in his head.
The Z-Crystal drew the trainer's stamina and surrounding natural energy, then the Z-Ring converted that into Z-power for the move.
The collection and conversion were automatic—the user didn't need to micromanage anything. The only real requirement was a sufficiently strong, energized body; in theory, anyone could perform a Z-Move.
He checked the Sword Master's status panel carefully.
The man had Master-level Spirit-Blade Breathing and Grandmaster-level physical conditioning—by the numbers, strength and stamina should have been adequate.
The Sword Master felt the ring's rhythm quickly and caught the knack. He crossed his arms in front of his chest—
Ding~
A Z-crest flickered into being before him. Bai Chen brightened.
"Is that it? Did it work?"
But the glow vanished as quickly as it came. Seconds passed without energy converging. Bai Chen's grin faded—failure.
The Sword Master turned, puzzled.
"Did I make a mistake with the posture?" he asked.
"No. Your form's fine. Your body simply couldn't bear the Z-Move's load."
The Z-Ring wasn't merely a converter; it served as a limiter. If the wearer couldn't withstand the strain, the ring wouldn't complete the activation.
"Master, let me try it with you," Bai Chen said suddenly.
"If we perform it together, I'll share the burden."
"How do I assist?" the Sword Master asked.
"Just mirror my movement."
Bai Chen slid behind him.
"Ready!" Bai Chen shouted. Both men crossed their arms in sync.
The Fighting-type crest bloomed, and Nature's Force surged into the Z-Crystal. Energy streamed—part into Bai Chen, part into the Sword Master. The older man felt power flood his limbs.
"All-Out Pummeling!" the Sword Master roared and threw a charging fist forward.
The first energy burst shot out—then with a sudden poof, the Z-energy around the Sword Master blinked away. He crumpled forward as if his muscles had been cut off.
Bai Chen's heart lurched. He dashed over and checked him.
The Sword Master was unconscious—overloaded by the sudden influx of Z-power. After a few tense breaths,
Bai Chen confirmed it was a temporary collapse, not death. He carried the master back to camp, asking Lana to tend to him.
Back at the bonfire, Bai Chen pondered.
As a result, a failure. By process, a success."
He had proved something critical: ordinary hunters could use Z-Moves—provided their bodies could handle the strain.
Two paths existed to make Z-Moves widely usable: raise every hunter's physical strength to monster-grade levels (impractical and ethically fraught), or reduce the Z-Move's burden.
He didn't want to expose his cheat ability, and the mass-scale improvement of Hunters' physical fitness goes against the laws of nature.
"If the path of body enhancement doesn't work, then only reducing the Z-Move burden remains."
The combination of the Z-Crystal and the Z-Ring activates the Z-Move.
The Z-Ring is made from Sparkling Stone, which comes from Alola's Blinding One (Necrozma). This is a part Bai Chen can't even begin to tamper with.
Unless he can one day defeat the Blinding One and copy its ability. This is something to think about only in the short term.
Since the Z-Ring is a no-go, he can only focus on the Z-Crystal.
In the setting, Z-Crystals come from special mineral veins in Alola, but they are mined in a regular rhombus shape, plus there are specific Z-Crystals for certain Pokémon, making it hard for Bai Chen to believe they are naturally formed.
He is more inclined to believe that Z-Crystals were consciously created by some entity.
Furthermore, in the original work, Ash once traveled to a parallel universe where the Alola region, due to environmental destruction and the disappearance of Tapu Koko, Ash was unable to use Z-Moves. Only when Tapu Koko descended could Ash use Z-Moves again.
This suggests a close relationship between Z-Moves and the guardian deities.
"Since the Z-Ring's raw material comes from the Blinding One, it becomes very reasonable for the Z-Crystals to be created by the Tapus."
Bai Chen carefully examined the Z-Crystal in his hand.
"To be able to engrave a fixed move within it is truly an extraordinary work of art."
Bai Chen had previously checked Tapu Koko's panel.
It has a Grandmaster-level 'Nature's Madness' move, which is also a manipulation of natural power.
"I wonder if raising Natural Power to the Grandmaster level would allow me to create my own exclusive Z-Move." Bai Chen currently has enough skill proficiency points to raise Natural Power to Grandmaster level.
But forcing this upgrade wouldn't be very meaningful.
Firstly, Bai Chen doesn't know if Grandmaster-level Natural Power would let him create his exclusive Z-Move, and rashly using valuable skill proficiency points on it is too risky.
Secondly, creating his own Z-Move at this stage wouldn't significantly boost his strength. 'All-Out Pummeling Assault' and 'Shattered Psyche' are already completely sufficient for his current use.
Bai Chen slid the Z-Crystal back into the ring.
"No rush. If one day I can make Z-Moves myself, I'll craft a version tailored for the Research Corps—light enough for ordinary hunters to use."
He stared into the embers, lost in plans. After a while, the Capture Ball at his hip twitched.
It was the Zinogre's ball. He patted it gently.
"Don't worry. I'll tune you tomorrow when we're back at the base," he whispered.
That night had been extraordinary. Bai Chen not only secured permission to hunt Basarios earlier—he'd also just captured a map-tier Zinogre.
"I'll raise you stronger than even the Elder Dragons."
Beneath the stars, the embers crackled as plans for tomorrow took shape.
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