#23Coal TurtleAI Model: moonshotai/kimi-k2-instruct-0905
Chapter 23 – Torkoal
After three full days of wandering in the Soul Hunting Forest, Lin Moand Principal Wang Zongchang finally located three Spirit Beasts that seemed barely acceptable.
One was a roughly two-hundred-year Cyndaquil, another a nearly four-hundred-year Torkoal, and the last a three-hundred-year Saber-Toothed Earth Dragon.
Judging by age and attribute alone, all three beasts barely met the requirements Lin Mo had outlined earlier.
Lin Mo studied the notes he'd taken on the trio—locations, ages, traits—rubbing his chin in deep thought.
Which one should I pick?
The Cyndaquil's age was lowest at only two hundred years, so it became the first to be struck off his list.
The power of a spirit ring and the stat boost it grants directly depend on its age; given the choice, always go higher.
That left the Torkoal and the Saber-Toothed Earth Dragon.
The name "Saber-Toothed Earth Dragon" sounded impressive and had the word "dragon," but Lin Mo knew its Dragon Clan Bloodline was pathetically thin—negligible at best.
Even if he absorbed its spirit ring, it would hardly improve Charmander's Bloodline quality.
By contrast, the Torkoal was not only the oldest—close to four hundred years—but, according to his observations, also possessed an innate ability akin to Sunny Day.
That possibility excited him.
Sunny Day altered the weather in an area and greatly amplified Fire-type moves.
If Charmander could gain that, the boost in strength would be enormous.
Even if Sunny Day didn't manifest, Torkoal was a pure Fire-type Spirit Beast of excellent quality.
Absorbing its spirit ring would at least grant a powerful Fire-type attack Spirit Ability—there was simply no downside.
With that, Lin Mo made up his mind.
He lifted his gaze to Principal Wang Zongchang, who had waited patiently beside him, and said, "Principal, I've decided. I'll take the nearly four-hundred-year Torkoal."
Wang Zongchang smiled slightly, unsurprised, and nodded.
"Good age, matching attribute—an excellent choice. Let's move; hopefully it hasn't wandered off."
Following the markers they'd left, the two set off toward a section of the Soul Hunting Forest thick with dark-brown dwarf shrubs.
Torkoal were homebodies with small territories; without much effort they spotted it again near a dry slope backed by rocks.
The creature lay there, slowly chewing a red moss flecked with embers.
Its shell was dull black, streaked with glowing orange-red lines like banked coals, radiating faint heat.
"That's the one," Wang Zongchang whispered. "Stay here, summon your Charmander for protection; I'll be right back."
Lin Mo nodded, focused, and the orange Charmander appeared at his feet, eyeing the distant Torkoal warily.
Wang Zongchang stepped forward and released his martial Spirit, the Blazing Sabre.
In an instant scorching aura spread outward.
A crimson long knife, as though forged from solid flame, materialized in his grip.
At the same time two yellow and two purple spirit rings rose from his feet, circling rhythmically.
Those four rings—especially the two purple millennium rings—radiated terrifying energy.
Lin Mo, watching them spin, couldn't help but marvel.
The principal should be about Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang's age, yet he looked noticeably younger.
More importantly, his spirit power was a genuine four-ring Spirit Ancestor, with room to grow further.
Becoming a six-ring Spirit Emperor might be difficult, but reaching five-ring Spirit King was entirely possible.
Compared with the Grandmaster forever stuck at Rank twenty-nine, his future was bright indeed.
While Lin Mo studied the rings, Wang Zongchang acted.
His third spirit ring—the purple millennium one—flared.
"Third Spirit Ability, Blazing Slash!"
The Blazing Sabre blazed with red light; a crescent blade of fire shot out and struck the Torkoal, which had sensed danger and withdrawn into its shell.
Boom!
The fiery arc slammed into the shell with a dull thud.
Though Torkoal were famed for defense, against a Spirit Ancestor's full strike its protection faltered.
Moreover, Wang Zongchang's Fire-type Blazing Sabre suppressed Torkoal's own flames.
A deep, bone-exposing crack split the shell, fragments flying.
The Torkoal shrieked in agony, its aura wilting.
Seeing his success, Wang Zongchang followed up with several more blows, completely shattering its defense.
Satisfied, he sheathed the sabre, his spirit rings fading, and waved Lin Mo over.
"All right, Lin Mo, bring your Charmander.
It's mortally wounded and defenseless; the rest is up to you."
Hearing this, Lin Mo hurried over with Charmander.
Up close the damage was clear: through the cracked shell they could glimpse the flicker of its heart.
"Charmander, strike that wound!" Lin Mo ordered.
Charmander growled, its short forelimbs extending as it quietly activated Metal Claw.
This time the Metal Claw's power stayed internal, invisible to onlookers.
It leapt, claws sliding precisely along the principal's fissure and plunging in.
Shhk—
A soft sound, the Torkoal's final faint cry, and its life faded.
A moment later a bright yellow spirit ring rose from its body, pulsing with gentle yet potent energy.
A hundred-year spirit ring!
Gazing at this milestone first spirit ring, Lin Mo drew a calming breath.
He patted Charmander's head, then sat cross-legged beside the corpse, assuming the Cultivate posture.
Charmander mirrored him, squatting close, its big blue eyes fixed on the yellow ring.
"Begin," Lin Mo said.
Charmander nodded, opened its mouth, and inhaled the yellow ring.
The hundred-year ring turned into flowing light and disappeared down Charmander's throat.
Immediately Lin Mo felt a torrent of energy surge through his bond with Charmander into his own body.
He dared not slack; focusing fully, he guided the power along the Calm Mind method's pathways.
Together with Charmander, he refined the violent energy from the spirit ring.
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