Ultimately, Fang Yuan purchased the Life Orb for a price of 18 million.
Meanwhile, when he went backstage to retrieve the Life Orb, Fang Yuan entered into a contract with the Trainer Association.
In theory, the Life Orb is a forbidden item, and whether for use or research, there are very strict standards in place.
Because excessive use can seriously harm a Pokemon, and might even result in loss of life, the use protocol for the Life Orb was the main content of the contract Fang Yuan signed with the Trainer Association.
If he were to violate the use contract, Fang Yuan would also be held legally responsible.
...
Magic City University, Research Department Dormitory.
Eevee looked cautiously at the Life Orb Fang Yuan had purchased.
Is it said this orb can absorb Life Energy?
After studying Life Energy for so long without any clear findings, upon hearing that with the help of the Life Orb, one could utilize Life Energy to enhance the power of moves, Eevee skeptically began its observation.
"Just look, don't mess with it!"
Fang Yuan riffled through the cabinet, searching for his notebook, while at the same time admonishing Eevee.
He hadn't bought the Life Orb for Eevee to use this sinister thing to amplify the power of moves.
If Eevee were to deplete its Life Energy because of it, Fang Yuan wouldn't have the money to buy the nutritional products that could replenish it, and not replenishing depleted Life Energy in time could mean… a reduced lifespan.
Although water could be let flow under the bridge for 18 million, Fang Yuan definitely did not want to see Eevee turn into a crone.
Eevee pursed its lips but indeed did not touch the Life Orb, for what Fang Yuan said sounded quite ominous.
"Found it!!" Finally, Fang Yuan found the training notes he had written during a high school summer vacation.
These notes pertained to the training of the Payback Technique.
Ever since mastering Gratitude, Eevee's grasp of the Payback Technique had remained at the third stage.
The First Stage of Repaying Kindness: Being able to exert the force of a Tackle.
Second Stage: Being able to exert the force of a vicious Tackle.
Third Stage: Being able to exert the force of a vicious Tackle and the speed of Quick Attack.
Utilizing Emotional Energy to this extent was already the limit for Eevee and likewise, it was the limit of the Payback Technique.
Since Eevee had evolved, it seldom used the Payback Technique anymore, having mastered remote moves such as Shadow Ball, Psyshock, and Fire Awakening. In battle, Payback served at most an auxiliary role for Eevee.
Unless Payback could reach the Fourth Stage.
But, moving forward, could it really be possible to utilize the Payback Technique to unleash the force of an Ultimate Impact with the speed of Extreme Speed?
At least, Fang Yuan saw no hope, as the Payback Technique has its limitations. Having reached the third stage that Eevee had mastered, it was impossible to advance further. To expect to unleash the force of an Ultimate Impact with the speed of Extreme Speed was sheer folly, completely baseless.
However, although this path was impassable, there was another path to take.
If vertical development is not feasible, then horizontal development will be the alternative. Fang Yuan had great expectations for the Payback Technique, especially after believing that Eevee might be able to master Life Energy.
Fang Yuan's inspiration came from Mega Evolution and the Life Orb.
The role of a Life Orb is to absorb a Pokemon's Life Energy and then feedback strength, enhancing the power of the Pokemon's moves.
The essence of Mega Evolution, on the other hand, is that a Pokemon elevates its life stratum and species abilities through Life Energy, thereby strengthening its capabilities.
The former has clear side effects, as it consumes Life Energy along the way, while the latter does not harm the Pokemon itself.
Without a doubt, no matter how Life Energy is used, it can enhance the strength of a Pokemon.
So the question arises: during the Mega Evolution of ordinary Pokemon, both the Trainer and the Pokemon are required to jointly muster their power, relying on the Key Stone and the Super Stone, involving their shared bond and Life Energy. The role of the Key Stone is to use the bond between the Trainer and Pokemon, that is, the connection between Emotional Energy, to elevate life stratum.
Fang Yuan connected this point, isn't Payback a move that controls Emotional Energy?
Therefore, if Payback is regarded as a "Key Stone," could the Payback Technique also become a means to control Life Energy?
Since the process of Mega Evolution is guided by Emotional Energy pulling on Life Energy, theoretically, Payback could control Life Energy!
The Fourth Stage of Repaying Kindness was conceived by Fang Yuan on this basis. Payback was also the method Fang Yuan had been envisioning all along to control Life Energy.
Considering the "Payback" move as the key, unlocking the treasure house of a Pokemon's life and using Emotional Energy to control the Life Energy within the Pokemon's body, thereby completing an act similar to Mega Evolution that strengthens oneself.
At the same time, the function of the Life Orb also provided Fang Yuan with a direction: using Life Energy can also strengthen moves.
Relying on the Life Orb to enhance moves comes with significant side effects. So, what if Eevee could decipher the principles of the Life Orb and control its own Life Energy with Emotional Energy instead of relying on the Life Orb to enhance moves?
Could it be possible, then, to amplify the power of other moves directly through the Payback Technique, creating an alternative "Helping Hand" move?
The answer is unknown. Fang Yuan looked at Eevee and mused, "Since the Magic Guard and Forcibly features can ignore the side effects of the Life Orb, thus enhancing the power of moves, it shows that consumption of Life Energy is not a necessary cost for enhancing move power. Fortunately, others are not aware of this point, otherwise, the price of the Life Orb might even quadruple..."
The Fourth Stage of Payback, if successfully constructed, in Fang Yuan's view, is the most important trump card for him and Eevee, even more crucial than Eevee's Sun Meditation Method. It is a move that could completely create miracles and would not be inferior to any inheritance from top-tier dojos.
Fang Yuan's envisioned Fourth Stage of Payback is probably similar to Xiaozhi's Greninja's Bond Transformation Ability.
...
Two days later, the use of the Life Orb and the role of the Everstone were the same—it became a tool for Eevee to train Life Energy.
Free evolution, the Life Orb, the Everstone, and Payback gradually began to form a connection with one another.
However, it has been proven that even with many abilities, moves, and tools related to Life Energy, an Ordinary Elf's complete control of Life Energy is very challenging.
Fang Yuan was not discouraged. He considered the Fourth Stage of Payback as a long-term plan and did not expect it to be effective in the short term.
After finishing the construction of Payback, Fang Yuan also focused his attention on final exams. The "final exams," for Fang Yuan, were a display of exceptional performance because he realized all the questions had been covered by the lecturers during private tutoring sessions...
After the finals were over, students could naturally go home, which meant the winter vacation had begun. But Fang Yuan encountered a headache-inducing issue.
"I'm telling you, Fang Yuan, the school is selecting a team of first-year students to go to Emperor Capital University for an exchange program. You are the top new student; you can't not go!" President Xu of the Battle Society earnestly and painstakingly tried to persuade Fang Yuan over the phone.
"No way, absolutely not. My mom misses me; I'm going home," Fang Yuan vehemently responded to his phone, as if working during winter vacation made any sense at all.