BONUS CHAPTER DEAL: (Power Stones are counted for Chaos and Order only)
1. 70 Power Stones per day - 1 Bonus Chapter for both original and revamped
2. 100 Power Stones per day - 2 Bonus Chapters for both original and revamped
****************
Chapter Begins:
Dementor-Kai's breath rattled as he activated the most ridiculous Skill in his arsenal.
…
[
Skill Dementor's Kiss Activated
Time Limit: 30 seconds
…
Skill: Dementor's Kiss
Grade: D+
Specification: The Contestant can suck out the soul of a target, leaving them in a vegetative state.
Requirement:
1. SP>0
2. The target must be devoid of all happiness and hope
Attributes: The target's soul gets digitized based on its quality and will upgrade the Status of the Dementor's Blood Essence
Effect:
1. SP Regeneration Rate +10% to +25%, depending on the soul's quality for 5 minutes
2. +1 Breath upon upgrading the Dementor's Blood Essence
Note: The Attribute Points gained through this Skill will not be counted within a Set's Attribute Points Quota
]
…
Kai's heart had come to his throat when he had seen this note for the first time.
One must not forget that there were only a fixed number of Attribute Points one could obtain from a given Set, which came under the Set Quota. Whatever Attribute Points a Contestant gained above that value was a direct result of the risks and opportunities availed during a Mission. However, even such an approach had a limit.
With Dementor's Kiss, though, Kai could practically farm the Attribute Points for his Breath Stat.
Not only that, now that his Breath Stat was taken care of by his Dementor Blood Essence, he needed not allot any Attribute Point in this Stat, saving him from considering at least one choice.
Excited, Kai brought his face near to the guard and sucked.
It just like he had done with the Breath Snatcher. However, this time his intentions were much more sinister and colder than before. A thin trail of purest blue reached from the depth of the guard's body and entered his rotten mouth. It felt like he was drinking the sweetest and the tastiest wine.
Kai's entire body thrummed, and Selene hissed, sensing his pleasure.
…
[ Soul Points: +0.1 ]
…
Kai's hideous mouth twitched, seeing the value.
This was one of the reasons Kai hadn't devoured the Pokemon Yanma.
First, he wanted to confirm what was the difference between Soul Points granted by normal humans and Pokemon. He needed to know if carrying out a city-wide massacre was even worth it. If the difference was too large, then there was no point in risking the descend of a Mythical Pokemon.
Second, if he devoured Yanma, then he must discard at least one Blood Essence.
However, he still had his Elementary Snake Instinct to level up to the Advance, forcing him to hold onto the non-magical Blue-tailed Boa Constrictor Blood Essence.
Third, Kai didn't know how draining a magical beast of its soul would affect his Glitch.
To spare himself from embarrassing moments like the one with the Ukrainian Ironbelly, he also needed to have an experience with a soulless magical beast.
Dropping the guard as if he was a carrot, Kai flew toward the Pokemon. Selene left his shoulder, her forked tongue tasting the Pokemon. The Mana Serpents had disappeared, but, because of the despair and fear, the magical beast could hardly beat its wings, much less buzz away from the hunters.
-Master, eat it,- Selene hissed. -It will give you power.-
-This one is all yours, Selene,- Kai hissed back.
Then his mouth closed on the Pokemon's little mouth. If that human's soul was arbor wine, then the Pokemon's soul was divine mead. Kai's hands couldn't help but go for the creature's wings and crushed them in excitement.
…
[ Soul Points: +1 ]
…
Whoa!
Kai exclaimed, noticing the value. The Soul Points granted by Pokemon were ten times ore than the human Pokemon Trainer.
Kai looked at the soulless magical food and took out one Fang.
The human's abnormal state would bring attention, but the Pokemon's disappearance would become a distraction. Both things would spread such chaos that after a week, people would even fear coming out of their homes at night.
Selene hissed madly as Kai put the sword's edge on Yanma's head and then lifted the saber, grabbing its hilt in his skeletal fingers.
Then the Fang descended.
Blood showered like a fountain, painting the Dementor's black, tattered robes in green.
*
*
Afternoon, June 4
Alto Mare
Lips pressed into a thin line, wearing heavy black shades, a blue cap, white shirt, and blue jeans, Kai roamed around the laneways of the Water City, sensing its joys and distress.
Suddenly, a little white bird approached him, flying over the canal.
Kai stopped and watched it. The white bird had some type of box clutched under her belly. When she fluttered to just above his head, she dropped the box.
Kai caught it, still looking at the bird.
He could sense no emotions in her. No life. For feathers, she had thin inconspicuous folds.
It was a paper bird.
An Origami.
Quite a unique and useful Ability, Kai thought, as he saw the paper-bird diving into the canal after serving its purpose.
Kai brought the box up to his face. Over it, in bold lettering, was written: Pokemon Cards For Beginners. The information over the box said that it had 50 cards, covering major local Pokemon and their next evolutionary stages.
He opened it and took out a card.
On one side of this card was the image of Pokemon and its name, and some stats which might as well have been random numbers. But the thing on the other side had much more meaning to him. The backside of the card had the data related to the Pokemon's general abilities, its type, and against which type it was stronger and weaker.
It wasn't much, but with no Pokedex, Kai could use it to know what he was dealing with, or if it was worth devouring.
Kai stared at the Pokemon Center ahead and continued after a brief pause.
He took a deep breath and entered. The sudden surge of emotions and the many magical beasts' presence hit his face as fresh as the morning sea breeze. Nothing seemed to have changed. But only he knew that the drop in his uncontrollable urge to devour all the happiness and Blood Essences was considerable.
Kai walked to a bench in the corner and sat down, spreading the cards on the table in front of him. His teeth clenched tight, and his chest pounding hot, he tried to focus on learning the info on the cards. But even he wasn't unaware of the surrounding tension.
If before there was a sweet taste to the happiness in this place like cool river water, then now there was a bitterness mixed in it. A bitterness because of fear.
This type of happiness tasted the best as Kai had found out.
His hands trembled as he lifted one card after another, memorizing the details, confirming it with the prey he had already fed to Selene.
A boy and girl came and sat down close to him. From their clothing, they seemed like local Pokemon Trainers, but it was what they were discussing that caught Kai's attention.
"It happened again last night," the brown-haired boy said, frowning.
"What's the count now? 5?" the green-eyed girl said with apprehension.
The boy nodded, taking out a poster issued by the police. "Including the one from last night," the boy whispered, "the local police have found 3 citizens and 2 foreigners in a complete mental-breakdown state. All with their Pokeballs lying by their side and their Pokemon missing."
The girl shivered. "And…" she trailed off but continued after a choking gulp. "… that sign. The 'R'."
The boy turned over the poster where the gruesome image of the sign in question was printed, along with the details. "They found the letter 'R' written by their side… in blood," he told her. "Some locals are saying it was the Pokemon's blood."
She gasped, her hands covering her mouth, and her face going pale in shock and fear. Kai shuddered, sensing her emotion.
"But why 'R'?" she questioned. "How can someone be so cruel?… so pathetic."
The boy shook his head. "All Pokemon are so gentle and loving," he said, looking at his Pokeballs. "I can't even think of something like that happening to us. Sigh! Yes. That 'R'… Have you heard about Team Rocket?"
"Is it them?!" the girl cried in shock. "But weren't they caught around a year ago?"
"Yes, they were," the boy said, folding the poster and putting it in his back pocket. "They say someone from Team Rocket is doing it as revenge. The Police haven't released it yet, but my brother told me they found a letter in the morning after the first attack."
"Oh, no!" the girl whimpered. "Don't tell me…"
The boy looked around. Kai dropped his head, minding his own business. "Yes," he said meekly. "The letter demanded the release of those criminals, Annie and Oakley. Police have yet to comment on it. But my brother thinks it's some evil tactic to distract them."
Kai marked this brother as his next victim instantly.