Chapter 145: Planning for the Future
The Stamina Energy Cube Recipe seemed like an ideal solution, but with the Life Essence now designated for a different purpose, accumulating the 10,000 Trait Coins necessary to acquire it seemed nearly impossible in the short term—unless another 90% Discount Event appeared.
That left two options: relying on the Wish Fulfillment trait to manifest another opportunity or making a trip to the Changchun Secret Realm to gather some Evergreen Fruits.
While Evergreen Fruit-based Stamina Cubes might not be as effective as those crafted with Life Essence, they were still a viable substitute. After all, Evergreen Fruits were at least B-grade treasures, with older ones even reaching S-grade. For Gardevoir, that would be more than sufficient.
"Garde…" Gardevoir pouted slightly, tugging at her skirt, clearly upset. Through their psychic connection, she had picked up on Hikaru's thoughts, particularly the part about her lacking endurance.
"Alright, alright, I'm working on it, okay?" Hikaru reassured her, patting her head before giving her a playful flick on the forehead.
"Garde~" (It's okay, Hikaru. I'll continue to adore you for a very, very long time!) Gardevoir quickly perked up, seemingly forgetting her earlier irritation, and wrapped her arms around Hikaru from behind—her favorite spot.
"Alright, that's enough," Hikaru said with a chuckle, gently disentangling himself.
After calming Gardevoir, Hikaru turned his gaze toward Latias. Unlike his other Pokémon, Latias didn't seem to have any glaring weaknesses. She was incredibly fast, her moveset was versatile, and her skill proficiency was exceptional. The only issue was energy recovery—a problem that couldn't be solved immediately.
The solution would likely involve acquiring some energy-restoring treasures through the Trait Shop in the future.
Then there was Charizard. Hikaru glanced over at it, and the fiery Pokémon returned his gaze with a wide, toothy grin.
For Charizard, there weren't many areas to improve outside of addressing elemental disadvantages. Thanks to its Life Flame ability, it had incredible recovery potential. With the Nether Frostfire and the boost from Special Attack Energy Cubes, its special attack stats were stellar. Its speed wasn't an issue either.
The only possible shortcoming might be its dual defenses. But overall, Charizard was an all-around powerhouse. It wasn't particularly specialized, but it excelled in all areas.
"Perhaps more Nether Frostfire... or better yet, other unique flames to craft a Buddha's Wrath Lotus," Hikaru mused.
Next, he turned his attention to Lucario. Among Hikaru's Pokémon, Lucario had experienced the most dramatic power spikes. Despite being only level 34, it could unleash power on par with a Master-level Pokémon thanks to the combined effects of Kaioken and Mega Evolution.
When paired with Hikaru's Aura boost, Lucario could push its limits even further. Though Hikaru's Aura wasn't as potent as the other buffs, it provided a clear path for Lucario's growth.
First, its level needed to catch up. Second, Hikaru recalled the legend of the Aura Master from the northeast, originating from a small town called Aura Town.
Hikaru quickly pulled out his phone and confirmed the location. "Found it—Aura Town."
He was intrigued by this town's connection to Aura and wanted to learn more about how this world bestowed such abilities.
The existence of supernatural powers in this world intrigued Hikaru. Take the Dragonmaster Ability of the Hayashi family, for instance. At first, Hikaru assumed it was a gift derived from the Dragon Pool. But as he learned more, he realized it involved some specialized activation methods unique to the family, which could even grant the power to non-family members.
For now, Lucario needed focused Aura training and consistent level growth.
Hikaru retrieved a piece of black cloth. "Alright, Lucario, to further train your Aura, I'll be blindfolding you for certain hours each day."
The goal was to train Lucario to perceive the world entirely through its Aura, bypassing its reliance on sight. However, Hikaru decided not to blindfold it all the time, as its physical vision was just as important.
"Lucar!" (Got it!) Lucario nodded eagerly. It was acutely aware that its current level placed it near the bottom of Hikaru's Pokémon team. For a proud fighter like Lucario, that simply wouldn't do.
After finalizing training plans for all his Pokémon, Hikaru turned his attention to Mew. Summoned through the Pokémon Summoning Card, Mew could only stay with him for 30 minutes before automatically returning to its original location.
Hikaru frowned. It was unclear whether the trainer chasing Mew would still be waiting for it.
"Let's try the Trait Shop."
Closing his eyes, Hikaru silently wished for something that could extend Mew's time with him. Then, he began refreshing the Trait Shop.
The first refresh yielded nothing.
The second refresh…
"Hm?"
Hikaru's eyes lit up.
The Wish Fulfillment trait had worked faster than expected.
---
[Pokémon Summoning Card (Extended Edition)]
Allows summoned Pokémon to stay for an additional three days.
Cost: 120 Trait Coins (Limit: 10 purchases).
---
"Perfect timing," Hikaru muttered, chuckling.
Conveniently, he had exactly 121 Trait Coins available. The system really knew how to cut it close.
Hikaru purchased one card and activated it just before Mew's time was up, attaching the extension directly to the Mythical Pokémon.
"Latias, Gardevoir, I'll need you two to look after Mew for the next few days in the Training Room."
Since Poké Balls couldn't contain Mew, it would have to stay in the Training Room, which could accommodate its unique presence.
"Garde~" (Leave it to me, Hikaru!)
"Got it!" Latias chimed in enthusiastically.
Watching the diminutive Mew snuggled against his Pokémon, Hikaru couldn't help but chuckle. "It doesn't seem like an ancient Legendary Pokémon at all—more like a little kid in need of babysitting."
He shook his head, muttering, "Don't let my investment go to waste, okay?"
With all his Pokémon accounted for, Hikaru used his Verdant Aura to nurture Gible's egg briefly before falling into a deep sleep. Tomorrow, he'd have to take care of a few matters in Kyoto before setting off for the northeast.
He needed to say goodbye to Hayashi Ten and check in on Hayashi Fire's Dragonite.
---
Read up to 20 Chapters ahead on patreon.com/Fanglin
[Please leave a 5 Star review and power stone for this novel]
*Thank you*