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Under the shade of a large tree.
Gastly, recently captured, floated up and down around Zephyr, its expression smug yet oddly obedient. It seemed to have fully acknowledged its new trainer.
Zephyr noticed a faint sweet scent lingering in the air.
"Never thought something made of gas could smell this pleasant. Lucky it doesn't stink—otherwise, I'd be regretting my first catch," Zephyr muttered, shaking his head.
He glanced at Gastly. "Alright, you've got a new ability now. Let's test it. Time to find some Pokémon to try this out."
Gastly's new special ability was intriguing. If it really allowed Gastly to devour other Pokémon to grow stronger, Zephyr couldn't help but imagine the potential.
With that thought, he moved deeper into the forest. It didn't take long to find a lone Caterpie crawling sluggishly on a leaf.
[System notification: Detected Pokémon nearby.]
[Species: Caterpie
Combat Power: 3 points.]
"Perfect. Gastly, use Lick."
Gastly silently drifted forward, blending into the shadows. Suddenly, it extended its large tongue and licked the unsuspecting Caterpie. The poor creature shuddered and froze in fear.
"Now, devour it," Zephyr commanded.
Gastly opened its mouth wide, and with a chilling hiss, swallowed the Caterpie whole.
[System notification: Gastly has devoured Caterpie. Combat Power +1.
New skill awakened: Poisonous Gas.]
Zephyr's eyes widened. "Damn, that's insane! Just one weak Pokémon, and it powered up? If this keeps going, Gastly might really become unstoppable."
With excitement bubbling inside him, Zephyr pressed on, leading Gastly through the forest. They hunted down three more Caterpie and a Weedle in quick succession.
Each time, Gastly devoured its prey, growing stronger.
[System notification: Combat Power +4.]
However, no new skills were unlocked this time.
[System notification: 6 meters ahead.
Species: Shroomish
Type: Grass
Combat Power: 12 points.]
Zephyr's lips curled into a grin. "A Shroomish with 12 combat power? Perfect. Let's go."
He scanned the area and quickly spotted the Shroomish under a pile of leaves beneath a withered tree. The Pokémon appeared motionless, blending perfectly with the forest floor.
"Gastly, approach it cautiously. Use Hypnosis first to catch it off guard, then follow up with Poisonous Gas and Lick."
Gastly floated forward, its eyes glowing faintly. The Shroomish shivered as it began to feel drowsy. Before it could retaliate, Gastly released a dark, noxious gas, surrounding the Shroomish and leaving it weak.
"Now, finish it with Lick!" Zephyr ordered.
Gastly darted behind the weakened Shroomish and struck with its long tongue. The Shroomish froze, its body trembling in fear.
"It's done. Devour it."
Gastly's mouth opened unnaturally wide, engulfing the Shroomish in one gulp.
[System notification: Gastly has devoured Shroomish. Combat Power +5.
New skill awakened: Hypnosis.]
Gastly's form seemed to expand slightly, its aura growing stronger and more menacing.
"System, show me Gastly's stats."
[Name: Gastly
Type: Ghost/Poison
Skills: Lick, Nightmare, Spite, Hypnosis, Poisonous Gas
Special Ability: Devour
Combat Power: 30 points
Evolution Progress: 10% (Next stage: Haunter)]
Zephyr nodded in satisfaction. "You're growing fast, Gastly. Keep this up, and you'll become a powerhouse in no time."
However, after hunting for a while longer, the system warned him of a limit to Gastly's devouring ability.
[System notification: Gastly requires time to digest its energy. Devouring limit reached for now.]
Zephyr sighed. "Alright, we've done enough for today. Let's head back."
He returned Gastly to its Poké Ball and began walking out of the forest. His first Pokémon had not only been captured but had also grown significantly stronger.
As he approached the outskirts of Pallet Town, Zephyr smirked to himself. "This is just the beginning. I'll build a team of the strongest Pokémon and leave my mark on this world. No one will stand in my way."
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Advance Chapters Available in my [buy me a coffee] PAGE, here's a link for your easy accessiblity: buymeacoffee.com/tyrouge