Kalia gently flicked the switch, and with a snap, the box opened. Inside, she saw a seemingly ordinary gray circular stone.
However, as soon as Kalia opened the box, the stone unexpectedly floated upwards. She swiftly reached out and grabbed it.
Surprisingly light.
The first sensation upon holding the stone was its remarkable weightlessness, almost as if it didn't exist at all. Moreover, once she grasped it, she felt her own body becoming lighter too.
"This is a Float Stone, imbued with floating power that reduces gravity's effect. Try jumping while holding it," explained the old man, encouraging Kalia to give it a test run.
With delicate hands, Kalia gripped the Float Stone and lightly jumped, noticing immediately that her weight seemed reduced, allowing her to leap much higher than usual.
She tried again, this time with more force, effortlessly soaring over one meter high. Clearly, this wasn't due to her natural jumping ability but rather the effect of the Float Stone.
"You can attach this Float Stone to your Pokemon, making them even more agile and nimble," the elder smiled softly.
"Thank you, Senior." Kalia gratefully accepted the Float Stone, recognizing its significance. When worn by a Pokemon, it would significantly reduce their weight, enhancing their speed and jumping ability.
Kalia decided to equip Grovyle with the Float Stone, as Charizard already had Charcoal. Although Pokemon can carry multiple items, sometimes they may conflict, and official competitions restrict excessive item usage to prevent cheating.
Grovyle naturally possessed exceptional speed, bordering on elite talent. With the Float Stone, its speed and jumping capabilities would undoubtedly improve further, especially after evolving into Sceptile.
With Kalia's victory, the double battle competition concluded, leaving a lasting impression on many Trainers.
As a beginner trainer defeating a mid-level trainer - not just any mid-level trainer either - at only twelve years old, her talent humbled even those who considered themselves prodigies.
After the competition, Kalia returned to the Pokémon Center and immediately tended to Charizard and Ninetales' injuries. Bouffalant's powerful charge attack had significantly affected Ninetales, requiring extensive healing before it fully recovered.
With her Pokémon treated, Kalia left the Pokémon Center and headed to a local accessory shop in Totem City, where she asked the owner to securely attach the Float Stone to Grovyle's body.
This arrangement allowed the Float Stone to continuously enhance Grovyle, making its movements even more agile due to reduced weight.
Grovyle appeared thrilled; with the Float Stone firmly fixed on its back, it felt remarkably lighter and moved with greater ease.
"Grovyle should be close to evolving soon," Kalia murmured to herself. It had been quite some time since Charizard evolved, so logically, Grovyle should also be nearing its evolution.
Additionally, Torchic was likely not far from evolving into Combusken. Honestly, giving the Float Stone to Torchic could have been beneficial, especially considering its Ability, Speed Boost. However, Torchic hadn't yet reached its full potential; if it had already evolved into Blaziken, attaching the Float Stone would indeed have been an excellent choice.
***
Underground in Misty City:
Kentra, clad in the Dark Guild's uniform and draped with a black cape, stood before the guild members.
Facing all the senior officials of the Dark Guild, Kentra finally had time to focus on real-world matters after placing his Pokémon in the Dream World.
"Has Pes returned yet?" Kentra asked, his voice carrying a hint of authority as he looked at the present guild members.
"He is already on his way back."
Kentra nodded, displaying a trace of dissatisfaction, "Unable to handle even a little girl? How's the intel gathering progressing?"
"We've found out; her name is Kalia, currently participating in a competition at Totem City. She is a beginner trainer."
"Totem City isn't ideal for our operations. Let's wait for an opportunity. As soon as she leaves the city, take immediate action and capture her," Kentra shook his head upon hearing about Totem City, dismissing the idea of confronting Kalia there immediately.
Totem City housed numerous mid-level trainers and some high-level ones too, which the Dark Guild couldn't afford to provoke right now, especially since their main force of Pokémon were stationed in the Dream World.
However, once Kalia was isolated, they would seize their opportunity; provoking the Dark Guild is not something one can easily escape from.
"Have we obtained the items from the ancient museum yet?" Kentra asked. The museum housed numerous valuable ancient artifacts, and with the loss of a branch, the Dark Guild urgently needed substantial funds.
"Yes, we have them now."
"Go ahead and sell those items," Kentra nodded. Once sold, the proceeds would provide a significant influx of capital for the guild.
"Guild Master, there has been some progress on the Genesect transformation project. Would you like to review the data?" a guild member suddenly spoke up.
"Oh?" Kentra's interest piqued immediately. Apart from trading Pokemon for profit, the Dark Guild also conducted technological research, focusing specifically on transforming Pokemon. There were several researchers within the organization dedicated to this cause.
The transformation of Pokemon was a major project for the Dark Guild, primarily using ancient bug-type Pokemon as models. By integrating modern mechanical technology, these Pokemon were being transformed into cyborg-like creatures.
However, there hadn't been much progress until now. This endeavor was far from simple; it involved fusing insect-type Pokemon with steel machinery to create Steel and Bug dual-type Pokemon.
Kentra's mood instantly lifted upon hearing about this breakthrough. The guild member then presented the research findings to Kentra.
Carefully reviewing the documents for a while, Kentra nodded approvingly. Currently, parts of Genesect's body have successfully undergone mechanization. Once full mechanization is achieved, it will mark the rebirth of Genesect.
He had collected numerous fossils of ancient bug-type Pokemon. Although their names from prehistoric times are unknown, they were undoubtedly dominant among bug species back then.
Once transformed into Genesect through mechanization and revived, these creatures would rival ordinary Legendary Pokemon in strength. And when that time comes, it won't be just one but a terrifying swarm of such monsters emerging.
***
After the competition concluded, Kalia planned to return to Rockcliff City early the next morning, as she had numerous tasks awaiting her there.
Firstly, searching for Meteorite Shards within the meteorite crater, then challenging the gym, and finally finding a quiet location for Charizard's Z-Move training.
Completing these tasks was crucial, especially challenging the gym. Once she obtained the gym badge, Kalia would be ready to focus on preparing for the mid-level Trainer evaluation.
During this period, she needed at least four primary Pokémon. Torchic must evolve into Combusken, and Grovyle must evolve into Sceptile.
Challenging a Gold Star Gym requires having four Pokémon, so after becoming a mid-level Trainer, Kalia anticipated dedicating significant time to nurturing her Pokémon.
However, Kalia wasn't in a rush; she was still young, and even if she became a mid-level Trainer next year, it wouldn't be an issue—she would only be thirteen at that time.
The following day, bright and early, Kalia rode her beloved bicycle back to Rockcliff City.