Chapter 784: The Utility of Infinity Energy
After reading this diary.
Kazuya finally understood why two people who should have died early on had survived until now.
"So it was you, AZ."
He muttered in his heart and closed the diary.
The diary ended here.
After all, Chloe wrote this just in case. Since she had survived, there was no need to continue writing.
"So, the situations in Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Kalos are relatively good, right?"
Kazuya handed the diary back and asked.
Team Rocket, Devon Corporation, and Team Flare are stationed in these regions respectively, frequently assisting local survivor bases.
But the other regions probably don't have the help of these groups. The survivors there might be living much harder lives.
"Yes."
Chloe nodded.
"...We will stay in Sootopolis City for two days, and leave after two days. Is that okay?"
Kazuya looked up and thought for a moment.
He wanted to stay here temporarily.
First, to exchange information with Chloe, the president of Devon Corporation.
Second...
Resisting the corruption of shadow energy was truly not an easy task.
If he resisted while traveling, he was afraid his companions would notice something was wrong.
However.
This matter needed Chloe's consent.
Because she was the guardian and leader of the Sootopolis City shelter. She had the right to refuse Kazuya and his party from staying, to avoid attracting other Demon Gods.
Of course, Kazuya and the others had the strength to stay by force.
They just wouldn't do so.
They wouldn't act lawlessly just because they had entered the apocalypse.
"Of course, you are very welcome."
Chloe smiled.
Just two days was no problem.
If the time Kazuya mentioned was longer, she would have had to shamelessly ask her saviors to leave.
After all, she had to consider everyone in Sootopolis City.
"In that case, you guys go have fun in Sootopolis City. It's rare to come to such a special place, and Chloe and I still have some things to talk about."
Kazuya turned to look at the other Pokémon.
Pokémon are naturally playful.
Discussing major events and such didn't suit them and would make them feel bored.
So Kazuya let Scizor and the others group up and stroll around Sootopolis City themselves.
Going shopping together.
For everyone, it was probably an experience they hadn't had in a long time.
The Pokémon originally wanted to wait for Kazuya, but he directly shooed them away.
After everyone left.
Chloe came behind Kazuya, looked at his back which was still radiating a black aura, and asked somewhat dazedly: "Do you not want your companions to notice this?"
Because Darkrai's body was naturally pitch-black, and he had tattered cloth fluttering around him like black flames.
So the gas emitted by the shadow energy was very inconspicuous on Darkrai's body, easily overlooked.
Plus, Kazuya always maintained a calm and breezy demeanor on the surface.
This gave the illusion that the shadow energy wasn't corrupting him at all.
But Chloe could definitely notice it.
She had studied the properties of shadow energy extensively.
Even now, Devon Corporation was still studying this shadow energy, searching for another energy to counter it.
However.
Precisely because she had studied it so much.
Kazuya's performance shocked her.
Once a Pokémon was corrupted by shadow energy, they would suffer both physical and mental agony.
Few Pokémon could maintain their sanity, let alone combat power, in this situation. Just like her Empoleon right now, who had no time to communicate with anyone and had to stay alone in a quiet room, fully concentrating on resisting the corruption.
Yet Kazuya looked as if he was truly unaffected.
What incredible willpower this was.
"I indeed don't want them to notice, but I asked them to leave really just hoping they could relax and have fun, and cherish these rare two days of ordinary life."
Kazuya shook his head.
This journey was destined to be accompanied by endless danger and cruelty.
He hoped that when they encountered fleeting moments of beauty on this path, Scizor and the other children could truly enjoy them and cherish the present.
Although this world was full of pain.
Kazuya still hoped they could live happily.
"What a gentle senior. No wonder they are all willing to follow you."
Chloe sincerely praised him, then patted Kazuya's shoulder. "Follow me, I have a way to help you reduce the pain."
Hearing this, Kazuya looked surprised.
But he didn't say much. He got up and followed Chloe all the way to the underground of the Sootopolis Gym.
They arrived in a sealed research room.
Kazuya's gaze was immediately drawn to a massive glass container in the center of the room. Inside rested a giant rock glowing with a neon light.
"The Giant Rock?"
Kazuya raised an eyebrow, recognizing the object at a glance.
There were three famous meteorites in the Pokémon world related to Mega Evolution.
The Rainbow Stone of Meteor Falls.
The Sundial of Anistar City.
The Giant Rock of the Megalith Ruin.
"That's right. This is the Giant Rock from the Megalith Ruin. It is also the source of the Infinity Energy that our Devon Corporation has been researching for two hundred years."
Chloe nodded.
She then gestured for Kazuya to sit on a chair nearby.
That chair looked like an electric chair.
But Kazuya wasn't afraid at all. He sat down directly, watching Chloe attach some magnetic patches to his back.
"I thought you were conducting biological experiments."
"Hm? Oh, you mean Infinity Energy? No. My grandfather researched this energy to benefit humans and Pokémon. If we put the cart before the horse, we wouldn't continue researching this."
Chloe paused for a moment before understanding what Kazuya meant.
The so-called Infinity Energy.
Its literal name was: Life Energy.
Which was the power source AZ used to activate the Ultimate Weapon 3000 years ago, energy extracted at the cost of countless Pokémon lives.
The first president of Devon Corporation, Steven's great-grandfather, was inspired by the Ultimate Weapon and decided to begin researching Life Energy.
But on how to extract Life Energy.
Devon Corporation was troubled.
They couldn't intentionally kill Pokémon to research Life Energy.
Until they discovered those rainbow-colored stones.
First Mega Stones, and later the Giant Rock. Only then did Devon Corporation solve the issue of the source of Life Energy.
From then on.
To distinguish it.
Life Energy was referred to by Devon Corporation as Infinity Energy.
"How do you plan to use this energy?"
Kazuya stared curiously at the magnetic patches on his body.
These things seemed to be materials used for conducting natural energy.
Life Energy was also a type of natural energy. Materials that could conduct natural energy could naturally conduct Life Energy too.
Looking at this setup.
Was Chloe planning to use Life Energy to suppress the shadow energy, thereby reducing the pain he had to endure?
"You'll see in a moment."
After preparing everything, Chloe pressed a button in front of her.
The next second.
Using Aura, Kazuya clearly sensed streams of energy flowing from the Giant Rock, traveling along the wires and magnetic patches, and injecting into his back.
Immediately.
He felt as if his body had been injected with a stimulant. He became full of vitality, and his physical strength even seemed to have leveled up.
The pain of the shadow energy corruption also gradually weakened with this process.
Although it didn't completely disappear, it certainly made Kazuya feel much better.
"I see. Using Life Energy to temporarily strengthen my body, thereby increasing my resistance to the shadow energy?"
Kazuya roughly understood what was going on.
Chloe wasn't using Life Energy to directly combat the shadow energy.
Instead, she used Life Energy to fortify the target's body, letting the body itself resist the shadow energy.
"Pretty much."
Chloe nodded.
This also involved some aspects of Mega Evolution.
But she felt that explaining it to a layman like Kazuya would fall on deaf ears, so she simply didn't mention it.
"What would happen if Life Energy was used to directly combat the shadow energy?"
Kazuya didn't ask why she didn't do it.
He believed Chloe had definitely tried it.
If it was truly effective.
They wouldn't resort to this roundabout method.
"It would cause the shadow energy on the surface of your body to grow stronger, and the consequences naturally go without saying."
Chloe seemed to recall some bad memories, a hint of gray appearing in her eyes as she spoke.
"I see. That's quite dangerous. Do I have to keep sitting here?"
Kazuya rotated his wrists, feeling a bit awkward.
"No, you can leave in ten minutes. This energy can only last for two days, and it cannot be injected frequently, otherwise it might deplete your body's potential and even your lifespan."
"Hmph, sounds a bit familiar."
Kazuya blinked.
Frequently injecting something akin to a stimulant was indeed bad.
But Kazuya thought of the Primal Reversion potion Buratari had given him three hundred years ago.
It was relying on that thing that he successfully achieved Mega Evolution and defeated the two Shadow Lugias.
Though it could also be said he paid with his life.
He nearly died of old age.
He only managed to cling to life thanks to the Aura Sir Aaron left behind.
Which subsequently kickstarted his life as an Aura Guardian.
Ten minutes later.
Kazuya got up from the chair and nodded to Chloe: "Thank you."
Although the duration was only two days.
But the shadow energy attached to his body's surface would decrease over time.
So even after the effect of the Life Energy wore off in two days, the pain Kazuya would have to endure would be less than at the beginning.
Chloe had essentially helped Kazuya get through the most painful period.
"No, I should be the one thanking you for saving me."
Chloe shook her head.
Not to mention Kazuya had just saved her and Sootopolis City.
Even if he hadn't.
Chloe wouldn't have ignored any normal Pokémon in need.
"There's one more thing I want to ask you. Do you have any stock of the potion that allows a Pokémon to permanently Mega Evolve?"
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