"Roar!" Hearing Zhang's order, Mizutsune recalled that it now possessed the Pokémon move, Surf.
Its body coiled, and a massive current of water appeared from nowhere, lifting it atop a 300-meter-high wave. Though Surf was originally a special attack, Mizutsune's Bubble State ability converted all its special attacks into physical ones. The wave, an unstoppable flood, surged towards the Seregios.
The Seregios was overwhelmed. Its bladed tail was sharp, but it could not block such a massive wave. "Roar!" it cried in defiance, swinging its tail one last time.
BANG!
The Seregios was engulfed by the surf, and the entire forest was flooded. Giant trees snapped under the force of the wave. A quasi-Elite Four Pelipper could turn a battlefield into a river; an Elite Four-tier Mizutsune, empowered by its unique ability, could unleash a true natural disaster.
"Is this the power of a Mizutsune?" one of the fleeing hunters asked, turning back to see the monstrous wave, his heart filled with terror and awe. For the first time, he felt the true oppressive power of an elite monster. If they had stayed to watch the fight, they would have been washed away and killed.
"I didn't know a Mizutsune could do that," the light bowgunner said in disbelief. "Is it a special individual?"
"It must be because of that Rider," the tall captain replied. "They say Riders can cultivate monsters. This must be the result."
He looked back at the raging water, his eyes filled with envy and shock. A wave like that was a natural disaster, something no mere mortal could stop. It was like the power of an Elder Dragon.
And that was the difference. Hunters could fight monsters, but they could not kill Elder Dragons. Elder Dragons were called gods for a reason; they wielded the authority of gods. An Elder Dragon like Kirin could summon lightning from the heavens. A Kushala Daora could create hurricanes. A Teostra could unleash a supernova. These were powers that could not be dodged or blocked, only countered by an equal or greater force. Quantity meant nothing to them.
But after Pokémonization, many of Zhang's monsters had gained access to this very same power—the power of "gods." Surf, Hurricane, Blizzard—these were moves that allowed them to control the elements on a massive scale.
That Rider, the captain thought, already has the authority of a god. He has the ability to challenge them.
Under the current, the Seregios struggled to surface. The wave wasn't enough to kill it, but the Mizutsune wouldn't let it recover. Seregios was a land-based monster, clumsy in the water. Mizutsune, on the other hand, was a master of the water, even faster in it than on land. It swam behind the Seregios, its huge tail lashing out.
Aqua Tail!
Wrapped in a current of water, Mizutsune's tail struck the Seregios's head. The Seregios, slow and disoriented, couldn't dodge.
BANG!
It was knocked unconscious. The water receded, leaving the Mizutsune standing over the Seregios in a broken, flooded forest.
Your Mizutsune has fairly defeated the Seregios. You have gained 1 Glory Point.
Current Glory Points: 8
"Mizutsune," Zhang said as he landed in front of it. "Your innate skills are strong. But the skills you've acquired are just as powerful. I hope you will practice them diligently and master both, rather than relying only on what you already know."
"Roar," the Mizutsune nodded slightly, acknowledging the lesson.
Zhang walked over to the unconscious Seregios, a little excited. The "swordsman of monsters" was finally his. "Go, Poké Ball!" he said, throwing the device.
The red light flashed, and after just two shakes, the Seregios was captured.
Successfully subdued the Seregios!
Seregios beginning Pokémonization...
Pokémonization successful!
Seregios's information is as follows:
Seregios
Level: 69 (Elite Four)Attribute: Dragon / SteelAbility: Sword Saint (All special attacks become physical attacks. Physical attack power +100%, Attack +100%, Speed +100%.)Exclusive Skills: Blade Grind (+100% Attack, +100% Fire-type move power.), Red Heat (+50% Fire-type move power, +50% Attack when using its tail.)Base Stats: HP 90, Atk 180, Def 90, SpA 10, SpD 90, Spe 160. Total: 620.
Zhang was more than satisfied. A powerful ability and two terrifying support skills that further boosted its attack power. Its only drawback was its speed, which was slower than Mizutsune's, but it was still incredibly fast compared to most monsters.
"Awesome!" he thought, looking at the Poké Ball in his hand.
"Time to go back," he said, having his Escuregot heal the Seregios before riding his Astalos back to Bherna Village. With the Seregios in hand, his next step was to hunt an Elite Four-level monster for meat, and then prepare for the Global Junior Tournament.
"Master Zhang, you're back already! That was fast," the quest maiden said as he entered the guild hall. "Let's go outside. I've never seen a live Seregios before!"
As they walked out, a crowd of hunters and villagers followed, all eager to see the legendary "Blade of a Thousand Scales," one of the Fated Four of Bherna Village. The other three were Mizutsune, Gammoth, and Astalos.
"Master Zhang, this spot is big enough," the maiden said, leading him to an open plaza.
Zhang nodded and threw the Poké Ball.
BANG!
The 34-meter-long Seregios appeared, its massive weight making the ground shake.
"So big! So high!"
"A Seregios! It's really a Seregios!"
The crowd gasped in shock and awe. The creature was like a small mountain, its presence terrifyingly oppressive. "Can a monster that powerful really be defeated?" a hunter whispered, feeling as though it could trample him to death with a single step.
"To think he locked it in that little ball..."
"You truly are amazing, Master Zhang," the quest maiden sighed. "Worthy of the legend." She completed his quest and paid him the reward.
"Are there any other quests at the Seregios's level?" he asked.
"Yes," she nodded, handing him a dozen quest lists.
"Hmm, a Lunagaron?" Zhang said, surprised. "How did a Lunagaron from Elgado get all the way to Bherna Village?"
"I do not know," the maiden replied. "I am not part of the Scribe team."
"Alright, I'll take the quests for the Lunagaron and the Gammoth," he said. He wanted to collect the powerful Lunagaron, and the Gammoth, a massive herbivore, would provide enough meat for his team for a month or two. Plus, they were both in the Snowy Mountains, so he could hunt them both at once.
In the Snowy Mountains, Zhang arrived on his Astalos.
Fair Duel Triggered!
Mission Objective: Lunagaron
Mission Objective: Gammoth
If I hunt these two, I'll have 10 glory points, he thought. The Rider's Bondstone is finally within reach.
"The Lunagaron is closer," he decided after consulting his map.
"Kuro, you're finally not afraid of heights," Zhang smiled, looking at the cat behind him.
"Thanks to your reminder, Master Zhang, I was able to change my shortcomings," Kuro said gratefully. "Otherwise, I would never be able to face Amatsu."
"The person you should thank is yourself, Kuro," Zhang replied. "It was your courage that allowed you to overcome your fear. I only reminded you of your goal."
"You are always so modest, Master Zhang," Kuro smiled. "Which monster are we hunting next?"
"Lunagaron. A monster from Elgado."
"A monster from another place?" Kuro's eyes were full of curiosity. The world was so much bigger than he had ever imagined.
At the top of a snowy mountain, a tall, ice-blue monster was eating a Popo. It was a Lunagaron, 21 meters long and covered in ice-blue scales. But there was something strange about it. Its back was tinged with red, as if something was on it.
"Found it," Zhang said, putting down his binoculars.
Lunagaron (Qurio Parasite)
Level: 69 (Elite Four)
Qurio? Zhang frowned. This was not an ordinary parasite. The Qurio were far more dangerous than the Frenzy Virus. The Frenzy Virus came from a Gore Magala and couldn't affect Elder Dragons. The Qurio came from the Elder Dragon Malzeno, and could even affect other Elder Dragons. Monsters parasitized by the Qurio were known as "Afflicted" monsters in the game, and they were much more dangerous than normal.
"Lunagaron is weak to Fire and Thunder. I'll let Seregios give it a try," Zhang decided. "If it can't win, we'll fight it together. I want to see how powerful a real-world Afflicted monster truly is."
"Seregios, I choose you!" he said, throwing the Poké Ball.
The full story so far is available on Patreon!: patreon.com/Zefyrus