In Caesar's understanding, the [Rough Skin] ability was never meant to be a passive defense.
It was an offensive ability!
Only in the most brutal close-quarters combat—using one's own body to meet the enemy's attacks, responding to every collision with fangs and claws, and forcing the opponent pokémon back—could the value of this ability be brought into full play.
By the same logic, a Ferrothorn with [Iron Barbs] was, in Caesar's eyes, always a shield-breaker meant to wear down enemies with [Leech Seed], [Knock Off], [Gyro Ball], and [Power Whip], rather than just a passive tank.
As a veteran trainer, he had to understand every single one of his partners.
And now, as a pokémon himself... he had to understand his own body even better!
Bang!
Caesar's body slammed into the Magma Lizard King's scalding rock scales once again. The recoil effect of [Rough Skin] acted like the sharpest of blades, leaving deep gashes across the Magma Lizard King's body and sending showers of sparks flying.
The Magma Lizard King roared in pain, thrashing even more frantically in the quicksand, but this only caused more frequent contact with Caesar, resulting in even more severe recoil damage.
It fell into a passive situation meticulously woven by Caesar. Under the continuous devouring of [Sand Tomb] and the relentless chipping of [Rough Skin], this subterranean Overlord felt the threat of death for the first time.
"Now!"
Seizing a gap in the Magma Lizard King's struggle, Caesar suddenly lunged out from the sand and dust.
"Silver Dragon! [Paralysis Breath]! Aim for its neck, maximum power!"
He roared at the Silver Dragon in the distance, who was so frightened she was nearly curled into a ball.
After roaring, Caesar himself took a deep breath, and red energy began to gather deep in his throat.
Cecilia was jolted by that sudden shout.
She watched that tiny blue figure actually fighting a mountain-like behemoth in the trap. Amidst her fear, a strange emotion she couldn't understand began to sprout.
Is this guy... a lunatic?
But now was not the time to think about that!
She no longer hesitated and summoned all the magic she had ever possessed in her life. An unprecedentedly thick silver air current blasted precisely into the Magma Lizard King's neck like a water cannon!
Almost at the same time, Caesar's crimson [Dragon Breath] arrived, converging perfectly with the silver breath at the same point!
"Roar... ugh..."
The Magma Lizard King's massive body suddenly stiffened.
Under the continuous assault of the dual breaths, its violent movements visibly slowed down.
Silver electric arcs danced across its body. This subterranean Overlord had finally fallen into a [Paralysis] state, and even its strength to struggle in the quicksand had diminished significantly.
Now is the time!
A fierce light exploded in Caesar's eyes. Seizing this opportunity, his entire body lunged forward like a blue cannonball!
So what if there was a massive size difference?
As everyone knew, a pokémon's power could never be judged by size alone; a yellow rat could use Thunderbolt to knock out a Mythical Beast!
With the enhancement of Moves, even a young body could erupt with power beyond imagination!
At this moment, Caesar was fighting with this illogical pokémon power!
[Tackle]!
[Poison Jab]!
A storm of attacks landed one after another on the Magma Lizard King's relatively soft belly and its massive head!
But soon, Caesar discovered a problem.
"Tch..."
The toxins he added with [Poison Jab] evaporated with a hiss as soon as they touched the Magma Lizard King's scalding body surface, unable to penetrate at all.
"As expected, it's still not working...!"
If his claws were short, he would just claw harder!
If ordinary toxins didn't work, then he'd bring out the heavy stuff!
Caesar retreated, his movements lightning-fast as he pulled a small, dark object from the simple pouch at his waist.
It was a black fungal mass that had been crushed and soaked in an unknown liquid—an peerless, ultimate Poison made from all the remaining 'curse mushrooms'!
Without the slightest hesitation, he thrust both front claws deep into the soaking liquid that emitted an ominous aura.
[Ding! High-concentration mixed toxins detected. Host is taking erosion damage! HP-1...]
[Ding! Toxins are accumulating. Host is about to enter 'Poisoned' status!]
The System's notification sounds rang out continuously in his mind.
Caesar ignored them completely, his golden vertical pupils locked onto the temporarily immobilized giant beast.
Time was short!
The [Paralysis] status check was random. Once the Magma Lizard King broke free, his offensive rhythm would be interrupted, and it would be difficult to find such an opportunity again!
He must!
He must break through its defense during this time!
His Toxic-coated claws shimmered with an eerie dark-purple light. Caesar let out a low growl and lunged forward again!
However, just then, an unexpected change occurred!
The Magma Lizard King's massive body shook violently, and the dancing golden electric arcs vanished instantly. It had actually used its terrifying Physique to forcibly break through the shackles of the [Paralysis] status!
"Roar—!!!!"
It opened its bloody maw, wide enough to swallow an ox, and a Dragon Breath thicker and hotter than any before erupted forth!
It was no longer just simple flames, but a torrent mixed with scalding lava and destructive energy!
This power, carrying the might to destroy heaven and earth, instantly engulfed Caesar's tiny figure.
"Little Earth Dragon!"
Cecilia cried out from a distance, her dragon face filled with shock and disbelief.
It's over... that despicable, shameless, and cunning Little Earth Dragon... is definitely dead now!
Taking a direct hit from an attack of that level, there was no way he could survive!
...Scorching dust accompanied by the pungent smell of sulfur filled the air, and the Ground hit by the lava turned charred black.
The dust settled.
A blue figure reappeared on the charred earth.
The wounds on its body had vanished, its condition was completely refreshed, and its aura was even stronger than before!
[Ding! Rank up! LV.15 -> LV.16!]
[HP fully restored!]
The high-intensity battle against a higher-ranked foe and the moment of near-death had allowed Caesar to Breakthrough at the line between life and death!
"Sorry, a health-lock cheat is a cheat, whether I like it or not."
The Gible grinned, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth.
"Again...!"
He charged toward the giant beast once more!
This time, the across-the-board attribute growth from the Rank up allowed the [Rough Skin] ability to finally play a decisive role!
Caesar no longer dodged, but instead used his own body to slam violently into the Magma Lizard King's shell!
"Screech—"
A tooth-aching sound of tearing rang out.
The Magma Lizard King's rock shell, which it had thought was indestructible, was finally torn open with a massive gash by Caesar's body!
Scalding blood mixed with lava-like body fluids gushed out from the wound!
"Get... Poisoned!"
Caesar seized this fleeting opportunity to thrust his claws, coated with the ultimate Poison of the 'curse mushrooms', deep into that mangled wound!
[Poison Jab]!
"Roar!!!"
The Magma Lizard King let out a roar more shrill and painful than any before.
Four distinct status conditions erupted simultaneously within its body!
A series of new System notifications flashed frantically in Caesar's mind.
[Ding! Target has entered 'Poisoned' status!]
[Ding! Target has entered 'Confusion' status!]
[Ding! Target is 'Paralyzed' and unable to Move!]
[Ding! Target has entered 'Curse' status!]
Looking at this series of notifications, Caesar felt a slight pang of regret.
All the curse mushrooms had been exhausted in this one strike; otherwise, he could have achieved even greater results.
But it wasn't over yet!
Poison Jab, Poison Jab, Poison Jab, Poison Jab, Poison Jab!
Caesar hammered away at the wound like a madman, pouring the remaining toxins from his claws into the Magma Lizard King's body again and again.
He didn't want ordinary poisoning!
What he wanted was the even more disgusting status from pokémon battles—Toxic!
Finally!
[Ding! Target has entered 'Toxic' status!]
[Toxic: At the end of the turn, the target takes continuously stacking Poison damage.]
Seeing this notification, the Gible finally split his dragons Maw in satisfaction.
It worked!
With Curse plus Toxic, not even a god could save it!
The winds of victory were blowing from behind Caesar!
The subsequent battle became a one-sided war of attrition.
The Magma Lizard King's movements grew weaker and weaker. Under the dual lockdown of [Confusion] and [Paralysis], its massive body would sometimes uncontrollably slam its head into the rock walls, and at other times freeze in place, unable to Move.
The damage from [Toxic] stacked layer upon layer within its body, rapidly draining its life force.
Even if it occasionally managed to break free and tried to attack Caesar, its attempts all missed due to its significantly reduced speed and Caesar's elusive [Sand Veil] footwork within the dust.
After a period of desperate struggle, this Overlord that had reigned over the subterranean world for untold years finally exhausted its last bit of strength.
It let out a roar full of resentment, its massive head slumped heavily, and it finally collapsed completely into the Sand Tomb, kicking up a cloud of dust.
[Ding! Killed Magma Lizard King (LV.25)! Gained a massive amount of experience!]
A surge of energy, far more massive and pure than any before, flooded into Caesar's body, and his experience bar began to skyrocket!
[Ding! Rank up! LV.16 -> LV.17!]
[Ding! Rank up! LV.17 -> LV.18!]
[Ding! Rank up! LV.18 -> LV.19!]
"Ooh..."
The series of level-up notifications made Caesar feel so good he almost groaned aloud.
Every cell in his body was cheering; his strength, speed, defense... all his attributes had undergone explosive growth.
More importantly, on his skill panel, a brand new Ground-type skill quietly emerged.
[Bulldoze: Stomps the Ground forcefully and attacks all targets around the user. Lowers the opponent's speed.]
An area-of-effect attack that also slows enemies down—not bad!
Finally, he had an offensive Ground-type Move.
At the same time, the System notification rang out again.
[Ding! Detected that the host has absorbed a large number of high-purity 'Fire Attribute' factors. Preliminary sensing of 'Fire' elemental power achieved. There is a very low chance of learning Fire-type Moves in subsequent battles.]
Caesar looked at the fallen subterranean Overlord, his heart filled with grand ambitions.
He excitedly climbed onto the mountain-like corpse of the Magma Lizard King, opened his mouth wide, and began to devour and absorb the residual fire attribute factors within it.
The 'Dietary Supplement' method was truly the best!
Although he hadn't directly learned a Fire-type Move, Caesar felt he wasn't far from success. The System had only said there was 'a certain chance' initially, so he wouldn't force it.
The real surprise was still to come.
Just as Caesar intended to dismember this massive corpse to use as a food reserve for the next month, he suddenly noticed a faint but unignorable fiery-red light flickering at the location of the Magma Lizard King's heart.
What was that?
Curiously, he used his claws to dig through the scalding flesh and hard breastbone.
A diamond-shaped crystal, seemingly condensed from the purest fire, appeared before his eyes.
As soon as the crystal was exposed to the air, it emitted astonishing heat and extremely pure fire elemental energy.
[Ding! Held item detected: [Elemental Pure Crystal] (Fire Attribute).]
[Effect: Can significantly boost the power of the holder's Fire-type Moves, or be used as a top-tier forging material.]
Although the System's naming convention had changed, the moment Caesar saw this thing, only one thought remained in his mind.
This shape, this texture, this attribute... this thing is... "A z-crystal?!"