Chapter 85: An Evolution Milestone? - Ghost Serpent vs Wailmer!

Chapter 85: An Evolution Milestone? - Ghost Serpent vs Wailmer! Kai was after a Milestone. He hadn’t known about it from the start. Only the recent circumstances had made him come to face it. Selene had been hunting young Pokemon for days now. Unlike the search for the criminal, no one was searching for her. A wild creature hunting another was as common in this world as any. Yet, he had failed to perceive any obvious changes about her. There was a time when Kai had thought that if he were to feed her enough magical flesh, it would evolve her from E+ to D-. She must have eaten some ten Pokemon since then, including the ones that Kai had given her, but she remained the same. So Kai had done what he should have done ages ago. Chaos, what are the ways to evolve a growth-type magical beast’s grade? He had asked. There were two ways, according to the System. First was the same as Kai had thought. Let the magical creature feed on other magical creatures. In this way, the growth would come slowly, but surely. There were no specific numbers as it depended on the size of the hunter and its prey and other crucial factors. It was the second way that had made the blood rush to Kai’s brain. Achieve certain World-exclusive Milestones. This was not only a quick but also a clear-cut way to upgrade a magical beast. It had very specific and atypical requirements. Though, like most things, it demanded some effort on his part. An effort like coaxing a Pokemon Trainer to agree to a Pokemon Battle at his Will. ... [ Milestone: Win a Pokemon Battle using a Magical Beast for the first time. The Pokemon Trainer must battle voluntarily, without coercion Conditions to achieve Milestone: 1. The Magical Beast must not injure the Pokemon over 90% of its HP 2. The Contestant must not attack Pokemon Trainer directly or indirectly 3. The Pokemon Trainer must accept the defeat 4. Magical Beast’s grade must be less than D Milestone Rewards: 1. +1 to all Magical Beast’s Attributes 2. For Growth-type, evolve the Magical Beast to its Grade-group’s limit Note: A Grade-group consists of three levels. For e.g. E- to E+, with E+ as the group’s limit WARNING: If the Magical Beast is already at its group’s limit, then raise the probability of Group upgradation by 50% ] ... Kai’s Ghost Serpent was already an E+ graded Magical Beast. Even if he achieved the Milestone, Selene wouldn’t evolve to D-, he knew. Still, the Milestone also rewarded one point to each of her Attributes which was more than welcomed. It would also raise her chances to evolve to D- by 50%. Without this second reward, Kai didn’t know how long she would have taken to evolve to the second Group. It seems, Kai had reflected, analyzing the System’s notification, this Group upgradation is a much bigger deal than I have given it credit for. Is it the same for the Contestants? Does becoming a 4th-floor Contestant or 7th-floor Contestant bring some qualitative changes to the Stats? Kai had remembered Heavy Block first. Then he had remembered Arlen’s reason to not ascend to the 2nd Set. Finally, he had recalled how only those who had fulfilled their Set’s Quota could participate in the Tournament of Worth. At the end, he had nodded to himself, confirming his doubts. Since then, Kai had been searching for a Pokemon Trainer like Ross, having a massive Pokemon. Massive didn’t mean strong, but it did mean more food. ... Presently, "You are at a serious disadvantage, Arlen," Ross shouted, his feet submerged to the ankles in the flooded walkway. "Even though your Pokemon can swim, Wailmer is a Water-type Pokemon." They had positioned themselves on the opposite banks of the canal. It was Kai’s idea. From this distance, Ross wouldn’t hear him commanding the Ghost Serpent. Hisss! Selene flicked out her forked tongue, coiling around Kai’s neck. Her blind eyes stared at the whale-like Pokemon with deep fascination and hunger. -Do not attack to kill,- Kai hissed out, though he shared her look for the Pokemon. -It’s edible,- Selene argued. Kai didn’t deign to repeat himself. She would follow his command, he knew. "The Ghost Serpent is an excellent swimmer," Cersei answered Ross, standing close to Kai. "Just go all out, Ross. Otherwise, Arlen would make you regret it." These events seem to have enthralled her enormously, Kai thought in amusement, looking at Cersei. In the last world, she didn’t get to do anything other than getting her dress ripped apart by me. She did play a crucial role in my battle against Heavy Block. Though, she had called that Brute Work. But this... this is what she truly likes. Manipulating Ross has excited her too much. Sigh! There was a scornful smile on Cersei’s lips, looking at Ross and this situation as if none could have done it better than her. When she caught Kai looking at her, the young Character almost beamed and the anticipation in her emerald-green eyes glistened mystifyingly under the celestial moonlight. She is beautiful, Kai concluded, taking his eyes off her. And she knows it. "I am ready when you are," Ross called out, his eager emotions reaching Kai, crossing the overflowing canal. Selene slithered off Kai’s shoulder and landed on the water underneath. The moment her tail beat against the shallow water, her speed seemed to double. Kai’s eyes narrowed as he saw those illusions of black and yellow pulsating rings on her body not getting affected by the moonlight in the slightest. -Can you sense it?- Kai asked, knowing well that her Earth Vibration Sense will not work in water as effectively as on the ground. -Yes. This food is too noisy,- Selene hissed, slithering away from him, and entering the deep waters of the canal. The water current tried to sway her away with it, but the powerful beatings of her tail let her maintain a straight course. Not to mention her streamlined body, even her white draconic scales seemed to work better than her smooth scales which she had lost. "Wailmer, are you ready, buddy?" Ross asked cheerfully. "Let’s show them what we are made of, huh?" "Wailmer!" the Pokemon let out a cry, smashing its huge finger-like fins on the water. This smashing of fins had such a power that Kai felt like it could have thrown even him in a single direct hit. "Wailmer, start with the Water Gun!" The Pokemon lifted its mouth, lined with baleen plates that resembled teeth, and squirted out a powerful jet of water. Selene lied directly at the end of this attack. -Dive,- Kai hissed. One moment the Ghost Serpent was shining silver over the water, and in the next, she was nowhere to be seen. The Water Gun went far, missing its target. Ross laughed from the other side. "It was a mistake," he shouted. "Wailmer... Dive!" This wasn’t just going down into the water to dodge, or to attack. It was a move. And all Pokemon’s moves were powerful Abilities and Skills in the System’s terms. A blue light shone around the Pokemon and it plunged into the canal. Kai’s eyes squinted, sensing the Pokemon rushing towards Selene. But he didn’t tell her any direction to dodge. Wailmer found her, went beyond her, and then from the deep, came back, gaining speed as it swam up. Selene had sensed it coming for her, he knew. But without his command, she wouldn’t dare to move. Bang! Like a huge water cannon, Wailmer hit her directly, sending her flying out of the water and then into the air. Hissss! She hissed madly, half in pain and half in anger. -Motherfucking...- she spat, trying to slither in the air vainly. Kai’s jaw fell open. Where the hell did she learn that word? He thought with sheer astonishment. "What happened?" Cersei asked, gazing at Kai’s ridiculous expression. But Ross was in form. "Wailmer... Use Whirlpool!" "WAILMERRR!" the Pokemon let out its loudest cry, and a massive whirlpool appeared over its mouth, its water glistening with a blue shine. The Pokemon sent the churning mass of water towards Selene’s falling figure. Even then, Kai didn’t give her any commands. Ross was looking at him oddly from the other side, Kai could tell. But less with an accusing look and more in wonder. For all Ross knew, Kai was giving her command without speaking, and that was a matter of legends in itself. When Selene came down, she found herself trapped at the center of the whirlpool, not able to slither in any direction. Her wild thrashing showed her anger, much like Kai’s occasional impatient actions. "She’s just like you," Cersei commented, sneering. Kai scowled at her, and that seemed to have shut her up. "This match is ours!" Ross proclaimed. "Wailmer - Use Tackle!" The monstrosity named Wailmer rushed through the whirlpool effortlessly for the trapped Selene. It was indeed as Ross had said. This match was theirs. A direct hit from the massive figure of Wailmer could break boulders, much less The Ghost Serpent’s tiny figure. Selene hissed, venom dripping off her fangs, melting into the whirling water around her. A big blue mass was almost over her, intending to bury her underwater. It was then Kai commanded.