Inside the Veilstone Department Store
Paul was browsing through the item section, searching for specific things.
In the past, whenever he visited department stores or shopping centers, it was mostly to stock up on travel essentials, medicines, or occasionally to pick up rare held items—like a Miracle Seed, which he'd buy and store for future use.
But today was different.
Today, he was shopping for a plan.
And for that, he needed to spend some serious money.
After determining what he needed, Paul quickly arrived at the items section and began searching.
"Do you have this item in stock?"
He suddenly noticed a display on the wall behind a counter, lined with various colored items.
"Hello! Can I help you with anything?" The store clerk greeted him with a friendly smile.
"I'd like to take a look at the Power Items." Paul said, pointing at the display.
The Power Items consisted of a full set: Power Weight, Power Bracer, Power Belt, Power Band, Power Anklet, and Power Lens. When held by Pokémon, these items significantly improved the efficiency of their training.
Unlike in the games, where these items played a role in breeding, in the real world, they were purely training tools. A Pokémon could wear the entire set simultaneously, and the training results were even more effective than using a Macho Brace.
These items were excellent for training Pokémon—and for the sellers, they were excellent for business.
"Of course! Please wait a moment."
The clerk nodded and retrieved a full set from the counter, handing it to Paul for inspection.
"How many sets do you have? Can they be sold individually?" Paul asked after confirming there were no quality issues.
"Our stock is limited—we only have five sets available. But yes, they can be purchased separately." The clerk replied with a polite smile. These were valuable yet versatile training items, so they always sold well.
Without hesitation, Paul bought three complete sets, along with additional Power Anklets and Power Bands.
The three full sets would go to Electabuzz, Gabite, and Dewott, while the extra pieces would be distributed among his other Pokémon during training.
As for Ursaring, which could also wear a full set… well, its massive build was an issue. These Power Items came in standard sizes, and there was no way they would fit. It was better for Ursaring to continue using its specialized training equipment.
"Do you have any Dragon Fangs?"
After paying and packing up his purchases, Paul politely inquired.
"I believe we do—check over there." The clerk said, pointing him in the right direction.
"Thanks."
Paul made his way over and soon spotted a special display shelf filled with sharp fangs.
In the real world, Dragon Fangs were considered both valuable and common. They were valuable because only Dragon-type Pokémon could produce them, yet common because Pokémon with the Pickup ability could sometimes find them in the wild.
Paul picked up a Dragon Fang and examined it. Most of them were of average quality and relatively small in size.
Some held items varied in quality, and the higher the quality, the greater the enhancement effect on Pokémon.
Clearly, these Dragon Fangs wouldn't increase Dragon-type move power by 15% or anything close to that.
But Paul wasn't after their power boost—if that were the case, he wouldn't have waited until now to buy them.
He needed them for something else.
"I'll take them all."
Paul gathered every single Dragon Fang—big, small, good, bad—and brought them to the checkout counter.
"Are you sure? If it's just for your Pokémon to hold, one Fang per Pokémon should be enough." The clerk asked, a little surprised.
She had seen customers bulk-buy items before, but this was the first time someone had wiped out the entire stock of Dragon Fangs.
"I'm sure."
Paul had already taken out his bank card and membership card, ready to pay.
"Understood. Please wait a moment."
As the clerk calculated the total price, she couldn't help but wonder—Why could he possibly need so many Dragon Fangs? He's not… making soup with them, right?
Actually, that's exactly what Paul was going to do.
In the anime, Mallow's brother once mentioned that Dragon Fangs could be used to brew a rich broth.
In the real world, Dragon Fang soup was also considered a rare and nutritious delicacy.
However, Paul's purpose was a little different.
His goal wasn't health benefits—it was to enhance Gabite's Dragon-type power.
By the time he finished shopping, Paul had visited almost every section of the department store, purchasing every edible item infused with Dragon-type energy.
He planned to gradually feed them to Gabite over time, slowly strengthening its power and unlocking its latent potential.
The power of pay-to-win.
Just as he was about to leave, something in another section caught his attention.
Displayed before him was a collection of glowing gemstones, each about the size of a ping-pong ball.
These were elemental gems, infused with pure energy from different types. When used in battle, they could temporarily boost the power of corresponding moves.
After thinking for a moment, Paul decided to buy several Dragon Gems and one Electric Gem.
After returning home and eating dinner, Paul headed to the kitchen with Reggie to begin the preparation.
Using a mix of Dragon Fangs, Dragon Gems, Dragon Soul Grass, Blue Silver Grass, a Mysterious Dragon Bone, a Miracle Seed, and other rare ingredients, he started simmering a powerful Dragon-type enhancement soup.
The Next Day: Clear Skies
"Gabite, drink up."
Paul brought a thermal container over to Gabite and poured out a steaming bowl of soup.
"Gaaa~"
Nearby, Electabuzz curiously sniffed the air, its interest piqued.
It had never tried Paul's cooking before. Maybe… it could get a taste?
"Here, take this and go play."
Paul tossed an Electric Gem to Electabuzz.
"Buzz~!"
Alright then!
Grabbing the Electric Gem, Electabuzz eagerly went off to inspect its new toy.
With Electabuzz distracted, Paul turned his full attention to Gabite.
"Drink."
"Gaa…"
Gabite hesitated at first, sniffing the bowl. Once it confirmed there was no strange odor, it took a sip.
The rich and savory flavor immediately captivated it.
As the soup flowed down its throat, a surge of pure energy spread throughout its body, making it feel stronger and completely revitalized.
A deep sense of satisfaction washed over Gabite—like lying in the sun after a hearty meal.
"Start alternating between Dragon Dance and Outrage."
Paul didn't give it any time to relax.
"Gaaa…"
Even though it just wanted to lie down and sleep, Gabite forced itself to move.
As it danced, the energy coursing through its body began to stir. A deep, hidden power within its bloodline responded, awakening little by little. Red light shimmered across its scales, soon turning into a crimson mist of bloodlust.
A ruthless aura filled the air.
Gabite's eyes burned red, its movements slowing, its breath turning ragged.
The berserker instincts of its bloodline had been triggered.
"Stay in control."
Paul remained calm, meeting Gabite's gaze.
"A true warrior must master themselves. Suppress it. Make that power yours."
Gabite trembled. It let out a primal roar, battling its own instincts. Sweat poured from its body as the struggle continued.
Three minutes later…
Its aura surged—even stronger than before. Paul's eyes sharpened.
"Now—stop suppressing it."
"Use Electabuzz as your target and unleash everything."
"…Buzz?"
Electabuzz blinked.
Wait. Why was it the target?!
When it looked at Paul in confusion, it found out that Paul was actually slowly retreating and putting some distance between them.
Are you serious about backing away?
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