"Boom!"
As Electivire landed back on the mountaintop, Paul and Akari found themselves witnessing an ongoing battle.
At the summit's clearing, a Samurott was locked in combat with a Dewott. The bladed arms of both Pokémon clashed furiously—Samurott's sharpened scalchops and Dewott's twin swords struck with relentless precision, each attack aiming ruthlessly at the opponent's weak spots.
Through rigorous training with Samurott, Dewott had grown at an unprecedented rate.
Although its power, speed, and defense had not significantly increased—and it was still no match for Samurott in raw stats—Dewott had learned to hold its ground. The two exchanged blows, neither willing to back down.
From a distance, their clash resembled roaring waves colliding, each strike surging forward like an unrelenting tide.
As time passed, Samurott began exerting more force, leveraging its battle experience to counter Dewott's attacks with precision. It intercepted Dewott's strikes and applied increasing pressure.
"Hyaah!"
Suddenly, a glint of steel flashed in Dewott's eyes. A moment later, a sharp pain struck its abdomen, sending its vision into darkness.
Dizzy and disoriented, it was flung backward.
"Thud! Thud..."
Amidst the sound of impact, Dewott struggled to rise, shaking its head as Samurott's form split into multiple afterimages before its dazed vision.
Realizing it could no longer rely on sight, Dewott closed its eyes and focused inward, recalling all it had learned that day—ambush techniques, the mastery of Secret Sword: Thousand Waves, strategic responses, and the dazzling strike it had been unable to react to just now.
Its energy surged, its aura intensified, and a brilliant white light enveloped its body.
It was evolving!
At that moment, all eyes turned to Dewott, watching its transformation unfold.
Among them, Paul stood with his arms crossed, his face was calm—but his fingers were clenched so tightly that his knuckles had turned stiff. His gaze remained locked on Dewott as it evolved.
It wasn't until the light faded, revealing a Samurott with a distinctively curved scalchop on its head, that Paul finally relaxed. A trace of relief flickered across his eyes.
There was no doubt—Dewott had evolved into a Hisuian Samurott!
And not just any Hisuian Samurott—it had the Sharpness Ability!
Sharpness: Boosts the power of slicing moves!
As the glow subsided, a larger and more imposing Samurott stood before them.
Its sleek and elegant appearance was coupled with an aura of cold resolve. Where it once had small twin scalchops on its thighs, they had transformed into massive razor-sharp blades.
"Chaahh!"
The newly evolved Samurott let out a fierce cry and suddenly blurred into motion, charging at Akari's Samurott. At some point, it had already revealed its scalchops, unleashing a flurry of slashes like surging waves crashing upon the shore.
Secret Sword: Thousand Waves!
Fortunately, Akari's Samurott was prepared, countering immediately. Their clashing Thousand Waves techniques struck against each other, sending ripples through the air before finally subsiding.
"Hyaa~"
Akari's Samurott nodded approvingly at its younger counterpart, acknowledging its strength.
"Chaa~"
The Hisuian Samurott bowed slightly in return.
Paul approached, reaching out to touch the sharp edge of the Pokémon's scalchop.
"A cold and ruthless battle style… not bad. Get used to your new body."
Though Hisuian Samurott had gained significant power and could now stand and fight with its bladed forelimbs, it was still more comfortable moving on all fours.
Paul silently noted that the move Swords Dance, which once served as a defensive counter, might not be as effective with its current fighting style. He would need to reconsider strategies—perhaps modify its techniques or even replace some.
"Chaahh~"
The Samurott acknowledged his words and examined its own body—especially its scalchops.
Sharp. Deadly. Perfect. It was satisfied.
That Night – Beneath the Moonlit Sky
Under the dark cloud-draped sky, Paul and Akari sat on the mountaintop, casually chatting after dinner. Around them, Pokémon gathered in small groups—some curling up together for warmth, while others like Typhlosion and Froslass, nestled close to their Trainers.
"Eeno~"
Froslass gently wrapped herself around Paul's arm, gazing at both him and the night sky with a playful carefree expression.
Akari, running her hand along Typhlosion's fur, smiled. "Your Pokémon really like you, huh?"
Paul remained indifferent. "Perhaps that's what they call a bond."
He had never denied the existence of bonds—he simply didn't believe that having a bond alone would make someone invincible.
"Yes… but it's not just that."
Akari chuckled, stretching as she looked up at the sky. "The moon's rising… it's beautiful, isn't it?"
Paul followed her gaze. "Guess I got lucky tonight."
"Eeno~"
Froslass released his arm, her crystal-clear eyes reflecting the moon's glow.
Nearby, an Ursaring stirred beside an Ursaluna.
As the full moon's radiance washed over it, Ursaring slowly stood up.
It knew—its time had come.
No matter what came after, this evolution would bring undeniable strength.
"Are you ready?"
Paul regarded Ursaring as it approached him.
"Ursaa~"
Ursaring nodded firmly, determination burning in its eyes.
Most Ursaring across the world never had the chance to evolve. But it did—so why hesitate?
"Then, let's begin."
As the full moon reached its peak, bathing the land in its ethereal glow, Paul placed a Peat Block into Ursaring's grasp.
The ancient relic shimmered in the moonlight, unleashing a mysterious energy.
A brilliant white light enveloped Ursaring, and its already massive form grew even larger, its upper body becoming even more muscular.
When the glow faded, the fully evolved Ursaluna stood before them.
Its upper body and limbs were covered in gray fur, while the rest remained brown. Patches of fur on its back, waist, and belly formed distinct square-like patterns. A pale yellow muzzle and a gray nose matched its thick eyebrows. On its forehead, a crescent-shaped pattern resembling a moon behind clouds shone faintly.
Its bulky physique gave it a somewhat slow, steadfast appearance—but at nearly four meters tall, no one would dare underestimate its power.
"Ursaah!"
Ursaluna flexed its limbs, feeling the overwhelming strength coursing through its body. It was stronger than ever—power flowed endlessly within it.
After the initial rush of excitement, however, Ursaluna eventually settled down, lying on the ground beside Akari's Ursaluna.
Though it could stand upright, its new body felt awkward—it would need to adjust its battle style, practicing both standing and quadrupedal movement.
Still, that didn't matter. What mattered was that it had learned a powerful new move—Headlong Rush!
A devastating attack with immense power. While using it recklessly would temporarily weaken its defenses, that was a small price to pay. With mastery, it would become an unstoppable weapon.
"Ursaah~"
Akari's Ursaluna circled around Ursaluna, gently nudging it before offering some battle wisdom.
"Ursaah~"
Ursaluna listened attentively.
Final Moments Before Departure
The night deepened, and Paul's phone began the countdown to his return.
"Time to return."
He recalled his Pokémon, despite their reluctant gazes.
As the countdown reached three minutes, he suddenly remembered something.
"Take these as thanks."
Paul opened his backpack to leave behind extra food and medicine. As he did, he noticed a few unfamiliar items inside.
He hesitated for a moment—then acted as if he had seen nothing, handing over the supplies.
"Thanks? You mean a gift for a friend~" Akari corrected him with a grin.
"Same thing."
Paul didn't argue.
In the final minute of silence before departure, Akari suddenly spoke.
"Paul."
"Hm?"
"Do you think we'll meet again?"
Paul lifted his phone. "Yeah."
Akari smiled. "Then… goodbye, my friend!"
"…Goodbye."
Not long after, in their separate worlds, the two Trainers each found a mysterious black Pokédex hidden among their supplies.
They both paused, smiled faintly, and silently said:
"Thank you."
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