Chapter 44: The Coldfire of Bones Is Mine!
Chapter 44: The Coldfire of Bones Is Mine!
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It had been a week since Hikaru passed the preliminary professional trainer test.
Today, he was visibly excited. After dissolving this week's weekly entry, his Entry Coins had reached 1,025.
He had finally hit 1,000!
This meant that the bone-white flame, the Coldfire of Bones, could now be his!
Or rather, it could belong to Charmeleon.
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"Charrr?"
Charmeleon emerged from its Poké Ball, tilting its head in confusion.
It had grown significantly, now standing around 1.6 meters tall—almost the height of a Charizard and just a bit shorter than Hikaru himself.
"Today, I've got something special for you," Hikaru said, barely containing his excitement.
With a trembling hand, he exchanged his 1,000 coins for the Coldfire of Bones.
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[Ding! The Coldfire of Bones has been purchased. For the host's safety, the Coldfire will be transferred to the selected Pokémon at your command. Note: The Coldfire has a powerful assimilation property—use it with caution.]
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Hikaru stared at the now-depleted store menu, where the remaining items included the Charizard Evolution Keystone, Gardevoir Evolution Keystone, and Legendary Beast Summoning Card.
Each of them was something he desperately wanted, but his limited coins kept his ambitions in check.
Perhaps… was there a way to generate more Entry Coins?
His eyes brightened. Of course! The [Fortune Encounter]!
This was his chance to make another wish—this time for something that could generate coins!
"Charrr?" Charmeleon's low growl interrupted his thoughts. Its curious gaze seemed to ask, Where's my special gift?
"It's coming," Hikaru assured, grinning.
With a single thought, he activated the Coldfire.
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[Ding! Transferring the Coldfire of Bones to Charmeleon. Note: This flame contains extreme heat and cold properties, enabling it to burn and freeze simultaneously. Assimilation in progress…]
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"Charrr!"
Charmeleon felt a rush of energy as the white-blue flames began to merge with its fiery core.
This wasn't just any flame. Its intensity was something it had never experienced before. Its usual flames were powerful, but this… This was something otherworldly.
Its body shuddered with excitement as it felt the chilling heat coursing through its veins, amplifying its natural strength.
"Charrr!" (I want to test this new fire!)
Hikaru chuckled, seeing Charmeleon's eagerness. But he shook his head. "Not yet. I'll find the perfect place for you to train it."
"Charrr!"
Charmeleon reluctantly agreed, though its tail flame now burned with a faint blue hue, signaling its transformation.
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Hikaru made a mental note to secure a Fire Stone soon. The ones provided by the school were already consumed, and the ones from his secret realm exploration had been allocated to Frogadier.
Currently, Frogadier was sitting at Level 21, but leveling up beyond the elite rank was becoming slower.
For elite-ranked Pokémon, progression wasn't as straightforward. This was the barrier that separated ordinary trainers from the elite.
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For the wealthy, resources like energy cubes and rare items were within easy reach, accelerating their Pokémon's growth.
But for ordinary trainers like Yuki's friend sakaya, such opportunities were scarce. She had to venture into secret realms and take risks to gather resources.
This financial disparity was one of the many hurdles for everyday trainers.
For instance, Energy Cubes—Hikaru had no trouble producing high-quality ones, thanks to his Expert-Level Secondary Profession Mastery. But most trainers relied on low- or mid-tier cubes, which were sufficient to satiate hunger but inefficient for energy replenishment or recovery.
Intensive training took a toll on a Pokémon's stamina and skills. Without proper recovery, overtraining could lead to foundational damage, ultimately limiting a Pokémon's potential.
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To mitigate such disparities, the government mandated that only trainers aged 15 or older could obtain their first Pokémon. This gave everyone, regardless of background, a fair starting point.
Hikaru admired this approach. Without it, wealthy families and corporations would dominate the field, leaving little room for ordinary trainers to rise.
Many prominent trainers, like the National Gym Leader Matsugi, rose from humble beginnings. With sheer determination, he elevated a humble Beedrill to near-Champion status.
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"Kirliaaa~"
Kirlia peeked out from behind a corner, hesitantly stepping into view. It had grown more independent since evolving and now refused to stay inside its Poké Ball at home.
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Hikaru sighed, recognizing Kirlia's attachment issues.
The secret realm he frequently visited no longer posed a challenge for his team. Most Pokémon there were at mid-elite rank at best, which was insufficient to train his party of powerhouses.
"Kirlia~" (Hikaru, let's cuddle!)
"No cuddles. Here, have a cream puff instead," Hikaru replied, handing over a treat.
Kirlia pouted but took the puff, nibbling it with a mix of joy and disappointment.
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Just then, Hikaru noticed something new in the Entry Store: an Entry Slot Expansion.
He quickly purchased it, adding a valuable extra slot to Frogadier's entry list.
Now, Frogadier's stats read:
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[Pokémon: Frogadier]
[Ability: Torrent, Protean]
[Gender: Male]
[Talent: Master Rank]
[Level: 21]
[Moves: Bubble, Water Pulse, Double Team, Aerial Ace, Dark Pulse, Grass Knot, Cut, Water Shuriken]
[Equipped Entries: Shiny Skin (Fixed), Life Steal, Water's Aura, Rasengan]
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Hikaru equipped Frogadier with Life Steal, a perfect complement to its physical attack style.
Charmeleon, on the other hand, was already benefiting from its Life Flame ability, so it didn't need the entry. But Hikaru couldn't help imagining how much stronger Charmeleon would become with another rare item or ability.
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"Kirlia~"
Kirlia finished its treat and walked over to Hikaru, looking up at him expectantly.
Hikaru ruffled its hair. "Don't worry. I'll find a new secret realm soon. For now, let's focus on training."
With his newly acquired Coldfire of Bones, a more powerful team, and a growing collection of resources, Hikaru felt ready to take on any challenge.
The next phase of his journey was about to begin.
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Next Chapter: Charmeleon's First Test with the Coldfire!
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