Soothe Bell

Item Name: Poison Orb (Shattered)

Description: A poisonous orb releases toxic energy when touched, but it cannot be broken further.

Function: Originally a powerful orb, but because most of its energy has dissipated after being shattered, it no longer causes poisoning when held by a Pokémon.

"A Poison Orb? It's a pity it's broken," Aoki murmured.

It was beyond expectation that Keji had this item on him.

However, a Poison Orb paired with a Breloom or a Zangoose with the Toxic Boost ability would have been quite useful.

But unfortunately, this Poison Orb is broken, and it no longer has that effect.

Otherwise, Breloom would have been even more difficult to deal with.

After all, Zangoose is not a Poison-type Pokémon, and its use of poison-based effects is rather mediocre.

Additionally, Breloom's Poison Heal ability would not be fully utilized.

Presumably, Keji was reluctant to sell this broken Poison Orb, but he couldn't use it either.

The price of a naturally formed Poison Orb is quite high, and even though this one is broken, its value isn't low.

But Aoki had no intention of selling it either.

Although most of the poisonous energy inside has dissipated, a Poison Orb is still a Poison Orb. Even a weakened one holds more energy than regular poisons.

Now that Skorupi was beginning to develop its Poison typing, it was best for it to wear the orb to absorb the remaining poison energy.

Aoki put on leather gloves, made a net bag with a few specially crafted thin threads, placed the broken Poison Orb inside, and hung it around Skorupi's neck.

"Skorupi, absorb the poison energy inside little by little. The toxins are strong, so take it slow. Don't absorb too much at once. Once you get used to it, gradually increase the absorption rate. When the time comes, your poison sac will definitely solidify," Aoki said.

"Cha!" Skorupi nodded obediently.

As a Poison-type Pokémon, it could naturally sense the potent toxins inside.

If it wanted to absorb the poison, it had to proceed cautiously, starting by building resistance.

After absorbing a wisp, Skorupi's face turned slightly purple. It closed its eyes and lay down on the ground, beginning to digest the toxic energy while developing antibodies.

Aoki then turned his attention to a small bell on the ground.

Item Name: Soothe Bell

Description: A bell with a melodious chime. A Pokémon that holds it will be calmed and become more affectionate toward its Trainer.

Function: Doubles the rate at which a Pokémon bonds with its Trainer.

Scanning the item with his system, Aoki narrowed his eyes slightly.

"The Soothe Bell."

Was this the target item for their mission?

For the average person, the effect of the Soothe Bell might not seem powerful, especially for League Trainers.

But for Pokémon that require a high level of friendship to evolve, the Soothe Bell is invaluable.

Not only that, but for Pokémon captured later in life or those that previously had another Trainer, it can be difficult for them to bond with a new one.

In many cases, the Trainer and Pokémon never achieve true synergy.

But with the Soothe Bell, it's a different story.

The bond between Pokémon and Trainer grows exponentially.

Even Pokémon that were at a higher level when captured can gradually develop a sense of trust and understanding with their Trainer.

The effect of the Soothe Bell isn't immediate, but its long-term benefits are incredibly valuable.

No wonder it took those three people such a long time to obtain it. For those who can make use of it, it is a treasure.

Moreover, the Soothe Bell is not a one-time item. Once one Pokémon has benefitted from it, it can be given to another or even sold, making it a useful investment.

Currently, Aoki didn't have any Pokémon that required high friendship to evolve.

However, he did have one Pokémon that was perfect for the Soothe Bell.

Misdreavus.

"Misdreavus," Aoki called softly.

Since being startled by Professor Oak's Dragonite last time, Misdreavus had become much calmer. Without Aoki's command, she never left his shadow.

She also kept her presence hidden, making sure not to draw attention from other Pokémon.

So when Misdreavus peeked out from Aoki's shadow, the surrounding Pokémon barely reacted.

"Woo~~"

Misdreavus still had a childlike heart. When she saw Aoki, she excitedly circled around him.

As the first human she had bonded with—and one who gave her delicious treats and fun experiences—Misdreavus liked Aoki very much.

She was obedient to many of Aoki's instructions.

After all, the other Pokémon respected him, so she followed their example.

After circling Aoki twice, she noticed the strange bell in his hand. She could sense a comforting energy from it and was naturally drawn to it.

Aoki smiled and patted Misdreavus on the head. Their relationship was strong enough that she would follow simple battle commands without hesitation.

However, since Misdreavus hadn't undergone structured training, she couldn't yet fully harness her battle potential.

"What do you think? Do you like it?" Aoki asked, shaking the bell gently.

A crisp chime rang out.

The sound was clear and resonant, traveling far.

It was evident that the bell was finely crafted.

"Woo!!"

Misdreavus's eyes widened with excitement. She nodded repeatedly, looking at the bell in Aoki's hand, then at her chest, as if imagining how well it would suit her.

Aoki chuckled and handed over the bell.

The Soothe Bell had no visible attachment, but the moment it touched Misdreavus's chest, it affixed itself naturally.

Misdreavus had secured it herself.

With the Soothe Bell in place, she gleefully flew around the forest, showing off to the other Pokémon in Aoki's team.

The others knew her playful nature and joined in her excitement.

But Skorupi was different. He was genuinely envious.

Though he wouldn't openly admit it, Misdreavus was considered younger than him. Even though she was stronger than most of them, the team still treated her like a little sister.

After playing for a while, Misdreavus returned to Aoki's shadow at his signal.

Before vanishing, she happily rubbed against Aoki's cheek to express her gratitude.

The Soothe Bell had only just been equipped, but its effect was already apparent.