Jin's slightly hunched posture gradually straightened, emitting a series of cracking sounds like popping beans.
As his body straightened, his aura grew increasingly powerful, finally reaching its peak!
At this moment, his appearance had also undergone an extremely noticeable transformation.
His originally golden body was no more, replaced in an instant by a diamond-like substance covering his entire form.
He gleamed with a brilliant luster, his surface somewhat irregular with bumps and depressions, yet the prismatic clarity was exceptional.
One could even see reflections of the surrounding environment on his surface.
Clearly, the current Jin had transcended the category of a Golden Giant, ascending to a higher level.
Name: Jin The Diamond Giant
Strength: SS- (Temporary)
Origin: The leader of the Stone Giant race and also the strongest within his clan, he usually enhances his power by consuming Gemstone Power.
In critical situations, consuming a large amount of Gemstone Power in a short time can forcibly elevate his strength to a higher level. However, he will regress after a period.
...
Indeed, he has ascended to the next level, reaching SS-! Akira crossed his arms, watching Jin from a distance, silently noting in his heart.
Jin had already been just a step away from SS-.
After consuming a large amount of Gemstone Power, he had temporarily reached SS-.
Though he would regress later, his SS- strength at this moment was undeniable.
In a life-or-death battle, this was undoubtedly a nightmare for the enemy.
No one would want to see an enemy they had just injured suddenly recover completely and even gain a significant boost in strength.
Unfortunately, Akira was different from ordinary enemies—he actually wished for Jin to grow even stronger, as that would yield higher experience points.
The peak of S-rank and the lowest of SS-rank might seem close, but the difference was like heaven and earth.
This was a realm even the Ant King, who had consumed the Three Royal Guards, failed to reach!
Indirectly illustrating just how terrifying the power of this realm was!
It had to be said, Jin's decision was extremely decisive.
Seeing he couldn't gain the upper hand in battle, he chose to reveal his trump card to end the fight.
With his unknown number of peculiar blades and that teleportation ability, even if he couldn't win, Tyranitar wouldn't achieve victory too quickly.
After all, both sides were evenly matched—both at the peak of S-rank, each possessing unique abilities.
Well then... it was time to harvest this massive bounty of experience!
Akira's gaze darkened as he stared at Jin.
Among the entire Stone Giant race, the most substantial were the three Golden Giants, which had already been dealt with.
The remaining "main course" was now fully prepared, waiting for the Pokémon to feast!
SS- experience points—this was a harvest not to be overlooked.
****
On the other side, Jin remained unaware that Akira had already decided his fate.
For now, he was still immersed in the euphoria of his newfound power.
The sudden, rocket-like surge in strength was undoubtedly exhilarating, but it also made him easy to misjudge his capabilities.
Leading to arrogance and overconfidence.
Jin gazed at his transformed body, momentarily lost in thought, then slowly extended his hands before clenching them into fists.
"BOOM!"
He barely exerted any force, yet the mere act of clenching his fists produced a deafening sonic boom, crushing the air outright.
Feeling the immense energy within him, Jin had never been so obsessed with power as he was at this moment.
Or perhaps, power had tempted him many times before, but never as strongly as now.
Suddenly possessing such formidable strength left his mind in a daze, utterly captivated by it.
Before today, he had fantasized countless times about this new level, wondering just how powerful it would be.
But now that he had reached it, Jin understood—this was a force his former self could never have imagined!
The difference between his current and past self was vast beyond measure.
This newfound strength was an entirely new realm.
"Is this... the higher form of our kind?" Jin murmured, gazing at his dazzling reflection before breaking into a wild grin.
"Indeed! Though our kind may seem weak, I am different!"
"As the leader of our tribe, I am unique!"
"Destined to stand above all others!!"
At this moment, he was completely intoxicated by the allure of power, with surging energy coursing violently through his body.
Slowly opening his eyes, Jin turned his head to face Tyranitar across from him, then glanced further back at Akira, his lips curling slightly.
"I already gave you a chance earlier. If you had obediently handed over what I wanted, I might have let you leave."
"Pity... you were too shortsighted to recognize the gap between us!"
Jin's grin widened, his words dripping with disdain for Akira and the others.
With power like this, Akira and his companions were nothing more than ants to him—easily crushed in an instant.
Not even worth mentioning.
The fact that he was still talking to them now was an act of mercy, granting them a few more moments of life.
But he was well aware that this power was temporary, an illusion that would fade once time ran out.
Yet he was confident—this brief window was more than enough for his purposes.
Akira spoke calmly, "So you're saying, if we had handed it over back then, you would have let us go?"
Jin paused for a few breaths before erupting into loud, unrestrained laughter.
"Hahahaha, you're clever."
"That's right—even if you had handed it over, I wouldn't have let you leave!"
"You barged deep into our territory and thought you could walk away unscathed? Impossible!"
At this point, Jin saw no reason to keep up pretenses.
To him, these enemies were already dead—there was no need for deception.
Because they would soon be gone forever!
As soon as he finished speaking, Jin stepped forward, his strides steady and deliberate.
With his leisurely demeanor, he looked almost like an old man strolling through a park.
Strangely, his movement produced no sound—as if no living being was walking at all.
Before, each step Jin took would leave footprints or at least cause slight tremors in the ground.
But now, as he walked, the scattered dust on the ground remained undisturbed.
It was as if Jin wasn't moving at all, as though he stood perfectly still.
Akira's eyes narrowed as he watched Jin approach Tyranitar step by step, a flicker of surprise flashing in his gaze.
This defied all logic.
Not to mention Jin's physique and weight, even a mouse crawling on the ground would make some noise.
Yet Jin's movement caused no disturbance at all—not even a single speck of dust was unsettled.
Was it due to his special ability? Or… was this a change that came with reaching SS-rank? Akira believed the latter was more likely.
He hadn't paid close attention before, but now that he thought about it, his Mythical and Legendary Pokémon seemed to exhibit similar behavior.
Like Jin, they appeared capable of minimizing their own impact, as if they weren't even moving.
Shaking off his thoughts, Akira turned his gaze back to Jin, who was steadily closing in, his expression still calm.
At the same time, the shadow beneath his feet faintly twisted.
...
"Hm?"
Seeing Tyranitar vanish into thin air not far away, Jin paused mid-step, a flicker of confusion flashing in his eyes.
Again… Just like when he appeared, he had inexplicably materialized, then just as inexplicably disappeared.
Jin frowned, feeling as though he had punched cotton—all his strength wasted on nothing.
He had been ready to return his injuries tenfold, only for his opponent to vanish into thin air.
Unacceptable! He wanted Payback!
After a quick glance around, Jin narrowed his eyes and glared straight at Akira.
"Hey! Where did that giant beast go?"
"Call it back out!"
With each word, the pressure he exuded grew heavier, making the very air around them feel stagnant.
Just moments ago, he had seemed like a leisurely old man taking a stroll—now, Jin resembled a devil from the abyss, his violent aura laid bare.
Though there was no proof, Jin couldn't shake the feeling that the giant beast was connected to this creature.
Ever since reaching this level, he had become capable of sensing more things, and this so-called "connection" was one of them.
What Jin didn't know was that this "connection" was the bond between a Nen user and their Aura Beast.
"No need to rush to your death."
"How about this—I'll find you another opponent. One that'll let you fight to your heart's content!"
Akira's lips curled into an ambiguous smile, as if anticipating something.
As soon as he finished speaking, his shadow seemed to come alive, writhing violently as though something terrifying was about to emerge.
Then, like raging flames, the shadow rapidly expanded in all directions, spreading like an enormous black cloth.
The ground, the walls, even the ceiling—everything was swallowed by darkness, as if the entire world had been consumed.
Along with this sudden transformation came an eerie, unfathomable presence!
An endless tide of black Aura, like an ocean of ink, swiftly engulfed the entire battlefield.
A suffocating, oppressive aura filled the cavern, making it feel as though they were submerged in the depths of the sea.
Jin's pressure was formidable, but it couldn't even resist for a moment before being utterly shredded by the "black ocean."
Then, a small figure abruptly appeared on the field, ghostly and untraceable.
Its body was composed of smoky gray shadows, with a helmet-like structure surrounding its face.
Atop the helmet were two curved horns, and between its ears was a smaller horn.
Its eyes were orange-red with yellow pupils, each marked by a yellow oval above them.
Around its neck was a collar that constantly emitted smoke, and each foot was shrouded in shadows.
At first glance, it looked like an oversized black marshmallow—yet this adorable creature radiated such a terrifying aura!
When Marshadow fully manifested, an overwhelming presence descended, plunging Jin into utter despair.
Jin, who had just straightened his posture, found himself slightly bending again, cracks inevitably forming beneath his feet from the pressure.
This oppressive force weighed down on him like a mountain, crushing him relentlessly, making him tremble uncontrollably.
This… was impossible!
Jin's expression twisted violently, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on that petite figure—his earlier composure completely shattered.
His own aura paled in comparison to Marshadow's, utterly dwarfed by its sheer terror.
Despite its small stature, enveloped in that abyssal darkness, Marshadow loomed like a colossal demon king!
Suddenly, Jin's pupils contracted—then dilated—as if ensnared in an illusion, his gaze locked onto Marshadow.
Marshadow's appearance had dredged up the deepest fear buried within him!
This… was an eerie presence, chillingly similar to that serpent's!
As Jin stared at Marshadow, his body gradually hunched over, as though his spine had been ripped out.
Despite the surging energy within him, he felt insignificant—like a tiny raft tossed violently in a stormy sea, powerless against the relentless waves.
Until it shattered completely!
Jin, who had only just experienced the power of an SS- rank, had barely begun to wield it before encountering an SS rank Mythical Pokémon—Marshadow!
No way… No way!
Gritting his teeth, Jin forced himself to endure the overwhelming pressure, roaring inwardly as he took a step forward.
He wouldn't be cowed anymore! No matter what, he had to win!
Even if his aura was suppressed, he refused to surrender!
With a sharp Focus in his eyes, Jin vanished from his spot.
A moment later, his unmistakable figure reappeared behind Marshadow, the Hundred Slash Blade gripped tightly in his hand.
The same attack as before.
Though it was still a combination of teleportation and the Hundred Slash Blade, this strike carried exponentially more power than the last.
Fueled by the immense energy from the Gemstone Power within him, Jin could unleash the blade's full, terrifying potential.
To ensure maximum lethality, he channeled a massive surge of energy into the weapon—All for a decisive blow… or even an instant kill!
The bone-like blade gleamed with an intense radiance, its edge so sharp that even a glance could cut through the soul!
"Die!"
Jin's face twisted into a grotesque snarl, his eyes burning with a bloodthirsty red glow—like a gambler staking everything on one final bet.
Marshadow tilted its head slightly, its expression almost cute—before suddenly lifting its foot and kicking Jin square in the right flank.
Like a soccer player taking a penalty shot.
To Marshadow, every movement Jin made was crystal clear—reacting was effortless.
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