◉◉◉◉◉
So much for things going smoothly.
The ancient source energy accumulated by Tapu Koko over countless centuries did not act on Kael's body, nor did it strengthen his mind.
Instead, it slipped in silently, bypassing both flesh and thought, and sank straight into the deepest layer of his soul.
There, the system refined and converted it into the form of power that would grant him the greatest immediate combat boost.
The result was absolute.
The [Zamazenta's Heart] was fully restored.
The moment the word "Incomplete" was erased by divine source energy, the equipment in Kael's possession crossed a fundamental threshold.
What had once been nothing more than a passive item finally evolved into an active artifact.
The abilities that had been sealed due to structural damage were now fully unveiled before him.
[Shield Gauge] unlocked.
[Shield King Form] unlocked.
When Kael originally selected this item from the system shop, his attention had been focused almost entirely on its passive damage-mitigation effect.
As for its secondary transformation-type active ability, he had barely spared it a thought.
Now, it was clear that he had severely underestimated it.
What Kael did not know was that Zamazenta, as a legendary Pokémon of the Galar region, held a status bordering on reverence.
Its legend was woven into epic myths and ancient songs, passed down through generations.
Even among legendary Pokémon across the entire world, Zamazenta's raw combat power ranked near the very top.
Though the anime never fully explored its limits, the numbers alone spoke volumes.
In its two forms, its base stats reached an astounding 670 and 720 respectively.
For comparison, even Groudon, before undergoing Primal Reversion, capped at 670.
While Zamazenta might not govern natural forces directly, its sheer strength placed it firmly at the apex of the legendary hierarchy.
That status, combined with the symbolism of a "heart" as the core of life itself, made the [Zamazenta's Heart] an artifact with terrifying amplification potential.
Kael simply lacked the experience to fully grasp this.
Once he traveled through more worlds and became familiar with the system shop's upper tiers, he would understand just how absurdly rare and powerful this item truly was.
Even in a damaged state, its bonuses surpassed those of most standard equipment.
In fact, had the item not been incomplete when he redeemed it, even pooling all his points together at the time would not have been enough to afford it.
With the [Shield King Form] fully restored, the item's value would easily triple or quadruple.
What was once an almost tragic imperfection had now been perfectly resolved, all thanks to Tapu Koko's source energy.
"Hah."
Kael snapped his right fist through the air.
Dense, rock-solid muscle unleashed explosive force, shattering the air barrier in an instant and producing a low, thunderous boom.
As he swung, he caught sight of something in the upper corner of his vision.
A faint, hazy energy bar.
Dull crimson in color, as though embers smoldered within it.
With a thought, Kael immediately realized what it was.
The [Shield Gauge].
Under normal circumstances, a newly unlocked gauge would have started empty.
Instead, nourished by Tapu Koko's divine energy, it was already filled to its maximum.
Kael had a strong feeling that if he simply focused on it and activated it with a single mental command, the legendary Shield King Form would reveal itself.
Naturally, he had no intention of doing something that reckless.
This was not an ability to test casually.
Instinct told him that once activated, his combat power would skyrocket to an absurd level.
This was a true trump card.
The restoration of the [Zamazenta's Heart] was largely a coincidence.
The system's conversion was only one part of it.
The real key was Tapu Koko's accumulated divine essence.
Energy refined over centuries by a guardian deity carried an adaptive intelligence of its own.
When infused into a host, it instinctively reinforced what was most needed.
If potential was lacking, it forced the ceiling higher.
If physical strength was insufficient, it reinforced the body.
And when it encountered someone like Kael, whose foundation was already rock solid, it selected the single most compatible enhancement.
By pure chance, that intelligence resonated perfectly with the system bound to Kael's soul.
The result was the complete restoration of the [Zamazenta's Heart].
The conditions required for such an outcome were so extreme that the probability bordered on impossible.
Kael stumbling into it was nothing short of outrageous luck.
Still, had Tapu Koko's final gamble truly ended here?
Of course not.
The equipment restoration was only the tip of the iceberg.
The changes that would truly accelerate Kael's growth would reveal themselves over time.
At present, he knew nothing of that.
The restoration alone was enough to leave him grinning like an idiot for hours.
Cold air brushed against his skin, and the dim environment felt oddly comfortable to someone with Ghost-type traits.
Still, lingering here was not an option.
He had made a promise.
And whether it was for that burning sense of resolve or the massive rewards waiting at the end, Kael needed to take his first real step toward saving this world.
Using his enhanced night vision, Kael searched for an exit from the ruined mall while planning his next move.
First things first.
This urban wasteland had to be abandoned.
The land was barren, resources were scarce, and there was no long-term growth potential to speak of.
More importantly, Guzzlord was still here.
And that alone made the decision easy.
There was an old saying back in his previous life.
"Don't stand under a collapsing wall."
Guzzlord was far beyond what he could handle right now.
One day, when he was strong enough, Kael would come back and settle that score.
But not today.
Rooooar—
A greed-soaked, violent roar suddenly exploded beside his ears.
Kael's pupils shrank.
"…Damn it."
◉◉◉◉◉
~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
◉◉◉◉◉
For early access to advanced chapters on P-atreon:
P-atreon/iamxeno
(Just remove the - hyphen to access Patreon normally)
Thank you so much for your support and for reading!