The system space remained blank and white.
Over these two weeks, Lian didn't waste any combat rating opportunities. Each evening, Kalia visited the Pokémon Center for practical battle training.
On average, he earned around 3,500 Combat Points daily, accumulating approximately 45,000 Combat Points over the fortnight. A portion of these points was used to enhance his Rock Resistance, which now stood at '1'. With this, he no longer needed to fear Rock-type Pokémon.
Additionally, Lian's level increased to 42, resulting in significant improvements to his abilities. Sceptile reached Level 38, Ninetales Level 39, and Combusken Level 19. Combusken leveled up quickly due to its low initial level, frequent battles in the wilderness, and protection from Sceptile and others.
Apart from leveling up, the most notable gain was the increase in bond points with Kalia. Lian intentionally fostered their closeness, further boosted by Mental Resonance during Z-moves, leading to a rapid rise in bond points.
Currently, Lian's bond points with Kalia had reached 47%, nearing half-way. In just over ten days, they increased by 12%, remarkably swift progress.
Maintaining this rate, it would take only a few months to reach 100% bond points, allowing him to explore Mega Evolution opportunities then.
Of course, reaching 100% within a few months might be optimistic, as increasing bond points becomes progressively harder over time. Achieving 100% would likely require numerous shared experiences and moments that deeply touch Kalia.
Apart from Lian's bond points, both Sceptile's and Kalia's bond values were also rising, albeit not as rapidly as his. Initially at 41%, their bond had now reached 44%, showing a 3% increase. As for Ninetales, it lagged slightly with around 32%, considering its shorter time with Kalia.
Next, Lian checked his current combat value, which stood at 57,520 points. Still quite far from the target of 80,000 points, but he didn't worry about it.
There was plenty of time ahead, so Lian remained patient. Kalia planned to spend two months preparing for the Intermediate Trainer Assessment, giving him ample opportunity to steadily accumulate Combat Points during this period, aiming to enhance his Control Rating and ability values.
With one and a half months remaining until her assessment, based on the average daily income of 3,500 Combat Points, Lian could potentially earn around 150,000-160,000 additional Combat Points. This would be more than enough to boost his Control Rating to 60% and maximize his Special Attack ability value to +70.
Since he couldn't utilize the Combat Points immediately, Lian decided there was nothing else pressing to do and entered the Dream World.
It seemed that the Dark Guild members had vanished, not appearing again since their last encounter. Consequently, Lian and Zapdos steadily enhanced their combat abilities without interruption. Currently, Zapdos' level far surpassed Lian's, standing at Level 37, while Lian barely reached Level 30.
Zapdos' obsession with becoming stronger was even greater than Lian anticipated. Previously, with occasional disruptions from the Dark Guild, Zapdos had to evade pursuit. However, now that they were absent, Zapdos immersed itself in daily battles almost relentlessly.
Even when injured, Zapdos would swiftly recover and immediately rejoin the fray. With exceptional base stats and rapidly improving control over electric energy, Zapdos' strength has become comparable to Lian's.
Lian's swift progression to Level 42 in reality owes much to his efforts in the Dream World. At Level 30, equipped with base stats surpassing those of Legendary Pokemon, he thrived effortlessly within the Dream World.
If not for the daily time limit, Lian could have potentially synchronized his levels between both worlds. His power significantly increased, mastering an ever-growing repertoire of moves.
Upon entering the Dream World, Lian reunited with Zapdos. Their meeting point had shifted closer to Lian's arrival location, where wild Pokemon levels were notably higher.
***
Early morning.
Beep beep.
Kalia checked her phone, noticing a new notification. After reading it, she was momentarily taken aback.
The message pertained to Z-Rings and Z-crystals: The Ellie Region had opened up sales channels for these items in the Sebas region. This meant that now some large Pokémon shops could offer Z-Rings and Z-crystals, albeit at exorbitant prices. A single Z-crystal cost 10,000 Alliance Coins, while a Z-Ring was ten times more expensive, requiring 100,000 Alliance Coins. Furthermore, availability was extremely limited due to high demand.
Most Trainers couldn't afford a Z-Ring, and even those with substantial wealth might struggle to purchase one due to scarcity. The Ellie Region itself produced very few, making it challenging just to supply the Sebas region adequately.
Only a small number of Trainers would likely be able to acquire both Z-Rings and Z-crystals. However, this signaled a trend; as Z-Moves became more prevalent in the Sebas region, it would soon enter the era of Z-Move battles.
"In the future, I suspect we'll frequently see Z-Moves on battlefields," Kalia murmured to herself.
This indicated that Kalia could now freely use Z-Moves without any reservations. Initially, she thought it would take much longer before incorporating them into her battles.
However, the widespread adoption of Z-Moves wouldn't happen overnight. Many Trainers remained without Z-Rings, inevitably placing them at a significant disadvantage compared to those who had access to these powerful moves. There was no denying the immense boost Z-Moves provided to Pokémon.
As Kalia received this news, information about Z-Moves rapidly spread among Trainers. Those fortunate enough to obtain Z-Rings and Z-Moves first were understandably thrilled, while others who missed out felt deeply frustrated.
The majority, unable to afford the high price of Z-Rings despite knowing their value, could only express envy as they watched other Trainers flaunt their newfound possessions.
Apart from standard-colored Z-Rings, the Ellie Region introduced various color options catering to different Trainer preferences. Additionally, there were advanced Z-Power Rings, superior versions allowing easier activation of Z-Moves but coming with an even steeper price tag.
Kalia glanced at the cost of Z-Rings, feeling quite relieved that she obtained one from the Dark Guild without having to spend her savings.
Each Z-crystal cost 10,000 Alliance Coins, and a Z-Ring was priced at 100,000 Alliance Coins, totaling to 120,000 Alliance Coins altogether. For the past Kalia, this would have been unaffordable, and even now, purchasing them would significantly deplete her savings, leaving only a few tens of thousands remaining.
The Rockcliff City Pokémon Shop managed to secure a batch of Z-crystals and two Z-Rings, naturally causing great excitement among local Trainers.
As Kalia passed by the Pokémon Shop, she noticed it crowded with Trainers engaged in animated discussions about Z-Moves.
"Haha, I got lucky! It's mine now!"
At that moment, a Trainer burst out laughing. Curious, Kalia approached closer and observed that the shop owner had implemented a fair lottery system, allowing Trainers to take turns drawing lots. Those who won could then purchase one of the limited Z-Rings.
A fortunate Trainer just struck gold, earning the right to buy a Z-Ring. They promptly spent 100,000 Alliance Coins, securing their prized possession effortlessly.
This strategy undoubtedly boosted the shop's economy, as participating in the lottery required payment. However, Trainers able to afford the Z-Rings didn't mind the nominal lottery fee.
Witnessing the frenzy among the Trainers, Kalia glanced at the white Z-Ring on her right wrist, discreetly covering it with her sleeve before departing.
Unbeknownst to these Trainers frantically pursuing Z-Rings, Kalia had already mastered the release of Z-Moves.
At this thought, a hint of satisfaction emerged on Kalia's face, feeling superior - it was her advantage.
"Charizard, let's go."
Lian emerged from his Poké Ball, carrying Kalia as they soared into the distance. They no longer ventured to the previous wilderness; since mastering Z-Moves, Kalia instead accepted missions from Pokémon Centers across various locations in the Sebas region, completing diverse tasks.
Their current destination was Ruby City, with a mission to teach a move. Such missions were straightforward, typically posted by Trainers who couldn't afford Move Disks. These Trainers relied on others' Pokémon that already knew the desired moves to teach their own Pokémon accordingly.
The reward for this mission was one thousand Alliance Coins. Given that Trainers unable to purchase Move Disks usually didn't have much money, it made sense. Move Disks generally cost over two to three thousand coins, making this method a common way for average Trainers to learn new moves.
The specific Fire-type move requested was Flamethrower, which both Charizard and Ninetales had mastered. Teaching this move wouldn't be challenging for them.
***
Later that afternoon, Kalia returned to Rockcliff City and delivered Sceptile to the Combat Dojo for training. Teaching new moves is typically a long-term task, as it takes time for Pokémon to master them. For Kalia, money wasn't her primary concern; she enjoyed enriching her Trainer life, otherwise, daily training could become monotonous.
Through League missions, Kalia had made numerous friends across various cities and occasionally teamed up with them to complete tasks together.
In the evening, at the Pokémon Center...
Lian sat on the ground, with Kalia standing beside him, both watching two Trainers engaged in battle on the battlefield.
"Z-Rings have become widespread now?" Lian observed, surprised, as both Trainers wore wristbands—one blue Z-Ring, the other red. Their Pokémon also sported Z-crystals, seemingly aiming to test their abilities by unleashing special moves during combat.
Surveying the surrounding Trainers, Lian noticed only these two on the battlefield had Z-Rings, suggesting they might be quite rare to obtain.
As the battle commenced, despite prolonged efforts, neither Trainer managed to release a special move. This was expected, as without proper understanding, executing such moves can be challenging.
Requiring synchronization between Pokémon and Trainer, this posed a significant challenge for many Trainers. However, it seemed relatively simpler compared to Mega Evolution. Over time, most Trainers with Z-Rings would likely master Z-Moves.
We're entering the era of Z-Moves, Lian marveled internally. Soon, various types of moves will emerge, including eighteen elemental Z-Moves and numerous transformative Z-Moves.
While transformative Z-Moves may not match the power of the eighteen elemental attack-type Z-Moves, their versatility offers endless possibilities. Additionally, some Pokémon possess exclusive Z-Moves.
However, unleashing these exclusive Z-Moves requires specific Z-crystals, which currently might not be available in the Ellie Region or possibly kept secret from everyone.
Regrettably, there doesn't seem to be a dedicated crystal for Charizard yet. Although, one can never be certain; this world is different from his previous life, so there's still a slim chance someone has developed a unique Z-crystal for Charizard.
"Try using a Z-Move already!" shouted a Trainer outside the battlefield, eager to witness the release process despite not owning a Z-Ring himself.
Outside the battlefield, Trainers shouted enthusiastically. Although they couldn't obtain Z-Rings yet, witnessing the release of Z-Moves was still exciting. However, it seemed both Trainers were struggling; their Pokemon were nearing exhaustion without any signs of executing a Z-Move.
Ultimately, one Trainer's Pokemon was defeated, never having unleashed a Z-Move. This likely indicated that the Trainer hadn't yet mastered the technique and lacked sufficient coordination with their Pokemon.
Kalia had successfully performed the Breakneck Blitz previously only due to Professor Evergreen's guidance, which took quite some time to achieve.
"Wait, I'm not ready yet. Let me heal my Pokemon first, and we'll have another match later." The losing Trainer, unwilling to give up, called out, intending to recover their Pokemon before retrying the Z-Move experiment.
"Let's go together," agreed the other Trainer, who also failed to execute a Z-Move, following suit to restore their Pokemon's condition.
Most Trainers didn't rush into battles immediately. Compared to regular training, mastering Z-Moves held greater appeal. Besides, healing Pokemon was quick - just a few steps away from the medical facilities.
After a brief intermission, both Trainers returned to continue their battle.
"To release a Z-Move, you need energy resonance; it's crucial to use a move with the same attribute as the corresponding Z-crystal," Kalia chimed in, unable to bear watching them clumsily attempting various moves continuously.
To achieve energy resonance, one must indeed utilize a move matching the attribute of the Z-crystal. It was baffling that these two Trainers hadn't grasped this fundamental concept.
"Huh, that makes sense!"
"Right! Since Z-crystals have attributes, using a move with the same attribute is essential!"
The crowd had an epiphany. It wasn't surprising, given that no one had hands-on experience before; they only heard about Z-Moves. The sudden availability of Z-Rings in the Ellie Region caught even the League off guard, leaving insufficient time to disseminate comprehensive knowledge on Z-Moves.
As a result, most people possessed limited understanding, often unaware of different attribute-based Z-Moves and their names.
"Kalia, do you know how to unleash them?"
The Trainer on the battlefield, surprised, asked Kalia for clarification. As she frequently visited the Rockcliff City Pokémon Center, they were acquainted; his name was Mark.
"Yes, different Z-Moves require corresponding attribute moves to be used. For instance, your Hitmonlee wears a Normal-type Z-crystal. To activate it, you must use a Normal-type move. However, since you've been employing Fighting-type moves exclusively, how could there be resonance to unleash the Z-Move?" Kalia explained earnestly.
While the Pokémon Shop had a larger stock of Z-crystals compared to Z-Rings, they did not cover all attributes, notably lacking any Fighting-type Z-crystals.
Although Hitmonlee possessed some Normal-type moves, Mark never allowed it to use them, instead planning to switch to Normal-type moves only when attempting to generate energy resonance for the Z-Move.
This approach clearly wouldn't work. Ideally, the Z-crystal should align with the Pokémon's primary type; otherwise, even achieving energy resonance might prove impossible during a battle.
Kalia's explanation brought an epiphany to Mark, clarifying what he needed to do. On the other side, the opposing Trainer also heard Kalia's advice and exchanged smiles with Mark.
With newfound confidence, they continued their battle, focusing less on winning and more on having their Pokemon use moves compatible with the Z-crystal's attribute.
As expected, within just a few minutes, their Z-Rings began to glow, indicating the onset of energy resonance.
With energy resonance achieved, unleashing a Z-Move became as natural as water flowing downhill. Mark was the first to attempt it, using Breakneck Blitz; however, due to his lack of familiarity, he based it on the weakest Tackle move.
Without Kalia's guidance, mastering Z-Moves would have been much harder for them. Seeing their successful execution, Kalia smiled contentedly.
Previously, only the Ellie Region had access to Z-Moves, but now they were emerging in the Sebas region too. It wouldn't be long before Trainers here surpassed those from Ellie Region in this aspect.