Ch.58 Long-Awaited Z-Ring

Can be used next time. 

This was also Akira's requirement for actions in the Nightmare Dungeon.

You can get hurt, you can lose, but you can't walk away empty-handed.

So after each dungeon run, Akira would carefully review the process, analyzing the gains and losses.

If there was something he couldn't quite remember, he'd have Gardevoir use "Psybeam" to recreate it.

Although Akira currently had only three Pokémon, he was pretty sure that no type was as versatile as the Psychic-type.

Psychic powers could be applied to almost every aspect of life.

Psybeam could be used as a projector.

Hypnosis could help with sleep.

And then there was the god-tier move, Teleport.

The higher his power level, the more evident these advantages became.

"I've made it this far smoothly, thanks to you," Akira said, looking at the ever-obedient Psychic girl with gentle eyes.

"Garde~" 

Gardevoir's response was as always, her answer had never changed, whether in the past, the present, or the future.

The more she acted this way, the more Akira cherished her.

Some people might take others' silent contributions for granted, but he wouldn't.

Having twice experienced the pain of losing loved ones, he had long learned to cherish what he had.

After hesitating for a while, Akira pulled out a black metal box from his desk drawer.

Inside were sandpaper, files, and other simple tools, along with several scattered bracelets.

The craftsmanship of the bracelets could only be described as rough—no engravings, no design, and besides the platinum material, nothing stood out.

In the middle of the bracelet was an equally rough groove, the kind that could drive someone with OCD crazy.

The two most completed bracelets each had a pale pink diamond-shaped gem embedded in them.

The gems were not highly transparent, with a faint mist swirling inside, making them appear much higher in quality than the bracelets holding them.

Looking at these handmade items, Akira felt a rare moment of embarrassment: 

"I originally wanted to make you a bracelet by hand that you could actually wear out, but it seems I have no talent in this area. If you don't like it, I can find the best jewelry designer to remake it. There's still time."

"Garde~" 

Gardevoir shook her head vigorously, her voice a bit anxious as she hurriedly reached out, took the smaller bracelet, and cradled it in her hands like a treasure, afraid that Akira might take it back if he was dissatisfied.

"I won't take it back." Akira laughed, his previous anxiety melting away. "As long as you like it, that's all that matters."

Gardevoir nodded repeatedly.

"Try it on and see if it fits. If it doesn't, I'll adjust it right away."

Gardevoir followed his instructions, moving the bracelet around her arm and puffing her cheeks cutely.

Although Gardevoir was the Pokémon most resembling a human in appearance, there were still differences in the finer details, and arms were one of them.

Her forearms were thick, and her upper arms were thin.

This structure was due to another evolutionary branch—Gallade—whose forearms evolved into blades, changing its type from Psychic + Fairy to Psychic + Fighting, earning it the nickname of the "Psychic Warrior," the elegant swordsman.

Though Gardevoir wasn't Gallade, she still didn't particularly like wearing accessories on her arms due to her species' instincts.

However, instead of making Akira redo it, she slid the bracelet up to her upper arm, which she rarely used.

Naturally, it was a bit loose.

Just as Akira was about to help adjust it, Gardevoir used her psychic power, evenly tightening the bracelet.

She then shook her arm, finding that it neither fell off nor felt loose, and smiled at Akira.

"You're so smart, Gardevoir."

Akira affectionately pinched her small nose and then picked up and wore the other bracelet himself.

The two bracelets were a pair, in both commemorative and practical sense.

The moment the bracelets were in place, the pink gems emitted soft ripples of light, shining together.

In an instant, a warm current flowed into both of their minds.

It was a new power, along with new information—energy from another dimension.

In the Pokémon world, this was called Z-Power, which could further elevate a Pokémon's moves to a new level.

That's right, these two crystals were the Z-Crystals Akira had been eagerly awaiting.

As long as the system didn't completely lock the probabilities, getting the desired Z-Crystals was just a matter of time.

It had been several months since he arrived in Tokyo, and the number of curses he had exorcised wasn't small. Finally, he had obtained two Psychic-type Z-Crystals that Gardevoir could use.

A total of two.

Z-Crystals needed to be worn and activated by both the Trainer and Pokémon, who shared a deep bond, to unleash their power.

So Akira crafted two bracelets. While their appearance might not be much to look at, their functionality was uncompromised.

In fact, Psychic wasn't the only type Akira had collected, but using the power of the Z-Crystal placed a heavy burden on both the Trainer and the Pokémon, making it impossible to use frequently. And since Gardevoir was Akira's first Pokémon, with the deepest bond and longest companionship, it was only fitting that the first time should be for Gardevoir.

After all, Gardevoir had already taken many of Akira's firsts.

The first handhold, the first hug, the first lift-up...

"Do you like it?"

When the initial surge of Z-Power calmed down, Akira asked out of habit, but Gardevoir didn't respond with her usual "Garde."

Instead, she stretched out her arms, lifted Akira up by his underarms, and began to spin him around.

Akira was initially surprised, then burst into laughter.

During her Ralts and Kirlia stages, this was their most frequent interaction.

After all, Ralts was only 40 cm tall and Kirlia 80 cm, both small and childlike, perfect for such activities.

But after evolving into the 160 cm tall Gardevoir, they had fewer interactions like this.

However, in Gardevoir's heart, this was always the best way for her Trainer to express joy.

Only in moments like this could it show that she was really just eight years old.

Akira could only use his second technique, "Yoshi Yoshi," to soothe Gardevoir.

Even so, she continued to twirl lightly around her Trainer, happily swinging her bracelet-wearing arm.

Akira didn't mind, staying focused on his review work.

After eight years together, they had long since grown accustomed to this way of interacting—when Akira was busy, she would stay by his side.

Ralts used to perch on his shoulder, sit on the desk, Kirlia liked to watch from the side, and Gardevoir now loved to spin around. Sometimes when Akira was dizzy from work, seeing the well-behaved Psychic girl by his side would improve his mood significantly.

With Gardevoir's help, Akira successfully completed his final assessment.

"Formation shifting, excellent."

"Team coordination, excellent."

"Role awareness, clear."

"Overall efficiency, outstanding."

"Although there's still some lack of strategic perspective, we're in good shape to handle the Exchange Event. Even if Yuta and I get banned or restricted from using our partners, we won't lose to Kyoto."

It was obvious—without restrictions on Tokyo's side, Kyoto wouldn't stand a chance.

But before heading to Kyoto, there was something else Akira needed to figure out.

It concerned another blood relative studying at Kyoto Jujutsu High.

He lifted his gaze and looked toward one side of the wall. On the other side was the mother they both shared.