Chapter 107: Unintentionally Researched
"Hello, Slowking," Ashborn greeted, walking up to his newly evolved Pokémon, his palm outstretched.
A glimmer of surprise lingered in his eyes—this was the first Slowking ever in the world.
"Slooo!" Slowking responded, extending its hand and grabbing Ashborn's.
Slowking was a unique Pokémon, one that evolved from Slowpoke through a special process involving another Pokémon.
The crown-like object on Slowking's head wasn't just a decoration—it was Shellder, which had fused with Slowpoke. The crown was alive, and it could be removed.
There were rumors that when Shellder's toxin flowed into Slowpoke's brain after biting it, Slowpoke's latent intelligence awakened.
This miraculous transformation elevated its intelligence to a level comparable to the world's top scientists, enabling it to manipulate psychic powers with ease.
With the crown on, Slowking's IQ was astronomical, but without it, it reverted back to a more childlike state.
Metagross observed Slowking curiously. With the regal crown and its calm posture, Slowking truly cut a striking figure.
Ashborn checked Slowking's stats:
Pokémon: Slowking (Water/Psychic)
- Level: 22
- Potential: Green
- Ability: Oblivious
- Held Item: Twisted Spoon
- Moves: Tackle, Curse, Water Gun, Confusion, Yawn, Disable, Water Pulse, Power Gem, Swagger, Headbutt
- Genetic Skills: Scald, Trick room, Calm Mind, Psyshock
Having just evolved, Slowking hadn't yet learned the CD skills Ashborn wanted it to.
"There's one month left, and I'll get you to the first-tier level," Ashborn promised.
Slowking's current level was low, and against high-level opponents, it wouldn't stand much of a chance. Metagross, for instance, was already level 55, nearing the peak of the first-tier level, and could easily take down ordinary Pokémon at that rank.
"Sloo," Slowking nodded, realizing it ranked near the bottom of Ashborn's team. The only Pokémon it could beat was Aron, which had been born less than half a month ago.
"Let's head back home," Ashborn said, and Slowking obediently followed him.
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When Ashborn entered the house, his father Valor, who had been sipping tea, caught sight of Slowking and promptly spat out his drink.
The cleaning servant silently wiped the spilled tea off the coffee table, accustomed to such surprises.
"Ashborn, what is this Pokémon?" Valor asked, baffled.
"Oh, it's another evolutionary form of Slowpoke. I, uh, accidentally discovered it," Ashborn explained casually.
Valor wasn't fooled. The emergence of a new Pokémon evolution was a monumental event.
It had been more than ten years since any new evolutions were discovered, despite ongoing research by countless institutions and scholars.
Pokémon like Eevee were constantly studied for new evolutions, yet progress had been slow.
Ashborn's offhand comment about "accidentally researching" Slowking was the kind of nonsense only a fool would believe.
Countless researchers had dedicated their entire careers, even lifetimes, to such discoveries.
In light of Ashborn's recent accomplishments in the secret realm, Valor was still digesting the fact that his son had obtained the realm's treasure, the Fire Spar.
But unveiling a new evolutionary form of Slowpoke? That was far more shocking.
"How did you figure out this new evolution?" Valor's tone grew serious.
The cleaning servant, Rolly, overheard Valor's harsh tone and quit her task, glaring at him with clear disapproval.
Valor, noticing this, coughed awkwardly. "I'm just worried he might get led astray," he added hastily, trying to diffuse the tension.
"Dad, don't worry. I didn't steal anyone's research. This is all my own work. I would never do something like that," Ashborn reassured him.
Valor's concern was clear. He feared that Ashborn might use his position as the heir of the Zovic family to exploit the work of others.
If such a scandal were to arise, it wouldn't necessarily harm the family financially, but it would destroy their reputation—a reputation they had carefully guarded for over 200 years.
If Ashborn tarnished that legacy, his grandfather Bruce would undoubtedly take swift and harsh action.
Hearing Ashborn's reassurance, Valor breathed a sigh of relief. He knew his son well enough to trust that he would never resort to unethical means.
"But you actually researched Pokémon evolution?" Valor still seemed skeptical, suspecting that Ashborn had help from someone else.
"I've been interested in Pokémon evolution for a while," Ashborn explained. "I've been buying books and materials on the subject for some time."
Ashborn had prepared for this conversation.
He had even asked his father to help him obtain some of the more specialized research materials, using his family's connections to acquire documents from leading scholars and laboratories.
"So, after a month of reading books and papers, you just happened to figure out a new evolution for Slowpoke?" Valor asked, still incredulous.
"Well, your son is a genius," Ashborn replied with a grin.
Valor was momentarily speechless.
As exaggerated as it sounded, he couldn't exactly refute it either.
Ashborn had proven himself time and again to be exceptionally talented. It was hard not to feel proud.
"Alright," Valor finally said, "make sure to tell your aunt about this. It'll be beneficial for you."
"I already made a video of the evolution process. If you hadn't kept asking me questions, I would have sent it to Auntie by now," Ashborn said, with a hint of amusement.
Ashborn's aunt was a well-known Pokémon scholar in Xortros, and her reputation extended internationally.
She was a strategic-level researcher, and whenever she traveled abroad, she was accompanied by an Elite-level security team.
Among all of Bruce's children, Ashborn's aunt was the most accomplished, surpassing even Valor, who was a wealthy businessman and gym owner.
Ashborn knew that by sharing the video with his aunt, he could gain a valuable ally in the world of Pokémon research—one who would help cement his reputation as both a Trainer and a scholar.
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Adios