In the edge of making

Several hours into their research, Kanraku pored over the data they had gathered. He observed thoughtfully, "The space properties seem to gravitate towards a single angle of the metal, causing an imbalance which then leads to the metal breaking."

Inoue, deeply engrossed in the discussion, pondered aloud, "Is there a way to distribute these properties more evenly across all angles?"

Floyd, joining the brainstorming session, offered his insight. "What if we try crafting a sphere? That way, the space properties might not escape from any specific angle."

Kanraku, stroking his chin thoughtfully, considered Floyd's proposition. "That does sound feasible, but the real question is, how do we accomplish it?"

"I have an idea," Tetsuya interjected confidently. He reached for the Swage Block among his tools. "If we heat the alloy and then hammer it into this part," he pointed at the sphere-shaped section of the Swage Block, "we might be able to shape it into a sphere."

Kanraku nodded in approval. "Then, Kurogane-kun, we're relying on your skills."

"Understood. Leave it to me," Tetsuya declared, beginning his meticulous work.

An hour passed, and the sphere-shaped metal was finally completed. Tetsuya wiped the sweat from his brow, his arms feeling nearly numb from the continuous effort. "Shaping this alloy into a sphere was more challenging than I anticipated. The impurities made it quite labor-intensive," he admitted, trying to steady his trembling arms.

"Let's test it out," Floyd suggested, eager to see the results of their hard work.

Kanraku proposed, "It might be safer to start with a weaker Pokémon. They tend to struggle less than stronger ones."

"Agreed," Floyd nodded, and they proceeded with the test.

Yamada carefully placed the spherical metal near Caterpie. To everyone's amazement, the Caterpie was gently absorbed into the sphere. The metal moved slightly on its own, and after five seconds, Caterpie re-emerged unharmed.

Remarkably, the spherical metal remained intact, and a red laser flickered briefly as Caterpie exited.

"Five seconds! And the sphere didn't break!" Kanraku exclaimed, jumping with excitement at this new development.

"This is another significant breakthrough!" Tetsuya, reinvigorated by the success, shouted with renewed enthusiasm. "I'm ready for more," he declared, his fatigue momentarily forgotten in the face of their progress.

…

Meanwhile, at the scheduled meeting, Kang Jihoon expressed his surprise upon not seeing Kanraku. "Eh, the professor didn't show up? Why is that?" he asked, noting only Suzuki Akiko and her nephew in attendance.

In the meeting room, Xiao Yun glanced at the empty seats near Suzuki Akiko and remarked, "Even his disciples are absent."

"And Floyd too," Jonathan chimed in, noting Floyd's vacant spot beside him.

Suzuki Akiko, sensing the growing curiosity in the room, stood up to address everyone. "Ladies and gentlemen, I have an announcement to make. Professor Kanraku, his disciples, and Floyd-san are currently immersed in a groundbreaking research project. That's the reason they're unable to attend today's meeting. This day could mark a pivotal moment in their research," she explained, her voice conveying both the importance of the moment and a hint of pride.

"A great discovery? Sister Suzuki, could you share some details with us?" Jonathan leaned forward, his curiosity piqued by Suzuki's words

Suzuki hesitated for a moment before replying, "At this point, I'm not at liberty to reveal specifics. But I assure you, this discovery is going to be truly mind-blowing."

This only heightened the group's curiosity. Phuong couldn't contain her eagerness. "Sister Suzuki, you're teasing us! You've got us all excited but aren't sharing any details. Please, can't you give us a hint?"

"Yes, Sister Suzuki, we're all 'sisters' here, aren't we? Any little piece of information would be appreciated," Xin Yuexin added, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Jonathan jumped in, not wanting to be left out of the loop. "And what about us, your younger brothers? Surely, you won't leave us in the dark?"

Linh, with a playful snort, disdained, "Hmph, Younger brother your ass! You're hardly part of our 'sister circle,' Jonathan."

Jonathan started to retort, "You, 'old'-" but stopped mid-sentence under Linh's icy glare.

"Hmph, you, Linh girl, are playing dirty!" Jonathan complained.

"Hmph, what are you talking about, playing dirty? And don't call me 'Linh-girl'; I'm your superior. Otherwise..." Linh didn't continue.

"Fight me fairly with words; you're completely threatening me!" Jonathan shouted.

Suzuki, sensing the escalating banter, intervened, "Everyone, please! I understand your curiosity, but I genuinely can't divulge more. The details aren't even clear to me. It would be best for Professor Kanraku to explain when he's ready."

Chen Xin, adopting her most persuasive look, pleaded, "Just a tiny hint, Sister Suzuki?"

"Yeah, Sister, please," Choi Yerin joined in, supporting the plea.

Suzuki sighed, then conceded, "Alright, just a small hint. This discovery is related to the beasts."

"A beast's discovery? That's it? You can't leave us hanging like that, Sister," Phuong complained, her face a mix of frustration and excitement.

Suzuki Akiko, sensing the meeting veering off course, attempted to steer the discussion back on track. "Well, everyone, let's focus and start our main discussion," she suggested, trying to shift the focus.

However, her attempt was met with a unanimous chorus of dissent. "No, this is our discussion!" everyone exclaimed, their curiosity about the research far outweighing any other topic.

Suzuki was momentarily at a loss for words, realizing the depth of everyone's interest in Kanraku's groundbreaking work.

…

Hours had passed since then, and back in the laboratory, Tetsuya slumped into a chair, visibly exhausted. He took a long sip of water, trying to recharge his energy. The team's attention was drawn to the sphere metal, which now had a slender metal line, like a thread, connecting it to another piece of metal.

Kanraku, along with Suzuki Akiko and Suzuki Ryota who had joined to assist, began to explain the setup. "The sphere metal at the back is the absorber of the Beasts, while the one in front acts as a lock. This thin metal wire serves as the connector between the two," he detailed.

Suzuki Akiko had kept the details of the research under wraps, leaving the group from the meeting earlier filled with curiosity and unanswered questions about the nature of Kanraku's work.

"Let's test it," Kanraku announced, approaching the sphere metal with Caterpie. As before, upon contact, Caterpie was drawn into the sphere metal.

Everyone watched with bated breath, analyzing the outcome closely.

The sphere metal began to move autonomously, and for eight seconds, the suspense in the room grew. Then, abruptly, the thin wire snapped, severing the connection between the two sphere metals. Caterpie re-emerged unharmed but bewildered.

"The metal wire is too fragile," Nakamura observed, examining the broken piece in his hands.

Tetsuya, still catching his breath, added, "That wire is also made from Apricorn and Tumblestone. It's the only material that links the two spheres. But this kind of metal is inherently brittle, regardless of its thickness. It simply can't compare to iron or steel. The fragility is even more pronounced when it's shaped into such a thin wire."

Floyd, deep in thought, questioned, "Is there any other metal that could replace this wire? Something less brittle?"

Yamada, shaking his head, sighed in disappointment. "We've tested various metals for a suitable replacement, but none match the unique properties of the Apricorn and Tumblestone alloy."

"I have a suggestion," Floyd interjected, a spark of an idea forming in his mind.

The room turned to Floyd, their faces etched with anticipation. They had come to recognize that Floyd's suggestions often led to significant advancements in their research.

"What if we try creating a larger spherical structure and embed the two smaller metal spheres within it?" Floyd proposed. "This larger sphere would also be forged from the Apricorn and Tumblestone alloy. It could potentially provide the necessary support and stability to the structure. And since the larger structure of the sphere is made of Apricorn and Tumblestone, it would be able to connect the front metal sphere to the back."