Chapter 185: Absorbing Poisonous Gas

"Murkrow, keep watch on the surroundings. Gastly, come closer." Cain instructed Murkrow to monitor the area to prevent any interruptions to Gastly's first attempt to absorb the poisonous gas.

Since it was his first time, there could be some risk. After all, this gas contained different types of toxins, so an adverse reaction was possible. However, as long as Gastly could endure it, everything should be fine.

If a strong Pokémon suddenly appeared to attack Gastly during absorption, he could be in danger, unable to defend himself properly.

Fortunately, the level of wild Pokémon in this area wasn't very high, so even if there were a surprise attack, Murkrow and the others could handle it.

Even so, taking precautions was necessary due to the risk involved.

Murkrow, Slowpoke, and Sneasel surrounded Cain and Gastly, forming a protective barrier. Miltank and Skorupi stayed close to Cain, ready to react to any unforeseen situation.

Cain took out a device from his ring, a completely black vial containing the residual poisonous gas extracted from the quasi-elite-level Koffing.

This residual poisonous gas was one of the most valuable components left from the Koffing. It was loaded with a large amount of poison-type energy, but Gastly couldn't absorb it all at once.

Cain planned to release only a small amount so that Gastly could develop an initial resistance.

With everything prepared, and seeing the determination in Gastly's eyes, Cain slowly turned the lid of the vial.

This vial was specially designed to contain the poisonous gas; otherwise, any other material would have been immediately corroded by its toxicity.

Carefully, Cain pressed a button at the base of the vial, releasing a small amount of pale purple gas that began to float slowly.

Immediately, a strong, foul smell filled the air.

Cain frowned, feeling a slight stinging on the exposed skin of his hands, as if the corrosive gas was approaching.

Once the gas was fully released, Cain quickly closed the vial and put it away.

Gastly, already prepared, moved toward the poisonous gas as soon as it was released.

The small amount of gas was instantly absorbed by the gaseous mass surrounding Gastly's body.

With the gas absorbed, the foul smell in the air began to dissipate.

Suspended in the air, Gastly closed his eyes, his unique face showing a mix of emotions: happiness, joy, discomfort, and pain.

Aside from Skorupi, who showed slight unease at sensing the poisonous energy, the other Pokémon didn't react much and didn't seem uncomfortable.

Being a poison-type Pokémon as well, Skorupi sensed the poisonous energy contained in the gas, and something in his instincts told him that if he could absorb this gas, he might become even stronger.

Cain calmed Skorupi but couldn't help frowning.

If this gas was strongly appealing to Skorupi, it was likely it would also attract other poison-type Pokémon.

Pokémon are much more sensitive to the energy in the air than humans. The fact that Cain didn't sense much didn't mean other poison-type Pokémon wouldn't notice it.

In this cave, poison-type Zubat weren't scarce, and there might even be some Golbat around.

As if to confirm Cain's suspicions, sounds of flapping wings began to echo in the distance, approaching rapidly and growing more numerous.

"Slowpoke, use Calm Mind. Murkrow, use Tailwind. Sneasel, use Hone Claws." While calming Skorupi, Cain gave orders to the others.

It was best to be prepared. This way, even if many wild Pokémon showed up, with all his Pokémon at full strength, they could handle it.

Slowpoke closed his eyes and began to meditate. Now, due to his familiarity with this move, he could enter meditation even while walking. Although doing so affected his efficiency, this progress was significant, bringing him closer to Cain's goal of meditating in motion.

Murkrow, meanwhile, channeled flying-type energy around, increasing everyone's speed with the Tailwind move.

Thanks to his Prankster ability, Murkrow had a natural advantage with status moves, and he almost instantly completed the speed boost.

As for Sneasel, he remained calm, emitting a sharp sound while sharpening his claws, entering a state of extreme calm.

Perhaps due to his ice-type nature, Cain noticed that, although Sneasel's synchronization with him wasn't as high as Murkrow's, he always maintained a cool head during battles, allowing him to adapt quickly.

Lately, his synchronization with Cain had improved notably, and the small barrier in Sneasel's heart toward him had begun to fade. With time and Cain showing sincerity, Sneasel would probably open his heart completely.

Soon, the swift Zubat appeared in front of Cain.

By then, Gastly had barely managed to open his eyes slightly, looking at Cain with an apologetic expression.

If he had been able to absorb the poisonous energy more quickly, he wouldn't have caused so much trouble for Cain and the others.

Cain smiled and reassured him. "Gastly, don't worry, focus on absorbing the energy. These Pokémon are a piece of cake for Murkrow and the others. They haven't had a chance to unleash their full power, so now they can blow off some steam."

To confirm Cain's words, Murkrow let out a powerful cry.

Though Murkrow wasn't the strongest on the team, surpassed by Slowpoke and Sneasel, his position in the group was indisputable.

He wasn't intimidated by his lesser power, nor did he consider himself the most important simply for being Cain's first Pokémon.

Instead, Murkrow fulfilled his duty as a leader in his daily actions and in battles, without expecting anything in return, simply dedicating himself silently to the team.

He did everything he could to help Cain.

For example, when Sneasel joined the team, he was initially reluctant to cooperate with Murkrow and Slowpoke. Murkrow, knowing that such tension wouldn't benefit future battles, took Slowpoke to apologize to Sneasel, seeking his forgiveness.

Thanks to this, Sneasel's reluctance toward them lessened, and now they could fight together.

(End of chapter)