ALL NOVEL Chapter 163 – Proto-Pokeball?
Crack! Bang!
In a moment that seemed to defy reality, the small alloy cube that Tetsuya had forged suddenly shattered, and Blastoise reappeared from it, looking around in utter confusion. "Blastoise?" he uttered, trying to make sense of his sudden appearance.
"That was…?" Floyd's eyes were wide with disbelief, struggling to comprehend the scene before him. 'Could this be akin to a Pokéball?' he pondered internally, but then he shook his head, dismissing the thought. 'No, this seems far too unstable compared to a normal one,' he concluded.
"Wha-wha-what is this?" Tetsuya gasped, his mouth agape as he stared at the remnants of the mysterious metal he had created. "This… I don't understand! What the hell just happened?" He clutched his head, overwhelmed by the inexplicable event.
…
A few minutes earlier,
Nakamura, Yamada, Inoue, and Aizawa were kneeling down and profusely apologizing to Suzuki Akiko, who stood before them with her arms crossed.
"We're so sorry, Sensei; please forgive us," they pleaded in unison, their heads bowed in earnest remorse.
Suzuki Akiko, deep in thought, wasn't actually angry, but she felt a deep sense of embarrassment, especially after overhearing the gossip from her students. The situation made her hesitant about facing Kanraku and Kurogane, worried it would only add to the awkwardness. Conflict churned within her as she contemplated her next steps.
Then, in the midst of this, Blastoise burst in, panic etched on his face, holding Wartortle. The sudden interruption startled everyone, their attention snapping to the distressed Pokémon.
A moment later, as Kanraku took Wartortle from Blastoise, the accidental touch with the mysterious cube caused Blastoise to vanish, leaving Suzuki and her student aghast. "WHAT?" they exclaimed in unison, their mouths agape in shock.
"Let's go!" Suzuki promptly said, breaking from her conflicted thoughts, and rushed forward, her students quickly following in her wake.
…
A few minutes later, a remarkable transformation occurred: Wartortle evolved into a new Blastoise.
"Blastoise!" The newly evolved Blastoise roared, marveling at his newfound form.
"Hahahaha, excellent, you've evolved!" Kanraku declared, his voice brimming with pride as he affectionately patted the new Blastoise's head.
"Blastoise~" The new Blastoise embraced Kanraku, gratitude evident in his gestures.
Kanraku, ready to share the exciting news, turned around expecting an audience. "Everyone, look! We have a new Blastoise in the group, eh…" His words trailed off as he realized they were alone. Surprised, he scanned the area, expecting to find onlookers.
Kanraku, equally puzzled, scratched his head. "Where did everyone go?" he wondered aloud.
At that moment, he saw his disciples, accompanied by Suzuki and the original Blastoise, hurrying towards him, their faces showing a blend of agitation and excitement.
"Everyone, where have you been? Look, Wartortle has evolved into Blastoise!" Kanraku announced, introducing the group to the newly evolved Blastoise.
"Blastoise~" The newly evolved Blastoise, brimming with pride and excitement, hurried towards his boss, eager to show off his recent transformation.
"Blastoise~" The older Blastoise greeted his newly transformed subordinate with a nod of approval and a proud pat.
Amidst this heartwarming scene, Nakamura suddenly grabbed Kanraku's arm in his excitement. "Kyouju, you must hurry! Come with us! We've stumbled upon an incredible new discovery!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with urgency.
"Wait, what? What are you talking about?" Kanraku asked, his confusion evident as he was unexpectedly pulled along by Nakamura.
"Kyouju, just follow us, this is a monumental discovery!" Aizawa chimed in, tugging at his other arm with equal enthusiasm.
"Professor, trust us and come along. There's something astonishing related to the experiment," Floyd added, nodding encouragingly.
"What? Really?" Kanraku's confusion turned to intrigue upon hearing their urgent pleas. "Okay, let's go, hurry up!" he said, his curiosity now piqued as they all rushed together.
Kanraku sensed the palpable excitement from his disciples and Floyd as they hurried back to the lab.
Upon their return, they found Tetsuya engrossed in his forging, hammering away at the alloy with intense focus. He was so absorbed in his work that he didn't even notice Kanraku and the others arriving beside him.
The sound of his hammer – Ting! Tang! Tang! Ting! Tang! Tang! – filled the room.
"Where is the discovery?" Kanraku asked, scanning the room. His eyes landed on a pile of broken metal fragments on the ground. Picking up a piece, he looked at it quizzically. "Is this what you were talking about?"
"Professor, look at this," Suzuki interjected, motioning towards the surveillance video on the monitor.
"Let me see," Kanraku moved closer to the monitor, his interest further heightened.
His disciples, along with Floyd and Suzuki, crowded near him. Even though they had already witnessed the event, the allure of watching it unfold again was irresistible.
A few minutes into the video, Kanraku's eyes widened, his body trembling with excitement. "Oh my God! Is… is this… this…" he stammered, barely able to contain his astonishment.
"Is this the result of combining Tumblestone and Apricorn? Incredible! This is beyond surprising! A major breakthrough! This is exhilarating!" Kanraku exclaimed, his enthusiasm echoing throughout the lab.
Ting!
The metallic sound of hammering abruptly ceased, drawing the attention of Kanraku and everyone else in the lab to Tetsuya. They saw a kind of frenzied determination etched on his face as he shouted, "I'M LACKING MATERIALS HERE! WHERE ARE THE MATERIALS? GIVE THEM TO ME! Especially this," he pointed aggressively at the Apricorn.
Only a fellow metalsmith could understand the unique frustration that comes with making a shocking discovery, only to be hindered by a lack of materials. It's a feeling similar to itchiness, a desperate urge to immediately snatch the necessary resources and continue the work.
Floyd observed Tetsuya's reaction and then glanced at the alloy he was working on. He reflected on how, in the games, creating a Pokéball required only one Apricorn and one Tumblestone, but in this real-life scenario, a significantly larger quantity of Apricorn and Tumblestone was necessary.
"Is it all gone?" Kanraku asked, his surprise evident. Turning to Floyd, he said urgently, "Floyd-san, we need to head back into the forest immediately, right now!"
"Understood!" Floyd replied, recognizing the gravity of the situation. He, too, held high hopes for the potential of this new Pokéball.
"Let's go! Blastoise, come with us. Floyd-san, let's get Gyarados; we might need his help in case of any accidents!" Kanraku directed, his voice filled with determination.
"And call Pidgeot. We'll need his assistance as well," Floyd suggested, thinking ahead.
"That's for sure," Kanraku agreed, quickly getting ready for their expedition.
Suzuki, overhearing their conversation, couldn't hide her concern. "Professor, is it dangerous?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.
"Don't worry about us, Suzuki-san. We've got this," Kanraku reassured her, giving a confident thumbs up.
Suzuki bit her lip, her eyes betraying her anxiety. She had expected Kanraku's response but couldn't shake off her concern for his safety. "Then please be safe," she implored, her gaze lingering on Kanraku.
"Professor, please be careful," Kanraku's disciples added, their voices reflecting their own worry. They understood the importance of this venture and the dangers of the forest. They chose not to volunteer to accompany them, knowing they might hinder the efforts of Kanraku and Floyd.
Tetsuya, watching Suzuki's reaction, realized that his chances with her were gone. His new focus was now solely on his craft. Clenching his fist with resolve, he stepped forward. "Let me come too," he declared firmly.
"What?" The surprise was evident on the faces of Floyd, Kanraku, and the others. Floyd shook his head, cautioning, "This could be too dangerous."
"Yeah, Kurogane-kun, it's dangerous there," he said. Although this guy was Kanraku's love rival, his concern at this moment was purely for Kurogane's safety.
"Then protect me," Tetsuya insisted, "I just want to find the source of these two materials. You need a smith to forge this, right? I'm willing to be one, even for free. Just let me forge it; that's all I want," he declared, looking at Kanraku.
...
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