Beedrill was in the process of ranking up. It had already leveled up 'Minimize' and 'Calm Mind' to level 40 and just needed to learn 'Resolve Stage (III)'. On the other hand, Nidorino only needed to level up one of its moves to level 40. After a long time, Axel looked at its stats:
Pokemon's name: Nidorino (Age - 1 year)
Pokemon Nickname: Megalania (Locked)
Pokemon rank: Elemental
Ability: Poison Point (56%)
Hidden ability: Hustle (48%)
Attack: S Agility: A+
Moves: Chip Away (Egg move) (G) (Lvl 35), Sucker Punch (Egg move), Venom Drench (Egg move) (G) (Lvl 39), Tackle (C) (Lvl 20 max), Poison Sting (C) (Lvl 32), Peck (Lvl 3), Focus Energy (G) (Lvl 36), Horn Attack (C) (Lvl 25 max)*, Rest (G) (Lvl 36), Bite (C) (Lvl 29), Quick Attack (C) (Lvl 27), Sludge Bomb (G) (Lvl 39), Earthquake (G) (Lvl 39), Horn Drill (G) (Lvl 39), Poison Ball (G) (Lvl 39), Thunder Shock (C) (Lvl 21), Spinning Poison (C) (Lvl 27), Agility (C) (Lvl 28), Poison Spread (C) (Lvl 21), Substitute (U) (Lvl 14), Poison Damage Control (Lvl 2), Sludge Wave (U) (Lvl 12)
Hidden Power: Electric (17%)
Five of Nidorino's moves were at level 39: 'Venom Drench', 'Sludge Bomb', 'Earthquake', 'Horn Drill', and 'Poison Ball'. Axel decided to eliminate 'Earthquake', 'Horn Drill', and 'Poison Ball' since they were not poison-type moves and he wanted Nidorino to have a poison-type move at level 40. As for 'Spinning Poison Ball,' it was the upgraded version of 'Poison Ball,' so Axel didn't see the advantage of leveling it up to 40 at the moment.
After considering his options, Axel decided to level up 'Venom Drench.' The move had proven useful in recent battles as it could decrease the target's attack, special attack, and speed by one stage every time it was used, up to a maximum of six times.
Currently, Nidorino could use it three times. Upgrading 'Venom Drench' would enhance its adaptability and make it highly beneficial for Nidorino in the long run.
The question remained: What approach should Axel take? The first option was to increase the range and adaptability of 'Venom Drench.' Currently, 'Venom Drench' was a standalone attack where Nidorino would shoot a venomous liquid from its mouth at the target. Although the move was fast, there was a chance of missing.
If Axel could integrate 'Venom Drench' with other attacks like 'Sludge Wave' and 'Sludge Bomb,' its adaptability would significantly increase.
The second option was to add additional effects to the move. Currently, 'Venom Drench' decreased the target's attack, special attack, and speed. But what if it could also decrease the target's defense and special defense? However, Axel and Nidorino decided to go with the first option after careful consideration.
The second option seemed harder to master, and Axel wanted Nidorino to rank up to the pseudo-king rank as quickly as possible. The first option also offered great benefits and would be highly advantageous in battles.
After two days, Axel finally arrived at the gates of the Venu family. It had been a long time since he had been here, and he was eager to meet Angela and Adam. He also wanted to know how they were managing the new gym. Additionally, he was excited to meet his three friends: A, B, and K.
K had already arrived at the Venu family two days ago. He first went to the massive office building where Angela and Adam resided and informed them of his arrival.
Knock... Knock... Knock... Knock...
"Oh, hello Axel. Welcome back to the Venu family," said Adam as he opened the door.
Axel noticed that the elders, including Angela, were present in the meeting. Being an elite member of the Venu family, Angela held a high rank, comparable to the elders. Mark was also present and warmly welcomed Axel.
Axel took his seat in the only empty chair and slightly bowed to show respect to Angela. She was a formidable trainer with a champion-rank Pokémon and served as the leader of the Venu family. Axel now understood the difference in ranks and realized the immense time and training required to achieve a champion rank.
"Axel, we have called you here because the topic of the meeting concerns you," Angela said.
"First of all, have you noticed the recent development regarding your solution for the Shadow Pokémon?"
"Yes, surprisingly, the league has not broadcasted it to the world like before," replied Axel.
He had expected his name to be in all the newspapers and on TV, but for some reason, the league had kept his achievement hidden.
"Yes, there is a good reason for that. Have you heard of a trivial region called Orre?" Angela inquired.
Axel knew that 70-80% of the Pokémon world remained unexplored. The Pokémon world was ten times larger than Earth, and approximately 40% of it consisted of seas and oceans, leaving vast land areas to be discovered.
There were eight ruling regions in this world, along with numerous trivial regions. For a trivial region to become a ruling region, it had to fulfill numerous requirements.
"No, I've only heard about a trivial region called Paldea in the process of becoming a ruling region, but I don't know much about other trivial regions," Axel responded.
His focus was primarily on training himself and his Pokémon, leaving little time to keep up with news from other trivial regions.
"Alright, but for the future, I advise you to stay informed about the news from other trivial regions as well. Now, the reason the league hasn't broadcasted your achievement to the rest of the world is related to the sub-region: Orre."
"What about it?" Axel asked.
"It is home to Shadow Pokémon."