Pokémon: Beedrill (Dark Green)
Egg Moves: Bug Bite, Focus Energy
Basic Moves: Twin Needle, Fury Attack
Learned Moves: Hone Claws
TM Moves: Protect, Toxic, Hidden Power (Fire)
Aoki was truly surprised when he reviewed Beedrill's data. Beyond its rapid growth, the most shocking thing was its remarkable potential.
Originally, this Pokémon should have been a typical green Beedrill, but its quality had already reached a dark green level, nearing cyan—a significant leap forward.
Shadow, one of the Team Rocket faction leaders and a elite-level trainer, had clearly poured substantial resources into forcibly upgrading the Beedrill's qualifications. While this slight boost might not seem impactful at present, the improvement in its future combat capabilities would be significant.
Coupled with Shadow's meticulous training and extensive skill investments, even blue-grade Pokémon might struggle to contend with this Beedrill in the future.
What truly caught Aoki's attention, however, was its hidden ability—Sniper.
The standard ability for Beedrill is usually Swarm, which increases Bug-type move power when its HP is low—a useful and respectable ability. But Sniper was an entirely different beast. This hidden ability magnifies the power of critical hits. Normally, critical hits increase move power by 1.5×, but with Sniper, the multiplier jumps to 2.25×.
This additional 0.75× boost in power could be the difference between a decisive knockout and mere damage. If the Beedrill landed a critical hit at the right moment, it could completely dominate its opponent. Read full story at novel fire.net
Shadow had been remarkably lucky to hatch a Sniper-ability Beedrill. It was no wonder he had invested so heavily in its development, upgrading its qualifications and fine-tuning its skills.
Although Aoki admired the Beedrill's potential, he didn't regret not taking the Pokémon for himself. After all, the resources and effort Shadow had poured into its development far exceeded what Aoki could currently provide.
Shadow noticed Aoki's reaction. Beyond his initial surprise, Aoki quickly regained his composure. Shadow silently nodded in approval, impressed by Aoki's steady demeanor.
"This trial is special," Shadow said, his tone serious. "Don't hold back your strength. Show your full potential. I won't go into details, but trust me when I say you don't need to worry about being targeted by others."
Aoki's brow furrowed slightly. Shadow's words hinted at something significant about the trial—something Aoki hadn't noticed in his previous life.
"Didn't you realize?" Shadow continued. "This group of trial participants is far above average in terms of potential. More importantly, many of the Pokémon assigned to them are of high quality. Do you really think everyone is like Guga, lucky enough to have a strong older brother?"
The realization hit Aoki like a thunderbolt. In his previous life, he hadn't paid attention to these details. Why were high-quality Pokémon being given to participants who were essentially cannon fodder? It seemed wasteful, given the high mortality rate of the trials.
"Your Murkrow has great potential," Shadow continued, breaking Aoki's train of thought. "I noticed it was carrying weights during the last test. While conserving strength isn't wrong, I'll say this: if you want to climb the ranks in Team Rocket, this trial is your opportunity. This time… it's different."
Shadow's words carried weight, emphasizing the importance of the trial. Though he didn't elaborate on what made it unique, Aoki could sense the gravity of the situation.
Shadow leaned forward slightly, his intense gaze locking onto Aoki. "Perform well, and you'll find opportunities to leave this trial island early. After all, there's no one left here who can match you."
The statement stunned Aoki. Leaving the trial island ahead of schedule would be an incredible advantage, giving him time to grow stronger before facing tougher challenges.
Shadow smirked, reading Aoki's conflicted expression. "Of course, that's only if I'm satisfied with your performance."
Aoki nodded, steeling himself. "Understood, Lord Shadow."
Satisfied with Aoki's response, Shadow leaned back and smiled faintly.
"Good. Don't disappoint me."