NOVEL NEXT Chapter 5: Chapter 5: A Revealing Minimole and the Poké Ball Dilemma
The battle was over. The small Minimole lay unconscious, a tiny victim of Charmander's growing strength. Kenji exhaled deeply, feeling the fatigue build in his muscles. "Good job, Charmander," he said, giving it a friendly pat on the head. Charmander responded with a soft growl, its fire tail burning intensely.
As Kenji prepared to pick up the unconscious Minimole, a Pokémon System window suddenly appeared in front of him.
Congratulations! Pokédex Updated.
Kenji startled. "Updated? What does that mean?" he thought, curious. Without wasting time, he tapped the Pokédex icon on his phone. The interface opened, displaying the list of Pokémon, but this time, something had changed.
Next to Charmander's name, whose image was already highlighted in color, there was a new entry: Minimole. Its image was also in color, but it wasn't alone. Right next to the Minimole's picture, there was a thumbnail image of a rodent-like creature, but much larger and fiercer, with sharp claws and prominent fangs.
Kenji frowned. "What's this beast next to the Minimole?" he wondered. Without hesitation, he tapped the Minimole's image. A new window opened, displaying detailed information about the creature.
Minimole
Type: Ground
Level: 3
HP: 15
Attack: 5
Defense: 7
Special Attack: 3
Special Defense: 3
Speed: 4
Abilities:
Scratch
Dig
Kenji studied the Minimole's stats and abilities carefully. "Interesting," he murmured. "It seems like a pretty weak creature, but its defense is decent."
However, what really caught his attention was the information that appeared further down, in smaller print:
Capture and Exchange Options:
Capture: Use a Poké Ball to capture the Minimole.
Note: The Minimole cannot be used in battle as a Pokémon.
Exchange:
System Points: 10 points
Pokémon: Diglett
Kenji's jaw dropped. "Capture? Exchange? Does this mean I can capture the beasts of this world with Poké Balls?" he thought, incredulous. The idea was fascinating, but also a little unsettling.
He reread the note indicating that the Minimole could not be used in battle as a Pokémon. "Why not?" he wondered. "Are the beasts of this world incompatible with the Pokémon System?"
The possibility of exchanging the Minimole for system points or a Pokémon called Diglett also surprised him. "Diglett?" he thought. "Why Diglett of all Pokémon? Is there some connection between this Pokémon and the Minimole?"
A torrent of questions flooded his mind. The Pokémon System seemed to be much more complex than he had imagined.
Kenji shook his head, trying to sort out his thoughts. "First things first," he said to himself. "I have to figure out how this capture thing works."
He took one of the Poké Balls that came in his Starter Pack. He observed it carefully, feeling the smooth plastic in the palm of his hand. "Could it be this easy?" he thought. "Do I just throw the Poké Ball and the creature gets trapped?"
He approached the unconscious Minimole and aimed the Poké Ball. He took a deep breath and pressed the button. The Poké Ball opened, releasing a beam of red light that enveloped the Minimole. The creature disappeared, absorbed by the Poké Ball.
Kenji held his breath, waiting to see what would happen. The Poké Ball fell to the ground and began to rock back and forth. One... two... three rocks. Then, it stopped moving, with a metallic click.
Successful Capture! Minimole Captured.
A new window appeared on the Pokémon System screen, congratulating him on his capture. Kenji smiled in relief. It had worked. He had captured a beast of this world with a Poké Ball.
"This changes everything," he murmured. Now he understood the purpose of the five Poké Balls in his Starter Pack. They weren't just for capturing Pokémon, but also for capturing the beasts of this world.
But why? What for? Why did the Pokémon System give him the option to exchange these creatures? What would he gain from it?
He checked the Minimole's information in the Pokédex again. The exchange option was still there: 10 system points or the Pokémon Diglett.
"I have to think this through," he said to himself. "Ten system points aren't much, but right now I need every point I can get. And Diglett... will it be a useful Pokémon? I don't know anything about this world, I don't know what kind of creatures I'm going to encounter."
He stored the Poké Ball with the Minimole in his inventory. He would have time to decide what to do with it. For now, he needed to focus on training Charmander.
He looked at his partner, who was watching him curiously. "Alright, Charmander," he said. "Let's keep training. We have a lot to learn."
Kenji smiled, feeling a new surge of determination. The Pokémon System had opened a world of possibilities to him, but it had also posed a new dilemma. How would he use his power? How would he balance his love for Pokémon with the realities of this new world?
The future was uncertain, but one thing was certain: Kenji wouldn't give up. He was ready to explore, to discover, to fight. He was ready to become the best Pokémon Trainer... and the best beast summoner... or whatever it was that he ended up being in this new world.