Pokemon: Master Craftsman

Glade finally got a clear look at the intruder hiding among the artifacts.

A sword? No, a Pokémon!

The ghostly Pokémon floating in his basement was unmistakably the ancient sword he'd found earlier. Its patterns were now fully visible, the dirt had flaked away, and its form had slightly transformed.

Glade immediately recognized its true identity:

"Honedge, Steel/Ghost-type, the Sword Pokémon."

"They say it's the reincarnation of a soul that possesses an ancient sword. It clings to humans and saps their life force..."

As his thoughts aligned, more details appeared in his mind:

[Artifact Event: "Ancient Visitor."]

[Event Description: The seemingly broken ancient sword has revealed itself to be a Pokémon. Angry about you taking its gemstone and treating it as a trophy, it now seeks to reclaim the stone and defeat you.]

[Event Reward: Unique knowledge and crafting techniques.]

While Glade felt tense, Honedge seemed more panicked!

"Wasn't I the one initiating the battle? Why does this human seem so... strange?!" Honedge's thoughts raced.

"Why is my Ghost-type attack as effective as a light breeze?"

"Yo! (•へ•́╬)" Honedge's single blue eye glared in frustration as it tried to shake off the growing discomfort. The Cleanse Tag Incense was working, making the room unbearable for the ghostly Pokémon.

Seizing the opportunity, Glade activated his voice recorder.

"Screeeeech!"

The device emitted an earsplitting recording of Murkrow's cawing. While it didn't deal any direct damage, the irritating noise left Honedge dizzy and disoriented. The combined effects of the incense and noise left the Pokémon reeling.

Glade quickly grabbed a Poké Ball and hurled it with precision. The ball struck Honedge, encasing it in a flash of red light.

But before Glade could celebrate, the ball wobbled twice before Honedge burst out with a sharp clang. The Poké Ball bounced away, and Honedge hovered angrily.

Glade wasn't done yet. He pulled out a sticky green mud ball: a Sticky Glob.

In modern times, Sticky Globs had become nearly forgotten tools. Though simple to make, their primary materials were rare, and advancements in Poké Ball technology had rendered them obsolete. But their effectiveness hadn't diminished—they could slow a Pokémon's movements and create openings for capture.

With careful aim, Glade hurled the Sticky Glob. The muddy ball splattered against Honedge's blade, leaving it dazed and covered in sticky residue.

Honedge staggered mid-attack, its move failing to activate. Dizziness overtook it, and its body felt sluggish from the glob's effects.

Using this moment of weakness, Glade readied another Poké Ball. This time, he threw it with extra force, aiming directly at Honedge's eye.

Thud!

Honedge's single blue eye was struck dead-on, and the Pokémon let out a faint "Yo...!" before collapsing into the ball.

Click.

The Poké Ball stopped moving almost immediately.

Critical Capture!

The battle was over.

Glade slumped to the floor, his nerves finally relaxing.

"I actually won a Pokémon battle without using a Pokémon… I got lucky!"

Thanks to his thorough preparations, Glade had emerged victorious. But the encounter left him keenly aware of how dangerous Pokémon could be, especially one that had appeared uninvited in his basement and attacked him.

As his thoughts settled, more information surfaced in his mind:

[Artifact Event Resolved: You encountered an ancient artifact that revealed itself as a Ghost Pokémon. Due to its carelessness, you managed to defeat and capture it. Through this encounter, you gained insight into the nature and behavior of Ghost Pokémon.][Knowledge Gained: 1 Point.]

[Basic Spirit Knowledge: You can now understand and transcribe some ghostly languages. Your soul's resilience has increased, granting you resistance to ghostly energies.]

[Crafting Unlocked: 1 Technique.]

[Unique Talisman Crafting (D+): Craft talismans with varying effects depending on the materials used. Each talisman has a one-time effect.]

[Craftable Items: "Cleanse Talisman" or "Curse Talisman."]

Glade let out a long breath, a sense of accomplishment settling over him.

"With this new knowledge, I won't have to worry as much about ghostly Pokémon. And while the new crafting technique is only D+ ranked, its description sounds promising."

However, the danger of unexpected events like this couldn't be ignored.

As Glade locked up the basement, the mysterious "E-shaped eye" on the wall reappeared.

"A human… defeating a wild Pokémon barehanded?"

The eye shifted uneasily, still faintly sensing the lingering incense.

"What a peculiar human. I must observe further..."

The eye detached from the wall, floating to the door. A psychic vortex appeared before it, and the entity disappeared through the portal.

Back in the living room, Glade released Honedge from its Poké Ball.

"Come on out, Honedge!" he called, grinning. "Ah, I've always wanted to say that!"

It was his first time capturing a Pokémon, and he couldn't help but feel a little proud.

Since ancient times, people had captured Pokémon in various ways—through Poké Balls, verbal promises, or sheer physical determination. The method didn't matter as much as the bond formed afterward.

Honedge appeared, initially dazed from being hit directly in the eye. It blinked slowly, clearly still recovering.

"Yo…?"

The Pokémon turned to Glade, its blue eye narrowing. It seemed to be gathering its thoughts, as if it had much to say but couldn't quite articulate it yet.

Glade, sensing the tension, pulled out another Sticky Glob.

"Oh? Still want to fight?" he teased.

Honedge flinched at the sight of the glob, instinctively floating back.

"Yo...!"

The message was clear: Enough! I've had my share of punishment!