Dr. Chen's research concluded that "the type of Hidden Power can serve as a basis for determining which evolution is most suitable for an Eevee."
Setting aside the man's character, Owen felt there was some truth to this conclusion. He had spent a lot of time theorizing about it—he'd considered Ground... he'd even considered Fighting (Eevee: ???)... and certainly Psychic.
But Fire? That was truly unexpected.
Could it be that Eevee's great-great-great-grandfather was a Flareon? Owen wondered. Theoretically, if Eevee had an outstanding affinity for fire, it should have evolved into a Flareon. Had evolving into an Espeon taken it off track?
Actually, no.
Owen thought about it more deeply. In reality, Espeon's connection to the fire element is quite strong.
Espeon struggles with nighttime combat and excels in the day precisely because solar energy restores its mental power.
When you talk about solar energy, you have to talk about the move Sunny Day and the classic "Sun Team" weather strategy.
Under harsh sunlight, Fire-type moves are boosted, and moves like Solar Beam can be fired instantly. Sunlight is the ultimate buff for Fire and Grass types.
In this world, Espeon would undoubtedly be a general in a Sun Team, and Sunny Day itself is classified as a Fire-type move! If Eevee has a natural talent for fire, maybe it can master Sunny Day with ease in the future? Combined with Morning Sun and its red gem, it could become a self-sufficient weather setter.
"Thinking about it that way, it's actually not bad," Owen rubbed his chin.
"Mi~"
Meanwhile, Espeon shook its body. Feeling the temperature of the flames rising, it quickly dissipated the fire, worried about burning the room down. Owen wiped his brow; the heat was indeed getting intense.
It seemed Espeon's "Hidden Power Fire" wasn't like a standard move. Boosted by the solar energy within the Berserk Gene, its power was significantly amplified.
"Mi~~" Espeon closed its eyes slightly.
Following Owen's earlier suggestion, it began to perceive the red gem on its forehead. The Berserk Gene had fused into the gem, placing a heavy burden on Espeon. Although it could sense the surging mental energy within, Espeon found it couldn't control it very well.
If it tried to force that energy out, the result was predictable: the move's power would spiral out of control, resulting in massive destruction but catastrophic energy drain—exactly what happened with Electivire. It wasn't sustainable for a long battle.
Confirming Owen's theory, Espeon let out a tired sigh. Feeling the exhaustion hit, it collapsed elegantly onto the bed and transformed back into Eevee.
"This is fine too." Seeing Eevee return, Owen smiled. Compared to the nearly 1-meter-tall Espeon, the 0.3-meter Eevee was definitely cuter.
Eevee scurried up Owen's arm and perched on his shoulder, letting out a yawn. It wanted a bath and gestured for Owen to go run the hot water.
"Say... Eevee should be able to use Hidden Power Fire too, right?" Owen had a sudden thought. "How about a cold bath? You can try heating the water yourself."
Eevee: "..."
The next day.
Owen and Mr. Lee entered the Electric Wilderness once more. Yesterday's drama was treated as if it never happened, and the two focused their attention back on Magnemite.
This time, when they entered the spatial magnetic zone, the Electivire didn't show up. It had tacitly allowed them entry. However, Owen's earlier guess didn't immediately bear fruit.
Even with the training in the spatial magnetic field, Magnemite didn't master a rare move like Teleport, nor did it even learn a basic Electric move.
Owen couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. Magnemite was also dejected; it had hoped the field would trigger a new breakthrough, but it seemed like a wasted effort.
"But this attraction exists for a reason. If we can't get results here, it might just be that the magnetic field isn't strong enough," Owen said optimistically to his partner. "One day, I'll take you into a real Secret Realm to experience a true spatial magnetic field!"
"Mag-neee~~" Magnemite cheered up instantly.
"Let's go. Magnemite has accumulated enough energy. It's time to challenge a stronger lightning bolt," Mr. Lee said suddenly.
Since the first day, Magnemite had endured immense pain in exchange for rapid growth. By this final day, the limit of electricity it could store—tempered by the wilderness—was far beyond its peers.
This result would have been impossible in a standard charging room. This advantage would become even clearer once it evolved into Magneton.
Now... it was time.
Somewhere in the Electric Wilderness.
The sky had been clear moments ago, but suddenly a fierce wind swept in. The world grew dim as rolling black clouds swallowed the sun.
Beside Owen, Eevee shivered at the sight of the gathering storm. It wondered if it could blow the clouds away with its psychic powers.
"There's a high chance of Bead Lightning appearing here. It's highly destructive and lasts a long time, though it moves slower than linear lightning.
It will be hard for Magnemite to endure, but if it breaks through its limits during the strike, it will evolve. Otherwise, it will be severely injured," Mr. Lee warned.
"Magnemite!" Owen cheered.
They had come here on the final day specifically for the Bead Lightning. After clearing away the local wild Pokémon, everyone looked toward the sky.
Lightning comes in many forms: linear, ribbon, sheet, and the mysterious ball lightning. There are even rare colors like black, purple, or red. Here, the specialty was Bead Lightning.
Magnemite looked at the sky and flew up with unwavering determination.
Under the black canopy, standard linear bolts fell first. Magnemite acted as a lightning rod, drawing the bolts into its body, tempering its frame, swallowing the voltage, and then venting it out to contest the power of nature.
At first, everything went smoothly... but the "Beads" hadn't arrived yet. Bead Lightning usually follows a linear bolt with almost no interval. The reaction time is incredibly short.
RUMBLE...
Owen saw a linear bolt stretch down from the clouds, widening steadily until its color shifted from white to a brilliant, menacing yellow!
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