97 Chapter 97:

Sniper's lethal artistry lay in the way its blows intensified upon striking a vital point. Its potency grew more powerful with each precise strike, causing untold damage to its hapless prey.

Cain knew that if he could procure the right item for his Skorupi, a weapon that could amplify its critical hit rate, he would have at his disposal an instant damage machine of unparalleled strength.

This was especially true for Pokemon with inherent weaknesses. A single hit to their vulnerable points, and they would quickly succumb to their wounds.

What amazed Cain even more was the fact that Skorupi, upon hatching, had already learned two essential moves- Bug Bite and Knock Off. It was clear that this little Pokemon possessed an extraordinary talent.

Of all the Pokemon in Cain's arsenal, the light blue Skorupi possessed the greatest potential. The difference in combat power between Pokemon of varying aptitudes at the same level was significant.

The hatching of Skorupi was a joyous event, and the other Pokemon in Cain's team eagerly awaited the chance to meet the newborn. Murkrow, Slowpoke, and the rest longed to touch the little guy, but were afraid of hurting him.

Cain decided to lead by example and gently caressed Skorupi's shell with his hand. The newborn was still soft and slightly rough to the touch.

Encouraged by Cain's demonstration, Slowpoke and the others carefully approached the little guy, but he remained oblivious to their curious fingers as he suckled on his milk.

Soon enough, the bottle was empty, and Skorupi let out a contented burp. The newborn then crawled up Cain's arm and settled comfortably on his collar, rubbing its head against Cain's neck before drifting off to sleep.

The Skorupi's tiny claws clung tightly to Cain's clothes, their minuscule barbs latching onto the fibers with a tenacity that would make any velcro proud. Even if Cain were to undertake a rigorous exercise regimen, the little creature would never shake off.

Slowpoke and the others cast a final, wistful glance at the slumbering Skorupi before returning to their basic training. The newborn was still in its infancy and would spend the majority of its time asleep. Cain had no intention of recalling it to its Pokeball just yet. The little Pokemon was still small enough to perch comfortably on his shoulder, barely registering as a living creature to the casual observer.

Before it could evolve into a Drapion, Skorupi was a dual-type Pokemon with attributes of poison and bug. However, after it evolved, its attributes would shift to poison and dark. Despite this evolution, it would not forget its innate bug-type moves, which increased its versatility considerably.

Bug moves were twice as effective against Grass, Psychic, and Dark-types, while Poison moves were twice as effective against Grass and Fairy-types. As for Dark moves, they were doubly potent against Ghost and Psychic-types. Though some of the moves overlapped, there was no denying the incredible power of Bug-type moves.

And let's not forget about Poison - it was undoubtedly one of the most dangerous attributes in the entire Pokemon World, placing among the top three in terms of sheer lethality.

Unlike in Pokemon games, these creatures were not limited to merely releasing poison when they attacked. They could unleash potent venom at any time, through any part of their body. This poison carried different effects, from corrosion to paralysis, and it was a formidable weapon to wield.

When navigating the wilds, encountering a Poison-type Pokemon was one of the most harrowing experiences. Once a Pokemon was poisoned, the effect was far more insidious than other debuffs like burns, paralysis, or freezing.

The initial effects of the poison might not be obvious, but over time, it would gradually spread, sapping the Pokemon's combat power and even putting its life in jeopardy.

Bear in mind, these creatures were tough. They could endure brutal attacks, but they were helpless against the caustic power of poison energy. And humans were even more vulnerable. Faced with this deadly force, if they failed to detoxify in time, the consequences could be dire.

Cain never left home without ample antidotes, but he knew that even that was not always enough. The toxins produced by a Poison-type Pokemon were unique to each creature. Some could be neutralized by antidotes, but others were more pernicious.

When Skorupi was born, it absorbed the purple energy imbued in its egg. That energy was Poison Energy, and so the newborn Pokemon was already venomous. And though it had yet to unleash it, that energy was slowly evolving, accumulating, and coalescing into a poisonous sac. In due time, Skorupi would reveal the full extent of its venomous potential and the true terror of a Poison-type Pokemon.

Cain had already charted Skorupi's path forward, mindful of its unique characteristics. As a Sniper specialist, Skorupi needed to deliver a potent burst of poison that would quickly and decisively finish off its opponents, rather than slowly weakening them over time like Gastly's poison.

If Gastly was the insidious and gradual gangrene that crept up on its victims, then Skorupi was the explosive and venomous king cobra!

To that end, Cain planned to seek out powerful poison-type items to amplify Skorupi's toxicity, allowing it to use as little poison as possible in battle until its poison sac was fully matured.

Once Skorupi evolved into a Drapion, it would have access to various energy-based attacks and three different Fang moves, making its arsenal of moves even more formidable.

With the aid of Miltank's milk, Cain believed that Skorupi would mature more rapidly, shedding its juvenile skin and growing into its adult form much sooner. Then, it would be time for Cain to begin its intensive training.

Observing his other four Pokemon training methodically, Cain smiled, knowing that he had a lifetime of experience to guide Skorupi's growth and development. He could control the pace and rhythm of its evolution, ensuring that it would become the ultimate weapon in his arsenal.

Cain took out the manual on psychic training that Sabrina had given him and started perusing it once more. Though he had already read it numerous times, he always managed to glean something new from it. The words on the pages were like a living organism, fluid and malleable, changing every time he approached them from a different angle.

Cain couldn't help but marvel at the manual's author, sensing a hidden genius lurking behind the carefully crafted words. It was a pity that the manual was incomplete, with only the first volume to guide him.

Suddenly, Cain felt a stirring in his heart, and he called out to the A.I. System. "How far along is the analysis for the psychic rapid advancement mission?"

[Due to an expansion of the database, the analysis time has been extended. Time remaining: 6 hours, 31 minutes, 42 seconds!]

The robotic voice of the A.I. System reverberated in Cain's mind. The analysis was taking longer than expected, perhaps due to the increased amount of data imported from the breeding house.

"By tomorrow morning, I should have the results," Cain thought to himself, silently anticipating the outcome.