Chapter 33: Grinding Terastal Dens a Billion Times

The Grapploct, its entire body covered in cold-resistant white fur, likely has an original form based on the snowmen of the snowy mountains.

Its types are Fighting and Ice; this Pokémon generally appears on snowy mountains rarely trodden by humans, such as Frostbite Mountain in the Paldea region, where traces of their habitation can be found.

Under certain unknown conditions, the Grapploct's pair of fist-like claws will naturally detach; such claws are several times more delicious than those dropped during battle.

At that time, Luo Mu and Luxray had followed behind the Oinkologne and picked up a pair of these claws.

Although recalling the joy of that unexpected windfall, neither Luo Mu nor Luxray rashly moved to contest the Oinkologne for this pair of claws.

It was not that they wished to act as gentlemen and disdain playing the role of the fisherman; rather, beside a Grapploct claw strangely left on the ground, one would generally find lying in wait...

Luo Mu and Luxray fell silent, crouching in the bushes to act as the sixth man; the Oinkologne that discovered the claws first sniffed them with its pink nose, an expression of visible Tao Zui floating across its dark face.

The Oinkologne looked left and right; confirming that no creature other than itself had its eyes on this pair of claws, its eyes brightened slightly, and it first slowly and methodically licked its own fur, as well as the dirt upon its pink hooves.

The Oinkologne prepared to consume the first claw in the most elegant and handsome manner possible, then take the second one away to pursue a female.

At this moment, from the man-high bushes beside the claws, a pair of massive claws, bearing characteristics similar to those on the ground yet clearly much newer, quietly emerged from the grass; the Oinkologne, still immersed in joyful anticipation of the delicacy while cleaning its body, remained completely unaware.

Luo Mu and Luxray still made no move.

This was a struggle between wild Pokémon, and he generally maintained an attitude of a bystander, observing silently.

Only occasionally, when a whim struck, might he intervene.

The Grapploct's twin fists drew closer and closer to the Oinkologne; whether unable to restrain itself or feeling the victory was already certain, ice covered its fists within a few breaths; it seemed the Grapploct intended to settle the match with a single Ice Punch.

However, it was precisely that chill of ice and frost that caused the Oinkologne to react a moment before being struck.

The Oinkologne let out a terrified cry, bending its body down with all its might; the Grapploct's powerful yet slow punch thus grazed the Oinkologne's scalp at the most critical juncture.

The cold air caused a patch of frost to form on the Oinkologne's head; letting out a miserable scream, the Oinkologne did not hesitate to turn and flee.

Its strong limbs provided ample power and speed; in merely the blink of an eye, the Oinkologne had fled until not a trace remained.

The Grapploct slowly glanced at its missed punch, and could only retreat into the bushes with reluctance, quietly awaiting its next prey.

"It's about time..."

Luo Mu's voice was pressed very low, yet as he and Luxray rose from the bushes, they made no attempt to conceal their presence; this disturbance was naturally detected by the Grapploct.

The Grapploct felt that its luck today was truly excellent, that two more prey items had taken the bait so quickly.

Just as usual, the Grapploct crouched in the bushes, quietly awaiting Luo Mu and Luxray to approach.

Suddenly, numerous dazzling points of light appeared beneath the Grapploct; these points of light emerged from underground, and within a few breaths, they had become so dense as to form a pillar of light emitting a brilliant radiance.

Viewed from a distance, a pillar of light emitting brilliant radiance shot skyward from the mid-slope of this mountain body, extremely eye-catching.

"So sudden!?"

Luo Mu and Luxray halted their steps, exchanging a glance of mutual surprise, and made no move.

The eruption of the light pillar lasted only a brief ten-plus seconds before gradually dissipating; the Grapploct, now in its Terastal form, leaned its back against a crystal-clear, brilliant Terastal crystal, its twin fists waving with vigorous force, feeling its body filled to the brim with power.

Upon the Terastal Wang Guan atop the Grapploct's head, Terastal energy formed a giant fist; it was a Fighting-type Terastallization!

At this moment, the Grapploct felt its power was unprecedentedly great, and there was nothing left to fear!

"Meow-ao!"

Luxray suddenly barked at Luo Mu's pocket, which had begun to glow.

Luo Mu looked toward his pocket, reached in, and pulled out the Terastal Orb emitting a mysterious halo, murmuring, "It's charged..."

Blinking his eyes, Luo Mu silently mourned the Grapploct for one second, then said without hesitation, "Terastallize, Luxray!"

As soon as the words fell, Luxray stepped forward to stand opposite the Grapploct; the Terastal Orb thrown by Luo Mu bloomed above its head, scattering Terastal energy.

Crystals enveloped Luxray, then shattered into sparkling fragments; after a crisp sound of breaking, Luxray, whose body surface now shone like cut gemstones, roared loudly at the crescent moon hanging in the sky, its immense pressure shaking the trees of this mountain so violently that the bird Pokémon roosting within them took flight in panic.

Upon the majestic and domineering Terastal Wang Guan worn on Luxray's head, a giant light bulb stood suspended.

The Terastal type... Electric!

The Grapploct had sensed something amiss the moment Luxray roared at the sky; the hot blood rushing to its brain was instantly doused by cold water; it wished to flee, yet due to the restraint of the crystal behind it that continuously emitted Terastal energy, it could not leave this area overflowing with Terastal energy.

The Grapploct widened its eyes, frozen in fear, and raised its twin fists, as if wishing to surrender.

Luo Mu was amused by it; although he very much wanted to say, "At this very moment, are you perhaps joking?" to play on a meme, in the end he said nothing, merely ordering, "Thunderbolt!"

Golden-yellow Lei Ting danced like wild snakes; the Thunderbolt, enhanced by Terastal energy, tore through the air, engulfing both the Grapploct and the Terastal crystal behind it.

In an instant, a dazzling golden-yellow light illuminated more than half the sky.

"As for this pair of claws, we shall accept them with thanks."

Suppressing the desire to drool, Luo Mu embraced the pair of massive claws from the Grapploct as if he had found a treasure.

Seeing his pathetic state, Luxray could only shake its head helplessly, yet it overlooked the crystal-clear liquid seeping from the corner of its own mouth.

The injuries and paralysis effects on the Grapploct, now exited from its Terastal state, had already been treated by Luo Mu.

It lay quietly in the bushes nearby, enjoying a sleep like that of an infant.

The Terastal crystal, just as it had appeared, came quickly and departed quickly.

Originally, after randomly forming in the Paldea region, a Terastal crystal would generally persist for an entire day before dissipating.

But the Grapploct's Terastallization, Luxray's Terastallization, and Luo Mu's Terastal Orb, now fully charged once again, had already exhausted the Terastal energy within the crystal.

Without Terastal energy, the crystal naturally vanished.

"Meow-ao."

Luxray picked up the two fragments of crystal that had fallen to the ground and delivered them into Luo Mu's hand.

"Thank you." Luo Mu took the Terastal fragments picked up by Luxray; focusing his gaze, sure enough, they were Fighting-type Terastal fragments.

Merely looking at this thing made his liver throb with hidden pain, recalling the experience from when Zhu Zi was first released, where he had spent day and night grinding six-star Terastal Dens in order to change Terastal types.