After realizing what Terrance was waiting for, Troy calmed himself down and waited quietly alongside Beedrill.
Before Troy returned, Terrance had already recalled all of his Pokémon, letting them rest inside their Poké Balls.
However, the ones that most needed to adjust their mental state were Vulpix and Altaria, because the upcoming event would be centered around them.
"Rotom, how much longer?"
"Four minutes and thirty-three seconds."
"Alright."
After confirming, Terrance took out Vulpix's Poké Ball.
With a flash of white light, the snow-white Vulpix appeared atop a rock, its amber pupils gazing up at the sky.
It could already feel the power of the moonlight growing stronger.
"It's that white Vulpix!" Upon seeing Vulpix, Troy was dazed. It was this very Vulpix that had defeated his Weedle with just a single glance. He wondered whether he and Beedrill now had the qualifications to face it in battle.
After releasing Vulpix, Terrance also released Altaria, who had been resting inside its Poké Ball.
Both Pokémon were gathering power for the full moon, though compared to Vulpix, who was about to evolve, Altaria's role this time was purely supportive.
"This is Altaria, a Pokémon from the Hoenn region. Other than the Pokémon from Kanto, you probably aren't familiar with Pokémon from other regions, right?" Terrance said, looking at Troy.
"Yeah, I've only studied the Pokémon from Kanto," Troy nodded.
"Are you wondering what I'm about to do next?" Terrance asked with a faint smile, noticing the puzzled look on Troy's face.
"Yes," Troy replied.
"It's evolution. Vulpix has already accumulated enough potential to evolve, and since there happens to be a full moon tonight, it finally has the perfect opportunity to do so."
Terrance looked toward the sky. According to the Rotom Pokédex's calculations, this mountain peak was the place where the moonlight's power would be strongest tonight, ideal for channeling Fairy energy.
"Evolve…" Troy was stunned. "Doesn't Vulpix need a Fire Stone to evolve? Why wait for the full moon?"
"Uh…" Troy paused mid-sentence. He realized that Terrance's Vulpix was completely different from the one he knew. It must be a species from another region he wasn't familiar with.
"Vulpix does indeed need a stone to evolve," Terrance replied. "Although my Vulpix is the Alola regional variant, which is Ice-type, it still relies on an evolutionary stone to evolve, just like how Kanto Vulpix uses a Fire Stone. But did you know? There isn't only one evolution method, and there are many factors that can influence it."
Troy shook his head blankly.
"You've heard of Eevee, right? As an Evolution Pokémon, its genes are highly unstable. It can suddenly evolve into different species depending on environmental differences. Academic circles discovered long ago that when the energy fluctuations in certain special environments reach a specific intensity, they can replicate the effects of an evolutionary stone. Eevee was the first creature to confirm that conclusion."
"There are plenty of other examples, like Slowbro and Slowking…"
"Umm, Mr. Gym Leader, but moonlight and Ice Stone…." Troy still didn't understand.
Terrance laughed heartily. Troy's question was exactly what he wanted to hear. The fact that Troy asked it showed he wasn't lacking in insight.
"Let me ask you this, do you know what types Alolan Ninetales has?"
"Its primary type is Ice, and its secondary type is Fairy," Terrance answered before Troy could respond.
"Ice Stone can only guide and enhance Vulpix's Ice-type abilities. As for its Fairy-type abilities, their awakening merely occurs as a secondary effect accompanying the enhancement of its primary attribute. Compared to its control over ice, Alolan Ninetales' mastery over Fairy energy is far inferior," Terrance explained.
"So that's why you're using the power of the moonlight to amplify Vulpix's Fairy-type abilities, and achieve a balance between its types…" Troy deduced.
Terrance nodded. "In the Hoenn region, there's a mysterious Pokémon called Lunatone. Its strength and health is tied to the lunar phases—it reaches its peak strength during the full moon, and during the new moon, it can barely move at will. Clearly, Lunatone is deeply connected to the power of moonlight. And it's not alone; many moves and energies are also linked to the power of moonlight, just as numerous moves and energies are associated with the power of the sun."
"Synthesis, Solar Beam, the growth of Grass-type Pokémon…"
"And Fairy energy is a type of elemental energy that is intrinsically connected to the power of moonlight."
At that moment, Altaria had already taken flight, positioning itself in the sky above Vulpix.
There were thirty-five seconds left before the full moon appeared.
"Bathed in the dual energies of moonlight and ice, it can maximize the potential of Vulpix after evolution and allow the power it gains through evolution to reach its peak. That's why I've been waiting here for the full moon."
When Terrance finished explaining this elaborate evolution theory, Troy nodded in a daze.
Terrance hadn't expected him to understand everything at once. Troy's ability to consider tactics involving Berries, Pokémon Abilities, and moves showed that he had good potential. With proper guidance, his growth could be accelerated.
Of course, even if Troy understood Terrance's theory about Vulpix's evolution, he wouldn't be able to replicate it. In fact, no one could.
Aside from the move Moonblast, Vulpix had no ability to directly channel moonlight. Even when using Moonblast, it couldn't absorb the Fairy energy within the moonlight to strengthen itself. However, Terrance could use Altaria's Fairy Aura to draw upon the power of moonlight and infuse it into Vulpix to strengthen it. And Fairy Aura was an ability exclusive to Terrance's Altaria and Xerneas. Because of that, this evolutionary method was something no outsider could ever replicate.
Still, if Troy could understand the principle behind it, he might be able to apply the same logic to other Pokémon evolutions.
After all, there were countless wondrous treasures and special places in this world.
The ability to convert power of moonlight was a unique technique Altaria had discovered while studying Fairy Aura, which is strikingly similar to Lunatone's power to communicate with the moon.
"It's here!"
As silence fell over the mountain peak, Terrance called out softly.
The next instant, the full moon completely emerged, and the power of the moonlight reached its peak.
With a resonant cry, Altaria's entire body erupted in a brilliant white light—self-Mega Evolution!!
The sight left Troy and Beedrill utterly stunned.
The Mega Evolution process was overwhelmingly spectacular. At the same time, Altaria began releasing Fairy Aura, enveloping Vulpix within it.
In the sky above, as the Fairy Aura took shape, countless strands of moonlight flowed downward, merging into the pillar of Fairy Aura that surrounded Vulpix.
"Vulpix, Altaria, use Moonblast!" Terrance commanded swiftly.
The moment the full moon appeared, the power of both Pokémon's Moonblast reached their absolute peak. These moves, fueled by the power of the moon itself, were now frantically absorbing its energy.
The powerful Moonblast greatly accelerated the Fairy Aura's absorption of moonlight. Almost instantly, the Fairy Aura surrounding Vulpix seemed to intensify severalfold.
"Vulpix, catch this."
Seeing the perfect moment arrive, Terrance threw the top-quality Ice Stone toward Vulpix.
Enveloped in Fairy Aura, Little Vulpix quickly caught the Ice Stone with its six tails, then began to draw the energy from within it with all its might.
Bathed in the dual energies of ice and moonlight, Vulpix's body seemed to be undergoing the most extravagant baptism in the world.
"Vulpix~~~"
As Vulpix cried out, an immense amount of energy crazily surged into its body, awakening its latent potential.
Evolution—the most miraculous growth process that can occur in a Pokémon—was now taking place within Vulpix.
Surrounded by white light, the radiance of evolution spread outward as Vulpix's body began to change.
Watching Vulpix's evolution, Troy held his breath, Rotom Pokédex frantically snapped photos, while Terrance quietly looked towards Vulpix, full of anticipation.
The process of evolution was swift, merely two or three seconds, but within those few seconds, Vulpix experienced much. To it, the passage of time felt endlessly long.
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