Chapitre 171: Chapter 170: Pokémon Version Hero Alliance

During the several-hour train ride, most passengers occupied themselves with reading newspapers, listening to music, or playing games. Kaminari, however, had his head buried in a book titled Berkeley Physics Course.

The edition he was reading wasn't the modern "SI" version widely available on the market but the original publication from the 1970s. Of course, such a rare book wasn't something he owned, it had been kindly lent to him by Momo.

"Dad, look! Look!"

"I found a Pikachu! Pikachu!"

"Oh? Really? Show me where you caught it! Maybe I'll take a walk there later..."

The playful conversation nearby caught Kaminari's attention, pulling him from the depths of his studies. He glanced to the right, where the voices had come from, and spotted a father and son seated across from each other, both engrossed in their Nintendo 3DS consoles.

Judging by their excited chatter, they were playing a game together. However, Kaminari couldn't help but notice the apparent age gap. The boy seemed around seven or eight years old, while the father looked to be in his late thirties or early forties, though it was hard to tell if his appearance was deceiving.

"Pokémon still has this kind of hype?" Kaminari mused aloud.

But his comment went unnoticed. The father and son remained completely focused on their game.

"Don't use Vine Whip!"

"Pikachu's health is already down to half! If you use that move, it might faint. Pikachu's only level 5—use 'Tackle' instead!"

"Got it!"

"Bulbasaur, use Tackle!"

"Yes! Pikachu didn't faint! It's still hanging on by a sliver of HP!"

"Then what are you waiting for? Throw the Poké Ball now! Quickly!"

Kaminari watched the scene unfold, his expression blank as they continued to ignore his presence.

"Really, uncle? You're a grown man, yet you're as excited as a kid. Isn't that a bit much?" Kaminari thought to himself, slightly amused.

"I caught it! I caught Pikachu!!"

The boy suddenly shouted in excitement. Luckily, the carriage wasn't too crowded, so no one seemed to mind the outburst.

"So there really is a game..." Kaminari thought, curiosity piqued. Instead of interrupting further, he pulled out his phone to check online. After a quick search, he confirmed that his father's company had indeed collaborated with Nintendo to launch a game.

"It was officially released three days ago," Kaminari muttered to himself. "Looks like Dad's career is still thriving. That's good to see."

As his thoughts drifted, a new idea popped into his mind.

"Since Dad's ventured into the gaming industry, maybe I could pitch some ideas for games that don't exist in this world yet?" Kaminari's mind raced. "I wonder if he plans to just sell the rights or if he's interested in forming his own development department."

The possibilities began to snowball in his head. If his father were to establish a dedicated game development team, Kaminari could contribute so many ideas from his memory. After all, his mind was filled with creative concepts and intellectual properties.

"If it works out, we could create something like a Pokémon version of League of Heroes!" Kaminari's excitement grew. "Replace the 'Heroes' with Pokémon, let players start as trainers instead of summoners, and turn the wild monsters into wild Pokémon. For instance, the Dragon Boss could be swapped with Giratina, and we could introduce five legendary Pokémon with different attributes as replacements for the Elder Dragon."

His imagination spiraled further.

"Flame Pokémon like Moltres could boost player damage. Rayquaza could increase movement speed, while Lugia could enhance healing abilities. The possibilities are endless!"

The more Kaminari thought about it, the more excited he became. His inner "gamer soul" was fully awakened.

"And there are so many Pokémon to choose from. We'd never run out of new heroes to introduce!" He grinned to himself. "But this time, we can't partner with Nintendo. We'd need to keep it entirely under our control. This game alone could secure our family's fortune for generations!"

With these thoughts fueling his excitement, the train eventually reached its destination. Kaminari disembarked, though the father and son remained seated, still immersed in their game.

However, something was off. The station sign didn't say "Saitama." Instead, it read "Shizuoka." Clearly, Kaminari wasn't heading home just yet.

"First, I'll stop by the Shizuoka District to drop off my battle suit with Dr. Tenma and check on Tetsutetsu's suit while I'm at it," he muttered.

With this plan in mind, Kaminari quickly exited the station and hailed a taxi. At this moment, all he wanted was to wrap things up quickly so he could finally return home to see his parents.

---

The taxi ride was much faster than walking. Within minutes, Kaminari arrived at his destination: a traditional Japanese two-story wooden house. After paying the driver a fare of 4,000 yen, he stepped inside.

Akemi greeted him at the entrance and led him straight to the laboratory, where Dr. Tenma was waiting.

"Finally! I've been waiting for you!" Dr. Tenma's tone was as cool and professional as ever, though there was a faint trace of impatience in his voice.

"Does that mean you've figured out the idea I told you about?" Kaminari asked eagerly.

"I've got a rough prototype in mind. It should work!" Dr. Tenma said with a confident smile. Gesturing for Kaminari to follow, he added, "Come with me. I'll explain the concept and show you something."

Kaminari nodded and followed the doctor closely. Soon, they arrived at the same room where he had first seen the "Cancer's Golden Cloth."

This time, however, the cylindrical glass case held something different: a large white coat. As it slowly rotated within the display, it exuded an elegant aura, almost as if it were being gently blown by the wind.

"That's... Tetsutetsu's new combat suit!" Kaminari's golden eyes widened. The coat's design was impressive, but what truly caught his attention was the bold word Justice emblazoned across the back as it turned.

"Even though my suit is cool, this cloak has its own charm," Kaminari murmured, appreciating the craftsmanship.

"This combat uniform is finished," Dr. Tenma explained. "We've already notified Tetsutetsu. He should be arriving soon. Once he gets here, we'll go over the details of the design. But first, let me show you something."

Dr. Tenma turned to the ceiling and gave a command: "Sadako, bring out Prototype No. 2!"

"Understood. One moment," replied a delicate, feminine voice from seemingly nowhere.

Before Kaminari could fully process what was happening, another cylindrical glass case emerged from the ground beside the first.

"Huh? Is that... sand?" Kaminari stepped closer to inspect the new display. Inside the glass case was a pile of golden sand, glowing faintly under the light. It wasn't a small amount either—nearly two-thirds of the case was filled.

***

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Chapitre 172: Chapter 171: Expensive!

"Your previous idea was to turn the suit into loose particles, letting artificial intelligence control them to attack and defend," Dr. Tenma began as he gestured to the second glass case. "But after studying it all night, I ultimately decided to reject the concept."

Dr. Tenma stood in front of "Glass Cover No. 2," adjusting his white lab coat as he turned to face Kaminari.

"It's not that it's impossible to turn the suit into particles. In fact, that part is relatively simple. The material your battle suit is made of is excellent for shape manipulation."

"But!" he emphasized, pushing his glasses higher on the bridge of his nose.

"I've already explained this before, the hardness of the SIS memory alloy is only comparable to that of steel. If it's used directly in combat without additional structure, it'll sustain damage far too easily. And once it's damaged, we don't have any surplus SIS material to repair or replace it."

Kaminari listened carefully, nodding as his gaze shifted to the pile of golden sand inside the glass case. He wasn't disappointed by the rejection of his original idea, he trusted Dr. Tenma's expertise to find a better alternative.

"Then what are these?" he asked, gesturing toward the shimmering sand.

"These are nanomagnetic metamaterials," Dr. Tenma explained. "My revised idea is to have artificial intelligence control these particles. They will automatically attack or defend based on your commands and situational needs."

"But the most critical aspect of this concept," he continued, "is establishing a stable connection between these particles and the AI. That part is by far the most challenging."

At this point, Dr. Tenma glanced at the battle suit case Kaminari was holding.

"So, for now, you'll need to leave your suit with me."

Kaminari didn't hesitate to agree. After all, he wasn't likely to need the suit in the immediate future. However, he did set a condition.

"Alright, but it needs to be ready before the final exams. I'm guessing the hero subject's exam will include something like simulated combat."

Dr. Tenma raised an eyebrow. "When are these final exams?"

"Early July," Kaminari replied.

"Hmm, that gives us over a month. That's plenty of time," Dr. Tenma said with a confident smile. Then, as if struck by inspiration, he asked, "By the way, do you want to name the new functionality we're adding? It'd help us label it for development."

"Name it?" Kaminari tilted his head, puzzled.

"Yes. You've already named the existing modes of your suit. So why not name this new mode as well? It'll keep the naming scheme consistent, and we can log it properly in the project files."

"Oh!" Kaminari exclaimed as realization dawned on him. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, muttering to himself.

"Gold Sand Mode? No, no, that's way too plain and uninspired. It needs something cooler—something dramatic to match the tone of the previous modes."

After a moment of deliberation, Kaminari straightened up, a confident smile playing on his lips. "Let's call it Absolute Defense!"

"Absolute Defense?" Dr. Tenma echoed, raising an eyebrow. "What's the reasoning behind that name?"

"Think about it," Kaminari said, gesturing enthusiastically. "If everything works out, these gold particles will be controlled by Pikachu, right?"

"Of course," Dr. Tenma confirmed.

"With Pikachu's processing power, it'll be able to analyze opponents' movements and respond instantly, creating near-perfect defenses. Even if I stand completely still, it'll be almost impossible for most opponents to land a hit on me, unless they're extraordinarily powerful!"

Kaminari's eyes gleamed as he envisioned the scenario. "This is the beauty of artificial intelligence. How many people could break through such a defense?"

"Hmm." Dr. Tenma nodded, stroking his chin. "The name does sound a bit over-the-top, but it's fitting. I'll approve it."

Then, with a faint smile, he added, "You have a knack for naming things. I struggled for ages to come up with a name for my son!"

"Uh… naming people is a bit different from naming modes and moves, don't you think?" Kaminari said, scratching the back of his head, looking slightly awkward.

Quickly changing the topic, he asked, "By the way, can you work on a carrying mode for the suit as well?"

"A carrying mode?" Dr. Tenma repeated, blinking in surprise.

"Yeah! The biggest difference between my suit and others isn't just the material, it's the built-in artificial intelligence, right? So, why can't I have the battle suit follow me?"

Kaminari explained further, "It's kind of inconvenient to carry this case everywhere. If the suit could transform into something portable, like a small 'pet' form, that would solve the problem. Maybe… something like Pikachu?"

Dr. Tenma stared at Kaminari, momentarily speechless at his whimsical suggestion. If Edgeshot were present, he might've patted Kaminari on the shoulder for his bold imagination.

Kaminari pointed toward the glass case containing the golden sand. "And these particles—they'll need to be portable too. How else can I bring them with me?"

Dr. Tenma chuckled, shaking his head. "You don't need to worry about that. While it may look like a lot, the particles are compressible. Once compacted, they'll only be slightly larger than an orange."

"What about the weight?" Kaminari asked skeptically. "Compressing the size doesn't change the mass."

"Ah, that's the clever part," Dr. Tenma explained with a knowing grin. "Pikachu will use electromagnetic manipulation to offset the weight. You won't feel it at all."

"That's amazing!" Kaminari exclaimed, thoroughly impressed. He knew the technological level of this world far surpassed that of his previous life, but the more he learned, the more it astonished him.

However, he was starting to realize just how advanced this research facility was. The laboratory was clearly one of the most cutting-edge in the world, and Dr. Tenma himself was likely among Japan's top three scientists, if not the very best.

"Since you can compress the sand, can it take the form of a Poké Ball when compacted?" Kaminari asked excitedly. "And maybe you could add some cool patterns or designs to it?"

"That's a simple shaping process," Dr. Tenma said with a laugh. He immediately guessed what Kaminari was thinking but agreed without hesitation.

"However," Dr. Tenma added with a serious tone, "I should warn you—all these extra features will come at a cost. The more additions we make, the more expensive it will be."

Kaminari froze, realizing he hadn't considered the price. Hesitantly, he asked, "How much are we talking about?"

"Let's see…" Dr. Tenma said thoughtfully before turning his attention upward. "Sadako, calculate the estimated cost of the modifications we just discussed."

"Understood," the AI replied, and after a brief pause, the voice delivered a response that made Kaminari's heart sink.

"Approximately 30 million yen. This estimate excludes the cost of the nanomagnetic metamaterials."

"Th-thirty million yen?!" Kaminari stammered, feeling a wave of dread wash over him.

Then, a thought struck him. "Wait—why are the material costs excluded?" Although it was a relief, he needed to understand why.

"Because if we included them, you couldn't afford it, even if your father's entire company were sold," Dr. Tenma said with a faint smile. "Mr. Mitsui personally authorized waiving the material fees for you."

At that moment, Kaminari realized just how incredibly valuable his combat suit truly was.

***

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