"Alright, system, I'm ready. Now how do I initiate confronting the heavenly tribulation?"
Wang Shóu, in his Pikachu form, asked the system bluntly. After talking with his companions and finding a secluded place, he was prepared to face the tribulation.
[No need to worry. You will be teleported to a safe space. It will start when you are ready.]
Before Wang Shóu could blink twice, he suddenly found himself on top of a tall mountain peak, with the bright sun glaring down from above. Below, there were only endless white clouds stretching to the end of the world.
Looking around curiously, Wang Shóu silently marveled. 'Wow... it's a beautiful place and surprisingly, it's not hard for me to breathe.'
This also saved Wang Shóu the worry of being noticed when he faced the heavenly tribulation. Until he reached sufficient power, he didn't want to face Di Tian if possible.
Taking a deep breath, Wang Shóu shouted loudly. "I'm ready, system!"
Then the world suddenly changed. The endless white clouds turned into dark, gloomy clouds and began to ascend, rising above the tall mountain.
Soon, the dark clouds blotted out the sun, and dangerous blue lightning crackled between the clouds.
Wang Shóu gulped upon seeing the power of the heavenly tribulation but soon, his eyes became determined.
"Give me your worst, heavenly tribulation!"
Then the first bolt of lightning tore through the sky and descended. Wang Shóu barely had time to react before it crashed down with a deafening roar.
Wang Shóu hastily used the move Protect, trying to lessen the power as much as possible, but the sheer might of the tribulation shattered it like brittle glass.
A blinding flash consumed his vision, and an overwhelming force slammed into his body.
BANG!
"Argh!" Wang Shóu gritted his teeth as searing pain coursed through every fiber of his being, barely managing to stay standing. Even as an Electric-type with resistance against lightning, it was almost too unbearable!
The heavens rumbled once more. The swirling dark clouds churned with fury, their depths surging with even greater power.
Wang Shóu's chest rose and fell heavily as he clenched his fists. The first strike alone had nearly broken him. And he had to endure several more!
"Is this all you've got?" Wang Shóu spat out a mouthful of blood but steadied himself.
Above him, the second bolt of lightning gathered, its form thicker, more concentrated, pulsing with an eerie blue glow.
The air trembled, crackling with violent arcs of energy. Then the next bolt descended like a wrathful dragon, roaring through the heavens, hitting Wang Shóu with an overwhelming force, aiming to obliterate him entirely.
BANG!
'No wonder 100,000-year-old spirit beasts are so rare!'
Wang Shóu thought, gritting his teeth, trying to endure the pain. Heavenly tribulation is really out to kill!
Unbeknownst to Wang Shóu, the heavenly tribulation was specifically targeting him, bent on killing him!
Unaware, Wang Shóu could only grit his teeth and silently bear the power of the thunder tribulation...
---
In a mysterious space, two beings seemed to be watching something.
The first unknown being had a silhouette similar to a male human, and his body constantly exuded a mighty aura that was on par with a God-King at the minimum!
While the second unknown being's form was vague and hazy, as if it could not be observed!
And they were both peering through the space, watching a person. Shockingly, it was Wang Shóu undergoing the Heavenly Tribulation!
"I'm curious... Why was it necessary for Wang Shóu to go through the heavenly tribulation? After all, Wang Shóu is a Pokémon, so the restrictions imposed by the Dragon God shouldn't apply to him?"
The first unknown being asked the second unknown being, with familiarity in his tone as he mentioned Wang Shóu.
The second unknown being replied, watching Wang Shóu.
"Because it is not only for Wang Shóu but also for the future generations of Pokémon."
"Future generations?"
The first unknown being muttered, his tone filled with confusion.
The second unknown being didn't keep the other party in suspense for long and continued speaking.
"You may not know this, but Pokémon were refugees, entering the Douluo universe, hoping to co-exist with the natives. But unexpectedly, the will of the universe vehemently rejected them, treating them as invaders."
Obviously, it was the first time the first unknown being had heard about the unknown history of Pokémon. The first unknown being asked incredulously.
"But why? Pokémon haven't done anything to harm the universe."
The second unknown being merely shrugged.
"Who knows? No one knows. Anyway, the universe's will attempted to get rid of Pokémon by any means possible."
"Though Pokémon tried to seek a harmonious cooperation, they couldn't stand it anymore, so they naturally fought back. Unfortunately, the universe's will was too powerful, but thankfully, Pokémon that reached the God level were able to critically injure the universe's will. However, in doing so, they fell into a deep sleep.
"The universe's will was too injured to do anything, so it did the only thing it could. It imposed restrictions on Pokémon to prevent them from becoming a threat and waited until it recovered its full strength before destroying all of them."
"So, it's a critical period for Wang Shóu and especially for the future of Pokémon. If Wang Shóu succeeds in breaking the restriction, Pokémon will be able to stay in the Douluo universe. But if he fails... well, I don't need to say what the consequences are."
Hearing the second unknown being's explanation, the first unknown being fell into a long silence. Then he asked.
"I see... but why Wang Shóu?"
"Because it is a necessary trial for Wang Shóu. One day, Wang Shóu will inherit the mantle of watching over Pokémon. So, this is the first step for Wang Shóu. By forging a future for Pokémon."
Nodding, the first unknown being asked another question.
"There is one thing I don't understand. Why did you stand by, watching Pokémon suffer? You could have solved everything, but you chose to do nothing."
The second unknown being fell into deep silence. After a long moment, it spoke with complexity in its voice.
"Because... they need to grow up. One day, their parent will not be there for them, so they have to learn to be self-sufficient, even if it meant suffering."
The first unknown being didn't say anything. He may not agree with the second unknown being's decision, but he wasn't qualified to criticize it either.
After a while, the first unknown being asked, "Aren't you afraid there might be an accident with Wang Shóu confronting the universe's will?"
"No worries. I suppressed the heavenly tribulation's strength countless times until it became almost harmless to a God."
The first unknown being's mouth twitched after hearing the second unknown being's answer.
'But it is still super dangerous for Wang Shóu, who hasn't reached God level!'
Unaware of the first unknown being's mood, who was speechless, the second unknown being asked back a question.
"Why are you concerned? You know better than me how invaluable this is as an opportunity for Wang Shóu."
"Yeah... it is indeed a great opportunity for him. I estimate that in a few moments, Wang Shóu will come up with an idea to deal with it."
The first unknown being nodded, agreeing with the second unknown being. At the same time, his eyes flashed with an inexplicable golden color.
---
Facing the unrelenting strike of the heavenly tribulation, Wang Shóu knew he couldn't keep this up any longer.
Soon, even with his resistance as an Electric-type, he would definitely die!
But how do I break this stalemate?
Frantically trying to come up with ideas but to no avail, Wang Shóu's eyes fell to the ground. Surprisingly, despite the power of the heavenly tribulation, when it hit the ground, it immediately dispersed as if the mountain were a black hole, devouring everything.
Seeing this, an inspiration flashed through Wang Shóu's mind.
'It's so simple! I'm an Electric-type Pokémon! So, I can try to absorb the energy of the heavenly tribulation!'
Soon, the dark clouds rumbled once again, and the third bolt of lightning gathered at an extremely fast rate.
Then it crashed down like a hammer strike, hitting Wang Shóu with full force.
BANG!
Wang Shóu grunted in pain, but he held on. Then, to verify his guess, he no longer tried to resist the heavenly tribulation. Instead, he tried to accept the heavenly tribulation.
At first, the pain was unbearable. The sheer force of the heavenly tribulation threatened to tear Wang Shóu apart from the inside out.
His muscles spasmed uncontrollably, his nerves screaming in agony as raw lightning coursed through his body. His vision blurred, and for a moment, he thought he had made a grave mistake.
But then, something changed.
The energy, wild and chaotic, began to settle. It did not vanish, nor did it rampage through him unchecked. It lingered, crackling beneath his skin like a storm waiting to be unleashed.
Wang Shóu could feel the immense power surging through his body, and slowly, he focused his will, guiding it instead of resisting it.
Wang Shóu gasped. It was working!
His body was not rejecting the heavenly tribulation. Instead it was adapting and absorbing it!
What was once a force meant to destroy him was now becoming a part of him. His cells drank in the energy hungrily, refining it, and nourishing his entire body!
The strain was still there, but it felt more... controllable now.
The heavenly tribulation, however, were not pleased. The dark clouds churned violently, as if enraged.
The tribulation lightning gathered again, this time denser, fiercer and more powerful than ever, trying to annihilate Wang Shóu!
But Wang Shóu only grinned at this.
"Come on, then," he muttered, his confidence rising. "Let's see who devours who first!"
As the next bolt descended, Wang Shóu welcomed it, his body bracing to claim its power as his own.
BANG!
It was immensely painful, but Wang Shóu adapted to it. Relying on his previous experience, he guided the energy of the heavenly tribulation, absorbing it.
As he did so, Wang Shóu suddenly felt something. A mysterious, wonderful sensation guiding his mind.
An epiphany.
But unlike others, Wang Shóu didn't comprehend anything. No, deep within his mind, memories began to stir. Memories of the teaching of his high school physics teacher that he thought he had long forgotten.
Lightning... in simple terms, is a phenomenon of electromagnetic forces. Electromagnetic force is one of the four fundamental forces of the universe. It holds things together, makes electricity flow, and makes magnets stick to metal.
Everything is made of tiny particles. Some have a charge—positive or negative. Opposites attract, and like charges repel. That's why lightning happens. The sky and ground build up different charges, and when the difference becomes too big, energy jumps across as a lightning bolt.
Electricity moves because charged particles seek balance. If there's a path, they flow. If something blocks them, they stop. A good path lets them move faster and stronger.
Magnets are connected to this too. Moving charge creates a magnetic field, and moving magnets can push charge to create electricity. They work together—electricity creates magnetism, and magnetism creates electricity. That's how motors and power work.
That is how the universe works. Do you understand what I'm saying?
It was as if a bomb had exploded in Wang Shóu's mind.
Now, he was beginning to understand.
Closing his eyes, Wang Shóu gradually grasped the phenomena of lightning and the deeper force behind it—the electromagnetic force.
If any Titled Douluo were to see this, they would definitely be shocked.
Because Wang Shóu was comprehending the Law of Lightning! And he was progressing rapidly!
Surprisingly, the crackling of blue lightning began to lessen, and the dark clouds started to disperse as if the heavenly tribulation itself had grown timid.
But suddenly, a strong pull emerged from Wang Shóu's body, drawing in the heavenly tribulation with overwhelming force.
The heavenly tribulation, helpless, was sucked into Wang Shóu's body without much resistance. And as the sun, once blotted out, shone upon the world once again.
Then Wang Shóu began to evolve.
With the intense energy of the heavenly tribulation, his body shone with a dazzling light of evolution, overshadowing even the brilliance of the sun!
In the radiant glow, Wang Shóu's muscles stretched, and the once soft, compact form of his body elongated, morphing into a large, bipedal, rodent-like creature. His limbs grew, his tiny paws expanded, and his torso widened, gaining a white belly.
His tail—once short and shaped like a lightning bolt—began to thin and lengthen, forming a long, whip-like tail with a distinctive lightning bolt-shaped tip.
Soon, the dazzling light faded, revealing Wang Shóu in his new form!
He now stood as an upright, rodent-like creature, three feet tall. His yellow fur had darkened into an orange hue. While maintaining the childlike cuteness of his face, his long ears had transformed into brown, bifurcated ears that curled at the ends. The red patches on his cheeks had turned into circular yellow markings, and his nose had become a small, triangular, dark brown point.
As the evolution settled, Wang Shóu opened his eyes and exhaled a slow, steady breath.
Wang Shóu has evolved into Raichu!
But it wasn't over yet.
A brilliant light of evolution shone once again on Wang Shóu's body!
An unprecedented third evolution in Pokémon's history was about to take place!