Chapter 36: Attack Individual Value Increased to the Maximum!

"And move learning..." Guangtai's gaze rested on the Arceus sculpture he had carved.

An Arceus sculpture could allow a Pokémon to master a powerful move that it would normally only learn after evolving—from a competitive standpoint, this was illegitimate. But in reality, that didn't matter at all!

However, Guangtai did not immediately take the Arceus figurine out. Instead, after a moment of thought, he selected a piece of high-quality stone and began to carve the likeness of a Petilil. He decided he would need to create a version in both stone and wood. Guangtai wanted to see if there was any difference between the two materials.

"Wood carving, huh..."

Although he would have liked to have the Petilil participate in the carving process, the truth was that it lacked any moves or physical traits suitable for sculpting—it possessed neither sharp claws nor durable, keen edges. Likewise, in competitive battling, one would rarely choose to use a Petilil. Its pure Grass-type coverage was quite lackluster, it had numerous weaknesses, and its move pool was difficult to work with; by no means was a Petilil considered a strong combatant.

Therefore, he could only have her tend to the herbs and farmland. By earning results through the craft of planting and cultivation, she could achieve a corresponding improvement in her abilities and shed the label of being "frail." And if he could acquire a Sun Stone and she were fortunate enough to evolve into a Hisuian Lilligant... then everything would be better!

As time passed, Guangtai's movements grew increasingly skillful, and his carving speed began to quicken. He already possessed exquisite carving craftsmanship, and with the bonuses from the two crafts of "Ancient Carving" and "Relic Carving," creating these small stone sculptures was an effortless task. Of course, the main reason was that the Petilil's form was not complex; compared to the shapes of Honedge and Doublade, there were no bizarre patterns or intricate cutouts to worry about.

Soon, the carving was finished.

[Craft: Small "Ancient Stone Statue" - Sinjoh Ruins style.]
[Description: A stone statue carved in an ancient style, shaped like a Petilil... Some enthusiasts will purchase it at a high price.]
[Craft Effect: Vitality - The sculpture will help nearby plants grow better; withered and decaying ancient trees will sprout new buds.]

This was for the stone sculpture. Guangtai nodded at the effect, acknowledging its miraculous nature. Bringing withered wood back to life was very useful for a trainer who favored Grass-types; it could be used to cultivate gardens, grasslands, and forest tracts, and of course, it was very useful for himself. However, it was of no use to the Petilil.

Following this, Guangtai began to work on the wood carving.

***

Wood carving required a different technique than stone carving, yet it was also a craft passed down through Guangtai's family. Compared to working with stone, wood carving was simpler and more convenient—at least, that was how Guangtai felt.

However, considering he hadn't been logging recently, most of what was piled up in the house consisted of branches he had cleared and tidied up earlier. Guangtai had to search the warehouse for a while before finding some old timber that had been stored there.

"Perhaps old wood has an additional bonus for carving!" Guangtai thought to himself.

After a while of working, a lifelike wooden sculpture was completed.

[Craft: Small "Ancient Wood Carving" - Sinjoh Ruins style.]
[Description: A wooden sculpture crafted in an ancient style, shaped like a Petilil, embedded with stone fragments from ruins... Some enthusiasts will purchase it at a high price.]
[Craft Effect: Prayer - When one prays to the wood carving, the carving will respond only to the corresponding Pokémon, revealing a power for it.]

"Oh? It seems different! The wood carving doesn't have the 'Ancient' tag, but 'Ancient' (archaic/old) instead!"

Revealing power... prayer? The effect seemed somewhat vague, but if it only responded to the corresponding Pokémon...

"Let's take it out and test it!"

***

That day, the training outside did not cease.

Rain had been falling for two days, shifting from a drizzle to a downpour, and then back to a drizzle. Doublade held high hopes for the Petilil's potential, and the latter had persisted in their training. As the rain gradually faded and the dark clouds in the sky began to scatter, revealing patches of clear blue, the battle between the two finally came to an end.

"Petil..."

Petilil found it miraculous. Training near this land, she felt as if both her stamina and energy recovered faster. It was precisely because of this that she had been drawn to this land while she was in a weakened state.

Doublade danced proudly, the two blades fluttering in the air, signaling that Guangtai was a miraculous person. He could create items with magical abilities and possessed much knowledge unknown to others. However, the richness and fertility of this land were also thanks to the Diglett and Dugtrio! Only at times like this would the two blades not fight each other, as Guangtai's wonder was something both consciousnesses mutually acknowledged!

"Dig!"

This was the land they all cultivated together, which was why it was so bountiful!

Creak...

The door of the cabin was pushed open. Guangtai walked out holding the wood carving and arrived at the edge of the slightly muddy herb field, placing the carving on the ground.

"Petil...?"

Petilil tilted her head. The wooden sculpture was carved exactly in her likeness, but what was the purpose of placing it here?

"Is there a power you wish to obtain?" Guangtai didn't know how to phrase it, so he simply asked, adding a brief explanation: "This is a new sculpture I made. Its effect is... well, if you have any wishes, why don't you try praying to it?"

"Petil?"

The request was strange, but out of curiosity, Petilil complied. Her wish was simple: to defeat the Hisuian Electrode and the others, reclaim their habitat, and become stronger.

As she prayed, the Petilil wood carving began to emit a faint glow. Under the illumination of the sun, the light seemed to become even more brilliant.

"Wah! O(≧口≦)O!"

Petilil saw this scene and stepped back twice in shock, completely stunned. The next moment, as if responding to Petilil's wish, the light emitted by the wood carving shone directly onto her.

"Dig! Dug!" Doublade was also astonished, both eyes—one on each blade—widened to the limit! They had no idea what was happening!

A massive amount of sunlight was gathered, forming a curtain of light like the sun itself, which condensed onto the exterior of the wood carving! The intense, vast brilliance was so bright that Petilil could barely keep her eyes open!

Guangtai squinted. Although the sunlight was intense, it wasn't blinding, as the carving wasn't facing him directly. Even so, this effect was completely unexpected. Just then, information about the wood carving suddenly converged in his mind.

[The ancient wood carving has responded to the Pokémon's wish and revealed a power for it.]
[Revealed Power: Petilil's Attack Individual Value has been increased to its maximum!]