Chapter 8: Cave of the Supersonic Bats

As the sun descended gradually, it hung in the sky, casting a gentle glow across the lake's surface. A soft breeze stirred the water, creating rippling reflections.

Haru Takashi, accompanied by his Dark Raven, slowly approached the cave's entrance. Unbeknownst to him, the air had begun to carry a foul odor. Haru frowned, and even the Dark Raven instinctively covered its beak with its wings, as if the smell in the air was overwhelming.

The closer they got to the cave, the lighter Haru's footsteps became. By the time they reached the mouth of the cave, the stench was quite potent, but both Haru and the Dark Raven gradually adapted to it.

Gazing into the pitch-black cave, it was clear it wasn't naturally formed; there were numerous claw marks on the rocky edges.

"From the looks of these claw marks, this cave must have been dug for quite some time. I hope there aren't any particularly strong Pokémon inside," Haru murmured.

The Dark Raven perched on Haru's shoulder, also becoming alert. Its muscles tensed, and the air around it crackled with energy, indicating it was ready for anything.

Noticing the Dark Raven's tense demeanor, Haru smiled slightly and reassured, "It's okay, Dark Raven. Let's first see what's inside." As he spoke, the Dark Raven began to relax a bit but remained vigilant.

Haru picked up a small stone at his feet, tested its weight with a slight toss, and nodded. He threw the stone into the cave.

"Thud! Thud. Thud." After a few sounds, silence enveloped the cave.

"Chirp, chirp…" After a moment, sounds began to emanate from within the cave, followed by the flapping of wings.

Upon hearing the noise, Haru relaxed his brow. As long as the intruders weren't too powerful like a Circle Bear, he believed the Dark Raven could handle them.

A swarm of Supersonic Bats flew out from the cave, furious at being disturbed from their dreams. Wild Supersonic Bats, like typical bats, were asleep during the day and hunted at night. To be awakened so suddenly was akin to rousing someone from a deep sleep.

Among the swarm, one Supersonic Bat stood out, significantly larger than the others, clearly the leader.

Upon noticing that the disturbance came from just a human and a seemingly weak little Pokémon, the leader called out to a few nearby Supersonic Bats and returned to the cave with the rest to continue their slumber.

Watching the Supersonic Bats' actions, Haru was taken aback. With over a dozen Supersonic Bats, even with his confidence, he could only retreat with the Dark Raven. However, the leader's obvious disdain significantly reduced their pressure.

Four Supersonic Bats bared their fangs, displaying their sharp, bloodsucking teeth to the air. With a few slight wing flaps, they charged at Haru and the Dark Raven.

"Just four Supersonic Bats with red qualifications; the highest level is only 10." Haru chuckled lightly; he had scanned their data with his chip when they appeared.

The Dark Raven took flight, having gradually developed a liking for battles after two days of training and recovering its potential. It enjoyed becoming a gust of wind, darting between enemies and toying with them at will.

"Dark Raven, activate Speed Boost and use Fear!"

Winds quickly gathered around the Dark Raven, forming a black aura that stood out under the setting sun. It opened its beak wide, emitting a piercing shriek that rippled through the air.

Two Supersonic Bats, caught in the screech, suddenly halted, fear evident on their faces. While they didn't succumb to a frightened state, their speed clearly slowed. The other two appeared unaffected, merely shaking their heads as if annoyed by the noise.

Supersonic Bats typically had psychic traits that prevented them from entering a fear state. However, as creatures with sensitive hearing, the piercing sound of Fear could cause substantial damage. Moreover, they primarily relied on ultrasonic waves for navigation, so the shriek significantly hampered their movements.

The two Supersonic Bats exchanged glances and opened their mouths, unleashing invisible sound waves—a use of their ultrasonic skill.

"Dark Raven, maintain speed and take them down first." Haru maintained his composure despite the ultrasonic interference.

The Dark Raven's surrounding winds intensified, and within moments, it reached the two Supersonic Bats.

"Use Peck!"

Before the bats could react, the Dark Raven struck with two powerful pecks, knocking them to the ground. While in a high-speed state, the Dark Raven executed the Peck skill, using momentum from earlier to quickly eliminate the two Supersonic Bats.

At that moment, the two Supersonic Bats that had been affected by fear finally recovered, their hearing returning. Spotting their fallen companions, fear flickered across their faces, their wings trembled as they seemed unsure whether to attack or retreat.

Narrowing his eyes and smirking slightly, Haru knew the Supersonic Bats hesitated, but he did not.

"Dark Raven, use Punishment and finish them off in one go!"

Punishment, a dark-type transformation skill, was prioritized due to the Dark Raven's ability, Mischievous Heart. Coupled with the ongoing Speed Boost, a beam of black light pierced between the two Supersonic Bats, leaving behind two fallen foes.

Haru nodded, satisfied with the Dark Raven's skill execution. Though the Dark Raven hadn't yet returned to peak form, it was undeniable that its Mischievous Heart talent made it strong. Transformation skills were executed quickly, and with the progressively proficient Speed Boost, it was the icing on the cake.

The Dark Raven, already possessing green qualifications, had a significant edge over the Supersonic Bats in terms of talent. Moreover, the flawless skill integration made taking out the Supersonic Bats inevitable.

Continuing in the same manner, taking advantage of the leader's arrogance and laziness, he systematically defeated the remaining Supersonic Bats until only the completely enraged leader remained.

**Pokémon: Supersonic Bat (Yellow)**

**Gender:** Male

**Level:** 12

**Types:** Poison, Flying

**Ability:** Psychic Power

**Held Item:** None

**Inherited Skills:** Quick Attack

**Basic Skills:** Absorb, Ultrasonic, Fear, Bite

**Taught Skills:** Wing Attack

**Skill Learner:** None

This was the first time Haru had encountered a wild Pokémon with yellow qualifications. If he had extra Poké Balls, he wouldn't hesitate to catch it, whether for personal use or to trade for resources later.

The Dark Raven's flapping had slowed slightly due to exhaustion, and the winds from its Speed Boost had thinned compared to earlier.

Seeing the Dark Raven's condition, Haru frowned slightly.

It was still pushing too hard.

However, seeing the Supersonic Bat leader teetering on the edge of rage, he knew they had to keep fighting.

Haru had considered letting the Dark Raven rest for a moment, but with the sun nearly setting, he abandoned that thought.

At night, the Supersonic Bats would be more invigorated, and although the Dark Raven could fight without being affected by light, Haru himself would struggle with his command ability due to fading daylight.

Thus, it was crucial to eliminate the yellow-qualified Supersonic Bat before the sun completely disappeared and secure this foul-smelling cave. After all, the forest at night was the most dangerous. Compared to the earlier perimeter, the deeper forest was fraught with danger lurking in every corner.

*(End of Chapter)*