Chapter 141: Sneasel

Just as Cain had predicted, during their afternoon rest, that sensation of being watched reappeared.

This time, Cain was prepared and had Slowpoke mark the Miltank milk bottle with a psychic signal. As long as it wasn't more than ten kilometers away, with Slowpoke's current teleportation ability and spatial awareness, he could detect the location of that mark.

Although he couldn't teleport directly, he would at least know the location and be able to find it.

Cain left the milk on the ground and moved away with Slowpoke and the others to observe from a distance.

This time, Cain didn't have to wait long. After having tasted the reward once, that Pokémon appeared almost immediately after Cain and his group had left.

Cain freed Murkrow of the extra weight he was carrying, and though the terrain made tracking difficult, at least they'd have a general idea of the location. Once Cain and Slowpoke arrived, they'd surely find it.

Forty minutes later, Murkrow returned to Cain, who had stayed behind.

This time, Murkrow didn't completely lose the trail. After being relieved of the weight, his speed increased again, and with the help of the Tailwind move, he could closely follow that Pokémon.

However, to avoid alerting it, Murkrow returned immediately to inform Cain when the Pokémon stopped.

Guided by Murkrow, Cain and the others slowly approached the spot where that Pokémon had stopped.

They were already very close to the icy mountain. Cain felt his body shiver unconsciously, and the air he exhaled left a trace of white.

Previously, too focused on traveling, they hadn't noticed it, but once they stopped, the cold became immediately apparent.

He quickly put on the thick clothes he'd prepared in advance, feeling a bit warmer again.

It must be said that the difference between the human body and Pokémon is truly significant. This temperature change didn't seem to affect Murkrow and the others at all.

"Slowpoke, can you feel it?" Cain blew air onto his hands and rubbed them lightly to warm them, as they'd gone numb from the cold, and asked.

"Yadon!" Slowpoke's eyes shone with a blue glow, always using his psychic powers to sense the psychic mark he'd left earlier, and he nodded.

To find the Pokémon before it discarded the bottle, Cain and his group avoided battles with other Pokémon along the way, only driving them away or fleeing to avoid delays.

As they got closer, Slowpoke's perception became clearer. When pointing in the direction, he did so more quickly, without pausing to feel in detail; in an instant, he knew the location.

Clearly, that Pokémon had stopped, and if Cain and the others hurried, they could find it before it left.

Though Cain already had a hypothesis, and the result was almost certain, he needed confirmation.

If the Pokémon was indeed the one Cain suspected, with that speed, as long as its quality wasn't low, Cain would admit he was somewhat interested.

He shook his head, dismissing those thoughts for the moment.

They hadn't found it yet; there was no rush to think about that until confirming.

Ten minutes later, following the bottle's location, Cain realized they'd reached the foot of the icy mountain.

Although it's called the icy mountain, it's actually a large rocky mountain, only the visible part from the halfway point up is covered by a thick layer of ice and snow, leading people to think of it as an icy mountain.

But if you get closer, you can see parts of the mountain covered by trees exposing the massive rocky outcrops.

At the mountain's base, there are many cracks and small caves. According to Slowpoke's perception, the psychic mark came from one of those caves.

Upon reaching the cave entrance, a blast of cold wind hit him, and Cain tightened his clothing to stay warmer.

The fact that it liked being in this kind of environment made Cain even more certain of what Pokémon it was.

As he entered the cave, the air grew colder, and Cain felt himself inhale a puff of cold air that numbed his nose.

Although he'd prepared, he hadn't expected the inside of the cave beneath the icy mountain to be this cold.

Even Murkrow and the others felt the impact a bit.

Although it wasn't much, if a Pokémon wasn't one that enjoyed this type of environment, this cold would be unpleasant for them.

The cave wasn't large, barely enough for three people to walk in single file.

The ground was covered in a layer of ice of who knows how long, and walking on it required great caution, as a misstep could make you fall.

Fortunately, Cain had prepared ice-walking boots.

Only Slowpoke and Miltank weren't very used to this type of terrain, but after Slowpoke used his psychic powers to create a thin psychic layer under their feet, the situation improved.

As they progressed, the space inside the cave grew larger, and the ice layer on the ground began to thin, with more rocky outcrops appearing.

Those narrow galleries often caused the air to move rapidly, creating a current known as alley wind.

And it was precisely this cold wind that kept the cave entrance permanently covered in ice.

However, as they advanced, the wind gradually disappeared.

Without time for further observations, Cain carefully controlled the noise of his footsteps, following Slowpoke's directions.

Finally, a moment later, Cain saw the Pokémon that had been watching him on several occasions and that seemed to have a special taste for Miltank's milk.

A Pokémon about a meter tall, with mostly black fur except for one ear on its head and the back of its tail, which were red, and limbs ending in white.

"So, it's this Pokémon. I've really been lucky." Upon seeing the Pokémon clearly, Cain couldn't help but feel a mix of awe and satisfaction.

Sneasel!

The Pokémon in front of Cain was one of the rarest in the Johto region—Sneasel!

A Dark and Ice-type Pokémon.

It was one of Cain's favorite Pokémon when he played video games on Earth, an exceptional "dragon hunter" in the gaming world.

In reality, Sneasel's type combination isn't the best, as being Dark and Ice-type makes it vulnerable to many types of attacks, often placing it at a disadvantage in battle.

It's especially vulnerable to Fighting-type attacks, taking four times the damage, meaning that if it faces a Fighting-type Pokémon of similar level, it's almost certain to be defeated in one hit.

Additionally, it's weak to Rock, Bug, Steel, Fire, and Fairy-type attacks, taking double damage.

In total, there are eighteen Pokémon types, and Sneasel is vulnerable to six of them, making it a Pokémon with a wide range of weaknesses.

However, this Pokémon also has its own significant advantages.

(End of Chapter)