Chance Encounter With The Trio

Two days passed in the busy routine of Larry and Murkrow.

These two days were quite fulfilling for both of them, filled with a sense of compactness amidst the simplicity.

If there were changes, the most significant was in their appearances.

Because Murkrow had eaten a full week's worth of Sitrus Berry Pokéblocks, it had finally climbed out of the pit of physical weakness. Although it was uncertain if it had reached its peak, Murkrow was quite content.

From being smaller than an average Murkrow, it had now grown to a height of sixty centimeters, a whole ten centimeters taller. Its jet-black feathers clung tightly to its body, and even the fluff on each feather shone with a glossy black, making its streamlined body move even faster in the air.

Its strong wings showed explosive power, and after daily wing exercises, it had already mastered the Gust move perfectly and even touched the threshold of more advanced moves like Hurricane.

Despite the increase in size and weight, its speed had not only not decreased but had actually become faster. It could be said that both its attack and speed had improved to varying degrees.

While Larry's changes weren't as noticeable as Murkrow's, it was clear that his spirits had improved. His muscles were gradually becoming more pronounced, and he didn't lag behind during Murkrow's daily exercises.

Although he still wore tattered clothes, his bright eyes sparkled.

Even their once simple Zubat cave had been completely transformed. The cold ground was covered with soft straw and leaves.

Two wooden shelves lined the walls, filled with herbs and tree berry, all collected by Larry during his foraging trips.

A simple bed lay on the floor, covered with the fur of an unknown animal.

"Murkrow, the effects of the Sitrus Berry Pokéblocks have fully manifested, and the cycle has been completed. Continuing to eat them won't have much effect. Next, you can have your long-awaited Blackswift Pokéblocks," Larry said with a smile as he watched Murkrow preen its feathers.

Hearing Larry mention the Blackswift Pokéblocks, Murkrow immediately stopped what it was doing. It recalled the taste from last time and unconsciously swallowed, its eyes fixed firmly on Larry.

Seeing Murkrow's eager expression, Larry couldn't help but smile. He took out the Blackswift Pokéblocks he had prepared for many days from the storage compartment and placed them in a food bowl specially set aside for Murkrow.

"Feel free to eat as much as you want from now on; eat until you're full," Larry said. Unlike the Sitrus Berry Pokéblocks, Blackswift Pokéblocks could help Pokémon grow subtly.

They contained a large amount of Dark and Flying-type energy, and the more Murkrow ate, the more it could absorb.

In the following period, Murkrow would likely grow significantly thanks to these Pokéblocks.

In fact, as an intermediate level Pokéblock, it contained a substantial amount of energy. For Murkrow, who usually had to eat many fish to feel full, just a few Pokéblocks made it feel quite satisfied.

Savoring the perfect taste, Murkrow smacked its beak silently. If it weren't already full, it would have loved to eat more.

While Murkrow enjoyed its lunch, Larry quickly dealt with his own meal.

The afternoon was the time for battles and forest exploration.

The Rocket Team base was to the west, so they hadn't explored that direction.

Over the past two days, Larry and Murkrow had been surveying the forest to the east, encountering various Pokémon and learning about the different Pokémon communities in the eastern forest.

They had come across the Spearow Colony eight kilometers away and the Pidgey Clan fifteen kilometers away.

These two groups were arch-enemies, frequently engaging in battles. However, due to their large numbers, Larry didn't dare to provoke them.

In the Spearow Colony, there was a level 22 Fearow, and in the Pidgey Clan, there were two level 21 Pidgeotto, a husband and wife. Both communities were quite evenly matched in strength.

Today's goal was to explore to the south, with Murkrow taking to the field in lighter gear.

With Murkrow's current size, it couldn't perch on Larry's shoulder anymore, so it hovered above Larry's head, keeping an eye on their surroundings.

Larry didn't know the exact size of Trial Island, but it was likely quite large.

Over the past few days since leaving the Rocket Team base, they hadn't encountered a single person. Not everyone stayed outside all the time; for instance, the first-place finisher in the initial test, Gouse, only explored the forest during the day and returned to the base before sunset.

However, the situation was likely to change today. After Larry had walked three kilometers to the south, he encountered three participants who were out exploring in teams, resting under a tree.

Murkrow was the first to notice them, and after informing Larry, they quietly approached the trio.

The three of them sat together, seemingly discussing something, with their Pokémon by their sides. Among the three, there was a slightly chubby person who appeared to be the leader, and his Pokémon was a Weezing.

There was also a very short person with a Oddish, and another person with an ordinary appearance wearing a green T-shirt, accompanied by a Zubat.

"Brother Fat, are we going in the right direction by going straight like this?" asked the shortest member among the three.

The Chubby leader, glanced at the short one, pursed his lips, and said, "What, you don't trust me, do you?" There was a hint of disdain in his eyes as he looked at the shorter person.

Oddish, a Pokémon of low level, had almost no combat capability when at a low level. Even in this forest, it could be found everywhere.

"No, no, Brother Fat, of course, we believe in you. You ranked tenth in the first test, after all, a strong one," quickly interjected the other person in green.

The Chubby man seemed more satisfied with the flattery from the guy who spoke. It was evident that this compliment had struck a chord with him, as seen from the slight upward curve of his mouth.

"Hmph, if it weren't for my Weezing not being good at straightforward attacks, i would definitely have ranked even higher," Chubby said, although his tone had softened.

"That's right, that's right, with Brother Fat's strength, you can definitely make it to the top three," the short guy quickly added, realizing he had misspoke earlier.

Assigned to a Oddish, he hadn't encountered many difficulties when capturing it, as Oddish had a relatively mild temperament.

However, it was clear that Oddish was a weaker Pokémon. Furthermore, this was his first encounter with a Pokémon, so he had no idea how to train it.

Having someone like Chubby as his backing allowed him to go further in this trial.

Seeing the short guy gradually getting back on track, Chubby, who was referred to as Brother Fat, nodded in satisfaction.

Although this short guy didn't have much strength, he was obedient, which was why Chubby agreed to let him follow.

After a pause, Chubby said, "This is a treasure map I obtained from the exchange office using the points I earned from my ranking. Although the map's range isn't extensive, it clearly marks the locations of nearby Pokémon communities. We've already marked the Rattata community we encountered earlier on the map, which means our direction is correct."

As the tenth-place finisher in the first test, Chubby had exchanged all his points for a treasure map.

Not everyone had a plan like Larry, knowing what they and their Pokémon needed for the coming period.

So the Rocket Team had placed many treasure maps in the exchange office, some genuine and some fake, with varying prices.

People like Chubby, who exchanged points for a treasure map and tried their luck, were not uncommon.

Clearly, the Chubby in front of them was someone who was ready to take a gamble.