Overnight

Yuga quickly realized that something was amiss with this rain. He noticed that the cloud formation above them was moving, as if intentionally guiding them in a specific direction.

They weren't the only ones seeking shelter from the rain; a group of Pidoves, Woobats, and a few Drilbur were also affected.

Once Yuga took cover under a large tree, he realized that this wasn't a natural rain but rather the work of Pokémon using the Rain Dance technique. It seemed they were using it to drive away other Pokémon, including himself, who had unintentionally joined the mix.

Though Yuga had stopped, the Pidoves, Woobats, and Drilbur continued to be driven forward by the rain clouds, clearly in a state of panic.

What Yuga witnessed next was unforgettable.

The Pidoves, Woobats, and Drilbur were pushed into a small grove. The Pidoves and Woobats perched on trees, preening their feathers, while the Drilbur huddled under the trees, trembling to escape the rain.

The treetops of this grove were covered in vines, and the ground was littered with thick green vines.

As the Pidoves, Woobats, and Drilbur waited patiently for the rain to stop, the vines hanging from the trees and covering the ground began to move slowly.

In an instant, all the Pidoves, Woobats, and Drilbur were tightly bound by the writhing vines. They cried out and struggled to escape, but the vines only constricted further.

These bound Pokémon were all delivered to a giant mouth hidden amid the vines, a mouth lined with sharp teeth. It was a Victreebel.

Victreebel slowly chewed its prey, blood spurting like a fountain from its mouth, staining its pale yellow body a vivid crimson.

This gruesome scene sent shivers down Yuga's spine. This silent method of predation was even more terrifying than the fiercest of predators.

The vines that ensnared the Pidoves, Woobats, and Drilbur didn't belong to this ruthless Victreebel, as Victreebel couldn't produce such an abundance of vines. They belonged to a massive Tangela that had emerged quietly from the surroundings.

This Tangela acted as an accomplice to the Victreebel. However, Yuga knew that the Victreebel had more than one accomplice, as both Victreebel and Tangela were incapable of using the Rain Dance technique.

As expected, not long after Tangela emerged, a Skuntank with four brisk paws sprinted out.

After observing for a while, Yuga quickly understood the dynamic among these three Pokémon.

Skuntank and Tangela collaborated to aid Victreebel in hunting. Victreebel provided its excrement to Tangela, while it gave Skuntank the nectar it produced within its body. The three Pokémon had formed a mutually beneficial alliance.

One couldn't deny their intelligence; they had learned to use tactics for hunting.

Judging by their seamless cooperation, they had probably carried out countless hunts like this, and countless Pokémon had likely ended up as meals for Victreebel.

However, despite the ferocity of these three Pokémon, Yuga had no intention of getting involved and chose to quietly retreat.

The strength of these three Pokémon was formidable, and provoking them would undoubtedly attract other Pokémon. This would be detrimental to Yuga's mission. Besides, such incidents were likely to occur countless times every day in the underground world, making it impossible to intervene in everytime.

After leaving the area, Chatot, still jittery, exclaimed, "Oh my, this place is incredibly brutal! Can we even make it back home now?"

"Bellossom, bellossom," replied Bellossom.

Upon hearing Chatot's words, the Bellossom began to scold it.

"What? You think I'm holding us back? Without me, could you have navigated through so many dangers with such precision?"

Chatot became immediately disgruntled.

"Bellossom, Bellossom."

Bellossom dismissed it with a disdainful pout.

"You said Vivillon! Could it have been as reliable as I am? You really have no sense at all."

Regarding Bellossom's self remark about being him inferior to Vivillon, Chatot felt it had lost face.

"Alright, alright, you two, stop arguing. Let's focus on completing our mission as quickly as possible," Yuga intervened, feeling somewhat helpless about their bickering.

"Bellossom, Bellossom."

Yuga, we should find a place to rest. It's getting dark, and it's very dangerous to move at night.

After hearing what Bellossom said, Yuga and Chatot both nodded in agreement. After a tense day of travel, Yuga felt a sense of fatigue settling in.

Finally, after following Chatot's guidance, Yuga's group found a cave to temporarily stay in. There were signs that Pokémon had inhabited the cave before, but for some reason, it had been abandoned.

The previous occupants might have found better accommodations or had perished outside, but Yuga believed it was likely the latter, as the cave conditions were decent.

As night fell, the absence of external light in the cave didn't pose a threat of attracting other Pokémon. Yuga lit a fire, taking materials from his backpack to prepare a warm meal for himself.

After feeding the other Pokémon Pokéblocks, Yuga tended to Kabutops's wounds once again.

Pokémon had remarkable regenerative abilities, and with the combination of Heal Pulses, Grassy Terrain, and medicinal treatment, Kabutops's condition improved significantly. It had regained some strength and could move and make simple sounds.

Kabutops's injuries were caused by ordinary Pokémon, unlike Dragonair's mother's injury inflicted by a Legendary Pokémon. Hence, recovery wouldn't be too challenging.

However, due to multiple bone fractures, Kabutops couldn't feed itself, and Yuga had initially intended to do it himself. But Chimecho vehemently opposed the idea.

It's a joke! Yuga hasn't even fed me yet, and now you want him to give you his first feeding? Look at you, you're such an ugly big bug.

Ultimately, it was Chimecho who volunteered to feed Kabutops.

Chimecho proved to be quite capable, using its psychic powers to control the Pokéblocks and feeding them to Kabutops one by one. It executed the task remarkably well, earning praise from Yuga.

Kabutops, due to its severe injuries, required a substantial amount of food to aid its recovery. As it tasted Pokéblocks for the first time, it found them quite novel. Previous meals had consisted of raw, fresh prey, a far cry from the taste of Pokéblocks.

"From now on, your food will be these Pokéblocks. No need to hunt other Pokémon anymore. Understand?" Yuga told Kabutops.

Since it had chosen to follow Yuga, Kabutops naturally acknowledged Yuga as its master. Moreover, it found these delicious Pokéblocks preferable to the bloody, raw meals it had been accustomed to.

Kabutops nodded in agreement. Now that it had submitted to Yuga, Yuga became its master, and it would obey Yuga's commands.

Furthermore, it realized that these convenient Pokéblocks were more filling than its previous diet, ensuring it wouldn't go hungry in the future.