Chapter 12: Fortuitous Encounter with the Trio

Two days passed in the busy routine of Cain and his Murkrow.

These two days were very productive for both, filled with a sense of satisfaction mixed with intensity.

If we talk about changes, the most evident one is in appearance.

After consuming yellow Pokéblocks for an entire week, Murkrow has finally emerged from the great slump it was in. Although it's unclear if it has reached its full potential, Murkrow is very pleased.

Previously, its size didn't match that of a common Murkrow, but now it has grown to reach 60 centimeters in height, making it 10 centimeters taller than the average Murkrow.

Its black plumage is firmly attached to its body, and each feather shines with an intense black, making its streamlined body even faster in flight.

Its powerful wings reflect great explosive strength, and thanks to daily training, it can now perfectly use Flying-type energy. It has even started to master "Gust," an advanced Flying-type move.

Although its body has grown and its weight has increased, its speed hasn't decreased; in fact, it has increased. One could say that both its attack capability and speed have improved significantly.

Although the change in Cain is not as obvious as in Murkrow, it is noticeable that he has more energy, and his muscles have begun to strengthen. During Murkrow's daily training, he doesn't fall behind either.

Although his clothes remain worn out, his eyes shine with renewed energy.

Even the Zubat cave, which used to be very simple, has been completely renovated. The cold floor is now covered with soft straw and tree leaves, and along the wall are two wooden shelves filled with medicinal herbs and berries Cain has collected during his outings.

A small, simple bed is spread out on the floor, covered with the skin of some animal.

"Murkrow, the effect of the yellow Pokéblocks has fully manifested, and since the cycle is over, continuing to eat them won't have much effect. From now on, you can eat those black Pokéblocks you've been craving," Cain said with a smile as he watched Murkrow preening itself.

Upon hearing about the black Pokéblocks, Murkrow immediately stopped its actions, remembering their previous taste, and involuntarily swallowed, fixing its gaze on Cain.

Seeing Murkrow's gluttonous expression, Cain smiled resignedly and pulled out the black Pokéblocks, which he had been preparing for days, from his storage space, placing them in a special bowl for Murkrow's food.

"From now on, you can eat as much as you want," Cain said.

Unlike the yellow Pokéblocks, black Pokéblocks can help improve Pokémon subtly, as they contain a large amount of Dark- and Flying-type energy. The more they eat, the more they can absorb.

Cain believes that in the near future, Murkrow will continue to grow alongside these Pokéblocks.

In fact, as an intermediate-level Pokéblock, it contains a large amount of energy. Normally, Murkrow would have to eat many fish to feel full, but after just a few Pokéblocks, it already feels satisfied.

Enjoying the perfect flavor, Murkrow lightly tapped its beak, wishing it could eat more if it weren't already full.

While Murkrow enjoyed its lunch, Cain also quickly finished his own meal.

The afternoon was reserved for combat training and forest exploration. The Team Rocket base was to the west, so there was no need to explore in that direction.

During these two days, Cain and Murkrow had been exploring the forest to the east, where they encountered many different Pokémon and learned about some Pokémon groups in the area.

One of them is a Spearow group 8 kilometers away, and another is a Pidgey group 15 kilometers away. These two groups are mortal enemies and frequently fight each other. However, due to their large numbers, Cain didn't dare provoke them.

The Spearow group has a level 22 Fearow, while the Pidgey group has a pair of level 21 Pidgeotto. Both groups are quite strong and well-balanced.

Today's goal was to explore southward, taking Murkrow on a light journey.

With Murkrow's current size, it can no longer perch on Cain's shoulder, so Murkrow now circles above his head, staying alert to its surroundings.

Cain doesn't know the exact size of the trial island, but it must be quite large. After being away from the Team Rocket base for several days, he still hasn't encountered anyone.

Although not everyone stays outside all the time, like the first-place contestant in the first trial, Xander, who only goes out to explore the forest during the day and returns to the base before sunset.

However, today that situation might change. After walking 3 kilometers south, Cain encountered three participants who were exploring as a group, sitting under a tree, resting.

Murkrow was the first to spot them and, after informing Cain, they quietly approached the trio's position.

The three were sitting together, as if discussing something, with their Pokémon by their side. Of the three, the one who seemed to be the leader was a sturdy man with a Koffing.

Another was a rather short guy with an Oddish, and the third had a very ordinary appearance, dressed in a green T-shirt, and his Pokémon was a Zubat.

"Are we heading in the right direction if we keep going, big brother?" the shortest of the group asked.

The sturdy man glanced at the short guy and said disdainfully, "Don't you trust me?" His gaze toward the short guy was full of scorn.

Oddish is a very weak Pokémon at low levels, and it can easily be found in this forest.

"No, no, big brother, of course we trust you. You're a top competitor who placed tenth in the first trial," the young man in green quickly replied.

The sturdy man seemed more satisfied with the young man's response, and the flattery clearly pleased him, as seen in the smile that appeared on his face.

"Hmph, if it weren't for the fact that my Koffing isn't good at direct attacks, my position would have been much higher," the sturdy man said, though his tone softened.

"Of course, of course, with your strength, you could definitely be in the top three," the short guy quickly added, realizing his mistake.

With an Oddish as his Pokémon, which is relatively docile, he didn't have much trouble taming it. However, Oddish is a rather weak Pokémon, and since this guy is interacting with a Pokémon for the first time, he doesn't know how to train it. He needs someone strong to support him if he wants to advance in this trial.

Seeing that the short guy was starting to understand how to talk, the sturdy man, known as "big brother," nodded with satisfaction. Although the short guy wasn't very strong, at least he was obedient, so the sturdy man agreed to let him follow.

After a pause, he said, "I got this using my ranking points to exchange for it at the base store—it's a treasure map."

"Although the area it shows is small, it's clearly marked with the nearby Pokémon groups. The Rattata group we found earlier was marked on the map, meaning we're heading in the right direction."

As the tenth-place finisher in the first trial, the sturdy man exchanged all his points for a treasure map.

Not everyone has a clear plan like Cain, who knows what he and his Pokémon need. That's why Team Rocket made many treasure maps available in the store, some real and some fake, with different prices.

Many people, like this sturdy man, choose to take a risk and buy a treasure map.

Clearly, this sturdy man is one of those who decided to bet on a map.

(End of chapter)