Chapter 11

As they finished their patrol and were about to head back to the village, Arcane felt a growing sense of accomplishment. The day had gone well—he had managed to improve his running form, learned about the berry trees, and was starting to feel more comfortable in this new world. Willow's gentle guidance had made a significant difference, and for the first time since his arrival, he felt like he was making genuine steady progress.

But that moment of calm was shattered in an instant.

A sudden rustling in the trees above them caught Arcane's attention, and before he could react, a blur of green and silver shot down from the canopy. Arcane's eyes widened in shock as a Scyther, with its deadly scythe-like arms raised, descended upon them with blinding speed. Time seemed to slow as the Scyther brought its blade down, aiming directly at Willow.

Arcane's heart skipped a beat. He was frozen in place, unable to process what was happening. The Scyther's blade slashed through Willow's body, splitting her cleanly down the middle. Arcane felt a surge of horror—his mind couldn't comprehend how something so terrible could happen so suddenly. His next thought was the question would he die next?

But then, just as quickly as the horror had gripped him, it was replaced by confusion. The image of Willow's bisected body shimmered, flickered, and then faded away like an afterimage. Arcane blinked, trying to make sense of what he had just seen.

Before he could react further, a voice came from behind him. "Arcane," Willow's calm, gentle tone reached his ears. He turned sharply to see her standing a few paces back, completely unharmed.

Willow gave him a small, reassuring smile. "Even when you seem relaxed, always keep your guard up," she said softly.

Arcane's mind raced as he processed what had just happened. He had seen Willow's stats before during their earlier encounter, and now he understood what had occurred. Willow had used Quick Attack, not as an offensive move, but as a defensive one to retreat from danger. The afterimage that Arcane had seen was a result of her incredible speed, creating the illusion that she had been struck when in reality, she had already moved out of harm's way.

A wave of relief washed over Arcane, but he quickly refocused on the situation at hand. The Scyther was still there, its red eyes gleaming with a predatory intensity. It wasn't just any Scyther either—Arcane's Appraisal ability activated instinctively, revealing the Scyther's stats in his mind.

~STATUS SCREEN~

NAME: Wild Scyther

SPECIES: Scyther

LEVEL: 30

TYPE: Bug/Flying

HP: 81/81

ABILITY: Technician

STATS

Attack: 72

Defense: 55

Special Attack: 40

Special Defense: 50

Speed: 105

Accuracy: 100

MOVES

Slash

Agility

Double Team

Air Slash

Technician - Boosts the power of a Pokémon's moves that have a base power of 60 or less by 50%.

Arcane's pulse quickened as he took in the information. This Scyther was no joke—it was stronger and faster than any opponent he had faced so far. But what really caught his attention was its move set. Slash, Agility, Double Team, and Air Slash. Each of these moves had the potential to be deadly in the hands of a skilled opponent like this Scyther.

Willow's voice cut through his thoughts. "Arcane, step back," she instructed, her tone firm yet calm.

Arcane hesitated for only a moment before doing as she said, retreating to a safe distance. However, he kept his eyes locked on the two Pokémon, determined not to miss a single detail of what was about to happen.

This was the perfect opportunity to use his Mirage Sight, a special ability that allowed him to observe and replicate any move he saw in battle. Once he successfully mimicked the move, it would become a permanent part of his arsenal. He knew he had to stay focused, and this time, his ability was sure to activate—his mind was clear, and his adrenaline was pumping.

Willow and the Scyther faced off, the tension between them palpable. The air around them seemed to crackle with anticipation. Then, without warning, the Scyther lunged forward, its scythes gleaming in the dappled sunlight filtering through the trees.

Willow responded with blinding speed, using Quick Attack to dart out of the Scyther's path. She moved with a fluid grace, her body a blur as she sidestepped the Scyther's deadly strikes. The Scyther followed up with Agility, its already impressive speed increasing even further. It was a terrifying display of power, but Willow remained unfazed.

She countered with Leaf Blade, her body twisting elegantly as she slashed at the Scyther with a blade of glowing green energy. The Scyther barely managed to avoid the attack, its wings buzzing furiously as it hovered just out of reach. But Willow was relentless, not giving her opponent a moment to recover.

Arcane watched in awe as the battle unfolded before him. Willow's mastery over her moves was nothing short of extraordinary. She seamlessly combined offense and defense, using Quick Attack to dodge, Leaf Blade to strike, and Synthesis to heal herself whenever the Scyther managed to land a glancing blow. Her Magical Leaf was especially impressive, the glowing leaves homing in on the Scyther with unerring accuracy, forcing it to stay on the defensive.

Despite the Scyther's strength and speed, it was clear that Willow was the superior fighter. She anticipated its every move, dodging its attacks with ease and countering with precision. The Scyther's attempts to use Double Team to confuse her were futile—Willow's sharp eyes saw through the illusion, and she struck down the real Scyther with ruthless efficiency.

Arcane could feel his Mirage Sight working, his mind absorbing the techniques and tactics being used before him. The Quick Attack, the Leaf Blade, the precision of the Magical Leaf—each move was being etched into his memory, his body instinctively learning how to replicate them.

The battle continued, the intensity only increasing with each passing moment. The Scyther unleashed Air Slash, sending razor-sharp blades of wind toward Willow. But she was ready, using Quick Attack to dart out of the way before retaliating with another Leaf Blade. The two Pokémon clashed in a flurry of movement, their forms a blur of green and silver as they traded blows.

But in the end, the outcome was inevitable. Willow's skill and experience far outmatched the Scyther's raw power. With one final, decisive strike, she brought her Leaf Blade down on the Scyther, cutting through its defenses and leaving it lying on the ground, defeated.

The Scyther's body twitched once before going still, its wings lying flat against the ground. It was over.