Chapter 52: A helper in the wild

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Twenty minutes later, Sato finally managed to retreat while fending off the swarm of Beedrill. He was now hiding in a dense patch of grass, using the scent of the greenery and his camouflage suit to stay concealed.

Beedrill, in addition to their sharp eyesight due to their compound eyes, also have an exceptionally keen sense of smell. To mask his scent, Sato had rolled on the ground, covering himself in grass sap to blend in with the environment.

This method proved to be quite effective. The Beedrill, unable to detect Sato or Zubat, eventually gave up the chase and retreated.

"It seems I'll have to find another route. The path I took earlier must be within the Beedrill's territory," Sato muttered to himself after all the Beedrill had left. Covered in grass and debris, he cautiously emerged from the thicket.

He then carefully retraced his steps using the marks he had left on trees with his hunting knife, returning to a spot a little further from his previous location.

This time, with his scent masked by the grass sap and avoiding walking openly on the forest trails, Sato managed to slip past the patrolling Beedrill without being detected.

With Zubat's echolocation abilities, Sato chose to move through areas with fewer Beedrill patrols or where no patrols were present. Since he avoided the forest trails and walked through the tall grass, he encountered several wild Pokémon hidden among the vegetation.

Most of the Pokémon he came across in the grass were Grass-types. These Pokémon could blend into their surroundings simply by hiding in the grass, making them incredibly difficult to spot with the naked eye.

Fortunately, thanks to Zubat's Supersonic ability, Sato could constantly detect these hidden wild Pokémon and react in time.

In reality, most Grass-type Pokémon are quite gentle by nature. As long as you don't step on them, they tend to ignore you or, if timid, flee in panic.

Of course, this isn't always the case. Some Grass-types have a more aggressive temperament. For instance, when Sato passed through a particularly foul-smelling patch of grass, he encountered a Gloom that suddenly appeared and attacked without warning.

This Gloom had originally been sleeping in a small hole it had dug beneath the grass. Sato's presence must have unintentionally disturbed its slumber as he passed by.

Sensing the unfamiliar presence, the Gloom immediately resorted to its usual defensive tactic—a foul stench emitted from its opened flower.

The sudden wave of noxious odor left Sato feeling nauseous, and he couldn't help but show a look of disgust. Unfortunately, this Gloom seemed to be a very sensitive Pokémon. Upon noticing Sato's expression of revulsion, it became enraged, leaping out of the grass and attacking him.

The attack began with a revolting, stinky liquid. Judging by the way it melted the surrounding grass on impact, it was clearly Acid, a dangerous substance. The liquid flew toward Sato and Zubat, and it was obvious that getting hit by it would be far from pleasant.

Faced with this surprise attack from Gloom, Sato had no choice but to defend himself. In truth, he didn't want to fight right now. Engaging in battle would attract the attention of the nearby patrolling Beedrill, and he'd once again find himself being chased by a swarm.

A faint blue glow appeared in Sato's eyes as he activated his system's detection function, and Gloom's information immediately popped up before him.

Pokémon: Gloom

Level: 22

Type: Grass/Poison

Ability: Stench (Hidden Ability)

Gender: Female

Moves Known: Absorb, Growth, Sweet Scent, Acid, Poison Powder, Stun Spore, Sleep Powder, Mega Drain, Secret Power (Egg Move), Synthesis (Egg Move), Nature Power (Tutor).

"It's a Gloom with the Stench ability, and it inherited Secret Power! How lucky!" After reviewing Gloom's information, a glimmer of excitement flashed in Sato's eyes, and he couldn't help but feel thrilled inside.

Being a dedicated Pokémon fan, Sato was well aware of the effects of various Pokémon abilities. The Stench ability gives a 10% chance to make the opponent flinch when attacked at close range. Additionally, if a Pokémon with this ability is at the front of your team, it reduces the chance of encountering wild Pokémon by 50%.

No wonder the area was filled with a foul odor. It also explained why the patrolling Beedrill and other wild Pokémon seemed to avoid this region. It was all due to this Stench-ability Gloom living here.

While all Gloom emit an unpleasant smell, the stench from a Gloom with the Stench ability is far worse than one with the Chlorophyll ability.

As for Secret Power, its additional effects change based on the terrain. What's more, this move allows the user to create a hidden space in trees, grass, caves, and other landscapes (Secret Base).

In the wild, a Pokémon with Secret Power is incredibly useful for a traveling trainer, as it can create a temporary shelter where they can rest.

Although Gloom's sudden attack didn't harm Sato, Zubat, having detected the danger with its echolocation, immediately used Protect to shield Sato from the incoming Acid.

Seeing her attack blocked, Gloom quickly launched another Acid attack, this time aiming for Zubat, whose green energy shield had already dissipated. To Sato's surprise, after launching her attack, Gloom turned and tried to flee.

"Don't let her escape, Zubat! We need to end this quickly. Use Gust to send her Acid right back at her!" Recognizing the value of this Gloom after reading its information, Sato immediately commanded the eager Zubat.

Zubat, having recently gained a lot of battle experience—from defeating higher-level Raticate, fighting Arbok, and taking down several Beedrill—had unknowingly risen to level 18 in a short period of time.

Due to this level increase, Zubat had automatically learned Confuse Ray. Feeling the surge in power from leveling up, Zubat had grown fond of battling other Pokémon. Now, seeing an opponent challenge him, he was more than happy to oblige.

Following Sato's command, Zubat unleashed Gust without hesitation. A white whirlwind, rotating counterclockwise, appeared and successfully trapped Gloom's Acid attack, sweeping it into the swirling winds.

As Gloom panicked, Zubat directed the wind-laden Acid back at her. Despite her attempt to dodge, Gloom's slow movement speed and the powerful gusts made her unable to escape. She, too, was caught in the white whirlwind.

Due to the type advantage, Zubat's Flying-type Gust dealt massive damage to Gloom's Grass-type body. The invisible wind blades within the whirlwind cut her repeatedly, and with her own corrosive Acid mixed in, her body showed signs of acid burns.

After several seconds, the battered Gloom collapsed to the ground. She struggled to get up, but a Great Ball swiftly hit her, knocking her down again. The opened PokéBall absorbed Gloom, sealing her inside.