Against Wild Beasts (Bonus Chapter Reward)

After returning to the training area, Floyd resumed his task of mixing berries. This time, he focused on creating Advanced Pokéblocks, and his points quickly accumulated, reaching into the hundreds.

Since the Game Panel update, some prices have changed: some have decreased, while others have increased.

Among the changes was the cost of points for proficiency-making in the simulator. The proficiency costs for Peak and Master levels have been reduced, but for the Advanced level, the cost has become exorbitant for Floyd.

Previously, he could allocate 320 points, which, when tripled and then multiplied by five, would total only 4,500 points. However, under the new system, 750 points doubled and then multiplied by five result in a total of 7,500 points.

Floyd finds himself nostalgic for the old system; despite its flaws and frequent errors, it provided him with loopholes to exploit for his benefit. Unfortunately, with the current system, he can no longer do so.

After spending a few moments engrossed in making Pokéblocks, Floyd swiftly gathered all of his Pokémon and headed back to the safe zone, where the wild beasts resided.

Upon arriving at the Safe Zone, Floyd noticed the young Gyarados indulging in the food, who, upon realizing he was being watched, heatedly turned away, visibly embarrassed. He had been caught in the act of eating, which, to him, was utterly mortifying.

"How's the food, Gyarados? Do you like it?" Floyd asked, amused by the Gyarados's reaction.

"Horsea~" (Big Fish, you've awakened!)

Horsea was evidently relieved, happy to see her 'big brother' awake and at peace.

"ROAR" (Hmph, stay away from me. If my father sees you, he will beat you.)

The young Gyarados turned his back to her, clearly still gruff.

Floyd sighed, his attention then shifting to Kanraku and his disciples, who appeared to be closely monitoring the Gyarados, studying its DNA from the blood samples they had collected.

On the other side,

"Horsea~" (You're eating all by yourself? You didn't even offer me any,) Horsea remarked, her face showing her envy.

"ROAR" (Didn't you get your share?) The young Gyarados retorted, snorting dismissively.

"Horsea~" (Master won't let me eat as much as I want. He says if I train hard, I can eat; otherwise, I'll get bloated.)

Horsea sounded somewhat dejected as she thought about the restrictions.

"ROAR" (What? So you can't eat as much as you want?)

"Horsea~" (Yes!)

"ROAR~" (Then how about you come with us and escape with Father?)

"Horsea~" (Why would I escape with you? There's no delicious food, and for sure, Father will spank me. Hmph.)

"ROAR" (That's because you are disobedient. Hmph. So, what will you do now?)

"Horsea~" (Of course, I'll train. What else? Do you expect me to give up on eating delicious food? Hmph, that's never going to happen.)

"ROAR" (Didn't you say you didn't want to train and just wanted to be lazy and eat?)

"Horsea" (My mind doesn't want to train, but my body and appetite don't agree. I want to eat more, so I must train.)

"ROAR" (Hmph, then do what you want.)

The young Gyarados simply snorted and looked away, disinterested in continuing the conversation.

"Horsea~" (Hmph, I don't care about you either.)

Horsea retorted before following the Squirtles and Wartortles, who were playing in the pond. The four Goomys and Munchlax joined in, taking advantage of their free time. Meanwhile, Growlithe, Fraxure, Dratini, and the leader Goomy remained focused on their training.

The young Gyarados watched his sister join the others, his expression one of worry. He sighed, feeling helpless.

Floyd, upon returning, was about to call all of his Pokémon back when he noticed they were having a good time. Deciding not to interrupt, he only called for Fraxure, Dratini, Goomy, and Growlithe and set out to find the wild beasts nearby. Desperate for points, Floyd was putting his hopes on encountering these wild creatures.

The young Gyarados wanted to speak up, to say something, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Instead, he watched silently as Floyd and the selected Pokémon disappeared into the distance.

Moments later, Floyd found himself face to face with the wild beasts, who regarded him with questioning eyes.

Upon extending an offer for a battle, Floyd observed the wild beasts, noting their initial terror. Yet, as he presented the reward and offered reassurances of their safety, their hesitation became apparent, though they still lacked the courage to accept the challenge.

Floyd couldn't help but sigh, realizing that had he made this offer just a day earlier, not a single wild beast would have considered participating.

Just then, Ekans slithered forward, hissing defiantly at Floyd.

"You're looking for a battle?" Floyd inquired, interpreting Ekans's stance.

Ekans responded by nodding and gesturing towards Teddiursa, who hastily joined Ekans's side, before pointing his head back towards Floyd.

"You're proposing a one versus two battle?" Floyd clarified.

With another nod from Ekans, the serpent then turned its head to indicate Dratini.

"And what about it, Dratini?" Floyd asked, addressing his Pokémon.

Without hesitation, Dratini eagerly nodded in agreement, positioning himself to face both Ekans and Teddiursa.

"Charbokk,"

"ROAR,"

Arbok and Ursaring, parents to the younger Pokémon, grew restless. They called out to their offspring, worried that their children might act recklessly around Floyd, potentially facing severe consequences.

Nevertheless, their children reassured them, expressing a desire for the reward in hopes of sharing it with their friends.

Stunned by their children's naivety and trust in Floyd, Arbok and Ursaring hesitated. Sensing their doubt, Floyd spoke up, "I give you my word. Do not question my credibility. Now, you two, give it your all and battle Dratini. Use your strongest abilities. If you manage to defeat him, I'll double your reward. How does that sound?"

"Ekansss?"

"Teddiursa?"

Hearing the promise of a doubled reward, their eyes sparkled with determination as they turned their full attention to Dratini.

"I'll toss the coin now. As soon as it hits the ground, the battle begins. Dratini, I won't be giving any commands this time. You're on your own," Floyd instructed, noticing his Pokémon's reliance on his directions. He wanted them to learn independence, to rely on their instincts rather than waiting for orders. While he understood the need to command them at times, he hoped to shift his role to that of a guide, stepping in only when absolutely necessary.

Regardless of the outcome of this battle, Floyd decided to observe and let Dratini handle the situation.

He then checked Ekans's stats:

Pokémon: Ekans

Level: 10 ♂

Type: Poison

Ability: Intimidate

Moves:

Beginner Level: Bite, Wrap, Poison Fang, Leer, Poison Sting

Genetic Skill: Poison Fang

Reflecting on Ekans's abilities, Floyd recognized him as a younger version of his mother.

"Alright, here goes," Floyd declared, flipping the coin into the air. As the coin clanged onto the ground, ringing out a clear "PONG," he shouted, "GO!"

Dratini immediately darted forward using Extreme Speed, targeting Ekans. Ekans, though struck and pained, retaliated, while Teddiursa launched an attack on Dratini using Scratch.

Feeling the pain from the attack, Dratini's anger flared. He unleashed Twister, sending Teddiursa flying a few meters.

"Roar,"

"Charbokk,"

Arbok and Ursaring, fraught with worry, were on the verge of intervening when they saw Fraxure standing guard.

"Trust me, nothing will happen to your children other than a few bruises, and I will heal them afterward," Floyd reassured, noticing their concern.

Yet, the distrust in Arbok and Ursaring's eyes remained. They were still unsure about Floyd, their parental instincts on high alert.

As Fraxure continued to block their path, they found themselves hesitating.

Back in the battle, Ekans lunged at Dratini with a Poison Fang attack, while Dratini, undeterred, charged forward. The two collided, resulting in cries of pain from Ekans, who, despite the pain, managed to land a hit on Dratini.

Teddiursa, seizing the opportunity, rushed forward, swiping at Dratini with Fury Swipes.

Dratini, ready to retaliate with Twister, suddenly felt a wave of dizziness wash over him, prompting him to swiftly use Extreme Speed in an attempt to evade further attacks.

But what had caused this sudden dizziness in Dratini?