NOVEL NEXT Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Departure
The blazing Pyro Ball surged forward, heading straight for the dense foliage. Lian felt slightly panicked, fearing he might have misjudged the situation. However, once the Ember move was unleashed, it would take a brief moment to recharge his energy, giving ample time for Nuzleaf to defeat him.
At this critical juncture, victory or defeat hung on these few fleeting seconds.
Suddenly, the massive Ember seemed to encounter resistance, exploding with a loud bang and scattering countless sparks that ignited the surrounding leaves.
Hmm?
Lian's eyes lit up - did he bet correctly?!
As the leaves burned away, the hidden Nuzleaf gradually came into view. After enduring the enhanced Ember attack, its body bore numerous burn marks, clearly indicating it had lost its fighting capability. It swayed precariously, as if about to fall from the tree.
He won!
Once confirming that Nuzleaf could no longer battle, Lian sat down, taking a well-deserved rest. The outcome of subsequent battles didn't matter now; the first fight was complete, and any further engagements wouldn't be recorded by the system.
The Nuzleaf family appeared visibly enraged, realizing they had lost their territory, feeling like billions were at stake. Eventually, they departed angrily.
Lian glanced around at the remaining Pokemon; many had already left. The Beedrill continued waving its stinger menacingly, seemingly taunting him, but Lian chose to ignore it completely.
Lian casually pointed at another Pokemon, a Metapod. Then he pretended to be knocked down by it and promptly conceded, allowing this territory to belong to the Metapod and its group.
It's time to leave.
Despite some reluctance, as the environment here was quite pleasant with daily sunbathing, ample food, and a carefree lifestyle.
Under the watchful eyes of the Pokemon, Lian didn't take anything with him and slowly walked towards the edge of the forest.
Oh no! Oh no!
Only after starting his journey did Lian realize he should have grabbed a few Pecha Berries for sustenance along the way.
Now, his stomach grumbled hungrily, but there was nothing to eat. How regretful!
Should I go back?
Lian shook his head, dismissing the thought. Returning now might make the Pokemon think he changed his mind, potentially leading to another beating.
There's no choice; first, exit the forest, then find something to eat. The forest isn't actually that vast. Although Lian had never ventured beyond it, he had explored its outskirts enough to know the path out.
Enduring his hunger, he headed towards the forest's periphery. Soon, it was already noon.
Upon reaching the outskirts, the number of Pokemon visibly decreased, and wider paths emerged. This area is occasionally frequented by humans, so there's a risk of encountering novice trainers who might try to capture Pokemon.
I need to be cautious; I can't let humans spot me.
Although Charmanders aren't considered rare Pokemon, their gentle nature makes them highly sought after by novice trainers. If someone sees me, the consequences could be severe.
Lian certainly didn't want to get captured so easily. Ending up with a broke trainer would leave him nowhere to turn but tears.
If capture is inevitable, it better be by someone wealthy, preferably a pretty girl. However, rich beginner trainers likely already have numerous Pokemon, making it unlikely they'd come here for more.
I must disguise myself somehow.
Lian gathered some vines and wrapped them tightly around his body, concealing his fiery red appearance. Unfortunately, as a Charmander with short limbs, he couldn't reach his tail, leaving it exposed and unable to be covered by the vines.
That distinctive tail flame posed quite a challenge. Lian frowned slightly, then decided it's best to just run if encountered by anyone.
With vines entwined all over, from afar, Lian resembled a Vineon somewhat. However, upon closer inspection, the burning tail would instantly give away his true identity.
Through gaps in the vines, Lian's dark eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for something tasty. The forest actually had limited food options; most Pokemon relied on Bug-type Pokemon, which themselves fed on plants and flowers. In essence, Bug-type Pokemon sustained nearly half of the forest's inhabitants.
However, there were occasional wild fruit trees scattered within the forest. If he could find one and quickly snatch a few berries without being noticed, it should be harmless.
As expected, not far from the forest exit, Lian spotted a fruit tree with no Pokémon nearby.
The tree was noticeably shorter than the surrounding giants but had dense foliage laden with blue, nut-like fruits.
Lian felt these looked somewhat familiar, yet couldn't recall what type of berries they were. Nevertheless, they seemed edible, and nearing starvation, he didn't hesitate. After scanning for any nearby Pokémon, he found none.
Quickly picking a handful of the blue berries, he made a swift escape. Fortunately, no Pokémon noticed him, making his berry harvest effortless.
From his pocket, Lian retrieved one of the hard, blue-skinned berries, reminiscent of a chestnut due to its firm shell.
Eagerly, he took a bite, aiming to crack through the outer layer, but unexpectedly, the berry proved exceptionally tough, resisting his initial attempt.
Not giving up that easily.
Summoning all his strength, Lian struggled until he finally managed to break through the blue outer shell. An overwhelming bitterness flooded his taste buds, causing considerable discomfort.
Realizing the outer skin was extremely bitter, Lian suddenly had a foreboding feeling. He discarded the peel and focused on the inner fruit.
Lian prodded the fruit and found it surprisingly firm. Taking another bite revealed the same hardness as the outer shell, with an equally bitter taste.
Damn!
Speechless, Lian now understood why no one ate these fruits. With such bitterness, how could any Pokémon enjoy them?
Suddenly, he recalled what this fruit was—a Chesto Berry. It's known for its ability to instantly awaken sleeping Pokémon when consumed.
Realizing why Chesto Berries can revive Pokemon, Lian figured it out: due to their unpleasantly bitter taste, consuming them would likely jolt anyone awake, making sleep impossible.
He remembered that Chesto Berries are highly useful in battles, capable of countering moves like Sleep Powder, and even synergizing with Rest to expedite recovery.
However, for Lian, they were entirely useless. He suspected eating one might keep him from sleeping at night.
With no hesitation, Lian discarded the berries completely. Despite being technically edible, their extreme bitterness deterred him; he refused to compromise his palate regardless of potential benefits.
Exhausted and hungry, Lian continued through the forest outskirts, nearing its edge. Once outside, finding food wouldn't be a problem.
Nightfall gradually approached, with the evening breeze bringing a refreshing coolness to the summer air.
At this moment, Lian walked beyond the forest's edge onto open land, surrounded by scattered trees. In the distance, he could make out the outlines of buildings, suggesting human habitation nearby.
It was evident that humans dominated this world, while Pokemon primarily lived in untouched wilderness areas.
In the far-off horizon, there seemed to be a river, as Lian heard the gentle sound of flowing water. However, with night already setting in and not feeling particularly thirsty, he decided to investigate it tomorrow.
After a tiring day, finding a place to sleep became Lian's foremost priority.
"Huh, is something shining over there?"
"Could it be a Pokémon?"
Suddenly, voices carried from afar, startling Lian. The sounds were distinctly human, specifically female voices.
As twilight deepened, the flame on Charmander's tail stood out prominently, easily drawing attention.
Lian had no desire for human contact; he yearned to be a free-spirited Charmander. Quickly, he moved away, determined to find a spot where he could rest overnight before deciding his next move.
"It ran away; did it spot us?"
"What type of Pokémon do you think it is? The tail looks somewhat like a Charmander's."
"Ha ha, are there any Charmanders in our Sebas region?"
"I heard a few months ago, a group of Charizards migrated from Ellie area through here."
"That's just a rumor, don't believe everything."
"But I still have that newspaper article, let me show you!"
As Lian continued his escape, the two women didn't pursue further. After some casual chatter and disagreement, they turned around and left. The nighttime wilderness was dangerous, with frequent appearances of aggressive Pokemon.
They're not following, right?
Lian glanced around cautiously, ensuring no one was chasing him. Once satisfied, he found a hidden corner, stretched out, and promptly fell asleep, head tilted back.
The hunger couldn't overpower his exhaustion. Lian hadn't slept for a whole day, feeling on the verge of developing dark circles under his eyes.
Although the nighttime wilderness was perilous, with the camouflage provided by vines, no Pokemon would suspect a Charmander lurking in the dark shadows.
At midnight, Lian's dream abruptly cut off as his consciousness detached from the dreamland, gradually becoming clear once again, and returned to the system space.
As expected, the data panel refreshed, and Lian eagerly looked at today's battle statistics and rating.
Charmander (Lian)
Gender: ♂
Type: Fire
Level: Lv 6
Ability: Blaze
Moves: Scratch, Growl, Ember
Stats: HP 207, Attack 112, Defense 102, Special Attack 142, Special Defense 110, Speed 128
Nuzleaf:
Gender: ♂
Type: Dark, Grass
Level: Lv 15
Ability: Early Bird
Moves: Tackle, Absorb, Growth, Rollout, Astonish, Harden, Fake Out, Razor Leaf
Stats: HP 460, Attack 260, Defense 200, Special Attack 230, Special Defense 170, Speed 230
Battle Assessment: C-
Level Difference Reward: +9
Racial Difference Reward: +3
Stat Disparity Reward: +75
Output Disparity Reward: +292
Charmander Output: 460
Nuzleaf Output: 168
Victory: Charmander wins
Total Battle Rewards: 379
Cumulative Combat Points: 382