Chapter 482: The Seven Chieftains
How to find his little dragonfly—this was the question that had been on Arthur's mind ever since he entered the desert. Unlike the Great Tyrant Tyranitar, one of the Three Phantoms, whose territory was clearly marked on the map, he still had no leads on Flygon. All he had to do for Tyranitar was go there and confirm if it was his.
During his downtime, he asked Amani, "Did the doctor give any specific instructions for our route?"
Amani shook her head and replied with a straight face, "No." This was, of course, a lie. The doctor had actually instructed her to try and persuade Arthur to visit the dangerous, unexplored areas. But she obviously couldn't say that to his face.
"The doctor just told us to cover as much ground as possible, so that the samples and data we collect aren't limited to one area." To analyze the entire desert's ecosystem, they needed samples and data from all over, not just their own backyard. This was the reason Dr. Zeratano organized these expeditions time and time again.
Arthur nodded. "In that case, let's continue south for now. We'll head to the Krookodile's territory."
His ultimate destination was the territory of the Phantom of the West, Tyranitar. But unfortunately, it was very far from their starting point. The Batta Alliance was located in the northeastern corner of the Ashen Desert, its territory clinging to the top right of the map like a crescent moon. The Phantom's territory was in the bottom left, a straight line connecting them would cut diagonally across the entire desert. It was quite inconvenient.
So, Arthur chose to head south first, then west. The reason was that Krookodile were known to be one of Flygon's companions. Many records indicated that these two species often hunted together—one would whip up a sandstorm, and the other would use the cover to launch a surprise attack. They were a perfect, devious pair. By visiting one of the Seven Chieftains, the Krookodile, he might be able to get some information about Flygon.
Amani naturally supported this choice. "Alright." She was even secretly pleased. The Krookodile among the Seven Chieftains was known to have a particularly bad temper and was very hostile towards humans. That territory was one of the areas they had never been able to survey. For Arthur to head straight there without any persuasion from her was a perfect outcome.
After collecting plant samples and data from their current location, the research team set off again. The Sandslash continued to travel with them. The self-proclaimed holy warrior, recipient of a divine revelation, seemed determined to continue its pilgrimage.
However, as they got back into the vehicle, Arthur noticed that more than half of the Sandshrew that had been following the Sandslash were gone. Only a few remained, huddled together in the back seat. "Aren't you going to look after the ones that left?" Arthur asked curiously.
"Slash, slash."
The Sandslash's reply was calm. Greninja translated, "He says he will continue to fulfill the mission given to him by the revelation and may not be able to take care of the entire tribe. The Sandshrew that left are seeking a better life, and he will not stop them."
"Alright then." Arthur shrugged. The Sandslash had its own ideas, and he wouldn't pry. But as they sat together in the back seat, he could still sense a touch of sadness from it. The departure of its kin must have left it feeling a bit lonely. But this precocious holy knight was unwilling to show such vulnerability to others. Maybe a little bit of arrogance is a side effect of chuunibyou, Arthur mused idly. He recalled that Little Lapras also disliked it when people pointed out how much she missed her grandmother, even though her clumsy attempts to hide it were obvious to everyone.
The team drove for another full day, stopping periodically whenever they encountered areas with more abundant vegetation to collect samples, record data, and take photos. Sometimes they would also observe the ordinary animals of the desert, such as camels, lizards, and scorpions.
In the evening, they witnessed a real hunt from a distance. A Krookodile with the Intimidate ability, along with several Sandile, was hunting a camel. The Intimidate ability was incredibly useful for hunting in the wild. The moment they locked eyes with their prey, they could frighten it into submission. Sometimes, the terrified prey would be too scared to even run, collapsing on the spot and accepting its fate, just like the poor desert camel in the distance.
Looking through his binoculars, Skarner said warily, "We must be getting close to the Chieftain's territory."
One of the Seven Chieftains was a Krookodile, but that didn't mean it was the only one in the desert. In fact, the species was one of the primary predators here, their tracks found all over the desert, and they had more than one tribe. The Krookodile Chieftain was simply the strongest, most infamous, and had the largest territory. There were no clear borders in the desert, but according to the map, this Krookodile's domain was comparable in size to an entire major city in the Kubfu Alliance.
"I think they've spotted us," Arthur said, also watching the hunt through his binoculars.
In the distance, the adult Krookodile had finished off the paralyzed camel with a single bite—likely using Bite or Crunch, it was too far to tell for sure. It was now letting its young Sandile eat first while it stood guard, scanning the surroundings. It noticed Arthur's convoy and let out a couple of threatening roars in their direction.
Skarner nodded. "The Seven Chieftains are not just the seven strongest Pokémon in this desert; they are also the seven most intelligent leaders. The territories they control are vast, and they command not only their own kind but also many other species of Pokémon. The ability to maintain balance and order among different species over a large territory for a long time is proof that their intelligence is on par with humans. On the outskirts of their territory, they even train scouts. If we act recklessly, that Krookodile will likely report our presence to its leader immediately. Don't underestimate the intelligence of these Pokémon. The Krookodile under the command of a Chieftain are completely different from those found elsewhere. You can almost consider them a different species."
Arthur nodded. He understood that Skarner was trying to warn him, probably worried that his youth would make him reckless and underestimate the enemy. In reality, Arthur was more clear-headed and experienced than Skarner. He had encountered countless intelligent, disciplined, and cunning wild Pokémon who followed a leader without fear of death. Two hundred years ago, during the war, if the human Champions were the counterpart to the Legendaries, then what was the counterpart to the human armies? The answer was, of course, the wild Pokémon tribes.
Arthur had seen plenty of powerful leaders and organized tribes. He wouldn't underestimate the Seven Chieftains, but he wouldn't be overly awed by them either.
"I understand," Arthur said softly, lowering his binoculars. "We'll set up camp here for the night and enter their territory tomorrow to try and communicate with their leader."