Chapter 18: The Zubat Swarm
Looking at the two Pokémon that had collapsed on the battlefield, both trainers recalled their partners. Erika sighed and said, "That was my mistake. If I hadn't relied on Petal Dance so heavily, I probably wouldn't have let you win so easily."
Lillie approached riding Nidorina and said in surprise, "I had no idea gym leaders were so powerful! I used to see you winning easily, Ryan, and I thought they weren't very strong."
Ryan patted Lillie's head with mild exasperation and explained, "Who told you that? A gym leader is one of the most powerful trainers in their city. Not only do they help the Pokémon League govern the region, but they also protect the town from dangerous wild Pokémon. As for gym challenges to obtain badges, gym leaders don't use their main teams. The gym challenge system is designed to identify talented trainers for the League. If all gym leaders used their full strength, very few trainers would ever earn a badge."
"I'm impressed you understand the system so well," Erika said, glancing at Ryan approvingly. "Just as Ryan explained—don't underestimate gym leaders, Lillie. But congratulations on your victory, Ryan. I suspect that if your Mewtwo grows a little stronger, you could very well become Champion."
Ryan accepted the Rainbow Badge and placed it in his badge case. Curiously, he asked, "Are you saying that with my current strength, it would be difficult to win the Indigo League?"
Lillie's interest was piqued as she asked, "Are there really trainers stronger than Ryan?"
"Indeed there are. I'll be honest with you—you've heard of Elite Four member Lance, haven't you?" Erika said after a moment's hesitation.
"Yes, I know of him," Ryan replied, thinking to himself: "Though he's more of a Flying-type specialist than a pure Dragon-type trainer."
"Lance has a cousin named Clair, who's a Gym Leader in the Johto region. He also has a younger cousin named draco, who's about 13 years old and has been competing in League tournaments. Lance will soon be transferred to Johto to take the Champion position, and draco will likely claim a vacant Elite Four spot. While not as strong as Lance, he's still among the very best. He'll also be participating in this year's Indigo League. I've battled against him before, and he's incredibly strong—even stronger than you currently are, Ryan," Erika said carefully.
"Interesting," Ryan said, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "After obtaining Mewtwo, I thought this tournament would be too easy, but I didn't expect another formidable opponent to emerge. I'm genuinely excited!"
During his time in the Pokémon world, Ryan had gradually noticed significant changes in himself. Back on Earth, he had been just an ordinary person living a mundane life. But in the Pokémon world, despite the system's guidance, he had truly integrated into this reality, and some previously hidden aspects of his personality had begun to emerge.
Cheerful yet competitive, with a deep love for Pokémon and an insatiable hunger for battles—this was Ryan's current personality. He wasn't afraid of powerful opponents; on the contrary, he was thrilled to have a rival who could challenge him and show him new heights to reach!
After bidding farewell to Erika, he also received a discount coupon for her perfume shop. While Ryan wasn't particularly interested in fragrances, Lillie was quite excited—after all, it's natural for girls to enjoy such things!
Lillie bought some perfume to send to her mother, arranged for delivery, and they rested in Celadon City for another day.
The next morning, after purchasing supplies, Ryan and Lillie set out for Fuchsia City.
Instead of taking the route Ash had taken in the anime, Ryan chose a more direct path that passed through three small towns before reaching Fuchsia City. They had expected a smooth journey, but unexpectedly, problems arose on the very first day.
In the evening, Ryan and Lillie set up camp beside a clear stream. He prepared dinner while Lillie, still recovering from her ankle injury, sat by the water with her fishing rod, hoping to catch something fresh to supplement their meal.
The Pokémon were allowed to roam freely, and those with energy practiced their moves. Little Mewtwo was diligently training its psychic powers. With such a dedicated example among the younger generation, Charizard and the other veteran Pokémon felt immense pressure!
After all, little Mewtwo wasn't even level 30 yet, but it could battle these level 40+ Pokémon on equal terms. If they didn't work hard and were surpassed by a newcomer, they would lose face as experienced team members. Ryan smiled silently as he watched. He hadn't told Charizard and the others that Mewtwo was a Legendary Pokémon. Ryan was delighted that his team was being motivated by little Mewtwo's example to continuously improve.
If Charizard and the others could consistently match or even suppress Mewtwo's growth, then by the time Mewtwo matured into a true Legendary Pokémon, his veteran team members—even if they weren't Legendary themselves—would possess power rivaling that level!
As the sky gradually darkened, Ryan had prepared a large pot of hearty stew, which along with the bread they'd purchased, would satisfy everyone's hunger. He served a bowl to each Pokémon along with their specialized Pokéblocks.
Just as they were about to begin eating, a chittering sound rose from the horizon, rapidly approaching. Ryan looked up and his face went pale! It was a massive swarm of Zubat and Golbat, conservatively estimated at nearly a thousand strong!
"Get in the tent! Don't provoke them!" Ryan immediately scooped Lillie up in his arms and rushed into their tent. He quickly recalled all his Pokémon except for Mewtwo, who he positioned to guard the tent entrance.
Wild Zubat and Golbat were known to drain blood from their victims. While a few wouldn't be dangerous, this many could easily prove fatal. Even with the tent flaps secured, the relentless battering continued, and the outer fabric began to tear under the assault.
Ryan frowned and had Mewtwo use Psychic to reinforce the tent structure, preventing it from collapsing under the impacts. Lillie clung to Ryan's arm in terror, unsure how to react to this unprecedented situation.
"It's okay, I'm here," Ryan tried to reassure her, though his own trembling hands betrayed his inner panic.
They say that even ants can kill an elephant through sheer numbers, and that was absolutely true here. Ryan figured that even a Legendary Pokémon wouldn't casually provoke an attack from so many wild Pokémon. Numbers could make all the difference in the world.
Only after the sounds outside finally died down did Ryan and Lillie venture out of their tent. Looking at the devastated campsite, Ryan smiled grimly and said, "Well, at least they didn't touch our food supplies. Everyone's safe—that's what matters."
Lillie nodded shakily. This had been her first experience with the raw power of a Pokémon swarm. After a quick meal of what remained edible, Ryan and Lillie immediately packed up and continued traveling through the night.
They obviously couldn't remain there any longer. Who knew if those Zubat and Golbat would return for another attack? If they did, the next encounter might not end so fortunately.
They traveled rapidly through the darkness and finally reached the town marked on their map near dawn. Entering the settlement, they found the Pokémon Center. After knocking persistently, a sleepy Chansey finally opened the door. After explaining their situation, the Pokémon Center staff let them inside.
Once Ryan and Lillie were safely inside the Pokémon Center, they finally allowed themselves to relax. This had been the most dangerous situation they'd encountered during their entire journey.
Physically and mentally exhausted, both travelers fell into deep, much-needed sleep.
(To be continued...)
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