Capítulo 571: Bug Catchers' Beetles
The iconic fin-shaped thing atop her head had undergone significant changes. It was not only embedded with her Mega Stone but that location happens to be the exact center of the Thousand Arms symbol.
This symbol signifies being a trusted follower of Arceus and is even more difficult to obtain than Kaido's flag.
Those outside either sport the Beasts Pirates' Jolly Roger or the Beasts Fruits' commercial flag, and there are very few people who could use the Thousand Arms symbol alone.
Once Nereus familiarized herself with her body, she led her group away from here, back into the vast sea. For her, who had always lived as a Gyarados, the human body wasn't as convenient.
As she departed, the Gyarados native to Wano Country breathed a sigh of relief.
Nereus, when considering lineage, might even be the great-granddaughter of some of them. Their descendent was too powerful and has too high status, so it is not easy for them to stay together with her.
But her success proved a point — expanding the number of Pokémon was meaningful. Though it took many years for the Gyarados to find one plate, it signaled that this path was viable.
There were enough Gyarados and Magikarp in the sea, and Pokémon like Lapras and Mareanie have also appeared in the nearby sea, but they couldn't go to dry land.
Onix continued digging tunnels under the Red Line. While their numbers had grown over the years, they couldn't access other islands. Magikarp can swim freely in the sea but they can't set foot on land.
Previously, because their search didn't yield any result, he didn't expand Pokémon numbers. But now, he might.
If he is going to rapidly expand them, they must be able to fly so that they can reach various islands. However, it couldn't be Pokémon like Jumpluff and Whimsicott, known for their weird personality and weak combat prowess.
Though Sea Kings were absent on the islands, there were numerous exotic beasts, and ancient creatures like dinosaurs, which were the most common ones.
They needed to have resilience and adaptability like Magikarp, a certain level of combat prowess, and ideally, appearances not too strange, somewhat akin to native species.
For example, Gyarados were often perceived as naturally evolved creatures, and to a few who knew the truth, they were modified creatures. No one has guessed that they were created from out of nowhere.
Since no local scholars had witnessed Magikarp's evolution, their racial relation was seen as a peculiar symbiotic relationship.
Arceus did not intend to fill this unstable world with different types of Pokémon all at once. Instead, he wants to sporadically introduce certain species and gradually improve the environment.
Strong in vitality, able to fly, and wouldn't attract too much attention. Among the many options, Bug-type Pokémon gradually became the preferred target.
"Hmm, Heracross will do then. There are also plenty of big beetles on those insect islands."
Heracross, the Single Horn Pokémon, doesn't differ much in appearance from beetles; at most, it's considered a subspecies of a certain beetle. So, they will be able to easily blend into the native world.
Except for the larvae, Bug-type Pokémon's vitality was quite robust, and their combat prowess was reliable.
Heracross's entire body was covered in skin as hard as iron, allowing it to disregard most enemies. As for stronger foes, ordinary ones wouldn't make life difficult for beetles.
Similar to rhinoceros beetles, Heracross had a thick, sturdy horn on its forehead, its primary weapon and a gender differentiator. The male Heracross' horn was akin to a rhinoceros beetle, while the female's horn was heart-shaped.
Arceus hoped to create a Pokémon that could integrate into the ecology rather than disrupt it, and this was one reason for choosing Heracross.
They weren't fierce Pokémon; as a Pokémon that lives in groups, they mostly gather in forests to look for sweet tree sap. They only attack enemies when their sap and honey is being stolen, mainly using their horns to flip their enemies over.
Massive horns, coupled with their powerful strength, could uproot trees effortlessly. Like most insects, Heracross has a high carrying capacity, lifting objects a hundred times heavier than themselves with ease.
The insect wings on their backs grant them the ability to fly. Although Heracross isn't particularly adept at flying, with the monsoon winds, expanding across the world isn't much of a challenge. Moreover, the gradual dispersal process can also allow them to meticulously search the islands.
Heracross was just the first step. If they successfully settled on various islands, more Pokémon would follow. As for Winter Islands, which are unsuitable for them to live in, they could be searched later.
Following the principle of economizing energy, it's certainly more convenient to capture a batch of local beetles and modify them. The ecology within the Wano Country is currently well maintained, and it's now the season for beetles to appear.
At Arceus's behest, Wano Country soon launched a new event - capturing beetles.
There are many who like beetles in the one piece world; it is a magical creature that could make a certain rubber man ponder whether One Piece or beetles were more important. Capturing beetles became one of the joys for the children of Wano Country.
This event wasn't mandatory but rather for entertainment purposes. In the name of the Beasts Pirates, they organized a grand competition in Wano Country to see who could capture the largest, strongest Heracross.
The rewards were modest, just a single gold coin, but for kids, it was a windfall. Thus, a large number of Bug Catchers flocked to the mountains and forests of Wano Country, searching for beetles which they considered the strongest.
The event didn't specify an age limit, but most participants were seven or eight years old. That summer, they experienced a completely different life, with even Wano Country's schools organizing similar events.
Because there was no age restriction for participating in the event, there were also some people with childlike-personality who joined. For example, Yamato was currently comparing the beetle she caught with those of others.
"Yours is so big! Where did you catch it?"
"In the mountains of Kuri."
Looking at others' beetles, she suddenly felt her own seemed a bit ordinary.
"Speed, I'll give this to you."
Throwing the jar to Speed behind her, Yamato picked up her bug-catching net.
"Oni Princess, are you going to...?"
"I'm going to catch an even bigger one. There's no way I'll lose to ordinary kids."
At that moment, a peculiar competitive spirit awakened in her heart.
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