บท 19: There's Something Off About My Pokémon. [19]
"Cha!" A newcomer arrived just in time, cutting off the flames. The severed tree trunk fell to the ground, and the fire gradually died out. As the situation calmed, a pair of red eyes stared at Lu Cheng, as if demanding an explanation for why he had started the blaze.
"What is this?!" Lu Cheng looked at the lizard-like Pokémon in disbelief.
TreeckoStatus: Wild
Nature: Lonely
Ability: Unburden
Moveset: Slash, Quick Attack, Pound, Agility
Evaluation: A Pokémon from the Hoenn region, prefers living in groups; solitary Treecko are extremely rare!
Vulpix took a defensive stance in front of Lu Cheng, its instincts warning that this Treecko was even more formidable than the Beautifly. Given that it had split a tree trunk with a single strike, this Treecko's level was clearly higher than expected.
The Beautifly, seemingly recognizing Treecko, chirped happily, only for Treecko to shake its head in refusal. It crossed its arms, drew a branch from its side, and pointed it at Vulpix, issuing a clear challenge. This gesture indicated that Treecko was rejecting Beautifly's invitation to team up and wanted a one-on-one battle with Vulpix instead.
Ding—Task 'Guardian of the Forest' discovered.
Task Objective: Defeat Treecko
Task Rewards: 2 Speed Points, 2,000 Yuan cash, item Charcoal.
This Treecko clearly had a strong sense of justice, mistakenly viewing Lu Cheng as an arsonist trying to set the forest ablaze. Lu Cheng couldn't help but smile wryly. Even without Treecko's intervention, he had already planned to use Vulpix's Telekinesis to control the flames. However, with the current turn of events, capturing this Treecko now seemed nearly impossible.
"It's rare to see such a Pokémon here," Lu Cheng sighed, addressing Treecko seriously. "You might not believe me, but my true intention was just to level up Vulpix."
"Though you may not believe it, that's the truth." He scratched his head, looking at Treecko's determined expression, and lamented, "Looks like I'll have to defeat you first before I can explain!"
Facing Vulpix, Treecko raised its branch like a master swordsman preparing for a duel. The green-skinned lizard, with its light red belly and long limbs, stood ready. Its large, swollen green tail marked its status as a Treecko, a design that Lu Cheng found surprisingly appealing.
Lu Cheng noticed that Beautifly, one of the instigators, had already disappeared, much to his frustration. That was a chunk of experience points gone! With tears in his eyes, he glared at Treecko. "Fine, I'll make you pay for that with your body!" he muttered.
Despite Vulpix's type advantage over Treecko, it was evident that this would be a challenging battle given Treecko's formidable physical strength. Lu Cheng called out, "Vulpix, use Growl!"
No matter how he looked at it, Treecko seemed to rely on physical attacks. Vulpix's growl caused Treecko to frown briefly, but it quickly recovered and charged at Vulpix with incredible speed—a Quick Attack! Vulpix couldn't evade in time, and Treecko's branch struck hard, causing Vulpix to cry out in pain. The first blow was significant.
Although Lu Cheng frowned, he stayed calm. Thanks to the 3 defense points he earned in his last battle, Vulpix was able to withstand a few more hits. But he knew they couldn't win by being passive. "Vulpix, use Ember!" he commanded.
The flames of Ember, boosted by the Chain ability, were now 30% stronger after the repeated attacks on Beautifly. Treecko, wary of the burning attack, tried to dodge but ended up with a burn mark on its left arm—a fortunate 10% chance of causing a burn! The burn status would reduce Treecko's physical attack power by half, putting Vulpix at a significant advantage.
Treecko, now weakened and panting heavily, leaned on its branch for support. Lu Cheng tossed Vulpix a Pecha Berry, and the little fox caught it effortlessly, looking smugly at Treecko.
But then, Treecko closed its eyes, preparing for a surprise attack. In a split second, it launched a full-powered Quick Attack at Vulpix, the blade of its branch gleaming with deadly precision. The combined force of Quick Attack and Slash seemed almost impossible to counter.
But Lu Cheng was ready. "Vulpix, use Return!" he shouted.
In the blink of an eye, Vulpix was surrounded by a radiant white light. When the two attacks clashed, the power of Return overwhelmed Treecko's Quick Attack. Treecko collapsed to the ground, struggling to rise, but ultimately, it couldn't keep up and fell back in defeat.
As Lu Cheng approached Treecko, ready to capture it, he paused when he saw the Pokémon's determined gaze. Treecko's eyes held a fierce pride, a refusal to submit. Even if he caught it, Treecko might not obey his commands. Understanding the situation, Lu Cheng sighed. "If I try to force you into this, you won't accept it, will you?"
Lu Cheng addressed Treecko directly, his voice tinged with frustration and respect. "You might think I'm the bad guy, but my true intention was to protect the forest." He tossed a healing potion toward Treecko. "Take care of yourself. I'll let you decide how to use it."
Vulpix, sensing the tension, gave a cheeky smile and stuck its tongue out at Treecko before following Lu Cheng back into the woods. Treecko watched them leave, its expression a mix of confusion and grudging respect. Eventually, it limped away, supporting itself with its branch.
---
In the depths of the forest, by a stone table in front of a wooden cabin, an elderly man with closed eyes and a gentle smile sipped his tea. Beside him stood Treecko, looking battered but thoughtful. The Pokémon called out softly to the old man, who replied, "So, you were defeated but not captured? Isn't that fortunate?"
Treecko seemed troubled, its emotions tangled in its failure and pride. The old man continued, "If it's still weighing on your mind, why not chase after it?"
Hearing this, Treecko's eyes sparkled with determination. It picked up its branch and, though the old man couldn't see, gave a deep bow of respect. Treecko had been saved by this man when it was young, and now it felt a duty to repay that kindness by guarding the forest. But the time had come for it to begin its own journey.
As Treecko dashed toward the edge of the forest, the old man smiled gently. "With a heart full of justice, no matter where you go, you won't be led astray," he murmured, his blind eyes seemingly seeing far beyond the surface.
---
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