Chapter 261

Chapter 261: Chapter 261

"I think we should start by teaching them how to properly control the Ice-type energy inside their bodies," Lorelei suggested, looking at the Bergmite gathered in front of her. "Otherwise, I don’t think our current approach is going to be particularly efficient."

She considered the problem for a moment before continuing.

"If I remember correctly, during the Wyrdeer research, Lucian had his Pokémon help guide the Psychic-type energy inside the Stantler, didn’t he? We could try something similar. I’ll have my Pokémon help the Bergmite learn a few other Ice-type moves first, so they can become more familiar with manipulating their own energy."

Lorelei glanced toward Professor Kukui.

"At the same time, we can demonstrate moves that operate on principles similar to Mountain Gale. Rock Slide, Rock Blast, and Power Gem would all be worth considering."

Kukui nodded thoughtfully.

"That sounds good! But I think we could take it a little further."

He looked toward the Bergmite, already considering how the training sessions might be arranged.

"Once we’ve helped them understand the basics of Ice-type energy, why don’t we demonstrate those moves during an actual battle? I’ll use moves like Power Gem, while you demonstrate Ice-type techniques. That way, the Bergmite can experience how the different attacks work rather than simply watching us explain them."

Lorelei considered his suggestion and nodded.

"No problem. I think that’ll work."

With their training strategy settled, the two researchers began organizing the next stage of the experiment.

...

Early the following morning, after Lorelei arrived at the research camp from Rondo Town, she and Professor Kukui got straight to work teaching the Bergmite.

Not far away, Professor Rowan and Professor Oak were sitting beneath a tree, enjoying cups of hot tea while occasionally observing the research teams.

Lucian and Candice were conducting their own training session nearby.

Under their direction, several Bergmite were launching attacks against Cynthia and Garchomp.

The powerful Dragon-type moved effortlessly between the little blocks of ice, avoiding their attacks with remarkable agility.

Despite their best efforts, the Bergmite were having a difficult time landing a hit.

But that was precisely the point of the exercise.

If they wanted to grow stronger, they’d have to learn how to attack opponents who were considerably faster and more experienced than themselves.

And while everyone else was busy conducting serious research...

Mike was lying flat on his stomach in the snow.

A camera was raised in front of his face.

His attention was completely occupied by a herd of Mamoswine in the distance.

The enormous Pokémon were resting peacefully on the snowy ground, occasionally shifting their massive bodies as they enjoyed the quiet morning.

Nearby, several Piloswine were accompanying the younger Swinub as they searched for food.

The little Swinub wandered through the snow, burying their snouts in the frozen ground and rooting around enthusiastically.

Mike carefully adjusted his camera.

’Perfect...’

This was exactly the kind of footage he’d been hoping to capture.

Wild Pokémon going about their daily lives, completely unaware that someone was observing them.

Beside him, Gengar was also lying in the snow.

Unfortunately, the Ghost-type wasn’t nearly as interested in the filming.

He scratched his enormous backside and looked around, apparently growing bored.

Then something caught his attention.

One of the Piloswine had begun digging through the frozen ground.

Using its powerful snout, it broke apart the icy soil and unearthed several mushrooms buried beneath the surface.

Gengar’s eyes lit up.

"GENGAR!"

He immediately sprang to his feet.

Mike reacted just as quickly.

Without taking his eyes off the camera, he reached out, caught Gengar by the tail, and pulled him back down into the snow.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

"Gaaaaaaar!"

[MUSHROOMS! THERE ARE MUSHROOMS OVER THERE!]

Mike rolled his eyes.

"Don’t tell me you’re planning to run over and steal them."

He finally glanced toward his partner.

"Have you seen how big those Mamoswine are? One of them could skewer you on its tusks like a kebab!"

Gengar looked toward the resting Mamoswine.

Then he examined the enormous tusks protruding from their mouths.

Finally, he looked down at his own round belly.

An image appeared in his imagination.

A massive Mamoswine charging straight at him, its tusks piercing his stomach and leaving him dangling in the air like a piece of meat on a skewer.

"Gen..."

He shuddered violently.

Maybe stealing mushrooms wasn’t such a good idea.

"Just stay still," Mike told him. "If you’re that bored, go dig some up yourself."

He returned his attention to the camera, carefully following a Swinub as it wandered across the snow.

Gengar considered the suggestion.

Then he stood up, brushed the snow off his belly, and reached into his pocket.

A pickaxe appeared in his hand as he turned toward Beedrill.

"Gengar!"

[Come on! Let’s go!]

Beedrill glanced at Mike, then followed Gengar as the Ghost-type floated away.

"Gengar!"

[Hmph! Nobody’s stopping ME from finding mushrooms!]

"Don’t wander too far!" Mike called after them.

"Gengar~!"

[Okay~!]

Satisfied that his partners had heard him, Mike returned to his filming.

He spent some time capturing footage of the Swinub digging for food, then gradually stood up and began moving a little closer to the herd.

He was careful to keep his movements quiet.

However, he’d barely advanced a short distance when one of the Mamoswine suddenly opened its eyes.

The enormous Pokémon rose to its feet.

Mike immediately stopped.

He crouched behind a nearby tree, making sure he was out of sight.

The Mamoswine raised its head and released a long, powerful bellow.

"MAMOOO!"

The other Mamoswine reacted at once.

They quickly approached the first Pokémon, gathering around the Piloswine and Swinub.

Within moments, the smaller Pokémon had been surrounded by a protective wall of enormous bodies.

Mike watched the sudden change in their behavior with growing curiosity.

’Huh?’

’What’s going on?’

He hadn’t done anything that should have alarmed them.

Had they noticed his presence?

Or was something else happening?

"Detecting valuable footage! Recording mode activated, roto!"

Rotom automatically began recording through the phone.

"Hattrem!"

Hattrem, who was sitting on a tree branch nearby, suddenly called out.

Mike followed the direction of her gaze and finally understood why the Mamoswine had become so alert.

Several Weavile were descending from the rocky cliffs surrounding the herd.

The Dark- and Ice-type Pokémon moved swiftly across the stone surfaces, their sharp claws allowing them to maintain their grip as they climbed down.

More Weavile appeared from different directions.

Before long, the herd had been surrounded.

Mike narrowed his eyes.

He counted the approaching Pokémon.

They were divided into five separate groups, each consisting of four or five Weavile.

The groups spread out around the Mamoswine, preparing to attack from several directions.

’Wait a minute...’

’Is this a hunting party?’

Mike had heard about Weavile coordinating with one another during hunts, but witnessing such behavior in the wild was a completely different experience.

He immediately recognized the value of the footage.

Looking up toward the tree, he caught Snivy’s attention.

Snivy nodded.

One of her vines extended toward him, gently took his camera, and lifted it into the branches.

With the camera safely in Snivy’s care, Mike took out his drone and sent it into the air.

The drone rose above the battlefield, giving him a much clearer view of the two groups.

He’d barely finished adjusting the camera angle when the Weavile launched their attack.

One of the groups positioned closest to the herd moved first.

A Weavile sprang forward, its claws gleaming as it charged straight toward a Mamoswine.

The enormous Pokémon reacted immediately.

With a powerful swing of its head, it struck the attacking Weavile and sent it flying.

BOOOOM!

The Weavile crashed into the rocky cliff behind it.

Before the other attackers could recover from the shock, the Mamoswine leader lowered its head.

A terrifying concentration of energy gathered between its enormous tusks.

Then—HYPER BEAM!

A devastating beam of energy erupted from the Mamoswine’s mouth.

The attack tore across the battlefield, smashing through rocks and trees as it swept toward the Weavile.

Several of them failed to dodge in time.

The beam struck them directly, knocking them unconscious almost instantly.

Nearby, two other Mamoswine began stamping their enormous feet against the ground.

Earthquake!

The entire area shook.

Violent tremors spread through the frozen earth, causing the surrounding rocks and snow to shift.

Even from his position behind the tree, Mike felt the ground lurch beneath him.

"Whoa!"

He stumbled and nearly lost his balance.

Fortunately, he managed to steady himself against the trunk.

’These Mamoswine are seriously strong!’

There was no denying the terrifying power of the enormous Pokémon.

However, the Weavile weren’t weak either.

Even after several of their companions had been knocked unconscious, the remaining attackers quickly reorganized.

Their coordination was remarkably precise.

Some distracted the Mamoswine from the front, while others circled around to attack from the sides.

Sharp claws flashed through the air.

Within moments, several Mamoswine had sustained numerous injuries.

Mike carefully adjusted the drone’s camera, bringing the battle closer into view.

On the screen, he could see the Piloswine and Swinub gathered behind their enormous protectors.

But they weren’t simply hiding.

When a group of Weavile finally managed to break through the Mamoswine’s defensive formation, the Piloswine immediately moved to intercept them.

The Swinub joined the counterattack.

Although the smaller Pokémon were considerably weaker, their combined efforts quickly drove the intruders backward.

The Weavile had fought hard to penetrate the herd’s defenses, only to be forced out again by the very Pokémon they’d been trying to reach.

Mike watched the exchange with increasing fascination.

This wasn’t simply a battle between two groups of wild Pokémon.

It was an organized hunt meeting an equally determined defense.

The Weavile were working together to secure food for their group.

Meanwhile, the Mamoswine were risking their lives to protect the younger members of their herd.

High above the battlefield, the Weavile leader clung to a rocky cliff.

Its sharp claws were hooked into the stone, and its body was angled sideways as it watched the fight unfold.

The leader studied the Mamoswine below.

Despite the numerous wounds covering their bodies, the enormous Pokémon continued fighting fiercely.

None of them showed any intention of abandoning their young.

Then the Weavile leader looked toward its own companions.

Several had already lost consciousness.

Others had sustained serious injuries.

And the Mamoswine were still fighting with everything they had.

The leader’s expression darkened.

These Pokémon were simply too dangerous when protecting their offspring.

Continuing the hunt would only result in more casualties.

Finally, the Weavile leader released a sharp cry.

"WEAVILE!"

The remaining Weavile immediately began withdrawing.

’They’re retreating?’

Mike watched through the drone’s camera.

The Weavile moved in an orderly fashion, helping their fallen companions back to their feet and supporting those who were too badly injured to move easily.

They gradually pulled away from the Mamoswine herd.

The Mamoswine leader didn’t pursue them.

Instead, it remained standing in front of its family, its eyes red with anger as it watched the attackers retreat.

Mike was so absorbed in the scene that he failed to notice something happening behind him.

A Weavile was quietly descending from the surrounding cliffs.

Unlike the others, it hadn’t joined the retreat.

It moved carefully along the rocky surface, approaching Mike from behind.

Once it was close enough to attack, the Weavile crouched.

Its sharp claws extended.

Then it launched itself toward Mike!

The claws were aimed directly at his back.

"HATTREM!"

Hattrem reacted instantly.

She’d been continuously monitoring the surrounding area with her psychic powers, and the moment the Weavile entered her range, she detected its presence.

Her expression changed.

Fairy-type energy gathered around her body, radiating a brilliant light.

Dazzling Gleam!

The powerful Fairy-type attack struck the Weavile before its claws could reach Mike.

With both its Dark and Ice typings leaving it vulnerable to Fairy-type moves, the attack dealt devastating damage.

The Weavile was blasted backward.

CRASH!

It slammed into the rocky wall and lost consciousness immediately.

Mike spun around, his eyes widened when he saw the unconscious Weavile sliding down the cliff.

Then he noticed its claws, the sharp edges gleamed beneath the sunlight.

For a moment, Mike could only stare.

Cold sweat broke out across his back.

He slowly reached out and braced himself against the nearby tree trunk.

His face remained expressionless, but his heart was pounding.

’That...’

’That thing was going straight for my back.’

If Hattrem hadn’t noticed the attack in time, he might have been seriously injured.

Hattrem jumped down from the tree and positioned herself directly in front of him.

Her small body was tense as she stared toward the remaining Weavile.

Snivy reacted just as quickly.

She transferred Mike’s camera to Rotom, then rose to her feet as her vines extended from her back, ready to strike.

A Weavile suddenly leaped toward them.

SMACK!

Snivy’s Vine Whip struck it in midair, sending it flying.

"SNIVY!"

Her furious cry echoed through the snowy forest.

Then an enormous concentration of Grass-type energy erupted around her.

Leaf Storm!

A violent storm of razor-sharp leaves swept toward the Weavile group.

The Weavile leader reacted immediately, striking the incoming attack and dispersing the swirling leaves.

It released an angry cry.

’You think you can challenge us, human?!’

The remaining Weavile heard their leader’s command.

Without hesitation, they turned toward Snivy and charged.

The leader opened its mouth, preparing to issue another order.

But it never got the chance.

A purple figure suddenly appeared directly in front of it.

Gengar.

There was no trace of his usual mischievous grin.

His eyes were cold, and his expression was utterly devoid of amusement.

The Weavile leader instinctively raised its claws.

Too late.

Gengar pressed one enormous hand directly against its face and a brilliant light erupted from his palm.

Dazzling Gleam!

BOOOOM!

The Weavile leader was sent flying.

Its body crashed down the mountainside and struck the ground below with tremendous force.

Gengar didn’t stop there.

He turned toward the remaining Weavile, Fairy-type energy gathering in his hand once again.

Another Dazzling Gleam exploded across the battlefield, blasting several attackers away.

At the same time, a yellow figure descended from the sky.

Beedrill!

His sharp lances flashed repeatedly.

One thrust after another sent Weavile flying, preventing them from getting anywhere near Mike.

"Gengar!"

Mike finally recovered enough to take control of the situation.

He looked toward the yellow Pokémon attacking overhead.

"Beeeeeeeee!"

Beedrill immediately responded.

He withdrew his lances and hovered in the air, waiting for Mike’s instructions.

Mike reached toward the protective charm hanging around his neck.

He closed his hand around it and pulled sharply, revealing the Key Stone concealed within.

Then he raised his hand.

"Pierce through them!"

A brilliant light erupted from Mike’s palm.

The energy surged toward Beedrill.

At the same time, the Mega Stone attached to the ring around Beedrill’s stinger responded to Mike’s Key Stone.

Two streams of light connected.

A magnificent Mega Evolution symbol appeared in the air, its brilliance reaching toward the sky.

Within the dazzling light, Beedrill’s body began changing.

His limbs transformed, and his weapons grew sharper.

A tremendous aura erupted from the evolving Pokémon.

The sheer intensity of the energy melted the surrounding snow, exposing the grayish-brown earth beneath it.

The nearby Mamoswine and Piloswine instinctively gathered around the Swinub, using their enormous bodies to shield the little Pokémon from the overwhelming pressure.

Then Beedrill moved.

With a single sweep of one lance, he scattered the remaining light.

Four terrifyingly sharp lances gleamed beneath the sunlight.

Mega Beedrill!

The newly evolved Pokémon vanished from his previous position.

His speed was astonishing.

Before the Weavile could properly react, Mega Beedrill was already among them.

His four lances flashed continuously, striking one opponent after another.

A Weavile tried to counterattack.

Mega Beedrill slipped past it and struck from the side.

Another attempted to leap backward.

He closed the distance immediately and sent it flying.

The battlefield became a blur of yellow and black.

With each successive exchange, Mega Beedrill’s fighting rhythm became increasingly precise, and the Weavile found themselves completely overwhelmed.

---------

Read 30 Chapters ahead and support me on patreon.

patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator