Rex had been planning to step outside to check things out, but the broadcast stopped him. If it was just a group of Victreebel, he figured the onboard trainers would be able to handle it.
Taking advantage of the break in travel, Rex pulled out some food Mai and Korrina had packed for him—time for a proper meal.
Earlier, he'd been too focused on the passing scenery to feel hungry and had skipped lunch entirely.
"Alright, Bagon, take it easy. No one's going to steal your food."
Watching Bagon frantically stuff its face with its tiny arms, Rex sighed helplessly.
"Rawr!"
Bagon gave a quick pause at his words, then doubled down, stuffing its cheeks until they bulged, before closing its eyes in pure bliss.
This wasn't gluttony—it was energy storage for its eventual evolution. One day, it would be a mighty, flying Salamence!
After a whirlwind feast, the once-loaded table was wiped clean. Bagon, belly round and full, sprawled out on the seat opposite Rex, clearly planning to nap off the meal.
Rex and Monferno shared a look, both twitching at the corners of their mouths. Was Bagon evolving into a lazy Slakoth instead?
"Still not moving… could something have gone wrong?"
Half an hour passed, and the train remained motionless. Rex figured there must've been a snag in driving off the Victreebel swarm.
He wasn't the only one growing restless. Other passengers were clearly getting irritated. Everyone had their own commitments, and being stranded in the middle of nowhere—where wild Pokémon attacks were a possibility—wasn't great for morale.
Deciding to act, Rex recalled the sleeping, drooling Bagon to its Poké Ball and left his cabin with Monferno in tow.
The corridor was packed with anxious passengers, clustered in small groups, quietly murmuring. Though the air of panic had subsided, the tension was unmistakable.
Looking around, Rex made his way toward the front of the train. If he wanted to help, he'd need assistance from staff to open a door.
"Excuse me, this area isn't for passengers. I hope you understand," said a uniformed crew member, stepping in front of him at the entrance to the conductor's car.
"I understand. I just want to ask—has there been trouble driving off the Victreebel swarm? If so, I'd like to help."
The crew member's expression softened. After a brief pause, he said, "Yes, it hasn't gone smoothly. And we could use the help. Just be aware that battling wild Pokémon can be dangerous. Please think carefully."
Rex smiled. "No worries. If I'm offering to help, it means I can handle myself."
Just a group of Victreebel—nothing he couldn't deal with. He had absolute faith in his team.
"In that case, we'd really appreciate it. Once this is resolved, we'll contact headquarters and arrange a reward for your assistance."
Seeing that Rex wasn't some reckless kid rushing in blindly, the staff member nodded, opened the door, and let him out.
Rex waved a quick thanks and jumped down from the train, heading toward the front of the line.
As he walked, the sounds of battle grew louder. He soon saw a skirmish up ahead—a group of trainers and their Pokémon locked in combat with the Victreebel swarm.
What struck Rex immediately was how organized the enemy was. This wasn't a chaotic wild mob. These Victreebel were moving with cohesion, working together like a trained unit.
As a result, even trainers with stronger individual Pokémon were being pushed back, struggling to hold the line.
Most of these trainers weren't railway staff—they were other passengers who had come to help. If they hadn't stepped in, the onboard trainers might have already been overwhelmed.
Which would've spelled disaster for the passengers. Victreebel were carnivorous and could spit acid potent enough to corrode metal. The train wouldn't have provided much protection.
What puzzled Rex was the Victreebel's persistence. Normally, wild Pokémon would retreat when faced with organized resistance—there was little to gain from holding their ground.
But this swarm didn't care. Even under fire, they pushed toward the train like it was their singular objective.
"Monferno, get in there!"
The other trainers were clearly struggling. Rex gave the order, and Monferno charged into the fray with a gleam in its eye.
It hadn't had a proper battle since evolving, and it was itching to cut loose.
It launched straight into a massive Fire Spin, the spiraling inferno crashing down on the Victreebel ranks.
As a Grass-type swarm, the sudden wave of fire threw them into chaos. Panic and instinct took over, breaking their formation as they scrambled to avoid the flames.
This gave the embattled trainers some much-needed breathing room.
Monferno didn't let up—two more Fire Spins followed in quick succession, roaring through the field.
With their enemy disoriented, the trainers began pushing back, rallying to exploit the opening.
The Victreebel advance stalled.
But only for a moment.
Suddenly, a flurry of Leaf Storms began to form above the enemy ranks—energy-charged leaves swirling into razor-sharp cyclones.
They collided with the Fire Spins in midair, and though many leaves were burned to ash, the flames were eventually overwhelmed and snuffed out.
The leftover leaves surged forward in a wave, barreling toward Monferno and even the trainers behind him.
The earlier fire attacks had clearly enraged the Victreebel swarm. Now they were all-in, fighting with terrifying ferocity and no restraint.
(End of Chapter)