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In the world of Pokémon, lush and vibrant forests are never in short supply—just like the one Liam and Delia were currently passing through. Towering, sturdy trees stretched in every direction.
Aside from a narrow, man-made path winding through the woods, the rest of the forest was densely blanketed in greenery.
Though they had been walking through the forest for quite a while, the experience felt completely different from crossing the grasslands earlier.
That endless plain had seemed vast but utterly lifeless—throughout the entire journey, not a single wild Pokémon had appeared, making the trip feel empty and dull.
In contrast, this forest, though likely smaller in area than the grassland, teemed with life. Wild Pokémon darted frequently between trees, surrounding them with the true essence of nature.
…
Liam and Delia had been walking through the woods for nearly the whole morning and had covered more than half the forest. Barring any unexpected delays, they'd likely reach the other side in about an hour.
But neither of them was in a hurry to leave. Delia, especially, found the serene woodland charming, and since she was enjoying herself, Liam didn't rush her. The two of them continued at a relaxed pace—strolling, stopping, and taking in the natural scenery as they went.
"Come on out, everyone~ Let's breathe in some fresh forest air~"
Delia inhaled deeply, relishing the clean, crisp oxygen all around her. Feeling elated, she took out her PokeBalls and happily released her Pokémon.
"Squirtle!"
"Draa~!"
"Cynda~!"
"Cleffa~!"
With a chorus of cheerful cries, Delia's four Pokémon appeared around her and immediately began playing affectionately at her side.
"Hmm… Speaking of forests... Come on out, Scyther—feel what it's like to be back in the woods again."
Among Liam's Pokémon, the one most at home in a forest was undoubtedly Scyther.
Before Liam had brought him out of the wild reserve, Scyther had lived deep in the woods, surviving entirely on his own. It was safe to say he had a unique bond with the forest environment.
"Scy~!"
The moment Scyther popped out of the PokeBall, his eyes were drawn to the surroundings. His sharp gaze softened slightly with nostalgia as he took in the familiar landscape of dense, leafy trees.
With a few more Pokémon added to the party, Liam suggested they find a place to rest and have lunch before continuing onward.
Delia was more than happy to agree. She excitedly pulled a picnic mat out of her small backpack and led her four Pokémon in search of the perfect lunch spot.
They eventually settled at the base of a large tree. Liam set down his bag and pulled out some pre-packed lunches and Pokémon food he'd prepared earlier, while Delia sent her four Pokémon to explore nearby and see if they could find any edible wild berries to serve as dessert.
The four little Pokémon fanned out eagerly in different directions, each one wearing a smile full of excitement.
…
"Clef~ Cleffa~!"
Cleffa—the little one, wandered up to a low bush filled with bright red berries. Waddling on her round, pink feet, she stretched her arms and stood on tiptoe, trying to pick the berries.
But no matter how hard she reached, she couldn't even brush the fruit's skin—her tiny stature made it impossible.
"Scy!"
Just as Cleffa was about to give up, a sharp cry rang out from behind her—followed by the flash of a blade. With a quick swish, the red berries dropped to the ground one by one.
"Clef? Clef~!"
Still unaware of what had just happened, Cleffa's eyes widened in delight when she saw the berries suddenly fall. She rushed forward and scooped one up off the ground, ready to head back.
"Masamune, use Leer."
"Scy!"
Right as she turned, a calm but firm voice echoed from the forest. Then, without warning, a large and powerful Scyther appeared behind her—his intimidating eyes glaring menacingly straight at her, exuding overwhelming pressure.
"Clef! Cleffa!"
It only took a second—Cleffa was absolutely terrified. She flung the berry far into the distance, flopped backward onto the ground, and began rolling in panic. Huge tears welled up at the corners of her eyes, and a loud wail rang out through the forest.
"Scyyyther!"
Everyone near the lunch spot—including Liam, Delia, and the rest of their Pokémon—jumped to their feet in shock when they heard the sudden crying. Assuming something terrible had happened, they immediately rushed toward the sound.
Naturally, Scyther was the fastest. With a sharp flap of his wings, he dashed ahead like a bolt of lightning, reaching the scene in an instant.
"Pant—pant—what the heck is going on?!"
Liam arrived next, pulling Delia and the remaining Pokémon with him. As soon as she stopped, Delia took in the sight of two Scythers locked in a standoff, then spotted Cleffa crying behind their own Scyther, shielded by his stance.
She took a deep breath—then erupted in a furious roar aimed at the unfamiliar Scyther.
"What the hell do you think you're doing!"
"Scyyy..."
"Please forgive me! That was entirely my fault. I didn't mean to scare her so badly—I was just trying to play a little prank. I had no bad intentions, I swear!"
Just as Delia's furious shout rang out, a middle-aged man in a blue kimono stepped out from the trees, wearing an apologetic look on his face.
"And you are...?"
Liam narrowed his eyes at the man, feeling a flicker of recognition.
"Heh, my name's Muramasa. This Scyther here is my partner—I call him Masamune. We train in this forest regularly, and when we saw a few new faces today, we couldn't help but say hello. Things clearly got out of hand, and that wasn't my intention at all. I truly apologize for the trouble."
Muramasa walked over to Masamune, patting his Scyther gently on the shoulder before bowing deeply to Liam and Delia in apology.
"Hmph! That was seriously mean, old man! If you keep pulling stunts like that, Officer Jenny's not going to let it slide!"
Delia clearly hadn't cooled off yet. After running over to scoop Cleffa into her arms and comfort her, she glared up at Muramasa and snapped angrily.
"Ahahaha, you're absolutely right, little miss—I was totally out of line. I promise I'll change my ways... eventually. But first, there's another matter I'd like to settle right now..."
Instead of being offended, Muramasa burst into laughter, his eyes fixed intently on Liam's Scyther. He stared up and down with barely concealed admiration, like he was examining a rare and exquisite piece of art.
"What an outstanding Scyther. That coloration is extremely rare."
"And the body proportions, that aura—this Scyther is a top-tier specimen. A perfect warrior among its kind. It might even be comparable to my Masamune."
Muramasa's tone had been reasonable until that last sentence. But the moment he made that claim, Liam frowned. He stepped forward with his arms crossed, stopping beside his Scyther with a subtle smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Old man, I'm afraid I can't just let that last remark slide. So how about it? Feeling up for a battle? Your Scyther against mine—a true Scyther showdown. What do you say?"
Muramasa's grin widened in delight. Afraid Liam might change his mind, he replied without hesitation, "I'd be honored!"