The Safari Zone is a place where trainers can capture Pokémon at will, and the ticket price is very reasonable. If a trainer is certified by the League with an official Pokédex, they can even receive free service.
In the Safari Zone, trainers can only use exclusive Safari Balls, and each person is limited to thirty. Capturing Pokémon cannot be done through Pokémon battles; it can only be achieved through special non-violent methods.
Originally, the Safari Zone had no limit on Safari Balls, but thirty years ago, someone unexpectedly encountered a Dratini, and since then, the legend of Dratini has spread throughout the area. Trainers eager to capture a Dratini came in droves, and after failing to find one, they angrily threw out large numbers of Safari Balls to capture other Pokémon, which at one point left the Safari Zone desolate. From then on, the rule limiting Safari Balls to thirty was enacted.
"Desire is truly a terrifying thing…" Red murmured, looking at a poster for the Safari Zone. The scene before him no longer possessed the glory it had when it was first established; its current appearance was merely a belated attempt to mend what was broken.
"Excuse me."
Red gently pushed open the door and entered the main building. On the walls hung many scenic pictures of the Safari Zone. The most special photo among them was a picture of a man with a Dratini.
"I am Red from Pallet Town, and I wish to enter the Safari Zone to capture Pokémon." After speaking, Red took out his Pokédex to prove his identity.
"Alright. I am Kaiser, the warden of the Safari Zone. You can only use a maximum of thirty Safari Balls, and no Pokémon battles are allowed during your visit." An elder walked out and introduced the rules to Red, then took out a box of green Safari Balls from behind, with an ordinary fishing rod placed on top.
"Thank you, but don't worry. I don't need so many. I only like to capture Pokémon that I genuinely desire." Red casually took six Safari Balls. This scene greatly increased Kaiser's favorable impression of him, as most trainers who came here wished they could take more, unlike Red, who only needed six and even thought that was too many.
Because of Red's politeness, Kaiser did not take out the airsoft pistol from his waist to scare him as he usually did. Instead, he took out a map of the Safari Zone and roughly introduced which areas had more aggressive Pokémon, recommending them for Red to explore.
"Are you sure you only need six? It's not too late to regret it now," Kaiser reminded him, as the Pokémon in the aggressive areas were not ones that could be captured with just a few Safari Balls.
"Mr. Kaiser, you said Pokémon battles are not allowed, right?" Red asked.
"That's right, but using your own Poké Balls or a weapon without permission is also a violation. I hope you don't engage in such behavior," Kaiser advised.
"Don't worry, I won't use those methods," Red promised. (It seems psychic power can be used…)
"By the way, if you truly want to protect Dratini's existence, then don't hang that photo on the wall as a memento." Red pointed at the photo, looking at Kaiser with slight displeasure. "You didn't think that photo would go unnoticed, did you? Mr. Kaiser, the man who discovered Dratini here thirty years ago."
"I understand." After listening to Red's rebuke, Kaiser trembled as if enlightened. He had considered this before but had always held onto a sliver of hope, because this photo proved his friendship with Dratini.
Guided by the map provided by Kaiser, Red quickly arrived at the area where aggressive Pokémon lived. The resources here were more abundant, and it was not a place that weak Pokémon could occupy. Even in the Safari Zone, where food and shelter were abundant, disputes would arise due to different territorial claims, gradually giving rise to a hierarchy of strength. This was the nature of living beings.
"Only such Pokémon are worth capturing," Red joked. Most Pokémon living in the Safari Zone had gradually lost their desire to battle due to their carefree lives. That type of Pokémon was only suitable for breeding and could not be trained.
Soon, sounds of battle came from afar. A group of Tauros and a herd of Rhyhorn were clashing, their goal being to contend for convenient access to the watering hole. This was the reason for the battle between the two major groups, and also a way to vent their inner fighting instincts.
BANG—
The leading Tauros and the leading Rhyhorn collided, each using their proud horns to contest strength.
What interested Red was the leading Tauros, because this was a rare, gray-furred Tauros—a Shiny. Unlike ordinary Shiny Pokémon, who are often discriminated against by their kin, this one served as the leader of its group, evidently having gained the herd's recognition through its formidable strength and excellent leadership skills.
The Tauros and Rhyhorn both used Horn Attack, but the Tauros had two horns. It cleverly used one horn to resist the Rhyhorn's attack, and then used the other to inflict damage. Seeing their leader gain the advantage, the Tauros behind cheered excitedly.
The Rhyhorn on the other side seemed accustomed to the Tauros's offensive and showed no signs of discouragement, but it also had no real fighting spirit to speak of. Its single horn condensed with airflow, rotating sharply. It stepped forward and rushed at the Tauros, using Horn Drill.
Seeing this, the Tauros immediately used Horn Attack to counter, but because the Rhyhorn had already made ample preparations, the Tauros revealed a slight opening and was hit by the Horn Drill in a vital spot.
Just as Red thought the battle would end there, he noticed that the Tauros in front of him seemed to have changed. Its gray fur bristled due to extreme anger, and heavy panting escaped from its mouth.
"No wonder. It turns out this Shiny Tauros has the Anger Point ability. It seems this Rhyhorn is in big trouble."
With the Anger Point ability triggered, the Tauros's emotions instantly became violent. Its three tails simultaneously released a white light, preparing to use a triple-powered Iron Tail attack on the Rhyhorn.
The newly appointed Rhyhorn leader had never seen such a hellish scene. Only now did it understand why the previous leader had so hastily abdicated his position. The Rhyhorn seemed to see a gate to heaven opening before it. Immediately after, the Tauros's triple Iron Tail attack struck the Rhyhorn's body, forcefully sending its heavy body flying dozens of meters away.
Seeing another leader defeated by the Tauros, the remaining Rhyhorn wisely carried away their fainted leader and scurried off, fearing that the enraged Tauros would unleash another Iron Tail on them.
After the victory, the Tauros gradually calmed down. After sharing the joy of victory with its companions, it went to the lake to drink clear water. The other Tauros only dared to approach and drink after seeing their leader finish, which was not only out of fear but also out of respect.
The quenched gray Tauros was just about to close its eyes for a nap when it suddenly sensed a powerful aura approaching. The cautious Tauros immediately stood up, ready for battle.
"Tauros, I'm very interested in your strength. Do you want to travel with me?"
Red appeared in the Tauros's line of sight, giving the bull a kind smile.
[Chapter Complete]
***
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