Chapter 69: The Defeated Leader
Winter passed, and spring arrived. Ryū didn't know how long he had been away from the Royal Capital. He had been living like a savage—fighting, eating, and sleeping—and had lost all track of time.
[Dragonair]
[Potential]: Purple
[Level]: Lv. 41
[Attribute]: Dragon
[Ability]: Shed Skin
[Height]: 10 m
[Weight]: 180 kg
[Held Item]: Mystic Water
[Moves]: Hone Claws (Inherited), Wrap, Glare, Twister, Thunder Wave, Dragon Tail, Agility, Slam, Icy Wind, Aqua Tail, Thunderbolt, Take Down, Water Pulse, Thunder, Chilling Water, Dragon Rush
"It's getting harder and harder to raise my level..." Ryū sighed inside the cave. He had gone seven consecutive days without gaining a single level. The lack of reward was making the constant battles feel mechanical. He was gradually losing his human side.
'I need to change things up a bit.'
He flew out of the cave, deciding to explore the nearby area for something new. The moment he poked his head out, a purple Arbok lunged at him. Ryū casually dodged its Wrap and fired a Thunderbolt, instantly defeating the ambusher. Danger was everywhere in the middle zone, and over time, he had developed a sixth sense for it.
Floating through the vast forest, Ryū surveyed the area. The territories here changed constantly; the leader one day might be a Pinsir, and the next, an Ursaring.
"SCY-THER!!!"
Suddenly, a sharp cry came from nearby. Curious, Ryū headed in that direction. As he got closer, he heard the sounds of fighting. He slowed down, carefully approaching through the canopy.
Below, a group of 20 to 30 Scyther had formed a circle around two exceptionally large individuals who were locked in combat. The surrounding trees were either cut in half or covered in blade marks.
"A leadership struggle," Ryū noted.
The Pokédex lists Scyther at 1.5 meters. In this era, they should be between 2.25 and 3 meters. These two were far larger. One was an old leader, at least 4 meters tall, but one of its eyes was already slashed and blind. The other was a challenger in its prime, standing at 3 meters.
'The waves behind push the waves ahead,' Ryū thought.
The old leader's level was slightly higher, but its reaction speed couldn't keep up with the younger Scyther. It was likely out of practice from not having to fight for too long.
"Scy-ther."
The outcome was inevitable. The old Scyther was defeated. He had to leave the colony in disgrace under the gaze of all the others. This was the rule of the wild. The newly appointed leader wouldn't tolerate the old one's presence.
As the new leader took its place, its height steadily increased, finally stopping at an exaggerated 4.2 meters. Its level was around Lv. 45—strong enough to dominate this part of the middle zone.
"Let's go find that guy," Ryū decided, quietly leaving the scene. He began to chase in the direction the old, defeated Scyther had gone.