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The strange bird Pokémon stood motionless at the lake's edge. Its long, sharp yellow beak was clamped around a small brown fish that wriggled weakly, as if stuck halfway down its throat.
"What kind of Pokémon is that? I've never seen it before!" Trevor's eyes sparkled with curiosity, practically glowing with excitement.
"No idea," Allen replied in a low voice. "I haven't either."
"Maybe… It's from the Galar region?"
Galar was a newly contacted territory that had only recently opened relations with the Pokémon League. It was home to many species the world had never seen before.
As an underground syndicate aiming to dominate the shadows, Dark Star hadn't missed the opportunity to establish a branch there.
But details about the region, its power structure, and its native Pokémon were restricted information. At Allen and Trevor's current clearance level, they had no access to such intel.
"Whatever. Let's catch it first, ask questions later." Trevor gripped a Poké Ball and strode forward, eyes gleaming.
The appeal of discovering a species no one had seen before, whether in the games of a past life or in this world, was irresistible.
"Careful," Allen warned.
"Relax. This bird looks dumb as a rock. It's harmless." Trevor waved him off.
The bird's blank green eyes stared at nothing, unmoving like a post in the ground. The still-flopping fish stuck in its beak only made the scene more comical.
"Go, Yanmega!"
"YAAAN!"
With a buzzing roar, the massive dragonfly Pokémon appeared in a gust of wind, its beating wings kicking up clouds of dust.
"Air Slash! Let's show it we mean business!"
For a trainer, weakening a wild Pokémon before attempting a capture was common sense.
Yanmega's translucent wings blurred into a frenzy, building up compressed air before slicing it into several crescent blades that tore through the air toward the bird.
"Gaaah?"
The bird tilted its head lazily, those lifeless eyes watching the incoming attack.
"…Is it seriously not going to dodge?" Trevor frowned. "Don't tell me we're about to knock it out in one hit. I should've told Yanmega to hold back…"
BOOM!
The Air Slash carved deep scars into the dirt, but when the dust settled, the bird stood there untouched. Its silk-smooth, deep-blue feathers were pristine.
Allen's eyes narrowed. He'd seen it just before impact, the "dumb" bird had exploded into motion, moving so fast it was almost like teleporting.
"Thought so…" he murmured, crossing his arms.
Trevor grinned, excitement flaring. "Yanmega, use [Foresight]!"
Yanmega's red compound eyes glowed, sending thin crimson beams onto the target, locking it in.
"Now—Bug Buzz!"
Yanmega's wings shrieked in a piercing trill, ripples of vibrating sound pounding against the bird. This time, the hit landed clean.
The silky feathers tore in places, and for the first time, the Pokémon's empty green eyes flickered with pain.
"Now!" Trevor hurled his Poké Ball.
BAM—click—!
In a flash of red light, the bird was sucked inside. The ball wobbled on the ground, blinking with faint red light.
"This should do it…" Trevor muttered.
Then the ball jerked violently. His face fell.
CRACK!
It burst open in a spray of light, and the bird emerged, beating its wings furiously. Its hollow gaze now burned faintly with anger.
Originally, it had only been curious about the strangers at its lake. But their unprovoked attack had shredded that patience. Now, it would teach them a lesson.
The fish in its beak stopped moving, as though sensing its fate.
A spiral of pale-blue energy began to whirl inside the bird's throat, condensing at frightening speed.
The air around the lake surged like a brewing storm, sending waves rippling across the water.
Allen's expression turned grim. He pulled a Poké Ball from his belt and shouted—
"Trevor! Watch out!!"
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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