Absol looked at the nutritious juice, then at Cacturne, who was hugging it while happily drinking. Its throat nut suddenly moved, and then it lowered its head with a hint of shyness.
"Wow, did it get shy?" Ethan Black laughed, handing the juice to Absol.
Seeing this, Absol carefully sipped, and its eyes lit up instantly.
It was delicious!
Ethan Black smiled faintly, watching Absol enjoy it so much.
Then he turned his head and looked back toward the battlefield, which was a complete mess.
"Huh? What's that?"
Suddenly, his eyes were drawn to a purple gleam emerging from the debris.
"Could it be something that was inside the lead Arbok?"
Thinking about it, he recalled the strange abilities of the lead Arbok, and his eyes lit up.
"Cacturne, use your roots to bring that to me."
His gaze shone with anticipation, but also with caution. That had to be a Poison-type treasure; perhaps even the Toxic Orb.
The Toxic Orb, according to its description, is a mysterious sphere that releases poison on contact and causes the holder to become poisoned during battle.
In the games, its explanation is simple, and its use is almost exclusively for combinations with the ability Poison Heal. However, this was the real world, and here, the Toxic Orb contained extremely powerful poisonous energy, coveted by any Poison-type Pokémon.
For this reason, Ethan Black didn't dare approach directly. If it really was the Toxic Orb, he could be seriously poisoned just by touching it.
"Cac cac cac!"
Cacturne nodded happily. Being able to help its trainer was what made it happiest.
Shua.
A root slowly extended along the ground, curling around the object emitting the purple light.
Chzz.
But as soon as the root touched it, it began to corrode.
"Hm?"
"Such a strong poison?"
Ethan Black was surprised. He hesitated for a moment but decided to send Meltan, immune to toxins, to retrieve it.
"Zzzt!"
Meltan appeared, looking around with its adorable eye. Hearing Ethan Black, it tapped its small chest confidently and leapt forward.
Moments later, it returned carrying a sphere radiating a purple glow. There was no doubt—it was the Toxic Orb!
"So it really is the Toxic Orb!" Ethan Black rejoiced. "It's an invaluable treasure for Poison-type Pokémon."
The power of the lead Arbok came entirely from this pearl. And now, after absorbing the toxicity of the entire colony, its energy was terrifying.
"Zzzt~"
Meltan gently placed it on the ground in front of Ethan Black.
Zlaa.
The instant the Toxic Orb touched the earth, a corrosive hiss was heard, and the ground sank, forming a large hole from which purple liquid flowed.
"Wow... its toxicity is that strong?"
Ethan Black was amazed again. Only a Pokémon like Meltan, made entirely of metal, could withstand something like that.
"Zzzt~"
Meltan looked at the orb with bright eyes and suddenly picked it up again.
To Ethan Black's astonishment, its liquid-mercurial body began to ripple... and it swallowed the Toxic Orb whole!
"Zzzt~"
After swallowing it, Meltan waved its little arms excitedly. In the next instant, its silver body began to turn purple, transforming into a poisonous liquid mass.
Zlaa zlaa.
The purple substance corroded everything it touched.
"Meltan!" Ethan Black called with concern.
"Zzzt~"
Meltan responded with a cheerful electric sound, moving across the ground while everything it brushed against corroded.
"Could it be... the Acid Armor move?" Ethan Black wondered aloud.
That move allows the user to liquefy its body to greatly increase defense and is characteristic of Poison types. Meltan's purple form was identical, except now it carried a terrifying venom thanks to the Toxic Orb.
"Zzzt~"
Apparently, Meltan had had enough fun. Its body returned to silver, and it jumped back beside Ethan Black, showing no signs of harm from the Toxic Orb inside it.
"Meltan, are you really okay?" Ethan Black asked, still concerned. "That Toxic Orb is full of deadly poison... won't it hurt you?"
"Zzzt~"
Meltan emitted a confident sound.
"Alright... then you'll hold onto it for now. But if you feel anything strange, tell me immediately."
Ethan Black nodded, deciding to trust his companion.
"Ethan, are you okay?" Jasper Reid's voice came as he approached.
On his Lairon's back, he carried several injured Pokémon. Ethan Black deduced that he had been delayed because he was helping to rescue them.
Shua.
Absol, along with Rattata and the others, approached upon seeing the injured safe. After confirming they were okay, they sighed in relief and thanked Jasper Reid.
"It's nothing, it's what I had to do," he replied with a smile, distributing Pokémon food from his backpack. He quickly earned everyone's favor.
"This is settled. The Ekans and Arbok tribe has been annihilated," Ethan Black commented, shrugging.
He still found it hard to accept the idea of killing Pokémon... but that didn't include those wild snakes. If not for his strength and Jasper Reid's, they would already be in the stomachs of those beasts. Just thinking about it gave him chills.
(End of chapter)