🎆 Happy New Year! 🎆
Thank you all for the amazing support throughout this year. 💙To celebrate the arrival of the new year, here is a special New Year code:
🎁 Code:NewYear: F3B16
📅 Code validity:
Start: December 30, 2025 at 11:55 p.m.
End: January 2, 2026 at 11:00 p.m.
Enjoy it and let's start this new year strong. 🚀✨Here's to an amazing 2026! 🎉
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"Use Dig to dodge it!"
Ethan Black's command came just in time.
At once, Trapinch shoved its head into the ground, channeling its Ground-type energy, and with a swift movement burrowed underground, making the Beedrill's attack miss completely.
"Very well done!"
Seeing the speed at which Trapinch dug, Ethan Black couldn't help but praise it.
After all this training, Trapinch's mastery of Ground-type energy had become increasingly smooth. Ethan Black was convinced it wouldn't be long before it met his expectations and completed the first stage of its training.
"Bzzz!"
While Ethan Black praised it, the Beedrill, having lost their attack target, turned their gaze toward him.
Immediately, the twin stingers of the Beedrill gleamed with a purple glow as they launched straight at Ethan Black.
Clang!
The Beedrill's figures stopped abruptly in midair. Right before their stingers, a barrier appeared, blocking the attack.
Because those Beedrill were weak, even their charges couldn't break through the barrier Shellder had easily erected.
"Your opponent is over there!"
"Trapinch, use Gust again!"
Poking its head out from beneath the ground, Trapinch quickly unleashed the move Gust. Two whirlwinds arose from nowhere and swept toward the Beedrill.
Caught between the twin tornadoes closing in from left and right, the Beedrill were engulfed in the currents. When the wind died down, they dropped from the sky like dumplings, unable to battle.
The strength of those two whirlwinds showed that Trapinch's control over Flying-type energy was truly strong. Although Gust wasn't one of its main-type moves, its power was nothing to scoff at.
"Bzzz!"
With a single strike it had taken down over ten Beedrill. Trapinch let out a breath of relief, but before it could boast of its achievement to Ethan Black, another buzzing sound rang out. Its face immediately darkened.
It turned stiffly, and in the distance appeared another massive swarm of Beedrill, even more numerous than before.
"Wow, these Beedrill really are troublesome."
Ethan Black shook his head at their attempt to overwhelm with sheer numbers. As forest tyrants, they were infamous for being difficult to deal with.
"Trapinch, return for now."
"Cacturne, it's your turn this time. Use your roots!"
Though Trapinch withdrew reluctantly, Cacturne had already been building up roots thanks to the move Ingrain. With a green flash, countless roots burst from the ground, lashing about like whips in all directions.
Pa!
Pa!
Pa!
The sound of whipping rang through the air, and Beedrill were swatted away like flies.
"What an enormous number!"
Ethan Black frowned as he saw that despite Cacturne's offensive, the Beedrill kept charging in waves.
Although the roots covered nearly the whole field, some still slipped through and aimed directly at him.
But with Shellder present, there was no way those attempts would succeed. Just before they got close, Sandslash raised its hand and unleashed the powered-up Sand Attack.
That move, enhanced over time, was no weaker than Gust. The sand shot forth like bullets, knocking the Beedrill out of the air.
In an instant, heaps of Beedrill fell like dumplings, covering the ground.
"Well done."
Ethan Black praised, though his eyes gleamed with a calculating light as he looked at the Beedrill writhing on the ground, trying to rise.
"These Beedrill are truly dangerous."
"In the wild they pose a constant threat to life."
"If I want to keep exploring this place, I must wipe them out quickly. Otherwise, they'd be a deadly risk."
With that thought, his gaze hardened.
"Sandslash, use Sandstorm!"
...
After dealing with the Beedrill threat, Ethan Black continued on his way with his seven Pokémon.
"Huh? Are those... Berries?"
"There are so many! Looks like this is an entire Berry forest."
Before long, he stumbled upon a grove full of fruit trees.
Seeing it, Ethan Black was filled with joy. A Berry forest of that scale was priceless. If he collected them all and sold them outside, it would be a fortune.
"I knew a Secret Kingdom like this would be brimming with treasures."
"But... with such a large grove, there must be Pokémon guarding it."
Holding back his excitement, he carefully inspected his surroundings. Just as he suspected, between the trees there were Beedrill nests. Clearly, this was one of their colonies.
"No wonder they attacked me earlier, they must have come from here."
After reaching that conclusion, he took a deep breath and cautiously began picking Berries, storing them in his space backpack.
Meanwhile, Shuckle, perched on his shoulder, couldn't contain its excitement. Its yellow tentacles stretched out to collect fruit one after another, storing them in its shell, ready to brew nutritious juices.
When the backpack was full, Ethan Black set his eyes on the Beedrill hives. Golden honey dripped from their edges.
Without hesitation, he plundered the honey as well. He even tasted a bit: it was simply delicious.
In the common market, honey was already valuable. Wild honey often sold for a good price.
But compared to Beedrill honey, those were nothing. Ethan Black knew that if he managed to take this honey out of the Secret Kingdom, he could sell it at astronomical prices.
"Inside this place, there really is gold everywhere."
As he organized his space backpack and looked at his abundant loot, he couldn't help but feel overflowing joy.
(End of chapter)