After a brief rest, both Treecko and Feebas—neither of whom had been seriously injured—fully recovered their strength. With renewed determination, Mark headed deeper into the forest toward the east, thinking carefully about his next move. Scyther's power would surely not be weak, and since the young Samurai had already failed in multiple challenges, Mark guessed that Scyther's strength must be at least at the Elite Trainer level. With his own Treecko hovering just below the high ranks of Regular Trainers and Feebas still stuck in the beginner ranks, the odds of winning were slim. Yet, Mark believed in human effort. With a clever strategy of two against one, he was certain he could find a way.
Soon, Mark reached the towering ancient tree.
"Scyther! Are you here? My name is Mark, and I challenge you to a battle and capture! As a proud and solitary warrior, you wouldn't turn me down, right?" Mark called from the base of the tree.
Moments later, the tree shook, and from its branches, a magnificent Scyther swooped down. Its twin scythes gleamed sharply in the sunlight, making it look even more formidable and regal.
Scyther, Male – Bug/Flying type
Mantis Pokémon
Stubborn nature (+Attack, -Special Attack)
Ability: Technician (boosts the power of low-power moves)
Height: 1.7 m
Weight: 55 kg
Aptitude: Epic
Potential: Quasi–Elite Four
Current rank: Mid-level Elite Trainer
Moves: Slash, Swords Dance, Wing Attack, False Swipe, Air Slash
Note: The system suggests that if captured, it could potentially evolve using a premium metal coating, enhancing its strength.
This was indeed impressive—it was by far the strongest opponent Mark had encountered. Yet, instead of fear, excitement surged through him. "Go, Treecko!" he ordered.
Another battle against an unfavorable type—Treecko had rarely been on the winning side since its debut—but Mark welcomed this as the perfect opportunity for training.
Scyther shook its head dismissively. The opponent's Treecko was much weaker, and its type was vulnerable to Scyther's attacks. It barely felt challenged.
"You seem very confident, Scyther! Then, do you dare face two at once? Go, Feebas!" Mark wasn't overestimating his odds—given such a disadvantage, every small edge mattered.
Only then did Scyther nod. Even with Feebas's help, it didn't take the challenge seriously. The combined effort of two Pokémon wouldn't match its power—but as a true warrior, it couldn't back down from a battle.
"Treecko, use Quick Attack! Feebas, use Dragon Breath!" Mark commanded.
Treecko lunged at Scyther with incredible speed, while Feebas, slower in both movement and reaction, exhaled Dragon Breath from behind toward the foe.
Scyther raised its scythes and slashed at Treecko with False Swipe, aiming to clash with Quick Attack head-on. Treecko's attack was weaker, and its Quick Attack certainly couldn't match the force of False Swipe. Before long, Treecko was sent flying by the hit.
However, in that moment, Feebas's Dragon Breath struck true, directly hitting Scyther. The blade-wielding warrior didn't even bother dodging—it took the hit head-on. But with Feebas's low Special Attack, the damage was negligible. Scyther didn't even flinch and instead charged toward Treecko once more.
Watching this unfold, Mark's eyes suddenly lit up. A sly grin spread across his face. If Scyther ignored Feebas entirely—even forgetting to attack it—then victory could be within reach.
"Treecko, use tactics, taking advantage of your speed! Feebas, keep using Dragon Breath!" Mark barked.
With the enemy advancing and Mark's Pokémon retreating strategically, guerrilla warfare began. Treecko danced around Scyther, attacking and dodging, while Feebas kept peppering it with Dragon Breath. Yet, speed and attack power were still on Scyther's side. Moves like Slash or Wing Attack could hit Treecko hard if they connected. Avoiding these head-on attacks was essential.
Treecko narrowly evaded Scyther's Wing Attack but was hit squarely by False Swipe. Green light shimmered from its body as it used Mega Drain against Scyther—but Grass-type moves weren't very effective on the Bug/Flying warrior, so it drained only a little of Scyther's energy.
Another Dragon Breath hit, marking the third time it connected. Again, the damage was small. But after this hit, Scyther's movements slowed, and its attacks lost some of their earlier precision.
There it was—paralysis! Mark had been waiting for this. If he fought head-on, the vast power gap would offer no chance of winning. But his goal wasn't to defeat Scyther—it was to capture it. Besides weakening its energy, inducing a status condition was their only option. Feebas's Dragon Breath didn't deal much damage but had a 30% chance of causing paralysis—a perfect breakthrough!
Paralyzed, Scyther's speed was cut in half and it could no longer keep up with Treecko's movements. Several of its attacks missed, and in one such moment of vulnerability, Treecko mustered its remaining strength and launched a full-power Quick Attack, knocking Scyther back.
"A perfect opportunity!" Mark seized it at once, pulling out a Great Ball gifted by the system and throwing it at Scyther.
Paralyzed and heavily damaged, Scyther was sucked inside. It shook three times before falling still.
"It's done!" Mark cried. "Chamo!"
The battle had left both Mark and Treecko exhausted, body and mind drained—but their hard-fought victory was sweet.
Mark scooped up Feebas with a beaming smile. "You're amazing, Feebas! Thanks to you, we won this battle—you're the hero!"
Feebas beamed in return. Helping its trainer was the happiest thing it could do.
Mark retrieved the Great Ball and opened it. Scyther was released, sitting quietly on the ground. He used a Paralyze Heal to cure its paralysis, but Scyther remained forlorn, its posture slumped.
"What's wrong, Scyther? Are you unwilling to accept me?" Mark asked gently.
Scyther shook its head. It had been defeated fairly and honorably. It respected Mark's command skills and was willing to accept him as its trainer—but right now, it was unwilling. Though stronger than its opponents, it had still lost the fight.
Mark noticed Scyther's frustration. "You're unhappy, aren't you? That's exactly the mindset of a born warrior. From what I've seen, your battle skills are exceptional—your moves flow smoothly, and you clearly have extensive experience. But your flaw is arrogance. Underestimating your opponent is the greatest taboo for a warrior. If you had gone all-out and defeated the weak Feebas at the start, we wouldn't have had a chance!"
Scyther lowered its head and quietly reflected. Mark's words clearly struck a chord.
"The world is vast, and powerful opponents are countless. Please, become my partner and fight beside me, Scyther!" Mark urged, pushing forward.
"Chaa!!" Scyther raised its scythes and shouted to the sky, then nodded firmly at Mark. At last, the knot in its heart unraveled. Scyther officially joined Mark's team as his third companion.
The gains from Viridian Forest were enormous. They had captured a Scyther, and Feebas—pumped by Mark's praise and the repeated victories—had grown much more confident, a crucial step toward becoming stronger and more beautiful. Treecko, too, had increased its strength tremendously, learning new moves and pushing itself to the peak of Regular Trainers' ranks. One breakthrough moment could lead to evolution, and Mark could sense that Treecko's experience was nearly full. Evolution couldn't be far off.
With a heart full of satisfaction, Mark left Viridian Forest and set his course for Pewter City. Yet, as he departed, he seemed to overlook a fourth reward. From his backpack, the Pokémon Egg began to emit soft, pulsing glows.
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