Lance captured a Bagon, something Natsuhiko hadn't expected.
However,
Considering Lance's status and the attention from the Dragon Taming Race, capturing any Dragon-type Quasi-God Pokémon seemed quite "reasonable" to Natsuhiko.
The Dratini evolved into a Dragonite, entering a slow development phase. It was quite "reasonable" to nurture another Quasi-God Pokémon like Bagon.
He remembered that in a certain game, Lance did indeed have a Salamence.
Of course, a game is just a game. Even if Lance were to capture Rayquaza here, it wouldn't be entirely impossible, just extremely unlikely.
But still...
How did Lance switch Pokémon?
Considering the six main Pokémon he has now, it's hard to shake off the "Dodo" nickname.
Having a Salamence, can it compensate for the fact that his Pokémon are more Flying-type than Dragon-type?
Let's see what Salamence's Mega Evolution trait is.
Naive.
But seeing Lance's self-satisfied look, Natsuhiko didn't have the heart to break it to him.
On the other hand, Natsuhiko's Latios and Lance's Bagon seemed to get along well.
The two Pokémon met and started to communicate.
Initiating the conversation was Bagon.
Pokémon like Bagon have hard heads capable of shattering rocks.
Although they dream of soaring, they often get bruised by jumping from heights attempting to fly.
So when Bagon saw Latios flying beside Natsuhiko, its eyes gleamed brightly.
Natsuhiko and Lance were happy about their friendly exchange.
After sharing a bit of information with each other, they resumed their search for clues.
Finding clues.
Requires sharp observation, so it can't be rushed.
Even knowing that the longer they delay, the more likely the person they're after will escape, they cannot rush.
Rushing might cause them to miss a crucial clue, potentially leading them in the wrong direction and wasting more time.
...
...
"Latios, Scale Shot."
"Bagon, Dragon Claw!"
The two Pokémon worked together for the first time under Natsuhiko and Lance's command to defeat a Golbat that charged at them.
"Another Golbat," Lance remarked, clicking his tongue as he looked at the Golbat lying incapacitated on the ground.
At this,
Natsuhiko also smiled knowingly.
Indeed.
Another Golbat.
Back when they first cooperated, Natsuhiko's Pokémon was Weedle, Lance's was Dratini, and their perfect teamwork defeated two sudden Golbat attackers.
Now, their strength has undoubtedly grown since then.
But when they teamed up again, the first Pokémon they defeated was still a Golbat.
The only difference was, Natsuhiko's Pokémon became Latios, and Lance's became Bagon.
"It should be this direction."
Lance squatted beside a bush and noticed a leaf stained with pinpoint drops of crimson.
Already solidified.
As a seasoned Investigator, purely in terms of professional skill, Lance was definitely much stronger than Natsuhiko.
Natsuhiko didn't oppose his judgment.
He just furrowed his brows slightly, scanning the surroundings.
"What's wrong?" Lance noticed Natsuhiko's anomaly and couldn't help but ask.
"Don't you think something feels a bit off?"
Buzz——
A wave of psychic energy radiated from Natsuhiko, spreading outward.
Although his psychic strength was nowhere near Alakazam's, after overloading and absorbing a Superpower Crystal last time, he made significant progress and could barely perform some super sensing on his own.
Lance slowly stood up.
Natsuhiko didn't say anything which made him notice, but after Natsuhiko mentioned it, he slowly realized it too.
"It's coming." Natsuhiko suddenly said, withdrawing his psychic power.
"Mm." Lance nodded, without much change in expression.
Soon.
The sound of rustling emerged from the tree canopy, grass, and shrubs.
Natsuhiko and Lance slowly moved closer, back to back.
"How about it? Want to switch Pokémon?" Lance grinned, showing a mouthful of white teeth.
"We've barely started." Natsuhiko also cracked a smile.
And then.
Pokémon of various kinds emerged from every corner, including Ekans, Zubat, Staravia, Bibarel, and Combee.
But without exception,
All these Pokémon had eyes glowing with a menacing red tint.
They seemed highly aggressive.
"What's the reason, big Investigator?" Leaning against Lance's back, Natsuhiko and Latios beside him remained cautious of the situation.
After clicking his tongue, Lance said, "In the gene pool, it's not just genes."
"So he's behind this, huh."
"Most likely."
"Cha!"
As they conversed, the Wild Pokémon surrounding them surged towards Natsuhiko and Lance, led by an enraged Ekans.
In this situation,
Latios and Bagon, who hadn't participated in many battles, were understandably a bit nervous.
Natsuhiko threw out another Pokeball.
Summoning Monferno.
His voice resonated in Latios's mind.
"Stay calm, don't panic, just follow the routine we trained."
He then commanded Latios and Monferno to counterattack against the encroaching Wild Pokémon.
Lance also had his own ways of calming Bagon down.
The power of "Dragon Power" proved to be strong.
Subsequently.
The three Pokémon coordinated under the direction of the two Trainers.
Monferno leaped in front, performing a rolling flip, its fist enveloped in dim red energy, slamming down on the head of the charging Ekans, embedding its head into the ground.
That was an "Enhanced Fist"!
With each use, Monferno's offense heightened.
Latios quickly responded too, shimmering in blue and purple hues, shooting sharp, tiny scales.
While the successive scale use reduced its Defense Power, it also enhanced its already impressive speed.
Moreover, Latios's "Scale Shot" restricted part of the advancing route for the Wild Pokémon, creating space for Monferno and Bagon.
Bagon's arms were short, but with "Dragon Claw" they somewhat compensated, and clearly Lance had trained Bagon well.
However.
There were quite too many Wild Pokémon.
Even though some didn't seem overly strong, their numbers alone made them troublesome.
At this point, Latios's supportive and healing abilities played a crucial role.
"Oss!"
When a Golbat tried to attack Bagon from behind, Latios manifested its psychic power, using "Exchange Arena" to swap positions with Bagon, and thanks to the increased speed from repeated "Scale Shots," avoided the Golbat's assault.
Monferno descended from above, delivering a thunderous punch on Golbat's back.
Among the three Pokémon, Monferno became the most explosive offensive force; few Wild Pokémon could withstand its punch.
Furthermore, Monferno had picked up some fighting techniques after training with Bewear for a few days; despite daily bruises, its combat skills had indeed improved.
Adding the boosts from "Enhanced Fist", it became the ultimate weapon among the three Pokémon.
Yet Latios and Bagon were no slouches; as Pokémon with limited combat exposure, they were already performing admirably, showcasing their potential, which was a form of progress.
And it was the outcome Natsuhiko and Lance hoped to see.
After about ten minutes, the over twenty Wild Pokémon finally all fell to the teamwork of the three Pokémon.
The progression pleased the Pokémon the most.
However.
"It's not over yet." Natsuhiko suddenly said.
——————
Second chapter! Asking for your guaranteed monthly votes~~