"The Salac Berry is indeed a rare treasure; it actually knows how to restrain its presence."
"The scent suddenly vanished, which means the berry has fully ripened. It automatically reabsorbs and hides its aromatic traits for self-protection. This is a special survival skill many rare items possess."
"In the game, I only ever used pre-picked, ripe berries to make high-grade medicine. I never witnessed the actual ripening process. I didn't expect the Salac Berry to have a 'stealth' skill."
"Or maybe," Feng Che mused with interest, looking at the now-crimson berries, "it's a unique trait of the berries guarded specifically by these two Pidgeot."
At this moment, the Scolipede, Yanmega, and Ninjask were glaring intently at the ripe fruit, their hunger palpable.
[Male Pidgeot: Sigh. Honestly, I've long since grown sick of Salac Berries, yet these thugs treat them like holy grails.][Male Pidgeot: These berries have almost no effect on us anymore.][Male Pidgeot: But our vast flock still needs them.][Male Pidgeot: More importantly, if these Bug-types take over, their venom will likely rot the tree itself. I must protect the legacy left by our ancestors.]
The Male Pidgeot's deep pupils flashed with a sharp light. He unfurled his powerful wings, launching like a feathered arrow toward the Scolipede and Yanmega. A majestic, oppressive aura erupted from his body, surging like a vast river.
The surrounding Pokémon instantly stiffened, their bodies frozen. The terrifying pressure made breathing difficult, nearly causing them to collapse. This was the raw power of the sky's apex predator—the Overlord Pidgeot.
Suddenly, the Male Pidgeot transformed into a rainbow-colored streak, diving toward the Scolipede. Facing the oncoming razor-sharp talons, the Scolipede felt a primal, bone-chilling fear. This was its Swarm ability screaming a warning: If I take this hit, I will die!
Without thinking, the Scolipede curled into a ball, instinctively using Rollout to break the mental suppression and escape the lethal strike. Its massive body became a juggernaut, snapping a giant tree as it tumbled away.
Feng Che saw a deep crater where the Scolipede had stood, dust billowing. The centipede-like Pokémon panted heavily, heart pounding—it had missed death by a hair's breadth.
[Male Pidgeot: Pity. The Scolipede escaped. Now I have to fight three of them at once.]
The Pidgeot engaged the Yanmega in a mid-air dogfight. The three bug leaders unleashed their own auras, creating a clash of pressures that sent lower-level Pokémon fleeing in all directions.
Feng Che felt the weight of the aura, but having faced Mythical and Legendary Pokémon in the game, his mind was tempered. To his surprise, while Linoone and Rookidee were struggling to breathe, Ditto was completely unaffected, letting out a lazy yawn as if watching a boring movie.
Ditto's body definitely hides a massive secret, Feng Che noted. To ignore the suppression of a Level 45 Overlord without training... this blob is not normal.
He watched as the three bug Pokémon formed a temporary alliance. The Scolipede, being the bulkiest, took the frontline to tank the Pidgeot's hits, while Yanmega and Ninjask acted as assassins, darting in and out of the Pidgeot's blind spots.
The Yanmega was particularly terrifying. It seemed to be using its final embers of life for a "Last Stand" burst of power, moving with a ghostly speed that far exceeded its appearance.
If Ditto could consume the DNA of that Level 48 Yanmega, its power would skyrocket, Feng Che thought. But I can't risk Ditto's sanity again. I'll try to catch the Yanmega in an anonymous ball first and save the corpse for later.
The tide shifted. The Male Pidgeot was tiring from the three-on-one assault. Seeing her mate struggle, the Female Pidgeot let out a shrill cry and joined the fray.
"Now's the chance!" Feng Che whispered. With the nest unguarded, he gave the order. "Ditto, transform into Weezing!"
Ditto shifted into the floating poison-gas Pokémon. Using the Levitate ability, it drifted toward the red berries. Its movements were silent, and the combatants were too busy to notice the purple cloud.
Just as Ditto reached for a berry, a sharp chittering echoed.
"Dammit!" Feng Che's heart hammered.
A Shedinja emerged from the hollow of the tree. As a sentient shell, it had no scent, allowing it to hide perfectly. It spotted the "Weezing" trying to steal the fruit and let out a piercing alarm.
The battle paused instantly. The Pidgeots and the three bug leaders turned their heads. They were fighting to the death, and this "Weezing" thought it could play fisherman? Unacceptable.
The Scolipede fired toxic pins, but the Pidgeot, protective of its home, intercepted the attack with an Air Slash, preventing the nest from being poisoned. Ditto took the hint and beat a hasty retreat before the heavy hitters could squash it.
With the thief exposed, the Shedinja joined the alliance against the Pidgeots. Now, the Pidgeots were even more cautious, keeping one eye on the tree while fighting.
Suddenly, the Female Pidgeot's flight pattern became erratic. Feng Che noticed her face go pale. The intense combat had accelerated her labor—she was about to give birth.
The Male Pidgeot noticed too, but he was pinned down by the Scolipede and Ninjask. The Female Pidgeot's strength failed; she spiraled out of the sky, crashing through the underbrush.
Blood began to soak her cream-colored belly feathers, turning them a dark, ominous crimson. She lay in the bushes, her eyes losing their luster.
"She's hemorrhaging," Feng Che whispered, his brow furrowed.
High above, the Yanmega was charging an Air Slash, and the Shedinja was condensing a Shadow Ball crackling with black electricity. They were going to execute the downed queen.
If she dies, the Male Pidgeot will go berserk and destroy everything, including the berries, Feng Che thought. Plus, only these Pidgeots know how to maintain this tree.
"Use the super rod? The thunderbolt gun? No... I can't hit both at once. If I miss one, I'm dead."
Feng Che watched as the attacks were about to launch. He had seconds to decide.
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