"Pidgey, use Gust to suppress it! Bellsprout, get Stun Spore ready and control it first!"
Icarus quickly judged the situation and gave his orders.
"Whoooo—!"
The powerful wind instantly made it difficult for the female Rattata to move. It tried to use Quick Attack, but the strong airflow distorted its direction, making it impossible to aim properly.
At the same time, Bellsprout had already released the immobilized male Rattata.
"Sprout!"
Seizing the moment, he swung his Vine Whip into the turbulent wind.
Crack! Crack!
The female Rattata, trapped in the gust, couldn't even hear the whips cutting through the air. Two heavy strikes landed solidly.
Thud! Thud!
Bruised and battered, she glanced weakly at her partner in the distance. Escape was impossible. If they had to die, at least they would die together.
"Ratta! Ratta—!"
The male Rattata, still able to speak though unable to move, cried out desperately toward Icarus, clearly begging for mercy.
Icarus let out a cold laugh.
"If begging for mercy worked, why would so many humans die in this forest?"
His voice trembled with anger.
"Every year, villages are destroyed by Pokémon tides. Do they get spared when they beg? No. Ordinary people are slaughtered without mercy!"
He might not understand the exact meaning of the cries, but the expression was clear enough.
Memories surged forward—his parents' smiles, the warmth of family, the happiness he had finally gained in this life. He had been an orphan in his previous world. Having a family here had meant everything.
The years he spent with them were the happiest in both lifetimes.
"Bellsprout. Pidgey. End it."
His voice was low and trembling.
"Don't blame me. Blame this real world."
The anger within him surged uncontrollably.
"Sprout!!" (◣д◢)
"Pidgey!!" (◣д◢)
Through their bond, his grief and rage spread to them.
Crack! Crack!
Bellsprout's Vine Whip lashed the male Rattata repeatedly.
"Pidgey!"
He launched a Quick Attack, slamming the female into the air before striking her eyes with his sharpened beak.
Pfft.
Red droplets stained his beak. He gripped the lifeless body in his claws and placed it before Icarus.
Bellsprout dragged the other corpse over as well.
"Pidgey…"
"Spri~…"
They couldn't fully understand his sorrow, but they felt it.
Pidgey landed on his shoulder and rubbed against his cheek.
Bellsprout hugged his leg, just as he always did.
"Thank you… Pidgey. Bellsprout."
Icarus wiped his eyes.
"You're my family now."
He quickly composed himself and began dividing up the spoils along with the remaining Caterpie.
"Let's continue."
The trio moved deeper into the forest.
---
The afternoon passed quickly.
Whether it was Caterpie, Weedle, or Rattata, one after another fell into Icarus's hands.
Having grown up in the information age of his previous life, he naturally thought more creatively about tactics.
Most rookie Trainers relied on fixed move patterns. They used what they knew and repeated it.
But Icarus constantly combined ideas—powder control, wind manipulation, finishing strikes, resource rotation.
Perhaps this creativity was his true advantage.
Bellsprout produced massive amounts of powder.
Pidgey, a natural wind manipulator, spread it perfectly.
In the outskirts, their powder-and-wind tactic was nearly unstoppable.
---
On the way back, Icarus patted his bulging backpack with satisfaction.
"Eighteen Caterpie, twelve Weedle, and eight Rattata today."
He calculated quickly.
Silk sacs alone could sell for about 15,000 Pokédollars.
Thirty jin of Weedle meat would be kept as food. The rest would fetch roughly 6,300 Pokédollars.
Weedle stingers: 1,200.
Rattata front teeth: 6,400.
Additional meat: around 2,800.
The total approached 30,000 Pokédollars.
Even he was startled.
"That's probably two to three times what other rookie Trainers make…"
He didn't know any personally, but he could estimate.
Most civilians trained only one Pokémon until reaching Normal level. Few dared to challenge Rattata unless they had a Flying-type.
If a single Pokémon hunted alone, maybe thirteen or fourteen bugs a day was realistic.
With his double-team strategy—and nighttime hunts for Oddish—he was earning nearly four times more.
He grinned.
Every tactic—powder control, aerial hunting, selling information, claw sharpening—came from his own thinking.
---
Back in town, he quickly sold the materials.
Even Grandpa Arai, the grocery store owner, looked surprised.
From their conversation, Icarus learned most civilian rookies earned under 10,000 Pokédollars per outing. Weaker ones only made 2,000 to 3,000.
"No wonder he talks to me more now," Icarus thought.
"Looks like I'm already No.1 among civilian rookies."
Still, reaching the Normal level was essential. Only then would he truly be recognized as a Trainer.
Perhaps if he left enough of an impression, opportunities from the Gym might eventually come his way.
He chuckled at himself. He knew that was wishful thinking. Even family children in town were merely ordinary students at the Gym level.
But leaving an impression mattered.
---
As night fell, Icarus rested briefly before taking his two partners back toward the forest.
The hunt wasn't over yet.
(End of Chapter 70)
---------------Author---------------
Read 40 advanced chapter
👉 patreon.com/Master_fic
U can read 10 chapters ahead just for 5$
Every 50 power stones= 1 chapter
Every 5 reviews = 1 chapters