Rex decided to stay temporarily at Professor Rowan's lab, planning to bid farewell the next morning and then head towards Floaroma Town.
By checking his phone's map, Rex realized that the distance between Sandgem Town and Floaroma Town wasn't too far, with Jubilife City as the only place in between.
Before going to sleep, Rex used his powers to infuse life energy into his Chimchar's Pokémon egg, boosting its potential.
However, Rex refrained from adding any nutrient liquid to the egg incubator just yet. He planned to do so after returning to the Hoenn region, intending to visit Lavaridge Town and have Chimchar hatch in the caves atop Mount Chimney.
This would give Chimchar the best start possible, allowing it to grow stronger and faster in the future.
"Professor Rowan, thank you for taking care of me these past few days. If I ever have the chance to visit the Sinnoh region again, I'll be sure to stop by and see you!"
After breakfast, Rex said his goodbyes to Professor Rowan.
"You're always welcome here, and I hope you go far on your journey as a Trainer."
Professor Rowan had a favorable impression of Rex and wished him well in his future endeavors.
After exchanging a few more pleasantries with Professor Rowan, Rex left the lab.
Rex originally planned to head straight to Floaroma Town, but after some thought, he decided to have his Swellow fly towards Sandgem Town instead.
Yes, Rex planned to say goodbye to Lenka before leaving. After all, they had met, and it didn't feel right to leave without a word.
"Lenka, over here!"
Rex arrived at the spot where he had previously met Lenka and called her out. Before long, she came riding on her bicycle.
"Rex, I heard from Officer Jenny that you solved the problem with the infestation of Ariados in the woods!"
Lenka excitedly asked after stopping her bike.
"It was only because Professor Rowan asked me to, and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time."
Rex humbly replied, not wanting to brag.
"That's still impressive! I hope I can be that strong when I become a Contest Coordinator!"
Lenka said with admiration.
"I believe you'll become a top Coordinator in the future. By the way, I called you out to say goodbye. I'm about to head to Floaroma Town!"
"Ah, really? Will we meet again?"
"Of course! I'm sure you'll travel to different regions in the future. When you come to Hoenn, be sure to contact me!"
"Yes, I'll definitely reach out to you as soon as I visit Hoenn."
After bidding farewell to Lenka, Rex rode on Swellow and flew towards Floaroma Town. According to his estimate, as long as they didn't stray off course, they should arrive before noon.
As Swellow flew steadily towards Floaroma Town, Rex noticed some small black dots ahead. As they got closer, he realized they were a group of Murkrow, with a Honchkrow leading them.
Rex checked the time and confirmed it was still morning, which puzzled him. After all, both Murkrow and Honchkrow preferred to gather and move at night, usually resting in their nests during the day and only coming out after dark.
Not wanting any trouble with these Dark-type Pokémon known for stealing shiny objects, Rex intended to have Swellow avoid their flight path.
But before Swellow could act, Honchkrow had already led the Murkrow to surround them. Seeing their hostile eyes, Rex knew this wouldn't end peacefully.
"Swellow, let's land for now!"
Rex patted Swellow and gave the command.
Although confident in Swellow's speed, Rex knew that with him on Swellow's back, it would divert a lot of Swellow's focus to protect him. So, he decided to fight these birds on the ground.
As Swellow prepared to land, Honchkrow launched an attack, with the Murkrow following close behind, lunging at Swellow.
Knowing this wasn't the time for a fight, Swellow used Aerial Ace, disappearing from the birds' sight and reappearing safely on the ground.
Wasting no time, Rex jumped off Swellow's back and released all his Pokémon.
Though unsure why these birds attacked him, Rex was ready to retaliate fiercely to protect his life.
Combusken unleashed Flamethrower, sweeping through the Murkrow that had surrounded them. Lapras became a living artillery, firing off various attacks that instantly knocked out any Murkrow hit.
Sandslash stirred up a Sandstorm, trapping many Murkrow in the swirling sands, which continually wore them down.
Carbink and Lileep stayed by Rex's side, protecting him from sneak attacks by the Murkrow. They also set up Light Screens to shield their teammates from harm.
Meanwhile, Swellow had already engaged in a fierce battle with Honchkrow. If it weren't for Honchkrow's dirty tactic of having its underlings gang up on Swellow, it would have been defeated by Swellow long ago.
As time passed, the number of Murkrow in the sky rapidly dwindled, replaced by many defeated Murkrow lying on the ground.
By now, Honchkrow was also battered from Swellow's attacks, soon getting struck by Swellow's Aerial Ace and plummeting from the sky.
Seeing their leader fall, the remaining Murkrow quickly fled the area, abandoning their group and seeking to survive on their own.
"Tell me, why did you attack me for no reason?"
Rex approached Honchkrow and asked coldly.
Honchkrow, seeing that both it and its followers had become captives of the Trainer before it, didn't resist. It simply pointed a wing at Rex's backpack, making its intention clear.
"You wanted to steal my backpack?"
Rex continued questioning.
Honchkrow reluctantly nodded. It and its Murkrow followers were the rulers of this area, often robbing passing Trainers and Pokémon.
Of course, they rarely took lives, which was how they managed to stay free for so long. But they hadn't expected today's target to be so strong, leading to their defeat.
"It seems you're habitual thieves. Now, I demand you hand over your treasures to buy your freedom. If you can't give me something satisfactory, your fate will be grim."
Rex coldly warned as he looked at Honchkrow.
Rex wasn't one to show mercy to those who meant him harm, human or Pokémon. If these birds couldn't meet his demands, he intended to capture the entire flock.
Of course, Rex wasn't a monster. He wouldn't kill them, but he did plan to sell them on the black market. After all, Murkrow were considered rare Pokémon, and he was sure someone would be interested.
Honchkrow shuddered at Rex's words, realizing the Trainer wasn't joking.
(End of Chapter)