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In the dense grass over a meter high, Sato was crouching as he carefully moved through it. Even though he had a Zubat capable of battling, as an ordinary human, he still felt quite uneasy.
The reason was simple: Zubat, being a wild pokemon, wasn't well adapted to strong sunlight yet. Until it evolved into Golbat, which had better tolerance for bright light, its battle capabilities would be significantly reduced in such intense sunlight.
Moreover, this clearly seemed to be the deeper part of Viridian Forest. All he could see were deserted wilderness areas with no sign of human activity, which meant that strong wild pokemon could appear at any moment.
Sato's Zubat was currently at level 15. It could use Supersonic, Gust, and Shadow Ball effectively, which would be more than enough against pokemon in the safe zone. However, in a dangerous area like this, surrounded by threats, those moves seemed insufficient.
These factors were making Sato feel anxious. There was also the fact that this was his first time walking alone in such a perilous wilderness, making it hard not to feel some tension and unease.
Sato also noticed that ever since he left the spot where he had fainted, he had felt a vague sense that something in the surrounding tall grass was watching him. It was a prickling sensation on the back of his neck, and the occasional rustling from the grass only heightened his growing unease.
Sato had studied the map carefully, so he knew this grassland was part of the danger zone. The skull symbol marked on the map indicated a threat he wasn't yet capable of handling.
Upon thinking a bit more, Sato quickly realized that the fact he had lain unconscious in the middle of Viridian Forest for so long without being attacked by wild animals or pokemon was likely due to someone protecting him from nearby.
Now that he had moved away from where he had fainted, it signaled the end of his protection. From now on, he would have to face all the dangers alone.
"I need to get out of this glaringly bright area as soon as possible and find a safe place to rest before nightfall. Otherwise, who knows if I'll make it through the night," Sato thought to himself.
By now, Sato had already changed out of his Team Rocket grunt uniform and into a set of camouflage clothes. He wore a hooded camouflage cloak and carried a gleaming hunting knife in his hand.
This set of equipment was something Sato had bought in preparation for wilderness training, spending 500 points to acquire it. He had three sets of clothes for changing, along with various tools useful for survival in the wild.
Thanks to his camouflage clothing, which blended in with the surrounding grass, Sato managed to create a visual illusion of being part of the environment—at least when he stayed still.
Step by step, Sato had traveled more than 500 meters east, when he finally saw the edge of the forest in the distance. However, the rustling sounds in the surrounding grass had grown louder.
Suddenly, a large Raticate leaped out from the grass to Sato's side, its sharp front teeth gleaming in the sunlight as it charged at him. Its narrow eyes glinted with a greedy look, as though it were eyeing a rare delicacy.
It was clear that the omnivorous Raticate had already deemed Sato, who appeared harmless, as prey.
However, instead of panicking, Sato's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. He sidestepped with perfect timing, easily avoiding Raticate's attack, and swiftly slashed at it with his sharp hunting knife.
Instantly, a sharp "Screech!" echoed out as Sato's blade left a shallow wound on Raticate's body, causing crimson blood to spill from the now-missed attack.
In fact, hidden beneath Sato's camouflage cloak was Zubat, perched on his back. It had already alerted him to the incoming attack as Raticate approached.
As Raticate fell to the ground, missing its target, Sato quickly used the system's scanning ability to gather information on his opponent.
Raticate Information:
Pokemon: Raticate
Level: 23
Type: Normal
Ability: Guts
Gender: Male
Known Moves: Swords Dance, Tackle, Tail Whip, Quick Attack, Focus Energy, Scary Face, Bite, Pursuit, Hyper Fang, Assurance
From the information available, it's clear this Raticate was fairly ordinary. It hadn't inherited any special moves or learned any that can't be acquired through leveling up.
However, this Raticate was quite robust and clearly wasn't weak, having evolved from the numerous wild Rattata in the wild. Its level was 23, which was eight levels higher than Sato's Zubat, giving it a distinct level advantage.
For Sato, this sturdy Raticate, about the size of a fully grown watchdog, posed a significant threat. Its huge incisors, capable of easily biting through steel and concrete, could undoubtedly end Sato's life with ease.
This wild Raticate, having survived in the wilderness so far, was ferociously aggressive. Even after being injured by Sato's hunting knife, it showed no fear; instead, its eyes flashed with a murderous red gleam.
After its initial sneak attack failed, the Raticate steadied itself, jumped up from the ground, and was instantly surrounded by a white light. Its speed dramatically increased as it used Quick Attack to close the distance with Sato. As it neared, its large incisors gleamed white again, aiming straight for Sato with a lethal Hyper Fang.
The Raticate moved like lightning, its speed too fast for Sato to track in his normal state. But as it attacked, Sato focused intensely, using his heightened reflexes to pinpoint the Raticate's movements.
"Zubat, use Gust head-on!" Having determined the Raticate's attack direction, Sato immediately commanded the Zubat, which had already flown out from under his cloak, to engage.
At Sato's command, Zubat skillfully channeled the flying-type energy around it, summoning a 2.6-meter-wide white whirlwind. The airborne Raticate, unable to avoid it, charged straight into the swirling gust.
Ultimately, the Raticate failed to break through Zubat's fully powered Gust attack. Its entire body was swept up into the white whirlwind, caught in its spinning force, while being continuously buffeted by the flying-type energy within the wind.
When Zubat's Gust ended, the dizzy Raticate tumbled to the ground, staggering as it struggled to stay upright, now covered in shallow cuts from the wind blades.
Although Zubat's Gust had landed perfectly, the level difference meant it hadn't caused much damage to Raticate.
Still, in battles like this, the weaker side is not without the chance of winning unless there is a huge power gap. Positions of strength and weakness can shift at any moment due to unforeseen factors, and once the tide of battle shifts, it's difficult to turn it back. Now, Sato and Zubat, initially the underdogs, had gained the upper hand.
The reason? The Raticate, still dazed from being freed from the whirlwind, was clearly disoriented. Sato seized the opportunity, instructing Zubat to unleash another Gust.
And so, a loop began. The Raticate was repeatedly caught and lifted into the air by Zubat's Gust, and due to its lack of long-range attacks, it could only watch helplessly as it was controlled until it finally lost the ability to fight.
Two minutes later, the Raticate, now drenched in its own blood, collapsed at the feet of Sato and his Zubat.
However, before Sato or his now fatigued Zubat could catch their breath, having been in the sunlight for a while, the rustling of grass nearby started again.
Suddenly, Zubat let out a sharp warning screech as a massive purple figure shot out from the grass to Sato's side, instantly devouring the fallen Raticate in one bite.
In that moment, a deadly sense of threat surged through Sato's mind.