The players stumbled out of the forest, scrambling on all fours. Once they confirmed that the massive bear wasn't chasing them, they collapsed onto the ground.
"West Wind, you're so unreliable, always coming up with terrible ideas. You even told Leaf to climb the tree, only for him to get caught like a sitting duck."
"I'm telling Leaf that you called him a turtle! Besides, how was I supposed to know that the Pokémon could climb trees? Isn't it said that when encountering a bear, you either play dead or climb a tree to escape?"
Bryan looked aggrieved, insisting he'd only been trying to help.
"All bears, except polar bears, can climb trees in real life. That Pokémon resembles a brown bear, and brown bears are excellent climbers among bears."
Nearby, Stella took it upon herself to share some educational facts.
"Huh? I really didn't know that. Why didn't you say anything sooner?"
"I did, but none of you listened."
Stella felt like she had such little presence that even when she spoke, no one heard.
"It's my fault, my fault. Once we log out, I'll apologize to Leaf. That bear's paw almost flattened him—it must have hurt."
Bryan winced as he recalled the grim scene of Leaf's defeat.
"It probably didn't hurt much. This game is designed to block out pain once it exceeds a certain threshold, making it very player-friendly."
"How do you know? When did you test it?"
"I didn't. I accidentally scratched myself yesterday while chopping wood. The wound wasn't small, but I didn't feel any pain."
Vrix rolled up his sleeve, showing a scar on his arm.
"That's a relief. But who knows how long it'll take for him to revive, and in most games, dying comes with penalties."
"We'll ask him when we log out. The real issue now is how to deal with that Pokémon."
Vrix still had his eye on the special rewards and farmland. If that giant bear refused to leave, how could he continue his tree-chopping endeavors?
"That Pokémon is level 33, higher than the lord's Scyther. We definitely can't handle it alone."
Of the four players, only Bell had a level 3 Spinarak. The others didn't have any Pokémon, so they would likely suffer the same fate as Leaf, just to varying degrees of severity.
"It looks like we'll have to go back and ask Lord Ryan for help. Hopefully, he'll have a solution."
With no other options, the players prepared to head back to the territory.
As soon as they stood up, Pokémon surrounded them from all directions.
Their original habitats had been taken over, leaving them homeless. They could only hope that these humans might help.
After spending time together the previous day, the Pokémon had developed a degree of trust in the players, instinctively seeking their assistance.
The players, unable to abandon the Pokémon, reluctantly agreed to bring them back to the territory.
The sight terrified the guards at the gates. Watching the group of Pokémon approach in droves, they thought another beast horde was coming.
Luckily, one sharp-eyed person spotted the players among the Pokémon, preventing the alarm from being sounded.
Otherwise, blowing the alarm two days in a row would earn them endless scolding from the townsfolk.
The guards still didn't dare to let the Pokémon into the territory, and no amount of persuasion from the players helped. The players and the Pokémon had to stay outside the gates.
Upon hearing the situation, White didn't dare make a decision on his own. He brought some food outside and offered his apologies.
Knowing there was a favorability system, the players warmly welcomed White. They waved off his apology and pulled him into their chat.
When Ryan returned to the territory, he was greeted by an unusual sight:
Four players and several Pokémon sat on the ground, eating and playing around.
Even the usually stoic Uncle White was smiling, entertained by the players.
Ryan was moved by the scene and regretted not having a camera to capture the moment.
Uncle White was the first to notice Ryan's arrival. He quickly composed himself and reported the situation.
"I understand. Let the beasts stay in the castle courtyard for now. Issue a notice so the townspeople don't panic."
"By the way, Uncle White, you look pretty handsome when you smile. You should smile more often," Ryan teased.
"Yes, sir! I'll get on it right away."
Uncle White nodded awkwardly, quickly walking away to avoid showing the blush on his face.
Watching him leave, Ryan chuckled. It was rare to see Uncle White like this. These players truly had a way of making him smile.
Turning back to the players, who were staring at him expectantly, Ryan said:
"I've got the gist of the situation. Based on your description, the Pokémon is likely an Ursaring."
"Ursaring is easily angered and extremely powerful. You're lucky to have escaped."
"However, we still don't know what's causing its agitation."
At Ryan's words, Heracross paused its meal and hesitantly approached him, making hand gestures.
"How is anyone supposed to understand that?" Bryan complained.
"Oh, I see. It's fine; it's not your fault. Don't feel bad," Ryan said, patting Heracross on the shoulder.
"Wait, he actually understood?"
Bryan was stunned. How was that even possible? Some kind of special protagonist ability?
"Heracross says that while they were eating Sweet Honey this morning, the scent attracted Ursaring."
"Although they immediately threw the remaining Sweet Honey to Ursaring, it wasn't enough to satisfy it. It then attacked Heracross and the surrounding Pokémon."
Ryan relayed Heracross' explanation.
"Wow, that Ursaring is nasty. I thought Pokémon were supposed to be kind and gentle."
"Real animals also fight for food. It's a natural rule."
"So, what happens to our mission?" Vrix raised his hand, worried Ryan would cancel it.
"The mission is temporarily suspended. Once Ursaring is driven away tomorrow, you can continue."
"If you're not sure what to do in the meantime, check out the quest board. There are plenty of daily tasks available."
The players suddenly remembered the quest board's existence. They'd been so focused on chopping wood that they'd forgotten about other tasks.
With that, they rushed toward the quest board, while Ryan led the Pokémon back to the castle.
They encountered several townsfolk along the way. Though the people still didn't dare to get too close, they watched curiously from a distance, no longer as terrified.
News of Ryan hiring Heracross had already spread throughout the territory, and people saw him as a capable leader.
This growing trust in Ryan significantly reduced their fear of Pokémon.
After settling the Pokémon in the castle, Ryan began planning how to deal with the Ursaring in the forest.
He'd thought of chopping wood elsewhere, but who knew if Ursaring would just follow the scent. It was known to hold grudges.
Now that they were at odds, the only option was to drive it away or subdue it, ensuring it wouldn't return.
Otherwise, it would keep harassing them, and players wouldn't be able to chop wood in peace.
Without wood, the territory's houses couldn't be rebuilt.
If the houses remained unrestored, not only would his side quest remain incomplete, but he'd also miss out on daily Creation Points.
As he glanced at the dwindling Creation Points, determination burned in Ryan's eyes.
"It seems we have no choice but to defeat Ursaring!"