Rhyhorn lay on the ground, looking aggrieved. 'Losing to Umbreon… was that embarrassing? Well, maybe a little…'
After giving its disappointing Rhyhorn a scolding, Rhydon puffed up its chest and turned its fierce gaze toward Sato, clearly intending to redeem itself!
"Umbre!"
Umbreon acted on instinct, already leaping in front of Rhydon. After half a year of intense training, it had learned one thing.
Size is never the sole factor in determining strength!
Both moved at the same time!
Rhydon's massive fist swung fiercely at Umbreon. There was no type advantage, but the sheer physical strength behind it was enough to create a pressure in the air!
Mega Punch!
Umbreon's crimson eyes flashed as a dazzling, multicolored light instantly connected to Rhydon's eyes!
Confuse Ray!
Boom!
Dust filled the air, obscuring the battlefield. A dark silhouette shot out of the smoke: Umbreon, its heart still pounding as it watched Rhydon's form gradually emerge.
Luckily, it had dodged in time!
"Umbreon, use Toxic!"
"Umbre!"
Umbreon tilted its head back and let out a sharp cry. Countless fine threads of poison shot from its fur, instantly seeping into Rhydon's body upon contact.
"Roooar!"
Rhydon, still in a confused state, let out a pained roar. Its body shuddered as a deep purple hue began to spread across its form. Then, without hesitation, it swung its massive fists... at itself!
Suddenly, Rhydon's reddened, poison-tainted eyes locked onto Umbreon. Its jaws parted, and a massive orange beam of energy burst forth toward Umbreon!
Hyper Beam!
"Use Protect!"
Once again, a massive explosion erupted, sending thick smoke billowing across the battlefield.
Rhydon's enraged roars echoed through the forest as Sato and Rhyhorn took cover behind a nearby rock, letting the beam's energy run rampant!
Umbreon, completely unscathed, quickly rejoined Sato. Neither had expected Rhydon to completely lose control under the effects of Toxic and Confusion, to the point of going berserk!
Several minutes passed, and finally, everything fell silent. Sato and Umbreon cautiously stepped out.
The forest was left in complete ruins, not a single tree remained unscathed.
Rhydon lay on the ground, its body twitching from residual effects of the poison. Rhyhorn nudged it gently with its horn, letting out soft whimpers of concern.
"Umbreon, use Heal Bell!"
"Ching ling ling!"
A soothing sound rang out from Umbreon's Soothe Bell, sending gentle pink waves of energy throughout the area.
As the pink glow enveloped Rhydon, its eyes slowly regained clarity, while the poison within its body miraculously faded away.
Though the backlash from overusing Hyper Beam left it unable to stand, its life was no longer in danger.
Umbreon approached Rhydon and cheekily stuck out its tongue.
Even you lost to me... how embarrassing!
Rhydon gritted its teeth, shutting its eyes tightly to avoid looking at Umbreon's smug expression. But the way its tail kept twitching showed its inner frustration.
"Time to go, Umbreon!"
"Umbreon!"
Umbreon's expression shifted immediately, and it hopped happily to Sato's side. Bending its hind legs, it prepared to leap onto him.
"I can't carry you. Let's just get moving!"
Umbreon froze mid-action, then huffed in frustration, scratching the ground with its paws before reluctantly following along.
After the battle with Rhydon, Umbreon finally calmed down. It obediently followed Sato without running off in excitement.
It became evident that while the overall strength of Pokémon in Kanto might be lower, there were still plenty of powerful ones deeper in the wild.
Rhydon's raw strength was terrifying, but unfortunately for it, Umbreon was the only Dark-type Pokémon in Sato's team that didn't rely on direct confrontation!
Whether it was Zoroark, Houndoom, Sharpedo, or even the later additions, Cacturne and Weavile, their greatest strengths all lay in offense!
And Dark-types already had a natural affinity for destruction. High damage output paired with excruciating pain.
This trait was deeply ingrained in Dark-type Pokémon, making defensive Dark-types a rare sight.
Against a brute-force opponent like Rhydon, which relied solely on raw strength, Umbreon was the perfect counter!
Toxic, Protect, Substitute, Confuse Ray, and Double Team; these were the moves Umbreon had been training over the past six months.
At the same time, to enhance team synergy, it had also learned Wish and Heal Bell, two recovery moves.
So far, Umbreon had performed well in its supportive role, compensating for the lack of a healer in Sato's team.
Although it couldn't match Chansey in effectiveness, its healing abilities were invaluable in emergency situations.
Since this journey was meant to be a test, Sato had no intention of avoiding deeper and more dangerous wild areas just to take a straight path to Indigo Plateau. Whatever they encountered along the way would be left to fate.
After finishing lunch and taking a short break, Sato recalled Umbreon into its Poké Ball and released Cacturne instead.
This was Cacturne's first time traveling with Sato since evolving.
Back then, it hadn't even officially joined Sato's team yet.
Trainer and Pokémon exchanged a brief glance, both recalling the moment of their first encounter, sharing a faint smile.
"Let's go."
Unlike Umbreon, who openly expressed its affection for Sato, Cacturne was different.
Perhaps due to being ostracized by its own kind since birth, once it officially joined Sato's team, it became obedient and silent.
Still, Sato could sense that Cacturne was content and happy. That was all that mattered.
----
As they moved further from the city, the forest around them grew denser, and the number of wild Pokémon increased as well.
But Cacturne wasn't the type to stir up trouble like Umbreon.
Combined with its Elite-level strength and an intimidating appearance, no wild Pokémon dared to show themselves.
It had been half a year since Sato last traveled. Even he felt a restless excitement in his heart.
Earlier that morning, Umbreon had tested its growth in a few battles.
Since Cacturne wasn't the type to pick fights, it was up to Sato to take the initiative!
Reaching into his backpack, he pulled out a jar of golden, glistening Honey.
The moment he opened the lid, a rich, sweet aroma spread through the air.
Cacturne, being part Grass-type, instinctively turned its gaze toward the honey in Sato's hand, swallowing hard.
"Want some?"
Without hesitation, Sato scooped out a generous spoonful and offered it to Cacturne. As the honey swirled, its fragrant scent intensified.
It couldn't resist anymore!
"Caac!"