With the Minimole captured and stored in his inventory, Kenji felt a new motivation. The possibilities opening up before him were vast, but they also demanded a strategic approach. He needed to strengthen Charmander while also learning more about the beasts of this world to make informed decisions about the exchanges.
"Alright, Charmander," Kenji said, patting the Fire-type Pokémon's head. "Today we're going to focus on improving your attack. We need to make your Ember more powerful."
Charmander responded with an enthusiastic roar, wagging its fire tail energetically. It was clear that it enjoyed the training sessions and felt an increasingly strong connection with Kenji.
They ventured deeper into the Forbidden Forest, looking for a suitable opponent for Charmander. The air became denser and damper as they advanced, and the sounds of the forest's wildlife intensified. Kenji remained alert, scanning the surroundings for any sign of danger.
Suddenly, they heard a strange noise. A cracking of branches followed by a guttural sound. Kenji and Charmander stopped dead in their tracks, bracing themselves for the worst.
A few seconds later, the source of the noise revealed itself. A strange creature emerged from among the trees: a Treant. It was a kind of small tree that walked on two thick roots as legs. Its trunk was sturdy and covered in thick, rough bark, and its branches, though short, ended in sharp, knife-like points. Most unsettling was its mouth: a grotesque opening full of pointed teeth that occupied almost the entire front of its trunk.
"What the hell is that?" Kenji murmured, feeling a shiver run down his spine. The Treant didn't resemble anything he had seen before, not even in the Pokémon games.
The Treant watched them for a few seconds, tilting its head as if it were evaluating them. Then, it let out a guttural roar and charged at them.
"Charmander, use Ember!" Kenji shouted, reacting quickly.
Charmander obeyed instantly, opening its mouth and unleashing a burst of flame at the Treant. The Embers hit the Treant head-on, but the creature didn't flinch. Its thick bark seemed to be resistant to fire.
"No way!" Kenji exclaimed, surprised. "It's more resistant than I thought!"
The Treant responded with an attack of its own. Its branches lashed out at Charmander like whips, trying to strike it.
"Charmander, dodge!" Kenji shouted.
Charmander, agile and quick, managed to dodge most of the attacks, but one of the branches grazed its arm, causing a small wound.
"Charmander!" Kenji exclaimed, worried. "Be careful!"
Kenji realized that this wasn't going to be an easy battle. The Treant was stronger and more resistant than he expected, and its attacks were fast and precise. He needed to change his strategy.
"Charmander, use Growl," Kenji ordered. "Lower its attack."
Charmander obeyed and unleashed a menacing growl at the Treant. The creature seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then continued its attack.
"It's not working!" Kenji exclaimed, frustrated. "Its attack is already too high!"
Kenji quickly considered his options. He knew that Charmander couldn't face the Treant in a direct fight. He needed to find a way to weaken it, to exploit its weaknesses.
"Charmander, observe its roots," Kenji said. "I think that's where its weak point is."
Charmander nodded and began to move around the Treant, observing its roots carefully. The Treant tried to follow it with its gaze, but Charmander was too fast.
Suddenly, Charmander roared and lunged at the Treant, aiming for its roots.
"Now, use Ember!" Kenji shouted. "Burn its roots!"
Charmander opened its mouth and unleashed a burst of flame at the Treant's roots. The Embers hit the roots head-on, and this time, the Treant whimpered in pain. Its roots began to burn, and the creature lost its balance.
"Keep it up, Charmander!" Kenji exclaimed, encouraging his partner. "Burn its roots!"
Charmander continued to unleash Embers at the Treant's roots until the creature fell to the ground, defeated.
Kenji ran towards Charmander and hugged it tightly. "You did it!" he exclaimed, filled with joy. "You're amazing!"
Charmander responded with a proud roar, wagging its fire tail enthusiastically.
Suddenly, a Pokémon System window appeared in front of Kenji, announcing:
Charmander has leveled up!
Kenji smiled. "Another level!" he exclaimed. "You're progressing so fast!"
He looked at Charmander with pride. He knew that his training was paying off. Charmander was becoming stronger, faster, and smarter. Together, they could overcome any challenge.
The chapter ended with Kenji observing Charmander, ready to continue their training. The battle against the Treant had been tough, but it had also been a valuable lesson. They had learned to work as a team, to adapt to the circumstances, and to exploit the weaknesses of their opponents. They were ready to face anything that the Forbidden Forest threw at them.