The Minimole's bite had been a wake-up call. Kenji understood that, in the Forbidden Forest, he couldn't afford to underestimate any opponent, no matter how small or weak it seemed. Each creature, each monster, represented a unique challenge, an opportunity to learn and strengthen himself.
"Are you okay, Charmander?" Kenji asked, examining his partner's injured paw. The bite was superficial, but Charmander was limping slightly, showing its pain.
"Char..." Charmander responded, nodding its head. It seemed willing to continue the battle, despite its injury.
Kenji smiled with determination. "That's what I wanted to hear," he said. "But this time, we'll be more careful. We can't afford any more mistakes."
Kenji quickly analyzed the situation. The Minimole was faster and more aggressive than he had expected, but it was also weaker. If they managed to keep their distance and exploit the Minimole's weaknesses, they could win the battle.
"Charmander, use Ember," Kenji ordered. "But this time, aim for its paws. Try to burn its claws and hinder its movements."
Charmander nodded and prepared to attack. It opened its mouth and unleashed a burst of flame at the Minimole, aiming for its front paws.
The Minimole, anticipating the attack, jumped to the side, narrowly dodging the Embers. Then, it ran towards Charmander with surprising speed, ready to attack again.
"Charmander, dodge!" Kenji shouted, warning his partner of the danger.
Charmander reacted quickly, jumping backwards to avoid the Minimole's claws. But the Minimole was persistent. It chased after him fiercely, trying to bite him again.
Kenji realized that he needed to intervene. He couldn't allow Charmander to continue taking damage.
"Charmander, use Scratch!" Kenji ordered, changing his strategy. "But this time, aim for its head. Try to stun it."
Charmander obeyed instantly. It ran towards the Minimole and rammed it with all its strength, hitting it on the head.
The Minimole whimpered in pain and staggered backwards, stunned by the impact. Kenji seized the opportunity to approach and examine Charmander.
"Are you alright?" Kenji asked, checking the wound on his partner's paw.
"Char..." Charmander responded, nodding its head. It seemed to be recovering from the attack.
Kenji smiled in relief. "Alright," he said. "It's time to finish this."
"Charmander, use Ember!" Kenji ordered, delivering the final blow.
Charmander, recovered from the attack, obeyed instantly. It opened its mouth and unleashed a burst of flame at the Minimole, which was still stunned.
The Embers hit the Minimole head-on, burning it and leaving it unconscious. The creature fell to the ground, defeated.
Daily Mission Updated! Defeat 5 Low-Level Monsters: 4/5.
Kenji exhaled deeply, feeling the fatigue build in his muscles. The battle had been more difficult than he had expected, but he had learned a valuable lesson. He couldn't underestimate any opponent, and he had to be prepared to adapt to any situation.
"Good job, Charmander," Kenji said, stroking his partner's head. "You're amazing. Together we can face anything."
Charmander responded with a soft growl, wagging its fire tail with pride. It seemed to be happy with the victory.
He stored the unconscious Minimole in a Poké Ball, thinking about the system points he would get from exchanging it. He only needed one more beast to complete the daily mission.
He began to walk again, venturing further into the Forbidden Forest. He wanted to find his last prey and complete his task so that he could focus on exploring the new area marked on the Pokémon System map.
But, as he advanced, he heard a strange sound in the distance. It was the sound of fighting, the clash of claws and teeth, mixed with cries of pain and despair.
Kenji stopped dead in his tracks, feeling a shiver run down his spine. The sound was disturbing, and it made him think about how dangerous this forest could be.
He strained his ears, trying to identify the source of the sound. He distinguished the growls of beasts, the cracking of broken branches, and... what sounded like the voice of a girl shouting orders, but her voice sounded broken, filled with fear.
Curiosity and worry washed over him. He couldn't ignore those cries for help. He had to find out what was happening.
"What do you think is going on?" Kenji asked Charmander, hoping for a response.
"Char..." Charmander responded, tilting its head. It seemed to be as confused as Kenji.
Without hesitation, Kenji began to run in the direction of the sound, with Charmander following closely behind. As he got closer, the sound intensified, becoming clearer and more terrifying.
He ran through the undergrowth, jumping over fallen logs and dodging sharp branches. His heart beat fast in his chest, and he felt the adrenaline coursing through his veins.
Finally, he reached a clearing in the forest and stopped dead in his tracks, feeling a knot in his stomach. The scene that presented itself before his eyes was shocking.
In the center of the clearing, a small girl, no more than ten years old, stood, her face covered in mud and tears. She wore simple but clean clothes, and held a wooden staff in her trembling hand.
In front of her stood a four-legged creature with long, silky fur of white and gold. It was a kind of fox, but larger and more elegant, with a bushy tail and bright blue eyes. The creature seemed exhausted and injured, with several scratches on its fur and a look of pain on its face.
Both of them were surrounded by four dark and threatening creatures: Shadow Wolves. They were canine beasts with fur as black as night, with glowing red eyes that seemed to burn with malice. Their teeth were sharp as knives, and their claws were long and curved. They emanated an aura of danger and aggression.
The Shadow Wolves surrounded the girl and her creature, growling and showing their teeth. They were ready to attack.
Kenji immediately understood the situation. The girl and her beast were being cornered by a pack of Shadow Wolves, and they had no chance of escaping.
The girl was shouting orders at her creature, but her voice sounded broken, filled with fear. She seemed to be struggling to stay calm, but it was obvious that she was terrified.
Kenji felt the need to intervene. He couldn't stand idly by while those monsters attacked a helpless girl.
Without hesitating, he ran towards the center of the clearing, shouting to attract the beasts' attention.
"Hey, you!" Kenji shouted. "Leave her alone!"
The Shadow Wolves stopped and turned towards Kenji, showing their teeth and growling threateningly. The girl looked at him with surprise and relief.
"Who are you?!" the girl shouted, her voice trembling. "Get out of here! It's dangerous!"
Kenji ignored her warning and placed himself in front of the girl, protecting her with his body.
"I'm not going to let them hurt you," Kenji said, his voice firm. "I'm going to protect you."
The Shadow Wolves approached slowly, surrounding Kenji and the girl. They were ready to attack.
"Charmander, use Ember!" Kenji ordered, preparing for battle.
Charmander, who was following closely behind, obeyed instantly. He opened his mouth and unleashed a burst of flame at the Shadow Wolves.
The Embers hit one of the Shadow Wolves head-on, burning it and causing it to back away with a whimper of pain. The other Shadow Wolves stopped, surprised by the attack.
Kenji stood beside the girl, holding her firmly. The girl looked at him with gratitude and admiration.
"Thank you," the girl said, her voice soft. "But it's better if you run. These Shadow Wolves are strong, even if they're only low-ranking beasts. They hunt in packs. You can't beat them."
Kenji observed the Shadow Wolves carefully. There were four of them, and they seemed determined to fight. He knew that the battle would be difficult, but he wasn't willing to give up. He had to protect the girl.
"I'm not going to run," Kenji said, his voice determined. "I'm going to fight. I'm going to protect you. I'm going to beat those monsters."
Kenji braced himself for battle, surrounded by four menacing Shadow Wolves, with the trembling girl by his side, and Charmander ready to unleash its fire power. The situation was desperate, but Kenji was willing to risk his life to protect a stranger. Fate had tested him, and he was determined to overcome it.