"You're a clever one, Zinogre," Zhang praised as he approached the victorious monster. "Pretending to be injured to deceive the Astalos."
"Roar," the Zinogre grunted, its face impassive and cold.
"Very cool," Zhang smiled, turning to the unconscious Astalos on the ground and tossing a Poké Ball. The red light flashed, and after just a few shakes, the capture was successful.
Successfully subdued the Astalos!
Astalos beginning Pokémonization...
Pokémonization successful!
Astalos's information is as follows:
Astalos
Level: 69 (Elite Four)Attribute: Dragon / ElectricAbility: Charge State (When charged, Speed is increased by 100%, Attack is increased by 100%, and all attacks deal damage twice.)Base Stats: HP 80, Atk 160, Def 80, SpA 30, SpD 80, Spe 190. Total: 620.
A speed stat of 190, that's incredibly high, even faster than Mizutsune, Zhang thought. It's a pity the ability only increases its speed by 100%, but that's already incredibly powerful. I'm just being greedy.
He shook his head with a smile and released the Astalos and his Escuregot. After the snail Pokémon had healed the new monster, Zhang prepared to head back.
"It's already afternoon. I'll go to the Elgado outpost tomorrow," he decided. "I still haven't caught the Seregios I have my eye on, and it's one of my favorites."
He glanced at the sky, recalled his Pokémon, and summoned the Tigrex. It was time to go back for dinner; he and his monsters were hungry.
The moonlight shone like silver over Kamura Village. Zhang arrived at the largest cherry blossom tree, where Hinoa was already waiting.
"Zhang, you're finally here," she said, her voice filled with concern. "You weren't injured on the road, were you?"
"Don't worry, I'm fine. And I managed to capture both the Astalos and the Zinogre," he nodded with a smile.
"That's good," Hinoa said, relieved.
"By the way, where's Minoto?" Zhang asked.
"She's busy with something. A woman arrived at the docks not long ago, a merchant from Elgado," Hinoa explained. "Minoto wanted to do some business with her."
"A merchant?" Zhang frowned, thinking. Rondine? He recalled the merchant from the game, Rondine, the sister of the Royal Knight, Fiorayne. In the game, players could take Rondine on hunts, where her penchant for using traps and potions earned her the nickname "the rich woman."
"What's wrong?" Hinoa asked, seeing his expression.
"The merchant from Elgado... I think I've heard of her. Rondine, the sister of the Royal Knight Fiorayne," Zhang explained. "It just came to me."
"I see. So, where are we going to play today?" Hinoa asked, her eyes full of expectation.
"Let's go eat some dango. The last few times we ate what I like, so now it's time to eat what you like," Zhang said softly.
"No, you don't like dango, so how can we eat it?" Hinoa shook her head firmly, though she was clearly moved. "I can't be so selfish."
"If we only eat what I like, isn't that just as selfish? Love is about mutual respect and understanding. You take fifty steps, and I take fifty steps. You think of me, so I must naturally think of you. Now come on," he said, taking her hand and leading her towards Yomogi's tea shop. Hinoa's face was full of happiness.
"Brother Zhang, long time no see! I heard you tamed a Tigrex, is that true?" Yomogi the Chef asked with a curious smile as they walked in.
"Of course it's true," Zhang nodded.
"Then you really are powerful," Yomogi said with adoration, but then her expression fell. "If only I could be as strong as you, then I wouldn't have to drag everyone down."
Zhang understood immediately. Yomogi was the princess of a fallen kingdom, destroyed by the Elder Dragon, Ibushi. She was hungry for strength. But compared to an Elder Dragon, a Tigrex was just a rookie. It was the difference between a beast and a god. The Elder Dragon was known as the Scourge of Tianjin, a calamity-level monster far stronger than a typical Elder Dragon—a "Forbidden Monster," as players called them.
"Alright, Yomogi," Zhang said gently, rubbing her head. "I don't know everything that happened, but you can't change the past. Live in the present." He ordered two servings of dango and two cups of honey, and sat down with Hinoa.
"What did you say?" Yomogi asked, wiping a tear from her eye as she ran to prepare their order.
Ibushi, Zhang's eyes flickered with battle intent. In the game's plot, the Elder Dragon would soon come to Kamura Village. That meant he was going to have to fight it. This is exciting. The thought of a powerful enemy didn't make him fearful; it made his blood boil. I will capture it. I will make it surrender to me.
"Brother Zhang, your dango is here," Yomogi said, returning with a smile.
"I'm digging in!" Hinoa said, happily gulping down the dango. Zhang smiled watching her, then picked up a skewer himself. He didn't love dango, but as long as he didn't have to eat it every day, it was fine. He hadn't grown up rich; he was used to unpalatable food.
"If you like it, eat more. We can always buy more; we're not short on money," he said.
"Uh-huh," Hinoa nodded obediently.
As they were eating, a panicked voice shouted from outside.
"The Rampage is coming! The Hundred Dragons Night is here!"
"Monsters are attacking the village!"
"Hurry, call the hunters!"
Zhang and Hinoa immediately ran outside. "That way, Zhang, let's go!" Hinoa pointed towards the commotion.
"Get on, Hinoa," Zhang said, releasing his Rathalos and hopping on. Hinoa jumped on behind him. "Rathalos, let's go!"
The Rathalos spread its wings and flew towards the chaos. Below, countless monsters were roaming, fighting with the village hunters. He saw Great Izuchi, Arzuros, and Tobi-Kadachi—all the monsters from the surrounding areas. The good news was that none of them were above the Gym Leader tier.
"Come out, everyone!" Zhang raised his hand and released all of his Pokémon except for Mizutsune.
"Roar!" Zinogre, Astalos, Goss Harag, Tigrex, and the others appeared, a terrifying sight.
"Kill them all!" Zhang commanded with a wave of his hand. The Tigrex was the first to charge, instantly killing two Arzuros and swallowing a Great Izuchi whole.
The village hunters, at first startled by the sudden appearance of more monsters, let out a cheer of relief.
"It's Lord Zhang's monsters! We're saved!"
But Hinoa's face was tense. "Zhang, be careful," she warned. "Every Rampage has an Apex monster leading it. It must be hiding in the shadows."
"Don't worry, I know," Zhang nodded. He had kept Mizutsune in reserve precisely for the Apex. Based on his knowledge of the game, this first Rampage should be led by an Apex Arzuros, the weakest of the Apexes. If it were a stronger one, there would be Elite Four-tier monsters in the horde, not just Gym Leader-level ones. An Apex Zinogre or Apex Diablos was on par with an Elder Dragon. Of course, he couldn't be certain, which is why he had a backup plan. Mizutsune was his fastest monster, and Gardevoir was by his side, ready to teleport him and Hinoa to safety if needed.
A few minutes later, a tall figure emerged from the darkness. As Zhang had guessed, it was an Apex Arzuros. It was much larger than a normal Arzuros, its fur black instead of brown, and its eyes glowed with a crazed red light. Both Zhang and Hinoa breathed a sigh of relief. While powerful, an Apex Arzuros was on the same level as a Tigrex. They could handle it.
A new system prompt appeared.
Fair Duel Mission Triggered!
Mission Objective: Apex Arzuros
Mission Reward: 2 Glory Points
Zhang, who had been about to order his monsters to swarm the Apex, changed his mind. "Mizutsune, come out!" he said, releasing the bubble wyvern. "Stun it."
"Roar," Mizutsune nodded, sliding towards the Apex Arzuros on a stream of bubbles, its speed incredible.
"The Apex is weak to fire, but not afraid of water," Hinoa said with concern. "The Mizutsune might not be a match for it. You have so many monsters, send another one to help."
"Don't worry, Hinoa," Zhang said confidently. "My Mizutsune is not an ordinary one."
A normal Mizutsune would indeed be at a disadvantage. But his had been Pokémonized and possessed a powerful ability. By the time it reached the Apex Arzuros, hundreds of bubbles already floated across the battlefield. Mizutsune had entered its Bubble State.
"Roar!" The Apex Arzuros roared and leaped into the air, trying to smash down on the Mizutsune.
"Roar!" Mizutsune opened its mouth. "Cross Water Jet!"
A sharp jet of water shot out like an arrow, piercing the Apex Arzuros in mid-air. The water jet broke through its armored hide and tore through its internal organs. If Mizutsune hadn't held back, it would have been shot through the heart and killed instantly.
Experience kills, Zhang sighed. An ordinary Mizutsune's water jet would have only injured the Apex Arzuros. The Apex had calculated that it could trade an injury for a chance to get into close combat, where it believed it had the advantage. But it hadn't accounted for Zhang's Mizutsune, whose ability had doubled the power of its water attack. It was a fatal miscalculation.
"How is that possible? A water gun that powerful is twice as strong as a normal Mizutsune's!" Hinoa said in shock.
The Mizutsune twisted its head, and the sharp water jet sliced across the Apex Arzuros's body, opening a massive wound. The Apex crashed to the ground, its organs spilling out. It tried to stand, but it was too severely injured. Without immediate treatment, it wouldn't last half an hour.
Your Mizutsune has fairly defeated the Apex Arzuros. You have gained 2 Glory Points.
Zhang landed his Rathalos beside the fallen monster and threw a Poké Ball. It shook twice and then settled.
The full story so far is available on Patreon!:
patreon.com/Zefyrus