"What's wrong?"
Natsuhiko sat up from the bed, instantly alert.
The reactions of Beedrill and Abra gave him a warning.
"Zzzzz—"
Beedrill flew to the window, looking at the empty street outside, and buzzed.
"Hmm?"
Natsuhiko frowned, coming to the window. "You say you saw the shadow of a Pokémon flash by just now?"
Beedrill nodded heavily.
"Abra!" Abra also chimed in beside him.
"Wild Pokémon without a Trainer? The Pokémon rioting outside Goldenrod City already managed to enter Goldenrod City? Or maybe...."
After hesitating for a moment, Natsuhiko decided to go take a look.
No matter what, the presence of wild Pokémon near his residence signaled instability.
Besides, when wild Pokémon appear, it's rarely just one of them.
He picked up Togepi, still drowsy, and left the villa accompanied by Beedrill and Abra.
It was clearly visible.
Right in front of the villa, a noticeable trench was etched into the ground.
He crouched down to take a look.
"Is this the doing of a Rock-type Pokémon? Or perhaps an Earth-type Pokémon?"
If it were a flying Pokémon or some other nimble Pokémon, Natsuhiko would understand, but a lumbering Rock-type Pokémon...
"Let's go take a look, stay alert."
Both Beedrill and Abra nodded solemnly.
"Togepi?"
The Togepi in his arms finally started to wake up slowly.
Following the trench.
Eventually.
In front of a man-made rockery in the neighborhood, they saw the wild Pokémon moving around.
"Rhyhorn (Iron Armor Rhinoceros)?"
Its entire body was gray, covered in thick and sturdy gray armor, with a horn on its head, an arc-shaped notch on the back armor piece, short and strong limbs, and a small tail.
Rhyhorn is a Ground and Rock-type Pokémon, said to have bone density a thousand times that of humans, capable of pulverizing skyscrapers with just a bash, and the trail on the ground was left by its dragging tail.
Rhyhorn has a simplistic mind, able to remember only one thing, so once targeted, endless charges will follow.
At this moment, the Rhyhorn, currently lapping water beside the rockery, sensed the commotion behind it.
It turned around slowly.
When it saw Natsuhiko, its eyes quickly filled with ferocity.
Thud thud—
Its forepaws scraped the ground, with two thick breaths snorted out from its nose.
"An Excellence Level Rhyhorn? Just when I was in need of money, running a bit tight..."
Rhyhorns are quite valuable Pokémon, as their evolved form, Rhydon (Iron Armor Tyrannosaurus), is beloved by many Trainers enthusiastic about power and physique.
However, such Pokémon either do not appear or appear in groups, making them difficult to capture, thus not of low value.
Moreover, Natsuhiko also knew that besides evolving into Rhydon, Rhyhorn could undergo another, currently unknown, evolution.
When Rhydon carries protective gear, it can evolve further into Rhyperior.
Natsuhiko placed Togepi on the ground.
"An Excellence Level Rhyhorn, Togepi, it's time to test our training results."
Togepi lacks systematic training, and its momentum in battles with Natsuhiko is also a shortcoming.
Aside from training, it clearly needs battle experience to adapt.
"Togepi!"
Togepi rubbed its eyes, trying hard to awaken.
Meanwhile, Rhyhorn was already charging.
"Yawn."
Togepi was on point and, upon hearing Natsuhiko's command, opened its mouth wide, releasing a small bubble from its nose, meeting Rhyhorn's charge.
In fact, Togepi had been training its Yawn technique quite effectively during this period.
Using it with complete ease.
"Pop."
With a crisp sound, the Yawn bubble burst on Rhyhorn's face.
Subjected to the Yawn technique's influence, Rhyhorn didn't immediately fall asleep, but its charging slowed down without a doubt.
Taking advantage of Rhyhorn's slowing pace, Togepi's eyes shimmered with a sly black light, its cunning nature displayed to the fullest, and the Trick technique followed suit.
Rhyhorn tried shaking its head, appearing as if it were about to doze off.
However, the wild Pokémon had been affected by some unknown factor, becoming frenzied and agitated, preventing it from falling asleep.
But during its struggle, Togepi gained sufficient time to maneuver.
It stepped aside from Rhyhorn's front, moving at a decent speed.
Rhyhorn's charge is formidable, but it has a fatal flaw.
While its heavy armor grants high defense, it also makes its body exceptionally heavy, making directional shifts very difficult.
"Raaaargh!!"
Rhyhorn watched Togepi run, roaring furiously, its eyes brimmed with uncontrollable anger.
It raised a forehoof, ready to stomp the ground fiercely; with contact, the Heavy Step technique would take form.
At this moment, Togepi halted, appearing pitiful, twisting its body and squeezing out a few tears.
Seeing Togepi's weak appearance, Rhyhorn hesitated.
And this hesitation was the opportunity Togepi had created for itself.
Raising its arms, a blue energy-laden water orb formed in its hands.
"Togepi!"
The Water Fluctuation shot forth, as Togepi, puffing its cheeks like exerting all its strength, launched it fiercely towards Rhyhorn.
Bang!
The water orb burst upon contact with Rhyhorn's armor, the immense force knocking it back a distance.
But the damage dealt was far more than a simple retreat.
As a Ground and Rock-type Pokémon.
Rhyhorn has a quadruple water weakness!
Moreover, Rhyhorn is a physical defense tank but extremely weak in special defense. Water Fluctuation being a special attack move, along with Togepi's earlier Trick power-up.
This Water Fluctuation hit Rhyhorn's critical point.
Bang!!
Rhyhorn eventually couldn't stand, wobbling and collapsing on the ground.
Yet Rhyhorn didn't lose its ability to fight, struggling to get back up.
However, Togepi had already prepared a second Water Fluctuation.
Accompanied by the booming burst of the water orb.
"Raaaargh!!"
Rhyhorn's eyes rolled back, letting out one last agonizing roar before lying on the ground, completely losing its battle capability.
Meanwhile, Natsuhiko opportunely tossed a Pokeball, tapping gently against Rhyhorn's heavy armor. A clear sound followed as red light enveloped it.
Jingle jingle—
Togepi, holding the Pokeball, with the melodious sound of the Soothing Bell, carried the Pokeball to Natsuhiko, its face brimming with pride.
Almost like it had "I'm so good" written all over its face.
However, Natsuhiko wasn't as optimistic, as Rhyhorn's last roar....
These are group-dwelling Pokémon.
Rumble rumble—
Sure enough, before he could take the Pokeball, heavy and chaotic footsteps could be heard from afar, accompanied by rising dust.
"...Have a large number of wild Pokémon really entered Goldenrod City?"