It didn't take long to find another lone Caterpie.
After all, their extraordinary reproductive rate was the reason Caterpie were spread across all of Kanto.
Icarus narrowed his eyes.
This one was different.
Its antennae were noticeably redder. Its body was slightly larger than the previous one, and several old scars crossed its hide.
A veteran.
That explained why it dared to forage alone.
Weaker Caterpie usually traveled in pairs or small groups. The one they fought earlier had likely survived only due to sheer luck.
"This time," Icarus said calmly, "we activate Growth during combat. No pre-buffing. Fair and square."
"Sprout."
Bellsprout stepped forward and let out a taunting cry.
"Sprout!"
The Caterpie, which had been chewing on leaves, froze—then turned sharply.
"Pie!!"
Unlike the previous one, this Caterpie didn't panic.
Instead—
"Pie! Pie! Pie!"
Three rapid String Shots burst forth in succession.
"Sprout!!"
Bellsprout clearly hadn't expected aggression. It dodged instinctively, bending and weaving in a tight area.
"Move forward!" Icarus ordered. "Close the distance! Vine Whip—then create space and use Growth!"
This Caterpie was likely nearing evolution. Its combat instincts were sharp.
Bellsprout sprinted forward, vines extending from its sides.
The Caterpie launched two more String Shots—but missed.
Crack!
Vine Whip struck cleanly, launching Caterpie into the air.
"Well done! Use Growth now!"
Bellsprout planted itself and began drawing in energy.
The familiar surge rose within its stem.
But—
"Pie!!"
Caterpie hit the ground, rolled, and instantly fired another String Shot.
Sticky silk wrapped around Bellsprout's face and upper body.
"Sprout?!"
Before it could react—
A faint white glow enveloped Caterpie.
Its speed suddenly increased.
"Tackle," Icarus muttered.
A basic move. Almost universal. Often underestimated.
"Don't panic!" he shouted. "You can't dodge—block with Vine Whip!"
Though restrained, Bellsprout forced itself to calm down.
Crack!
The vine struck mid-charge.
Caterpie was knocked sideways.
"Pie…!"
Both Pokémon staggered.
Caterpie was breathing heavily now. It had already taken one clean Vine Whip and partially absorbed another during the clash.
Growth-enhanced Vine Whip wasn't something a light-bodied Caterpie could fully offset—Tackle depended heavily on weight and physical mass.
If that had been a Tauros, Icarus thought grimly, Bellsprout would've been the one flying.
"Pie! Pie! Pie!"
Despite its injuries, Caterpie fired several more String Shots toward Bellsprout—then abruptly turned and began crawling away at full speed.
Icarus's eyes sharpened.
"It's retreating."
Experienced wild Pokémon knew when to disengage.
But—
"You don't get to leave."
He stepped out from behind the tree and flicked his wrist.
Several throwing knives flew through the air, their blades lightly coated in powdered paralysis agent.
"Pie—?!"
Caterpie never realized there had been a human nearby.
The blades struck.
The powder entered through the wounds.
Its movement slowed instantly.
"Pie… pie…"
Its crawling weakened.
Knowing escape was impossible, it let out a low, sorrowful cry.
Icarus quickly removed the silk from Bellsprout.
"Finish it."
"Sprout!"
Still angry from nearly losing control of the fight, Bellsprout lashed out repeatedly.
Crack! Crack!
The final blow landed.
Caterpie fell still.
---
As Icarus approached to dismantle the body, he paused.
Several older wounds marked its hide—beak punctures and claw scratches.
"Pidgey or Spearow," he murmured.
For a ground-crawling Caterpie to escape a Flying-type predator was nothing short of miraculous.
Its survival likely stemmed from relentless training with String Shot—refining speed, repetition, and reaction timing.
Icarus held the noticeably larger silk sac in his hand.
"So that's why it could fire so continuously."
He exhaled.
"A shame."
He didn't regret the battle—but he respected the opponent.
Still, capturing it was never an option.
Bug-types that lived harsh wild lives tended to have even shorter lifespans than those raised carefully. And Bellsprout needed consistent protein—Caterpie meat was practical.
He packed the materials and turned to his partner.
"You did well. That Caterpie was stronger than average. You maintained the upper hand."
"Sprout…" Bellsprout's posture straightened slightly.
"But," Icarus continued sharply, "you panicked when restrained."
Bellsprout lowered its leaves.
"That hesitation? Unacceptable."
He crouched down to eye level.
"You completed Growth—but then stood still, immersed in the power increase for one or two seconds. That window almost cost you the fight."
"Sprout…"
"No freezing. No complacency. Even if you're restrained, you fight through it. Even if you get hurt. Standing still makes you a target."
Bellsprout nodded firmly.
"Learn from this."
"Sprout!"
Icarus's expression softened slightly.
"Rest. Then we continue."
He handed over a portion of Pokémon meat.
"Reward."
"Sprout~!"
Bellsprout happily accepted it. Though physically uninjured, repeated Vine Whips and Growth usage had drained a noticeable amount of energy.
As it rooted itself to recover, Icarus looked deeper into the forest.
The real battles had only just begun.
---
(End of Chapter)