"Sprout~ Sprout!" Bellsprout was still extremely worried and tried to persuade Icarus to give up this dangerous plan.
"Don't worry, Bellsprout. As long as you place the other two horns fast enough, I won't be in much danger."
"As soon as you put them in position and switch them on, I'll immediately activate the ultrasonic speaker in my hand too."
"So my safety is in your hands, Bellsprout." Icarus knelt down, gently patting Bellsprout's head as he spoke seriously.
"Sprout… Sprout spri spri…" Bellsprout understood that it couldn't change Icarus's mind. Its eyes grew teary as it looked at him.
After fighting in the wild so many times, Bellsprout knew that even if the window of danger was short, it would still be extremely risky for Icarus.
His protective suit was second-hand. It had once been bitten through by a Rattata. Even though he had replaced it, judging from the description of Zubat on the phone, Bellsprout didn't think Zubat's fangs were much weaker.
The screen clearly stated: Zubat feeds on blood. It bites enemies with sharp fangs and drinks their blood.
"Alright, Bellsprout. We've already made so many preparations. How can there be high returns without risk?"
"A low-quality Zubat can sell for 10,000 Pokédollars. Do you know how many Caterpie that's worth? And how many good things I could buy for you? If we catch three, we can afford that Leaf Stone you've been thinking about."
"Sprout… Sprout!" Bellsprout finally nodded. Not because it cared about the Leaf Stone, but because it knew Icarus had already invested too much into this plan to give up now.
"Good. Then let's go in."
Standing before the guard line at the forest entrance, the two stepped forward resolutely.
---
"Sure enough, the night-vision function on this low-grade protective suit is terrible… and the color distortion is awful too."
With the helmet on, Icarus could barely see five meters ahead through the dim green-tinted visor.
"Sprout spri." Bellsprout transmitted through their contract that it could see a little over ten meters, though the color distortion wasn't too severe.
"It'd be great if I could just use a flashlight…" The unrealistic thought flashed through Icarus's mind.
Turning on a light at night in a dangerous forest would basically announce your position to every wild Pokémon nearby. Only a true expert—or a fool—would do that.
"Bellsprout, watch your footing carefully," Icarus reminded again.
"Sprout!" Bellsprout nodded, ready to enter battle at any moment.
---
"Duoo—!"
Suddenly, as Icarus stepped forward, a pained cry sounded beneath his foot.
"What was that?! Bellsprout, Vine Whip!"
Startled, Icarus quickly jumped aside.
"Sprout!"
Vines lashed out instantly, striking the grass.
Crack! Crack!
"Oddish! Oddish!"
A small Pokémon with leaves sprouting from its head stumbled out of the soil in pain, then hurried away on its short legs.
"So it was an Oddish… Forget it, don't chase!" Icarus quickly stopped Bellsprout from pursuing.
"Sprout?" Bellsprout looked confused.
"It's too dangerous at night. The less trouble, the better. Oddish isn't worth much more than Caterpie. It's not worth the risk. Let's keep moving—we're here for Zubat."
"Sprout." Bellsprout nodded and continued scouting.
"It's a pity, though. The leaves on its head can sell for 600 Pokédollars…" Icarus muttered, but he didn't regret the decision.
---
They continued forward.
Soon, Bellsprout tugged at Icarus's pant leg.
"Sprout spri?" It sensed three Caterpie ahead. Should they deal with them?
"…Forget it. We can catch Caterpie during the day. Tonight, our only goal is Zubat."
Any battle at night would create noise, and for nocturnal Pokémon with sharp senses, noise meant opportunity.
"Sprout…" Bellsprout looked back regretfully at the Caterpie. That could have been a midnight snack.
---
As darkness deepened, they encountered two Oddish and four Caterpie in total.
Icarus avoided all of them.
He checked his cheap electronic watch.
7:26 PM.
They had been searching outside the forest for nearly two hours with nothing to show for it.
"Did I guess wrong? Maybe no newborn Zubat are coming out of the cave at all…"
He glanced at the ultrasonic horn in his hand, feeling slightly discouraged.
The net gun was still useful. During the day, he could attempt to catch Pidgey or Spearow if he found one alone.
But if Zubat didn't appear, the ultrasonic horns would have been a complete waste of money.
They walked a little further.
Suddenly—
"Sprout? Sprout spri!"
Bellsprout froze. It felt ultrasonic waves.
"Really? Which direction?" Icarus asked in a low, excited whisper as he handed one ultrasonic horn to Bellsprout.
"Sprout!" Bellsprout pointed ahead.
"Alright. Turn it on, and let's move slowly."
"Sprout."
Bellsprout activated the device, and the two began advancing cautiously through the darkness.
Every few steps, Bellsprout would switch off the horn briefly to sense the direction of the ultrasonic source, then adjust their path accordingly.
If the Zubat wasn't feeding, it would definitely be moving.
"Sprout… spri."
Bellsprout pointed about seventeen or eighteen meters ahead.
A dark figure hovered low in the air. Its mouth opened and closed rhythmically—clearly emitting ultrasonic waves.
"Yeah… definitely low-level," Icarus muttered.
He could barely make out the silhouette.
He made up his mind to buy a set of mid-grade protective clothing once he got back. Even second-hand, it would cost around 2,000 Pokédollars—but with proper infrared night vision, night hunting would be far easier.
And mid-grade suits could withstand full-force attacks from high-level ordinary Pokémon.
It wasn't a waste.
"Bellsprout, let's get closer. With the interference active, it can't detect us."
They advanced several more meters.
"Here. Hang these warning bells around you. Move as little as possible."
At about twelve meters away, Icarus stopped and handed four small bells to Bellsprout.
His own visibility was too limited. If he accidentally made noise, he might alert the Zubat.
"Sprout." Bellsprout nodded.
"Now go around to the opposite side of me. I'll get a bit closer and hold the two horns first."
"Sprout~" Bellsprout looke
d at him worriedly, but still followed the plan exactly as discussed.
Icarus tightened his grip on the horn.
"Alright… let's see if this works."
(End of Chapter)
---------------Author---------------
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