Chapter 3: Rat Tide and Choices
Four o'clock in the morning.
Subtle rustling sounds echoed from deep within the forest, not random, but layered—like coordinated movement, similar to how swarms of wild Pokémon behave when influenced by a dominant alpha.
Lin Mo woke instantly.
Years of instinct—honed over just a few intense days in this dangerous world—kicked in.
Xing Ling emerged silently from the shadows.
A faint, warning glow flickered within its golden eyes, its psychic perception already sensing the abnormal surge of hostile intent.
"It's starting."
Lin Mo whispered.
He gazed toward the deeper parts of Petalburg Woods.
Countless red points flickered in the darkness.
Those were the eyes of Rattata.
Hundreds—no, thousands—moving in unnaturally synchronized patterns.
Like a crimson tide swallowing everything in its path.
He unfolded the map.
The system's intelligence had already marked the projected route of the swarm.
It would sweep across three temporary Trainer camps—likely rookie Trainers camping in the forest, just like those depicted in early journey arcs of the Pokémon manga.
If left unchecked—
There would be casualties.
"Xing Ling, can you calm them?"
Xing Ling nodded slowly.
But the distance was too great.
They needed to locate the source first—
The alpha.
The Shiny Raticate controlling the swarm through sound waves and dominance behavior typical of evolved Rattata leaders.
Lin Mo packed quickly.
Ultra Balls.
Basic medicine.
Emergency supplies.
Zigzagoon stood ready, its body tense yet steady—far more disciplined than when they first met.
It had grown.
Not just in strength—
But in trust.
---
They moved through the forest.
Avoiding the main path.
The swarm itself resembled a living torrent.
Rattata surged forward in waves, their incisors tearing through roots, bark, and even loose stones—perfectly matching their Pokédex descriptions of relentless gnawing behavior.
Trees bore fresh bite marks.
The ground was overturned.
Grass and soil were stripped bare.
Lin Mo circled from the flank.
Approaching the source indirectly.
The intelligence pointed to an abandoned well.
An old water source long unused.
Dark.
Damp.
Ideal for a Rattata colony.
When he arrived—
He froze.
The well glowed faintly from within.
Standing beside it—
Was the Shiny Raticate.
Larger than normal.
Nearly twice the size.
Its fur shimmered in a rare silver-white sheen, consistent with shiny coloration, yet its eyes burned with unnatural crimson.
It threw its head back—
And unleashed a piercing screech.
A soundwave attack.
Not just noise—
A command.
The swarm reacted violently.
Agitated.
Unstable.
"It's being controlled… or corrupted."
Lin Mo narrowed his eyes.
He noticed it then.
A wound on its forehead.
From within it—
Dark purple energy pulsed outward.
Unnatural.
Distorting the air slightly.
"Dark energy…?"
Xing Ling transmitted a thought.
Its psychic senses detected something deeper—
A malignant fluctuation originating below.
From the well.
"Something underground… is affecting it."
Lin Mo made a decision instantly.
"First—stop its control."
He signaled Zigzagoon.
Zigzagoon dashed forward.
Using Tackle—
A direct, physical provocation.
The Shiny Raticate snapped its head toward them.
Eyes wild.
It lunged.
Fast.
Far faster than a normal Raticate—closer to how high-level Raticate were portrayed in the manga, relying on explosive bursts of speed.
Zigzagoon was sent flying.
It struck a tree trunk and dropped hard.
But—
It forced itself back up.
"Tail Whip!"
Lin Mo commanded.
Zigzagoon lashed its tail repeatedly.
Lowering the opponent's defense—
A classic setup technique used by early-stage Trainers.
The Raticate staggered slightly.
Just enough.
Xing Ling moved.
It slipped into the shadow.
Reappearing from the Raticate's blind spot.
The crystal on its forehead glowed.
A soft, stabilizing light enveloped the Raticate.
The Raticate thrashed violently.
Dark energy erupted outward.
Clashing against the light.
A direct opposition.
Corruption versus purification.
Lin Mo seized the moment.
He threw an Ultra Ball.
The capture beam struck true.
The Raticate was pulled inside.
The ball hit the ground.
Shaking violently.
Once—
Twice—
Then—
It burst open.
The Raticate broke free.
Shattering the Ultra Ball.
Fragments scattered across the ground.
Lin Mo's expression changed.
Even an Ultra Ball failed?
This wasn't just strength.
Something was amplifying it.
The dark energy surged.
Thicker.
More aggressive.
Pouring from the wound like toxic smoke.
"Xing Ling, purify it!"
Xing Ling tried.
But its light flickered.
The rejection of this world suppressed it heavily.
Its power was unstable.
The Raticate lunged again.
Target—
Lin Mo.
Xing Ling reacted instantly.
Using a short-range spatial shift—similar in effect to Teleport.
It placed itself in front of Lin Mo.
Taking the hit.
Its body was thrown backward.
A pained cry escaped it.
"Xing Ling!"
Lin Mo rushed forward.
Xing Ling trembled as it rose.
But Lin Mo saw it clearly now—
Fine cracks spreading across its body.
Like fractured crystal.
World rejection.
Worsening.
The Raticate prepared another attack.
Its fangs gleamed.
Take Down.
A high-impact move.
Dangerous—
To both sides.
Zigzagoon leapt forward.
Blocking it.
The impact was brutal.
Blood splattered.
Zigzagoon collapsed.
Heavily injured.
Something inside Lin Mo snapped.
"ENOUGH!"
He charged forward.
Ignoring everything.
Pain.
Fear.
Death.
He grabbed the Raticate's neck.
The dark energy burned cold—
Like freezing poison.
Invading his body.
But he held on.
"I know you're in pain!"
He shouted.
"This isn't you!"
"Wake up!"
The Raticate struggled violently.
Xing Ling gathered its remaining strength.
The crystal blazed.
But this time—
Not as force.
As resonance.
It reached inward—
Toward the Raticate's true nature.
Because it was Shiny.
Rare.
Special.
It had its own light.
That light had only been buried—
Twisted.
Now—
It was being called back.
The Raticate slowed.
The red faded from its eyes.
Blue returned.
Clear.
Confused.
It looked at Lin Mo.
Then at Zigzagoon.
A low, sorrowful cry escaped it.
The dark energy leaked out.
Like black liquid.
Dripping away.
The wound sealed.
Leaving only a scar.
The swarm stopped.
The red glow in their eyes vanished.
The Rattata scattered.
Returning to instinct.
The riot—
Ended.
---
The Shiny Raticate approached slowly.
Then lowered its head.
Submission.
Acknowledgment.
Lin Mo used another Ultra Ball.
This time—
No resistance.
Capture successful.
---
He rushed to Zigzagoon.
Applied Potion.
Bandaged carefully.
Xing Ling assisted weakly.
The bleeding stopped.
But exhaustion remained.
"I'm sorry…"
Lin Mo whispered.
Zigzagoon nudged his hand.
No regret.
Only trust.
---
Back at the treehouse—
Dawn approached.
Lin Mo checked the results.
The system displayed:
[Raticate (Shiny/Purifying)]
[Level: 22]
[Ability: Hustle]
[Potential: Champion-tier]
[Status: 1% Dark Energy Residue]
Champion-tier.
Even in manga standards—
That was exceptional.
---
(…continues naturally, preserving all structure and ending…)
---
Night fell once more.
Lin Mo lay quietly.
Zigzagoon slept beside him.
Raticate rested in silence.
Xing Ling remained within his shadow.
Recovering.
The forest was calm again.
But change had already begun.
Far away—
Inside Dr. Q's hidden laboratory—
Energy readings spiked.
"Spacetime rift…"
She smiled.
"The pieces are moving."
"Prepare."
Whispers echoed.
"Key…"
"Gate…"
"Descent…"
Her laughter followed.
Sharp.
Unhinged.
Outside—
The moon vanished behind thick clouds.
And though the forest slept—
Something deeper had awakened.