The queen moved first.
Beedrill exploded forward with frightening speed. Her blood red eyes locked onto Tropius as both stingers glowed a dangerous purple.
She was using Poison Jab but Silas wasn't surprised. This was exactly what he had expected.
Throughout the battle, the Beedrill had repeatedly targeted Tropius. Whether it was because they sensed the grass typing or because of the fruit bearing ability that made Tropius unique, the swarm seemed to view her as a priority target.
That assumption was exactly what Silas intended to exploit.
Electabuzz was lying flat against Tropius' back, hidden behind her large wings.
Silas gave a subtle signal and Electabuzz immediately sprang into action.
Psychic energy erupted outward and the queen froze for a moment but in battle, a moment was enough.
Electabuzz had spent weeks refining his psychic control. His raw power wasn't enough to completely restrain an opponent this strong, but it was sufficient to interrupt her momentum.
Blue electricity immediately followed.
"Thunder Wave!"
A wave of electrical energy washed over the queen. The attack connected cleanly.
The Beedrill's body jerked violently as blue arcs of electricity spread across her exoskeleton.
Paralysis.
The queen immediately attempted to retreat.
Unfortunately for her, the status condition had already taken hold.
Her movements slowed and her body twitched involuntarily.
"Tropius, Air Slash. Rapid fire."
Tropius beat her wings repeatedly.
Compressed blades of wind streaked across the battlefield one after another.
The attacks weren't strong enough to seriously injure the queen. That wasn't their purpose, they were distractions.
The queen was forced to dodge repeatedly while fighting through the effects of paralysis.
That was when Monferno attacked. The fire type had spent the entire exchange charging power. Aura flowed through his body and merged into the flames gathering within his mouth.
Monferno leapt and the distance between them vanished almost instantly.
For a brief moment he hovered directly in front of the queen as he unleashed the attack. A stream of blazing blue fire erupted forward.
The aura infused Flamethrower engulfed the Beedrill completely and flames exploded outward. The queen screeched in pain as the attack consumed her.
Silas smiled.
The opening trap had worked perfectly.
Psychic restraint, Thunder Wave induced paralysis, Air Slash harassment, & Aura Flamethrower. Four attacks in rapid succession.
Against most opponents, the battle would already be over but the queen was too powerful.
The flames parted.
The Beedrill emerged battered but still flying.
Anger burned within her crimson eyes. Her stingers crossed as she launched an X Scissor attack.
The attack connected directly against Monferno. The impact forced him backward through the air.
However, the damage wasn't nearly as severe as it appeared.
Silas remained calm.
Bug type attacks were heavily resisted by both Fire and Fighting.
The queen had landed a direct hit, yet Monferno only suffered a fraction of the normal damage.
Silas took the opportunity to examine the rest of the battlefield.
The Scyther strike force was performing remarkably well.
Many Beedrill littered the ground. Some struggled to stand while more continued fighting.
The battle remained fierce, but momentum had shifted decisively.
Silas immediately began throwing pokeballs.
Every weakened Beedrill represented profit.
He had invested heavily into supplies.50 Pokeballs, 50 Great Balls, & 50 Ultra Balls.
The purchase alone had cost him 250,000 pokedollars.
Now those investments were paying dividends. Several balls clicked shut almost immediately.
The battle continued.
Despite being paralyzed, the queen remained terrifyingly powerful.
Monferno attacked relentlessly.
Electabuzz supported with Thunderbolt while Tropius maintained pressure with Air Slash.
Yet the queen continued dodging.Even slowed, her aerial control remained extraordinary.
She decided to target Electabuzz.
The Beedrill rotated like a spinning drill. It was using Drill Run.
The attack slammed directly into Electabuzz's chest causing a loud crack to echo across the battlefield.
Electabuzz was launched backward. While the attack failed to pierce his body, the blunt force alone inflicted significant damage.
Silas winced.
That one hurt.
Electabuzz struggled back to his feet.
The queen immediately shifted targets to Monferno. She then attempted to close the distance.
However, constant Flamethrowers and Air Slashes forced her to keep maneuvering.
Each dodge pushed her further across the battlefield until she was exactly where Silas wanted her.
The queen suddenly realized the trap but it was too late as a massive paw closed around her body.
Strength.
Ursaring had finally entered the battle. The giant bear roared as he seized the Beedrill and slammed her into the ground.
Boom!
The impact kicked up enormous amounts of dust and sand. A crater formed beneath them.
Silas immediately noticed something else.
Poison.
The queen had landed multiple Poison Jabs during the exchange.
Purple discoloration spread through Ursaring's body.
He had been poisoned.
Normally this would be disastrous but for Ursaring, it was a blessing because Guts activated.
The bear's already frightening strength increased even further.
When the dust settled, the queen stood shakily inside the crater.
Then her stingers glowed. A sinister purple light gathered around them and shot forward.
Venoshock.
The attack struck Ursaring directly and the effect was immediate.
Ursaring dropped to his knees. A roar of pain echoed throughout the forest.
Silas' eyes widened in shock.
Through their psychic connection, he felt it.
Pain and pure agony. The worst pain Ursaring had ever experienced.
Venoshock doubled in power against poisoned targets. Combined with the level difference, the attack became devastating.
"Monferno, Flame Wheel!"
Monferno's body became a spinning wheel of fire. He crashed directly into the queen.
Fortunately, paralysis finally interfered. The Beedrill failed to dodge as a result.The clean hit sent her tumbling across the battlefield.
Meanwhile, Ursaring slowly rose back to his feet. His breathing was ragged and his body trembled but his eyes remained locked on the queen.
Silas couldn't help smiling. That stubborn determination had always been one of Ursaring's defining traits.
The queen tried to regain altitude but Frogadier appeared. One moment he wasn't there., then he emerged from her shadow.
"Cut."
A flash of sharp white energy appeared and the attack connected. Frogadier hadn't aimed for her body but for one of her wings.
The strike caught the queen completely off guard.
Part of the wing was sliced open. The damage wasn't catastrophic but it was enough. Her aerial maneuverability suffered.
Now she couldn't dodge effectively. She could no longer exploit her greatest advantage. She was trapped.
For the first time since the battle began, genuine fear appeared within her eyes.
Ursaring saw it.
The giant bear raised his paws. Normal type energy gathered around him.
"Swift."
Dozens of stars materialized in the air. The glowing projectiles launched simultaneously.
The queen attempted to evade but was not successful. The stars struck from every direction.
Explosions erupted around her again and again. The barrage continued until finally the Beedrill collapsed.
There was silence, the queen had fallen.
Silas quickly threw an Ultra Ball.
The capsule struck her body and after a few shakes, Beedrill was captured.
A grin spread across Silas' face. A level 46 Beedrill queen with B potential. That alone made the entire trip worthwhile.
The remaining swarm quickly lost cohesion.
Without their leader, the Beedrill became like cannon fodder. The Scyther pushed forward aggressively.
Silas' pokemon joined the cleanup.
What followed was less a battle and more a massacre.
By the time everything ended, Silas had captured 24 Beedrill including the queen.
A truly absurd haul.
Hermes immediately calculated the rewards.
"You have defeated 12 Beedrill in the 30-39 range and 7 Beedrill in the 40-49 range. You have killed 8 Beedrill in the 30-39 range and 4 Beedrill in the 40-49 range. Total reward: 1,440 BP. Current balance: 3,445 BP."
Silas nodded in satisfaction.
The Divine Cauldron was finally beginning to feel achievable.
The looting operation came next.
Silas and his pokemon entered the hive. The surviving Beedrill offered no resistance. Most simply avoided eye contact while others retreated deeper into the tree.
Silas harvested what he needed. Silas acquired stingers, poison cores, and a massive amount of honey. Silas walked away with hundreds of gallons.
The system space swallowed enormous quantities effortlessly. As always, his pokemon stared in awe.
To them, Silas' hand possessed almost divine power. Anything nonliving could simply disappear.
No matter how often they witnessed it, the ability remained incomprehensible.
Eventually the looting concluded.
Despite the intense battles, there had been surprisingly little growth among the stronger members of the team.
Pseudo Advanced Class truly represented a major bottleneck. Monferno, Electabuzz, and Ursaring all remained at the same level.
However, the others still improved. Tropius reached level 35, Excadrill reached level 39, Frogadier reached level 38, and Eevee reached level 20.
Silas was particularly pleased with Eevee. Her Calm Mind's duration improved and Stored Power also formed faster. The young pokemon was progressing exactly as intended.
Before leaving, Tropius used Grassy Terrain to help restore everyone's stamina. The Scyther benefited as well.
Once everyone recovered, Silas prepared to leave. At that moment, the 2 Scyther leaders stepped in front of him.
Silas stopped.
The Scyther pointed toward their heads with their blades.
Confused for a moment, Silas finally understood.
He and Electabuzz established a psychic link.
"We appreciate your help."
"We respect your strength. Please take one of our talented young. I believe you will be useful to one another."
Silas immediately accepted.
"I am honored."
Refusing a potentially talented ally would be foolish.
A moment later, a younger Scyther descended from above. The pokemon landed before Silas then knelt on one knee like a knight swearing loyalty.
Silas quickly helped him stand. The gesture genuinely touched him.
He scanned the pokemon.
Scyther — Level 20
Ability: Steadfast
Potential: B-
Moves: Rank C Air Slash, Rank C Slash, Rank C Wing Attack, Rank D Fury Cutter, Rank C Quick Attack, Rank D Brutal Swing, Rank D Double Team, Rank D Quick Guard
Silas smiled.
Another excellent addition. Steadfast was even a hidden ability.
If evolved into Scizor, it would become Light Metal. That solved one of Scizor's only weaknesses, its speed.
After exchanging final farewells, Silas recalled his pokemon and climbed onto Tropius. The large grass type launched into the sky.
Tailwind accelerated their flight dramatically.
The trip back to Vermillion took only 45 minutes. Silas relaxed during the journey.
Tropius truly was an incredible pokemon.
Photosynthesis allowed near endless travel.
A flying mount would prove invaluable in the future, especially when he eventually traveled to Hoenn.
Upon returning to base, Silas intended to sleep. Unfortunately, that wasn't happening.
The mission participants had all arrived.
The base buzzed with activity. Elite Officers moved through hallways discussing strategy.
Pokemon filled training rooms. Everyone wanted to assess their future allies.
Ariana quickly imposed order.
Like a military commander, she organized the entire operation with ruthless efficiency.
Nobody challenged her authority, especially after feeling the pressure from her Umbreon.
Silas joined the briefing.
There were 30 squads of 3 Elite Officers. 10 squads would patrol outside. 15 squads would infiltrate the party. 5 squads would provide additional support for Ariana and anyone else in need.
The greatest threat remained the Elite Four member.
Lance.
Everything depended upon Ariana keeping him occupied.
If Lance reached the battlefield unrestricted, the mission would fail. There was no debate there.
An Elite Four trainer existed on an entirely different level.
Silas listened carefully as Ariana continued outlining the operation.
Everything sounded organized and efficient but a strange feeling lingered in the back of his mind.
Silas listened intently to Ariana's mission planning, but something made him feel uneasy. He just couldn't place it.