After passing through the Paras colony, Aoki found himself in the territory of a group of Mankey. Unlike the relatively docile Paras, these Mankey were irritable and fiercely territorial. Any intruder, Pokémon or human, who dared to enter their land would be rcilessly attacked.
The Mankey group had claid a sprawling forest filled with fruit-bearing trees. It was the largest and most abundant area of its kind that Aoki had seen on Trial Island. However, their consciousness of territorial boundaries was extre, and any living creature suspected of stealing their precious fruit was t with unrelenting fury.
At the heart of this Mankey colony was their leader, a Level 23 Pokémon with a commanding presence. While its potential was only at a green rating, the leader's strength and the sheer numbers of its subordinates made this group one of the dominant forces on the island.
As Aoki ventured into their territory, he quickly realized how dangerous it was. When Murkrow plucked the first fruit from a tree, the entire group erupted into chaos. Hundreds of Mankey surged toward them as if their ho had been raided. It was like angering a massive beehive.
Fortunately, the Mankey were of the Fighting type, making them weak against both Flying and Psychic types. With Murkrow and Slowpoke on his side, Aoki managed to hold his ground while retreating. Still, the Mankey were relentless, hurling projectiles and charging forward in waves.
In the heat of the battle, Aoki was forced to carry Murkrow to help it conserve energy for aerial attacks. Together, they cut down scores of approaching enemies while fleeing the horde. By the ti they escaped the territory, the Mankey group had suffered a staggering 30% loss in combat effectiveness.
Out of the nearly one thousand Mankey, over a hundred had fallen to Slowpoke and Murkrow's combined efforts.
The hard-fought battle yielded significant rewards: Murkrow reached Level 19, and Slowpoke rose to Level 21. Beyond the level-ups, Murkrow's mastery of Flying-type moves improved noticeably, while Slowpoke's control over its Psychic abilities advanced significantly.
Despite the progress, the toll of the battle was evident. Both Aoki and his Pokémon were exhausted. After escaping the Mankey territory, they found a safe zone and set up camp for the night. As they rested, Aoki used Yellow Berry Pokeblocks to speed up Slowpoke's recovery.
By the next morning, Slowpoke's potential had risen to dark green, surpassing Murkrow's by a small margin. This improvent also enhanced Slowpoke's ability to manipulate its Psychic powers, increasing its precision and effectiveness in battle.
Murkrow, observing Slowpoke's progress, felt a mixture of envy and motivation. Determined to beco stronger, it requested an increase in its training weight. Although Murkrow initially wanted to add 10 pounds, Aoki, wary of causing potential injury, settled on increasing it by just 5 pounds for now. Aoki knew from experience that sudden, excessive weight increases could lead to hidden injuries, which would be difficult to treat and could hinder long-term developnt.
After recovering, Aoki pressed on, eventually reaching the most powerful Pokémon group he had encountered so far.
This group was small, consisting of only five Pokémon, but their territory was vast and rich in resources. Leading the group was a Level 32 Nidoking and a Level 30 Nidoqueen, with their three young offspring—Nidoran—completing the family.
Their domain included a serene natural lake surrounded by lush vegetation. A small erald-green hill stood near the lake, covered in fruit trees, dicinal herbs, and other valuable resources. The lake itself teed with fish, providing a steady food source for the family.
Nidoking and Nidoqueen rarely left their territory, as their abundant resources allowed them to remain self-sufficient. Their imnse strength deterred any would-be challengers.
Aoki was stunned when he saw the pair. Nidoking and Nidoqueen, typically requiring Moonstones to evolve, were rare enough individually—but seeing both together in the wild was astonishing.
Curious about their evolution, Aoki decided to investigate whether a Moonstone could be found nearby. However, before he could get close to the lake, Nidoking spotted him.
The powerful Pokémon wasted no ti launching a fierce attack. Aoki barely avoided being hit, relying on Murkrow's skill and Slowpoke's Teleport to evade the onslaught. Eventually, Aoki was forced to retreat, pursued by the relentless Nidoking.
Thankfully, Nidoqueen stayed behind to guard their offspring, and Nidoking stopped chasing after Aoki left their territory. Despite his failure to investigate further, Aoki resolved to return in the future once he had grown stronger.
The encounter reaffird Nidoking's dominance. Its brute strength and sturdy armor allowed it to shrug off most attacks, and its coordination with Nidoqueen made them an almost unstoppable force. Even the massive Mankey group from earlier would stand no chance against them.
After escaping the Nidoking's wrath, Aoki finally reached the edge of their territory and arrived at the stone forest.
Consulting his map, Aoki muttered to himself, "Just a little further. Once I cross this stone forest, I'll reach the mission site."
Though the journey had been perilous, Aoki felt a surge of relief and determination. The end of his quest was finally within sight.
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