Chapter 17:

As the last rays of sunlight dipped below the horizon, Cain knew that there was not enough time left in the day to engage in battle with the Beedrills. The swarm was a formidable foe, and it would not be wise to face them in the dark of night.

Cain and Murkrow made their way back up the slope to the enormous tree, a former home of the powerful Pinsir. Though it was too dangerous to linger in the forest at night, the tree offered a safe haven for Cain and Murkrow, as Murkrow had bested Pinsir in battle and now had a claim to the tree.

Upon their return, however, they discovered that Pinsir was nowhere to be found. Cain couldn't tell if it had left on its own accord or if it had been taken by another Pokémon.

The hill on which they stood was situated in the territory of the Caterpie and Metapod, with the Kakuna to the north, Oddish and powerful Gloom to the east, Pinsirs of equal strength to the one defeated by Murkrow to the south, and other weak Pokémon scattered to the west.

As the fire crackled and danced beneath the tree, Cain prepared a simple meal for himself and Murkrow. He placed Murkrow's pokeblock in a wooden bowl for the bird to eat and pulled out some dried meat to roast over the fire. As he watched Murkrow eagerly devour the pokeblock and meat, Cain couldn't help but smile. Despite the sparse meal, it was more than enough to replenish the energy expended in the day's battles.

The forest, usually so serene, was alive with the sounds of the night as Cain and Murkrow ascended to the topmost branch of the tree and nestled themselves in for the night, their exhaustion from the day's journey taking hold quickly, and they fell into a peaceful slumber.

The night passed without incident, and as the first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon, Cain and Murkrow awoke, refreshed and ready for the day ahead.

The wilds had a transformative effect on Cain, purging him of the vices he had indulged in during his previous life when his strength had reached the level of a quasi-elite trainer. He quickly ate his breakfast and set out for his destination: the Kakuna territory.

As he passed through the territories of the Caterpie and Metapods, he made his way to the forest thick with Kakunas that he had scouted before. As a bug-type Pokémon, a Weedle with the right resources could evolve into a formidable Beedrill in just fifteen days, but its earlier evolutions were weak and vulnerable. Normally, a Weedle could only use String Shot and Poison Sting, and its low HP and defense made it an easy target. Though its defense improved slightly upon evolving into a Kakuna, its limited move set, consisting only of Harden, made it a sitting duck for predators, unable to defend itself.

Team Rocket's map indicated that this area had once been home only to Weedles, but it seemed that a new batch of Kakunas had recently appeared. Cain quickly scanned the area and found that the Kakunas were generally around level 7 or 8, but their numbers were high, making them a valuable source of experience. And so, with no mercy in his heart, Cain set out to eradicate the vulnerable Kakunas.

"Murkrow, unleash Gust upon these Kakunas! Widen your attack range and eliminate as many as you can," Cain commanded, as he and Murkrow prepared for battle.

Murkrow let out a caw and puffed out his chest, as if to say, 'Leave it to me, I'll make quick work of these immobile chickens.'

As he acted with confidence, Cain couldn't help but remember how, on their previous journey through this forest, Murkrow hadn't dared to make a sound.

Previously, when they traversed the forest, they had found themselves surrounded by Kakunas, with the constant fear of an accident that would cause them to break out of their cocoons and catch Cain and Murkrow behind enemy lines.

But now, the tables had turned. They had the upper hand, with the advantage of speed and agility, giving them the freedom to strike, retreat, or move at will, leaving their enemies powerless to stop them.

The Kakunas in this section of the forest were but a fraction of their entire territory.

With a flap of his wings, Murkrow unleashed two small whirlwinds that quickly grew in size and power. Dozens of Kakunas were swept up in the gusts, their cries of horror and despair filling the air. The remaining Kakunas, still hanging from the trees, trembled and wailed in desperation, but Murkrow showed no mercy.

Without hesitation, Murkrow unleashed two more whirlwinds, decimating the remaining Kakunas. Cain watched with satisfaction as his companion displayed his prowess. But the task ahead was daunting, this was just the beginning of the battle.

"Buzz, buzz, buzz..." The familiar sound of bees filled the air and Cain's expression grew grim. Could it be that his calculations had been off and a swarm of Beedrills had already evolved in the heart of this territory? If so, his plans would be thwarted.

But relief washed over him as a small group of Beedrills came into view, no more than five in number. Though still a formidable foe, it was a manageable number.

Cain was no stranger to Beedrills, having encountered them in his previous life, in anime, and in the games he had played on Earth. He had always considered them to be average Pokémon, their strength lying in their numbers. But that all changed when he met Giovanni's Beedrill.

With resources that most could only dream of, Giovanni had invested heavily in his Beedrill, turning it into a formidable opponent.

Cain remembered reading in the manga how Giovanni's Beedrill had defeated Johto Champion Lance's Dragonite. On one side was a common, if not below-average, bug-type Pokémon, and on the other, a pseudo-legendary. Though Giovanni's resources played a part, it was clear that Beedrill had untapped potential.

Cain's thoughts drifted to Mega Beedrill, with its Adaptability ability, super high attack power, and lightning-fast speed, it was a true force to be reckoned with.