Chapter 209: Inside the Sea Cavern
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The Chinchou was very obedient and docile.
After Sato offered it a can of premium water-type Pokémon food, it immediately perked up and lit the two lanterns on its body, dispelling part of the darkness in the Sea Cavern for Sato and his companions.
Under Chinchou's glow, Sato proceeded through the Sea Cavern with Nidoran, Mudkip, and Golbat. They hadn't gone far when a dozen Zubat hanging from the cavern ceiling angrily attacked them.
The Sea Cavern was damp and dark, attracting Pokémon that thrived in such environments, such as the widely distributed Zubat family.
Additionally, because many had perished in the Sea Cavern over the years, numerous ghost-type Pokémon were born or drawn to the area.
Due to the cavern's geographical conditions, the Zubat family residing here would retreat before 5:00 AM each day. Adventurers could even estimate the time by observing the Zubat's behavior.
As expected, the light-averse Zubat immediately targeted the Chinchou at the forefront of Sato's party. Frightened, the Chinchou quickly hid behind Sato and the others.
The Zubat were low-level, with the highest being level 13.
Nidoran, now level 21, unleashed Thunderbolt, instantly taking down most of them. Mudkip followed up with Water Gun, finishing off the remaining few higher-leveled Zubat.
The sudden battle ended swiftly. The remaining Zubat, who had initially been eager to attack, froze in place after seeing their companions defeated with ease.
Golbat's presence, combined with the intimidating aura briefly exuded by it, left the remaining Zubat trembling, unwilling to provoke such a powerful kin.
According to the map given by the old man, the Sea Cavern had three routes. Only the middle route led to the cavern's depths, while the other two were dead ends with shorter paths.
Sato had come to the Sea Cavern to train his Pokémon, not to hunt for treasure. Moreover, he needed to reach the harbor by 6:00 AM to catch his ship.
After some deliberation, he decided to take the far-left route on the map.
The map provided by the old man was detailed, marking the distribution of various Pokémon. The far-left route featured three major Pokémon groups.
The first was a school of Carvanha.
These aggressive Pokémon inhabited the route's first half. They were so territorial that they would leap out of the water to attack any creature nearby, even if it wasn't in the water.
(Note: Carvanha can be likened to piranhas in the Pokémon world. They are fearsome creatures that evolve into Sharpedo.)
One reason Sato chose this route was because of the Carvanha school. According to the old man, these Carvanha were an invasive species in the Sea Cavern.
With no natural predators here, the fiercely territorial Carvanha began reproducing uncontrollably, disrupting the cavern's ecosystem.
Fortunately, the Pokémon groups in the cavern's deeper sections were strong, and the original residents resisted the Carvanha's presence.
As a result, the Carvanha were limited to specific areas in the cavern's first half.
From the old man's description, the Carvanha were a scourge of the Sea Cavern. He hoped Sato could help thin their numbers and curb their proliferation.
To protect the ecosystem, the League also periodically dispatched teams to cull these Pokémon, whose reproduction rates rivaled even those of Magikarp.
The second major group was a colony of Corphish.
These Pokémon were far less aggressive than Carvanha and were the primary force opposing the Carvanha on this route.
Covered in sturdy armor, Corphish were unafraid of Carvanha's sharp teeth. Although their numbers were fewer, their individual strength surpassed that of the Carvanha.
At the same level, one Corphish could take on three Carvanha simultaneously.
Additionally, smaller groups of Kingler and Shellder shared territory with the Corphish in the middle section of the route, acting as vassals to the Corphish colony.
The third major group was a population of Staryu.
Due to the Sea Cavern's abundance of Water Stones, many water-type Pokémon requiring these stones for evolution were drawn here, including the Staryu species, typically found in deep-sea habitats.
The Staryu inhabited the latter half of the left route, where the terrain dipped and the water deepened.
Unlike their deep-sea counterparts, these Staryu preferred clinging to the cavern's damp walls, camouflaging themselves with their natural coloration.
Fortunately, the Staryu were not particularly aggressive. However, if reckless adventurers harmed them while searching for Water Stones, the Staryu would retaliate fiercely.
Aside from these three major groups, other water-type Pokémon such as Marill, Qwilfish, and Remoraid were scattered along the left route.
Since Sato chose the left route, he encountered far fewer trainers. Most had opted for the middle route, which led to the cavern's depths.
As the map indicated, Carvanha dominated the first half of the left route.
Sato and his team had only just entered the area when six ferocious-looking Carvanha leaped from the water, their razor-sharp jaws snapping toward them.
Carvanha's attack stats were formidable, but their defensive and health stats were abysmal, making them fragile. As such, they often relied on ambush tactics to attack creatures near the water's edge.
Unfortunately for them, Golbat's radar-like senses rendered their ambush futile.
Before Golbat could even warn the group of the impending attack, Nidoran and Mudkip had already struck the six Carvanha mid-leap.
Nidoran's Thunderbolt instantly defeated four level-12 Carvanha, while Mudkip used its immense strength and Tackle to send the remaining two flying like cannonballs.
"Not bad, Mudkip. That fin on your head is an excellent sensor. You noticed the movement in the water even before Golbat did," Sato said with a slight smile, watching Mudkip playfully interacting with Nidoran.
Sato had clearly observed the sequence of events. Even before the Carvanha had launched their ambush, Mudkip's fin had twitched and pointed toward their location, allowing it to alert Nidoran in time to counter with Thunderbolt.
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