Chapter 508: Lure and Trap

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The second time they headed to Poliwag Lake, Arcanine was already well-acquainted with the route. It brought Sato to the lakeside with such familiarity that they arrived seven or eight minutes faster than the first time.

By then, the minor skirmish between the Poliwag and Palpitoad groups had already concluded.

It was a little past 2 PM—right when the midday sun was at its most intense. With hardly any clouds above Poliwag Lake, the lakeside was scorching hot and unbearable.

Aside from a dozen or so playful Poliwag and Poliwhirl, only a couple of stray Pokémon lingered around, making the whole lakeside look incredibly desolate.

"Looks like I picked the wrong time to come. With the sun this harsh, even the Poliwag in the lake don't want to come out," Sato muttered helplessly as he stood under the shade of a tree, glancing at the empty lakeside and then up at the blazing sun overhead.

Still unwilling to give up, he used the system's scanning function to check on the dozen or so Poliwag playing in the mud near the lakeshore. But after that, he could only sit on the ground, slightly deflated, eating a mildly sour orange.

Although the Poliwag population was massive, actually finding one with the Swift Swim hidden ability was no small feat. Realistically, it required filtering through large numbers before one might get lucky.

Relying solely on the handful of Poliwag currently visible by the lakeside wasn't going to cut it. Unless Sato's luck defied the heavens, he wasn't going to encounter one.

And sure enough, after using the system's scan, he confirmed that the dozen Poliwag by the lake either had the Water Absorb or Damp ability.

As for one with Swift Swim—not even a shadow of one.

Given the scorching heat under the blazing sun, Sato could easily guess that most Water-type Pokémon wouldn't be coming up to the surface unless they wanted to become sun-dried fish.

"Screw it. I'll come back tomorrow morning—or maybe the best time is on a rainy day. For now, let's just go somewhere else to train."

With no better option, Sato decided to temporarily leave. He pulled out his map and began considering which place would be best to train his Pokémon.

"Beel~"

Just then, Bellossom—who had been helping with lookout duty—stepped forward enthusiastically and patted its chest, declaring confidently to Sato that she had an idea.

Right after, a sweet, alluring scent began drifting from the two vibrant blossoms on Bellossom's head. In an instant, both Sato and Arcanine found themselves entranced by the aroma.

"Sweet Scent! Why didn't I think of that?! That's a great idea—worth a try."

Seeing Bellossom's eager display, Sato immediately understood what it meant and grinned in delight.

Sweet Scent might not be offensive in battle, but it was absolutely top-tier for attracting wild Pokémon. Among those best at using Sweet Scent to draw in wild Pokémon were the Bellsprout family.

Sato still remembered the Victreebel he faced at the Saffron City Battle Dome. That thing had refined Sweet Scent into a passive ability.

Moreover, that particular Victreebel's Sweet Scent didn't just lure—it came with a hypnotic effect. Any wild Pokémon with a weak will that inhaled it would unknowingly fall prey and end up in its stomach.

Bellossom's version of Sweet Scent wasn't quite as potent as that Victreebel's in terms of hypnosis, but in terms of aroma strength, it was easily on par—perhaps even more potent.

Just a whiff was enough for Sato to tell that Bellossom's Sweet Scent might actually be more effective at luring Pokémon than the one used by that Victreebel.

"Beel~!"

Bellossom cheered and twirled in place with joy when Sato approved her idea.

Sato then led Bellossom, Arcanine, and Kecleon back to the lakeside, stopping under a large tree about ten meters away from the water.

"Come out, Ursaring, Ariados. Ursaring, you're good at digging, right? You and Arcanine dig a hole about five or six meters deep here. Ariados, go with Kecleon and gather some dry branches and leaves nearby. Also, catch a Flying-type Pokémon while you're at it."

Standing under the tree's shade, Sato released Ursaring and Ariados and gave them instructions.

Although Ursaring's fur hadn't fully regrown, its claws were already back in shape. Without saying a word, it began digging at a spot one meter ahead.

Ariados and Kecleon darted swiftly into the nearby forest.

Before long, thanks to Ursaring and Arcanine's hard work, a massive hole—five meters wide and eight meters deep—had been dug before Sato.

Ariados and Kecleon returned shortly, carrying a large bundle of dry twigs and leaves. They also brought back a thoroughly tied-up Pidgeotto.

Yes, Sato was preparing to build a massive trap and use Bellossom's Sweet Scent to lure in unsuspecting Poliwag like sitting ducks.

Once the pit was ready, Sato had Ariados weave a sticky web at the bottom. Any Poliwag that fell in would get stuck and find it very difficult to climb out.

Finally, using Ariados's silk, Sato carefully covered the trap with dry branches and leaves, then topped it off with a thin layer of sand. The trap was now almost perfectly concealed.

"Not bad. This trap is about 70–80% as good as the ones the Rocket Trio built in the anime. More than enough for dealing with most wild Pokémon."

Looking at the virtually invisible trap before him, Sato felt a wave of pride.

It was time to put their skills to the test. Bellossom cautiously stepped near the trap and began releasing a cloud of pink Sweet Scent.

"Your turn, Pidgeotto. Use your wings to blow the scent across the lake."

Sato then turned to the Pidgeotto, which had three large lumps on its head and was tied securely with a thick strand of Ariados's silk. He smiled at it gently.

"Pidgee!!"

Seeing Sato's smile, cold sweat immediately broke out on Pidgeotto's brow. The painful swelling on its head throbbed anew. It quickly raised one wing in salute and let out a loud cry in compliance.

The next moment, Pidgeotto began flapping its wings hard, channeling Flying-type energy to generate a gentle breeze.

Under Pidgeotto's breeze, the Sweet Scent released by Bellossom was carried swiftly toward the direction of Poliwag Lake.

In no time, the low air over the lake was filled with a mist of pink aroma. Since the scent was denser than air, it quickly began seeping into the lake itself.

Gloogloogloo~

BOOM!!

Within ten seconds, a massive surge of bubbles burst from the lake surface. Then, a blue sea serpent emerged first from the water, sending waves splashing high into the air.

And that was only the beginning. As the blue serpent surfaced, a huge number of Water-type Pokémon followed suit, all scrambling to reach the direction of Bellossom's scent.

In mere moments, the section of Poliwag Lake closest to Sato and his group had exploded into chaos.