Chapter 292: Whose that Pokémon?
The Heracross had never thought their memory could be this sharp. With a single glance, they memorized the faces of those three individuals.
Even if they forgot what their parents, spouse, or children looked like, they swore they'd remember these three faces until the day they died.
As the Heracross began flying out one by one, it wasn't long before all of them had disappeared into the forest.
Left behind were only a few young Heracross, too inexperienced to survive on their own. They were so newly hatched that even flying was a challenge.
The baby Heracross almost burst into tears. This was nothing short of bullying.
Despite their gentle nature, Heracross were formidable fighters. In this group, most of the adults were at least Advanced-level, with several at the peak of Advanced rank.
Their leader was at pseudo-Elite level.
In the outer-mid region of the White Mountains, only a pseudo-Elite-level Pokémon could claim a territory.
Since this area was the Heracross's domain, they were intimately familiar with it. The group split up, each determined to be the first to find the targets and claim all five jars of Tri-Honey for themselves.
Their flying speed reached its peak as they raced against one another.
In their rush, they accidentally damaged several of their favorite maple trees along the way.
---
"Machamp, give me one of those sour berries—my mouth is so sweet it's making me sick," Dalton grumbled.
Leaning against a maple tree, he had just drunk half a cup of maple syrup. For someone like him, who preferred salty foods, relying on maple syrup as a primary food source felt like torture.
Fortunately, there was a grove of maple trees here. Otherwise, with his supplies depleted, he would've starved without them.
Though he hated maple syrup, he couldn't leave. If he ventured away, he might not find another food source, and with no map in hand, he had no idea where to go.
He had been hoping to run into someone—anyone—who could guide him out of this area. Then, he could call for help to locate Shen, Luis, and the rest of the survey team.
A few days ago, he had finally encountered three people. He asked about Shen and Luis, but before he could inquire about the way out, the trio fled as if they had seen a ghost.
He had deliberately gone shirtless to show he wasn't a threat, but those three just didn't get it.
Since then, Dalton hadn't seen a single living soul.
The White Mountain Range was vast, and being in the outer-mid region made human encounters even rarer.
"Damn it, this is so sour."
Chewing on the berry Machamp had handed him, Dalton's face twisted from the overwhelming sourness, though it did successfully cut through the sweetness lingering in his mouth.
Machamp chuckled at the reaction.
"What are you laughing at? Once the energy cubes in the bag are gone, you'll be stuck eating syrup and wild berries with me," Dalton snapped, shooting Machamp a glare.
"Here, take a bite now to get used to it. Don't come crying to me later if you can't handle it."
Despite their less-than-ideal situation, Dalton's attitude remained upbeat.
Machamp shook its head firmly, refusing to try.
"When we get out of here," Dalton said, biting into another sour berry, "I swear, I'm going to rent a Flying-type Pokémon long-term. If I'd had one big enough to carry me, I'd already be out of here. No need to be stuck eating this garbage."
His face contorted again from the sourness, his facial features seeming to twist together.
---
Meanwhile, one of the Heracross darted through the forest at top speed, its eyes scanning the surroundings.
'Trees, maple trees—everywhere. Where are the humans?'
Suddenly, it spotted a figure among the trees, something distinctly not a maple tree.
Stopping mid-flight for a closer look, it saw a Machamp and... some kind of creature with a face that looked hilariously twisted.
Its curiosity piqued, the Heracross decided to approach the unfamiliar Pokémon it had never seen before.
Machamp noticed the approaching Heracross and immediately assumed a defensive stance. Over the past few days, it had defeated plenty of wild Pokémon that had tried to attack them.
"Heracross can fly, right?"
Dalton muttered when he spotted the incoming Pokémon. Despite his sour expression, excitement flashed across his face.
It was as if his wish had come true. Not only it could fly, but it also had the Fighting type.
However, a realization suddenly hit him. Given his size, Heracross might not be much help.
Most of them barely reached 1.5 meters tall, and at his 1.9-meter height, he'd likely crush it. Riding a Heracross would look more like walking a dog than taking flight.
"Hera!~"
The Heracross stopped about thirty meters from Machamp.
Dalton's twisted expression gradually returned to normal as the sourness faded.
"Hera?~"
'Wait... this face is starting to look familiar'
Though Machamp remained cautious, it noticed the Heracross didn't seem hostile and didn't launch an attack.
"Hera!~"
'It's him!'
When Dalton's face fully relaxed, Heracross suddenly recognized him. It was the man it had been tasked to find!
Realizing it had found its target—and picturing the five jars of Tri-Honey it would soon claim—the Heracross began jumping and twirling in excitement.
"Why is it dancing for us?"
Dalton asked, puzzled.
Machamp shook its head, equally clueless.
Machamp: "Hey, what do you want?"
Heracross: "Hand over that human to me."
Machamp's eyes narrowed as it glared at the Heracross. 'Hand over my trainer? And who's going to feed me then? Over my dead body!'
Heracross: "Someone's offering five jars of honey for this human."
Machamp, who had been ready to fight, lowered its fists upon hearing this.
Machamp: "What do you mean?"
Heracross: "Someone's looking for him."
Dalton watched the two Pokémon communicating, their gestures adding to the mystery. Heracross even held up five fingers, emphasizing its point.
Machamp didn't sense any hostility from Heracross. Besides, Dalton was already searching for other humans. If someone was indeed looking for him, there was a good chance it was someone he knew.
Despite its bulky appearance, Machamp wasn't just about brute strength—it had a brain and could piece things together.
"Machamp, what are you doing?"
Dalton asked, puzzled, as Machamp grabbed his arm and gestured for him to follow.
As they trailed behind Heracross, Dalton asked jokingly, "Machamp, why are we following it? You didn't, uh, sell me out, did you?"
Machamp, his starter and most loyal Pokémon, would never do such a thing.
But Dalton couldn't help but wonder what Heracross had said to make Machamp decide to follow it.
"Hera~"
Heracross glanced around nervously, as though expecting danger to leap out at any moment.
The sight made both Machamp and Dalton tense up.
However, the "danger" wasn't what they might have imagined. The real concern was the other Heracross.
If the others found out about the human, they might try to snatch him away, stealing Heracross's precious prize.
So it had to be vigilant.
To Heracross, Dalton wasn't just a human. In its mind, Dalton = five jars of Tri-Honey
*****
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