Chapter 120: Grafting Flowers onto a Tree

Chapter 120: Grafting Flowers onto a Tree

Facing enemies who had kneeled on the ground in mere minutes, Arthur didn't proceed to deliver killing blows. Instead, he released the hilt, allowing Honedge to fly off on its own.

Having regained the opportunity for free movement, Honedge quickly distanced itself from Arthur. Off to the side, it shook its body vigorously, flinging off the bloodstains. Then, it floated aside and carefully used its ribbon to wipe the bullet hole on its own sheath.

The single eye on its hilt was full of heartache.

My sheath, oh, my sheath!

Along the way, helping Arthur block bullets and parry arrows—these actions had all inflicted considerable damage upon Honedge. Even as a Steel-type Pokémon, its sword body and sheath were not indestructible.

But strangely, at this moment, Honedge no longer resisted Arthur as intensely as it had initially.

Clearly, Arthur was currently in a state of post-battle fatigue, his forehead beaded with sweat, his breathing slightly labored; it was the perfect opportunity to strike.

Yet, after he released his hand, Honedge actually floated away immediately, showing not the slightest inclination to wrap its ribbon around him and turn the tables.

Arthur, without making it obvious, turned his head and glanced once.

He had actually been on guard the entire time, but now it seemed already unnecessary.

Honedge looked as though it had truly acknowledged him as its master.

This progress was a bit faster than he had anticipated.

This wasn't due to any PUA-like manipulation on his part.

Rather, it was because Pokémon like Honedge inherently yearn for battle and enjoy pursuing the strong.

Legend says they are spirits born from the souls of warriors who died in ancient battles, possessing swords and blades.

Such legends are now untraceable, and no one has ever truly found evidence of past life memories within this type of Pokémon.

However, in the absence of human intervention, the places where these Pokémon most frequently appear are indeed in the vicinity of ancient battlefield ruins.

Their battle-loving nature and admiration for strength are points that have long been confirmed.

They always enjoy sucking the life essence of the person holding their hilt, yet they also instinctively anticipate being able to follow a strong individual, accompanying them on campaigns of conquest, and drinking their fill of fresh blood!

This type of Pokémon is like the sword spirits of ancient legends—conscious, difficult to subdue, but after truly being conquered, these sword spirits also become very loyal.

Apart from being unable to transform into a pretty young lady to engage in dual cultivation with their master, they are, in fact, the best partners for warriors.

The premise is that your strength must first earn their recognition.

And this step, currently, it looked as though Arthur had already perfectly achieved it.

Previously, whenever he held the hilt, the tyrannical and immense willpower suppression already rendered Honedge unable to resist.

And now, in their first joint battle, wielding the sword to slay enemies, Arthur's performance once again made Honedge feel he was impeccable.

Otherwise, that bullet fired by the poacher group's leader when he drew his gun—it wouldn't have proactively used its sheath to help block it before Arthur even raised the sword.

Currently, it seemed this master, apart from being too stingy and not letting it take even a single sip of energy, was quite satisfactory in other aspects.

For now, I'll just follow him. Anyway, human lifespan is merely a hundred years or so.

Honedge thought thusly.

However, at this moment, even after releasing Honedge, no longer holding a sword in hand, the pressure Arthur exuded towards the poacher group hadn't lessened in the slightest.

Didn't you see that Geodude still hasn't managed to pull itself out of the car's engine hood? And the Raticate that took a direct kick is still lying on the ground, not having climbed back up yet...

But Arthur actually had no intention of slaughtering them.

He approached the leader's side and, rushing before David and the other rangers could come over, quickly asked.

"You're the leader, right? During the battle, I heard you giving them orders. Answer me, do you usually sell your harvest to the Stitched Shadow Army?"

The severed-handed leader was stunned upon hearing this.

Arthur sharply caught his eyeballs rolling once, subconsciously avoiding his own gaze.

He instantly understood: he had gambled correctly!

This person absolutely cannot be allowed to escape!

As for the other party temporarily not wanting to speak?

These were all minor issues.

Arthur first didn't waste time arguing with this person but instead raised his head and asked.

"Who is the master of that Salazzle?"

Jin, who was the first to kneel, tremblingly raised his hand.

"Very good. From now on, you are the leader of this group. Go and confess. Otherwise, I will kill you right now. You choose one."

Jin wore a dumbfounded expression.

He never thought that in his entire life, he could actually achieve the position of leader.

It was just that this method... seemed to deviate by about a hundred points from what he had imagined in his past dreams.

"No... he's the one... I... can I refuse?" Jin asked, his face a mask of misery.

Taking office as leader at such a time, apart from being able to sit in jail for a few more years, seemed to have no damn use whatsoever.

However, Arthur just coldly retorted.

"Do you want to die?"

A tangible killing intent gushed forth, causing Jin to once again smoothly kneel down properly.

"I... I... I... I accept."

At this moment, the original leader seemed to finally have thought of something and was about to shout in panic, but Arthur delivered a single hand chop directly to the back of his neck, knocking him out with lightning speed.

Subsequently, David arrived with the rangers.

Looking at the scene violently suppressed by Arthur almost single-handedly, everyone was dumbstruck.

David's Ursaring foolishly scratched its head.

When it first charged, seeing the dense gunfire in front had made it very nervous; it had to do a good bit of psychological preparation before it started running.

Turns out, in the end, it discovered: it was originally just there to make up the numbers.

It was supposed to attract firepower, but Arthur crossed the entire firefight zone and rushed to the opposite side in half a minute. At that time, Ursaring had just finished organizing its mentality and was starting to move.

It hadn't run two steps before the fight over there was already finished...

Ursaring felt that in this battle, it itself seemed a bit foolish.

In front of David, Arthur first pointed one hand at Jin.

"This person is the leader. He is also the trainer of that Salazzle. You can take control of him."

Salazzle was the strongest Pokémon in this poacher group, bar none. Arthur pointing at Jin and saying he was the leader, upon first hearing, actually seemed logical.

David, for the moment, didn't harbor much suspicion.

Then, Arthur again pointed towards the actual poacher group leader in front of him.

"This person seems to have appeared in my hometown before. In the past, in the Mt. Moon area, I think I saw him. Can you hand him over to me to deal with first?"

This entire statement was, of course, bullshit. The purpose was merely to gain private disposal rights over this leader.

Due to Arthur "grafting flowers onto a tree" (surreptitiously substituting one for another) by assigning the leader's position to Jin beforehand, David and his team, for the moment, weren't particularly resistant.

"Emmmm, fine then. Make sure he doesn't run. You also be caref—"

"Forget it. With your strength, it seems I don't need to worry about anything. Just make sure not to get the person killed, or it'll be bad for our reputation if word gets out. We generally still advocate bringing people back to be handed over for judicial trial."

Just "bad for our reputation," and "generally advocate"...

Arthur, in a daze, seemed to understand something.

While speaking, David and his team took out handcuffs, ropes, and Poké Ball sealers from their vehicles, restraining the poachers before them one by one.

Among them, Jin enjoyed the most luxurious leader-level treatment, while the real leader remained unconscious on the ground, easily taken away by Arthur.

In that instant, Jin, having witnessed all of this unfold, felt a chill run through his entire body.

However, Arthur's peripheral vision always seemed to be vaguely fixed on him, and not far from his hand, Honedge floated constantly.

The bloodstains on its sword body... had not even been completely wiped dry yet.

And so, until the very end, Jin surprisingly didn't dare to utter half a word in his own defense.

(End of Chapter)

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