The Wild Area, located slightly south of the center of Galar, could generally be divided into two main sections. One of them lay just beneath Motostoke, centered around the tranquil waters of Lake Axewell.
Most of the wild Pokémon near Lake Axewell had already been cleared out by Macro Cosmos. The few that remained were relatively weak and rarely aggressive. As a result, this part of the Wild Area had turned into a haven for rookie trainers and slackers. It was uncommon to see anyone there with Intermediate-level Pokémon.
After all, if someone did possess such strength—whether through careful training or by purchasing from the black market—there simply wasn't enough profit to be made around Lake Axewell to justify staying there.
With Macro Cosmos having claimed full control over the Dynamax Dens, the only way to earn enough resources to raise such powerful Pokémon was to go around hunting and robbing weaker trainers. But doing that would immediately put a target on their back from the company's hunting squads.
These teams operated under the guise of capturing fugitives, but in reality, they took the opportunity to seize the spoils gathered by rogue trainers. They'd then earn the gratitude and praise of others in the process. It was a win-win for them.
Because of this, the stronger trainers in the Wild Area typically avoided the southern region. Instead, they passed through Motostoke and headed north, where truly dangerous wild Pokémon roamed. Some were even Elite-level. Not even Macro Cosmos squads could move freely there.
At present—
In the northern section of the Wild Area, on the outskirts of Motostoke, the tall grass rippled in the wind.
Here, the grass grew to face height, concealing all manner of Pokémon within. One wrong step could land you on something's tail, like a Skorupi, and that would spell trouble.
"Skorupi packs basically run this whole area..." Shiro muttered as he stepped out from the passenger compartment beneath Corviknight's talons.
Seeing he had arrived safely, the giant bird flapped its wings and soared into the sky, quickly vanishing from view.
Shiro now stood on an old but sturdy wooden bridge. Though weathered with age, it was thick and broad enough to support even a heavy Pokémon without risk of collapse. Below, the river surged with strong currents, and deep-blue aquatic Pokémon occasionally broke the surface. Falling in would be a death sentence.
This river circled around Motostoke, and just ahead was the grassy outskirts.
The bridge was empty. Not a soul in sight. Perhaps it was the weather. The Wild Area's climate had always been unpredictable, and by the time Shiro had landed, the sky had already darkened to a gloomy blue-black. The clouds had not yet burst, but the rain was clearly on its way.
Shiro pulled on his black cloak and adjusted the black mask that filtered air and hid his face. Then he walked confidently toward the towering grass ahead.
The grass stood tall, like a miniature forest. It grew right up to the edge of the bridge and trembled now and then. It was obvious many Pokémon were hidden inside, waiting for the right moment.
Shiro scanned the area, then reached to his belt and pulled out a Poké Ball.
"Come out, Rhyperior."
Boom!
The massive Pokémon landed heavily at the edge of the bridge, its bulky form blocking almost the entire entrance to the field.
At once, the grass rustled wildly. The Pokémon inside were startled by the sudden appearance of such a large presence, and they scattered in fear, darting deeper into the thicket.
"You too, Corvisquire."
Shiro took out another Poké Ball and leapt lightly into the air.
Corvisquire emerged with a graceful flap of its wings, catching Shiro by the shoulder and lifting him effortlessly skyward.
"Go! Keep up!" he called down to Rhyperior.
The armored behemoth began to move forward. With each step, the earth shuddered faintly beneath its weight, and the Pokémon lurking nearby fled in alarm.
From midair, Shiro scanned the terrain ahead. The grass stretched like an endless green tide, nearly swallowing the landscape. Only after Corvisquire climbed another ten meters did the view start to clear, revealing patches of ground and the glint of stagnant water.
Roughly twenty meters away, five broken stone pillars stood in silence. They looked like remnants of some ancient, long-abandoned structure.
Thud! Thud! Thud…
As Rhyperior approached the ruins, the grass around it grew increasingly restless. From above, Shiro caught glimpses of something blue and shelled darting among the stalks.
It was a Skorupi.
These Pokémon were darker shades of blue in color, poorly adapted to cold but known for their tenacity. They burrowed into the earth, lying in wait for prey to approach before launching a swift ambush.
They used their venomous tails and pincers to strike, and once their tail clamped down, toxins would seep from the needle-like tip. A single strike could paralyze the opponent's entire body. Skorupi were relentless; once they struck, they wouldn't let go until the poison took effect.
Ding… ding…
Soft, metallic clicks echoed like needle tips tapping steel. Unnoticed until now, dozens of Skorupi had already surrounded the intruding Rhyperior that dared march boldly across their territory.
Shiro swept his gaze across the field. Most of these Skorupi hovered around level 20—not particularly strong, but overwhelming in numbers.
Trainers who passed through this area usually relied on their Flying-types to soar overhead. Otherwise, even Gym-level Pokémon risked being overwhelmed if bitten by dozens of these venomous creatures.
Down below, the Skorupi showed no fear, stabbing at Rhyperior's thick armor with their barbed tails again and again. Some of the weaker ones even cracked their stingers in the attempt, yet they didn't stop.
Unfortunately for them, Rhyperior was a walking fortress. Its rock-and-metal armor rendered their attacks useless, and the gap in strength made their efforts futile. Worse yet, a few unlucky Skorupi were crushed underfoot as Rhyperior followed the previous command and continued walking.
"There should be a leader among them," Shiro muttered, signaling Corvisquire to lower altitude so he could take a closer look.
This entire zone clearly belonged to the Skorupi. There were hardly any signs of other wild Pokémon.
Under normal circumstances, a swarm like this would have at least one Drapion acting as the alpha.
Skorupi could only evolve into Drapion at level forty, but their lifespans were short. If raised by a skilled trainer who carefully nurtured a talented one, the evolution could push it beyond that point and into the realm of Gym-level powerhouses.
But for wild Skorupi, that was rare.
If a Drapion evolved in the wild, it was usually by chance. Without the proper battle experience and nurture, its strength would plateau at the limit of Advanced-level, stuck at forty, unable to progress further.
Shiro stared for a while, growing suspicious. Strangely, he hadn't spotted any Drapion nearby.
The dense brush near the five ruined stone pillars was packed with blue Skorupi. The grass was thick and tall, but a Drapion was far too large to be completely hidden within it.
Where was their leader?
Puzzled, Shiro tapped Corvisquire's claws, and the two continued to rise and glide forward.
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