Chapter 506: Setting Off Again
The moment he realized the enemy's target was Groudon itself, Arthur knew this was no small matter. He had to gather all the strength he could find to stand against them. He occasionally laughed at himself. "Why is it that every time I go on a long trip, the problems get bigger and bigger? Am I some kind of jinx? I never wish for a smooth journey."
Perhaps this was what it meant to be favored by destiny. In just three short years, he had already stumbled upon two generations of the Stitched Shadow Army's schemes.
Having secured the Nidoking's support, Arthur turned to the little dragonfly. "You've been in this desert for so many years. How many of the Chieftains and Phantoms do you know? And is the Phantom of the West our old Tyranitar?"
The little dragonfly nodded, her hands on her hips in a confident pose. "Don't worry, I know all the Chieftains and Phantoms in the Ashen Desert! And yes, the Phantom of the West is our old friend. He's quite the big shot now~"
Even after all these years, she still seemed to be very protective of Tyranitar.
"That's good. I'll need you to run an errand for me. Go and persuade as many of the Chieftains and Phantoms as you can to join us. If the next Groudon falls under the control of one of the alliances, a great war will break out here, and it will be a disaster for all the Pokémon in this region."
Everyone knew that Groudon could neither fly nor swim. If the masterminds behind this plot succeeded in controlling the next Groudon, they would most likely use it locally to seize control of the oil fields and Sand Apricorns, both of which were extremely valuable strategic resources. The Ashen Desert would be plunged into an even larger-scale war, and all the tribes would suffer.
Using this argument to persuade the tribes that had not yet suffered any losses was their best hope of bringing the neutral Chieftains into the fold.
The little dragonfly wagged her tail, thinking that Arthur had a point. "Alright, you can count on me. But Master, I have one last question."
"What is it?"
"Are you working so hard because one of the kidnapped Seeds is one of your new doggies?"
"..." Arthur's face darkened. "No."
"Really?"
"The White Eagle Alliance did some research. The Seeds that receive a divine revelation are almost impossible for humans to capture. They passively gain an ability to resist Poké Balls."
This was, of course, a complete lie. But he said it with such a straight face that the little dragonfly didn't see through it. "Well, alright then. I'm off~"
She flapped her wings, accepting the mission, but she didn't take off right away. Arthur saw through her and walked over, once again pulling her into a hug. "It's hard to part so soon after being reunited. But this is too important. Since we've stumbled upon it, we can't just ignore it. Don't worry, you'll always be my favorite doggy. I'd cross a century to find you."
The little dragonfly squirmed in his arms, her voice tinged with mock disgust. "Eww, Master, you're so cheesy."
But Specter and Old Flame both rolled their eyes. If you're going to say that, at least wipe the smile off your face. Your tail is wagging so fast it's about to take off.
Dragon-types had long lifespans, and as a true Dragon, Flygon could live for seven or eight hundred years. The little dragonfly was still young enough to be pampered.
"I'm off then, Master~"
After Arthur let her go, she took to the air and made a playfully fierce face at Specter. She had seen them roll their eyes at her. Specter just picked his nose with one small hand and waved dismissively at her with the other. Just a moment ago, you were so hung up on your terms, and now you're showing your true colors. Pathetic.
To save the little dragonfly's face, Arthur expressionlessly smacked Specter on the head and gave her a look that said, Go on, I'll take care of him for you.
The Nidoking, who had been watching from the side, was dumbfounded. Was this the same scoundrel, the black-hearted traveling merchant they all knew? "No wonder she's worth fifty strips of dried meat. This human is something else," the Nidoking Chieftain thought to himself.
Arthur didn't force the Nido tribe to join him in battle right away. Their short legs would only slow him down once they left the oasis. He first found Amani, confirmed that the message had been sent, and then said, "Give me a few Dodrio. You all should stay here, or better yet, head back." There was no need for the research team to be involved in a fight.
Amani and her team thought about it and didn't refuse. "Alright. We'll head back and discuss this with the doctor. You take care."
The journey back to the Batta Alliance would take several days, and they would need to take a good portion of the supplies and rations with them. Arthur took stock of his remaining supplies and, after some calculation, decided to scout ahead. He was worried about one thing: the location of their ambush was very close to the territory of one of the Three Phantoms, the Fighting Dragon of the South, Kommo-o. And the Stitched Shadow Army had retreated to the south.
Were they causing trouble in the Kommo-o's territory, or had the territory already fallen? He had to find out.
Before he left, he saw a familiar figure. It was the old scout, Skarner. And he was waiting by a car.
"You... didn't go back with Amani and the others?"
Skarner smiled. "Nope. They have those wild Flygon to protect them on the way back. Your little dragonfly convinced her kin, so I'm out of a job." He said it lightly, but the decision to stay had taken a great deal of courage. The enemy was well-prepared and well-armed, and now it was just the two of them and a single car.
"Are you really not afraid of dying?" Arthur asked with a smile.
Skarner smiled back. "If someone from the Kubfu Alliance isn't afraid, I, as a local, can't be a coward, can I?" He may be a mercenary now, but he knew that his homeland was at his back. The Ashen Desert was already chaotic enough; it couldn't afford another world war.
Seeing that he had already started the car, Arthur had no more words of persuasion. "Then let's go. To the south."
"Alright, hop in!"
Coincidentally, as their car drove out of the oasis, they ran into the Krookodile Chieftain, who had just managed to run all the way back. The poor crocodile was panting, completely out of breath. Seeing Arthur and Skarner driving off again, in the same direction he had just come from, he was completely dumbfounded.
"Perfect timing, great crocodile Chieftain! No time to rest, come with us."
"???"
The Krookodile's face was a perfect picture of confusion. Are you kidding me?! Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to run all the way back here?!
♧♧♧
-> SUPPORT ME WITH POWER STONE
-> FOR EVERY 200 PS = BOUNS CHAPTER
♧♧♧
-> 35 Advanced chapters Now Available on Patreon!!
-> https://www.patreon.com/c/Segais
(Just remove the hyphen to access patreon normally)
If you like this novel please consider leaving a review that's help the story a lot Thank you