After a short rest, Treecko and Feebas—both of whom hadn’t actually been injured—had fully recovered.
Tianlin then headed deeper into the eastern forest, while thinking about his strategy.
Scyther would definitely not be weak.
Since the samurai had challenged it multiple times and still failed, Tianlin estimated that this Scyther was at least Elite-level.
With Treecko still only close to upper Normal-tier and Feebas still at beginner level, the odds were not high.
But it was worth trying.
A 2-on-1 battle—there had to be a way.
Soon, Tianlin arrived at the towering ancient tree.
“Scyther!
Are you here?
My name is Tianlin.
I challenge you to a battle for capture!
As a lone warrior, you wouldn’t refuse, would you?” he called out.
After a moment, the tree rustled violently.
A majestic Scyther descended from above, its razor-sharp scythes gleaming with cold light.
Scyther, male, Bug/Flying-type, Mantis Pokémon, nature: Adamant (+Attack, -Special Attack), Ability: Technician (boosts low-power moves), height 1.7m, weight 55kg, excellent quality, quasi–Elite Four potential.
Current strength: mid Elite-tier.
Moves: Fury Cutter, Swords Dance, Wing Attack, Slash, Vacuum Wave.
Note: If captured, the host can evolve it using a high-quality Metal Coat, potentially increasing its potential.
Incredible.
This is the strongest opponent I’ve faced so far.
But Tianlin wasn’t afraid.
Instead, he felt excitement.
“Go, Treecko!”
It was another disadvantageous matchup.
Since its debut, Treecko had rarely been in favorable battles.
But this was exactly the kind of training it needed.
Scyther looked at Treecko with mild disdain.
It was clearly much weaker, and its type disadvantage made it unworthy of attention.
“Then let’s make it interesting,” Tianlin said.
“Go, Feebas.
It’s a 2-on-1 battle.”
Scyther nodded slightly.
Even with two opponents, it didn’t consider them a real threat—but as a warrior, it would not refuse a challenge.
“Treecko, Quick Attack!
Feebas, Dragon Breath!”
Treecko charged at high speed while Feebas released its Dragon Breath slightly later.
Scyther raised its scythe.
“Slash!”
Its blade collided with Treecko’s Quick Attack.
However, Feebas’s Dragon Breath struck Scyther directly.
It didn’t dodge, but the damage was minimal.
Scyther ignored Feebas completely and rushed toward Treecko again.
But Tianlin smiled.
That reaction told him everything.
Scyther didn’t even consider Feebas a threat.
It wasn’t worth its attention at all.
That’s the opening.
“Treecko, use hit-and-run tactics!
Feebas, keep using Dragon Breath continuously!”
Treecko darted in and out of the battlefield while Feebas repeatedly released Dragon Breath.
Despite being faster and stronger, Scyther struggled in prolonged combat due to constant harassment.
Its Slash and Wing Attack were dangerous, but Treecko narrowly avoided them using terrain and speed.
A Wing Attack missed—then a Slash landed directly on Treecko.
“Treecko!
Absorb!”
A green glow struck Scyther, but the damage was limited.
Then another Dragon Breath hit.
This was already the third consecutive hit.
At first, the damage had seemed insignificant—but now Scyther’s movements noticeably slowed.
Tianlin’s eyes sharpened.
Paralysis has triggered.
This was the key.
Feebas’s Dragon Breath had a 30% chance of inflicting paralysis, and it had finally activated.
Scyther’s speed dropped sharply.
Now Treecko could keep up.
It dodged several attacks, then seized a brief opening.
“Now!
Quick Attack!”
Treecko used its remaining strength to slam into Scyther, knocking it back.
“Perfect timing.”
Tianlin immediately threw the system-provided Ultra Ball.
The ball struck Scyther and absorbed it in a flash of red light.
Shake… shake… shake…
Click.
It worked.
Treecko collapsed from exhaustion, and Tianlin exhaled in relief.
“Good job, Treecko.”
He picked up Feebas and smiled.
“You were amazing too.
Feebas smiled happily.
Being useful to its Trainer was its greatest joy.
Tianlin released Scyther again and used a Paralysis Heal to remove its status condition.
However, Scyther remained seated silently.
“Still unwilling to accept me?” Tianlin asked.
Scyther shook its head.
It acknowledged the battle.
It accepted Tianlin’s command ability.
It was willing to become his partner.
But it still felt unwilling.
It had been clearly stronger—but still lost.
Tianlin understood immediately.
“You’re frustrated, huh?
That’s the mindset of a natural warrior.”
He continued calmly, “From that battle, your skills are excellent.
Your combos are smooth, and your experience is rich.
But your weakness is obvious—overconfidence.
That’s a fatal flaw for a warrior.”
“If you had gone all out from the start instead of underestimating Feebas, we wouldn’t have had a chance.”
Scyther lowered its head, thinking deeply.
It knew… Tianlin was right.
“The world is vast.
Strong opponents are everywhere.
So become my partner—and fight alongside me.”
Scyther raised its scythes to the sky and let out a powerful cry.
“Scyther!!”
Then it turned back and nodded firmly.
At that moment, its inner conflict was resolved.
Scyther officially joined Tianlin’s team as his third partner.
Viridian Forest had given him a great harvest.
Scyther was captured.
Feebas grew more confident through praise and battles—an important step toward its future beauty.
Treecko’s strength had increased dramatically.
Through continuous battles, it learned new moves and reached the peak of Normal-tier.
It only needed one more trigger to evolve.
Tianlin left Viridian Forest satisfied, heading toward Pewter City.
However, he seemed to have overlooked something else.
Inside his backpack, the Pokémon Egg began to emit a faint glow…