Pokemon: Rising From The Dark

"Bagon, use Dragon Dance."

"Horsea, focus your energy."

Aoki issued the commands to the two young Pokemon.

The Bagon's Dragon Dance technique had been diligently trained to a high level of proficiency.

This was largely due to the presence of the veteran Dragon-type Pokemon, Altaria, within Aoki's team. Although its strength was no longer the absolute pinnacle of the team, the Altaria remained an unparalleled master of Dragon-type techniques, providing an excellent example for the younger Pokemon to follow.

Both the Bagon and the Horsea received the empowering effects of the move.

After exchanging a determined glance, they strode forward side-by-side into the Combee Forest.

Noticing that Pokemon had invaded their territory, a swarm of Combee immediately surged towards them.

"Welcome them with Dragon Breath." Aoki stood calmly under the protective watch of his Slowking and Mismagius, not shaken in the slightest.

Upon hearing the command, Bagon and Horsea simultaneously released streams of light purple energy, the Dragon Breath attacks striking the front line of the Combee swarm head-on.

Pokemon like Combee are a classic example of a female-dominated society.

Only the female Combee possess the potential to evolve into a Vespiquen.

The male Combee can only ever serve as workers or guards for their queen.

However, it is only the Vespiquen who can ensure the continuous propagation of the Combee colony.

Aoki held a much greater appreciation for the Combee Pokemon than he did for the Beedrill lineage.

Furthermore, the Combee are a species exceptionally skilled in honey production, a trait that Beedrill simply cannot match.

If the opportunity presented itself, Aoki was interested in capturing a few high-quality potential Vespiquen and bringing them back to his private island.

A colony of Combee and a Vespiquen could not only provide a steady supply of high-quality honey, useful for creating premium Pokeblocks or for direct sale, but they also represented another strategic advantage. If trained uniformly and managed properly, the Combee, with their vast numbers and collective strength, could become the true guardians of the island.

He envisioned a scenario where Combee were ubiquitous; no wild Pokemon would dare cause trouble on the island, and no unauthorized Pokemon could enter at will.

Even if someone were to rashly break onto the island, the ever-present Combee would be able to subdue them immediately.

Moreover, compared to the notoriously aggressive Beedrill, Combee were considerably easier to control and coexist with.

None of the Combee in the initial wave were particularly strong, and they were swiftly defeated by the combined efforts of Bagon and Horsea.

There was no significant pressure for Bagon and Horsea to overcome this first group of Combee.

But soon, the sounds of their skirmish attracted another, larger swarm of Combee.

This group was notably more formidable, and among them was a single, regal Vespiquen.

Surrounded by her loyal attendants, the Vespiquen looked exceptionally majestic and commanding.

Under Aoki's steady direction, Bagon and Horsea charged forward to meet the new threat without a trace of fear.

The determined momentum of the two young Pokemon suggested they wouldn't back down until they had proven themselves against the entire Combee colony.

Time always seems to fly by during intense combat.

An hour passed in what felt like moments.

Both Bagon and Horsea now bore some minor scars from the prolonged battle, but these were insignificant compared to the sheer number of Combee and the single defeated Vespiquen lying unconscious at their feet.

The aura radiating from the two Pokemon had grown fierce and potent through the continuous fighting.

However, as the battle had dragged on, the Combee emerging from the depths of the forest were progressively stronger, much more powerful than the initial waves.

These newer opponents were not foes that could be defeated quickly or easily.

Yet, the two young Pokemon displayed not a shred of fear, a fact which filled Aoki with a sense of pride and reassurance.

His Pokemon all got along well with each other. This fearless attitude was likely influenced by the more battle-hardened and warlike members of the team, such as Tyranitar, Aggron, and Blaziken. Their presence had instilled in the younger Pokemon a great longing for and appreciation of combat prowess.

The Bagon itself was an inherently strong-willed and determined Pokemon.

Seeing Pupitar, who was once about the same size as itself, evolve into such an immense and powerful Tyranitar served as an endless source of motivation for the Bagon.

In its perspective, it too might one day become a Pokemon comparable to the mighty Tyranitar.

The Horsea, on the other hand, was somewhat similar to the former Poliwag in temperament. It did not harbor excessive desires; it fought when it was time to fight and trained when it was time to train.

Its life was very regular and followed a clear, disciplined plan.

Aoki did not force a different mindset upon it. After all, the Horsea had grown steadily to this point entirely through its own consistent efforts and had never shown any intention of falling behind its teammates.

Bang—bang—bang—

Just as Aoki lowered his head in thought, a series of heavy, thunderous footsteps suddenly echoed from deep within the forest.

Hearing these footsteps, the swarm of Combee and the remaining Vespiquen that had been aggressively advancing towards Bagon and Horsea suddenly froze, seemingly stimulated and terrified by the sound. They immediately turned around and fled from the area in a panicked frenzy.

Witnessing their abrupt retreat and terrified behavior, Aoki frowned subconsciously, his senses heightening.

The heavy, impactful footsteps indicated that the approaching creature was massive in size. It was emerging from within the heart of the Combee Forest, and the Combee's reaction made it clear they knew exactly what kind of creature was coming, and they feared it.

Slowly, relentlessly, the footsteps drew closer.

And as the source of the sound neared, another noise became audible beneath the footfalls: a distinct, metallic scraping.

It was the sound of something hard, perhaps metal plates or incredibly dense scales, grinding and rubbing against each other with each movement.

It brought to mind the image of scale armor worn by ancient generals, the individual plates clinking together as they moved.

There was also a secondary sound, a deep, resonant clang reminiscent of a heavy bell being struck.

"Slowking, sense it," Aoki commanded his trusted partner.

Judging by the increasing volume, the creature was not far away at all.

The steadily approaching footsteps left no doubt that it was moving directly towards their position.

Bang-bang-bang-bang-bang-

Scrape——scrape——

Slowking extended its potent psychic powers, its Telepathy reaching out to quickly locate and assess the source of the sounds.

It was a pity Aoki couldn't utilize psychic abilities himself to see what Slowking saw.

But the moment Slowking's senses made contact with the other party, its expression underwent a drastic change, shifting from focused concentration to one of sharp alarm.

Immediately afterward, its face paled considerably, a sign of psychic feedback or sheer surprise.

Seeing the dramatic shift in Slowking's demeanor, Aoki knew immediately that they were facing serious trouble.

Slowking's psychic detection had not only been noticed but had apparently been countered or dismissed by the approaching Pokemon. Judging from Slowking's visibly shaken appearance, the approaching Pokemon was undoubtedly quite powerful, likely possessing formidable psychic defenses or sheer aura.

"Slowking, be ready to use Teleport at any moment," Aoki instructed, his voice low and serious.

Hearing this, Slowking gave a grave nod, its psychic energy surging forth once more to envelop itself, Aoki, and the other Pokemon, preparing for an instantaneous retreat.

But the Bagon seemed to have sensed something profound within the approaching presence. It stared blankly in the direction of the footsteps, its body tense with a mixture of awe and determination, and it did not move to retreat closer to Aoki.

"Bagon..." Aoki began, but his words were cut short.

Suddenly, bright, blinding rays of reflected light shot out from between the trees in the forest ahead.

It was as if someone was manipulating numerous mirrors deep within the woods, angling them to catch the sun.

Ssssh—sssssh—

The sound of heavy scales scraping against one another was now deafeningly loud, confirming the creature's proximity.

Aoki looked up, his eyes widening as a colossal creature emerged from the forest. It held its head high and its chest puffed out, walking with an immensely domineering and arrogant gait. As it moved, the incredibly shiny, metallic scales covering its body collided with each other, producing the distinctive scraping sound they had heard.

A massive, powerful tail, tipped with a structure resembling a formidable war hammer, swung behind it with each step, occasionally striking the ground or nearby trees with a deep, bell-like clang.

"Kommo-o!" After seeing this Pokemon appear, Aoki's eyes widened in shock.