Wen Qi stepped into the territory of the Scyther, as if entering a mysterious corner sealed by time.
The vegetation here was sparse, with tall trees standing scattered. Sunlight struggled to filter through the mottled, tangled branches, casting irregular patches of light like golden fragments scattered across the ground.
A Gym-level Scyther strode proudly ahead, leading the way, while Wen Qi followed closely behind.
The ground beneath his feet was dry, as if weathered by endless ages, hard as iron. Occasionally, he caught sight of a few tenacious wild grasses trembling in the gentle breeze, as if whispering tales of survival's hardship.
The air was thick with a stale, decaying scent, seeming to murmur the rise and fall of this land's past.
Along the path, old battle scars were stark and clear—broken branches lay strewn about, trampled grass patches bore witness to the fierce life-and-death struggles the Scyther had once endured.
Now and then, a few small Pokémon scurried past, their wary eyes meeting Wen Qi's for a fleeting moment before darting away like lightning, vanishing into the dense underbrush.
A Caterpie crawled slowly along a branch, its fuzzy coat shimmering with a soft, enchanting glow under the warm sunlight, as if draped in a layer of radiant golden gauze.
Continuing onward, Wen Qi noticed some massive stones, their surfaces etched with the marks of time and mottled with moss. Beside the stones, he occasionally spotted discarded, hardened shells of Scyther, gleaming with a mysterious, deep luster, as if telling untold legends.
Suddenly, a Diglett poked its head out from the grass beside a shell, its small eyes swiveling before it quickly retreated, startled.
The deeper he went, the taller and more towering the trees became, though they remained sparse, like solitary, steadfast guardians of this land, silently watching over the mysterious territory.
On a massive, withered tree, a dilapidated bird's nest sat empty, with only a few scattered feathers drifting helplessly in the wind, like a mournful elegy.
Not far off, a dried-up stream wound its way through, its exposed stones lying bare under the scorching sun, silently recounting the bustling flow of water that once was.
A Poliwag swam cheerfully in a small puddle by the stream, its round body brimming with endless energy, stirring up splashes like strings of sparkling pearls.
Finally, under the guidance of the Gym-level Scyther, Wen Qi arrived at the heart of the territory.
He had expected it to be as desolate and barren as the outer areas, but upon arrival, he realized the Scyther had chosen this place for good reason.
Here, tall, ancient trees soared into the clouds, their branches intertwining to form a natural green canopy, like a mysterious emerald palace. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting brilliant golden beams that illuminated the thick, soft moss on the ground.
On the moss, a few Oddish moved slowly, their endearing, clumsy forms seemingly savoring the peace and tranquility.
A crystal-clear stream meandered through the woods, its babbling waters like a crisp, melodious tune, playing nature's symphony. In the stream, Magikarp leaped joyfully out of the water, sending up sparkling droplets like blooming crystal flowers.
By the stream, a few peculiar fruit trees were laden with plump, ripe fruits, their fragrance wafting through the air, attracting a flock of Pidgey to peck at them, creating a lively scene.
At the center of the territory lay a vast, open lawn, lush and soft as a green velvet carpet, as if meticulously woven by nature itself. On the lawn, a few young Scyther frolicked and played, their forms dazzling under the sunlight like shining gems.
In the distance, the mountains were shrouded in a thin mist, appearing and disappearing like a shy girl veiled in mystery, adding a dreamlike, enchanting quality to the territory.
At the foot of the mountains, several Onix slithered nimbly among the boulders, their sturdy bodies blending seamlessly with the surrounding rocks, as if they were spirits born from the earth.
Wen Qi hadn't expected to find other Pokémon living within the Scyther's inner territory.
Filled with curiosity, he asked the Scyther beside him.
After an explanation, he understood.
The Scyther were passionate about battle, so they allowed some Pokémon below the Elite level to live here, providing the young Scyther with sparring partners for training.
Moreover, while the Scyther excelled in combat, their sharp blades made handling other tasks extremely inconvenient, so they needed other Pokémon to lend a hand.
Thus, the Pokémon here served both as training partners and capable assistants.
Soon, Wen Qi reached the dwelling of the Scyther leader. The closer he got, the more Scyther he saw, estimating over a hundred along the way.
The nearer to the leader's residence, the stronger the Scyther became.
It had been a long time since a stranger had set foot in this territory. Though bounty hunters or trainers occasionally trained in the forest, few humans ventured this deep.
And even fewer were led in by a Gym-level Scyther.
What intrigued the Scyther the most was the Scizor beside Wen Qi.
Wild Scizor were extremely rare, so most Scyther didn't recognize it. Yet, for some reason, all the Scyther felt a familiar aura from this strange red Pokémon.
But they couldn't recall where they had seen it before.
Only a few older, experienced Gym-level Scyther knew it was the evolved form of Scyther—Scizor.
However, noticing they were heading to meet the leader, they didn't interfere or obstruct.
As he walked, Wen Qi realized these Scyther were quite formidable, nearly matching the Venusaur group in strength.
But there were fewer Gym-level ones; he guessed only the leader had reached the Pseudo-Elite level, unlike the Venusaur side, where besides the champion at the Elite level, there were two Pseudo-Elites.
Just then, five or six young Elite-level Scyther in the group seemed to sense something.
They huddled together, discussing.
Then, they charged out together, blocking Wen Qi's path.
They shouted loudly at the Scizor, all speaking at once, their words rapid-fire, their emotions intense and chaotic. Even Wen Qi, who could understand Pokémon speech, felt dizzy from the noise.
He only caught the gist—they seemed to be asking the Scizor if it was the same Scyther from before, why it had left, why it had returned, how it had evolved, and why it was now so strong.
At that moment, Wen Qi was astonished to see that his usually aloof Scizor was now acting like a smug, arrogant young master from a wealthy family, chattering endlessly and laughing boisterously.
It seemed to be mercilessly taunting the Scyther.
Wen Qi was stunned. How had his proud battle warrior turned into such a frivolous creature?
The Scizor seemed to be saying:
"You're no match for me!"
"The gap between us is too big!"
"You were weaklings before!"
"Now you're all just little brothers!"
"I've evolved!"
Though there were no vulgar curses, Wen Qi felt it was utterly infuriating.