Wen Qi checked the Poliwrath's information.
Pokémon: Poliwrath Level: 40 Type: Water + Fighting Ability: Water Absorb (When hit by a Water-type move, it takes no damage and instead recovers HP) Talent: Yellow Moves: Water Gun (Proficient), Hypnosis (Proficient), Pound (Proficient), Mud Shot (Proficient), Bubble Beam (Proficient), Rain Dance (Proficient), Body Slam (Proficient), Earth Power (Proficient), Hydro Pump (Proficient), Submission (Proficient), Double Slap (Proficient), Hypnosis (Proficient), Circle Throw (Proficient), Dynamic Punch (Proficient)
Wen Qi carefully examined each of Poliwrath's moves, silently marveling at its extraordinary strength.
However, he also realized that to defeat such a powerful opponent, it seemed his only option was to rely on Gogoat.
So, Wen Qi and Poliwrath made their way to the riverbank. Poliwhirl and a group of Poliwag followed closely behind, cheering for their leader.
Gogoat and Poliwrath stood at the center of the battlefield, and a fierce battle was about to begin.
Wen Qi took a deep breath, knowing this fight was about the honor and dignity of both himself and Gogoat.
He decisively gave the command: "Gogoat, use Razor Leaf to attack!"
Gogoat immediately sprang into action. It shook its body, and sharp leaves flew from its horns, forming a green blade of wind that shot straight toward Poliwrath.
Poliwrath was no pushover either. It nimbly swayed its body, skillfully dodging the Razor Leaf attack.
Not one to back down, Poliwrath quickly counterattacked.
It opened its mouth wide and shot a stream of Hydro Pump toward Gogoat.
Wen Qi's eyes narrowed, and he swiftly issued a new command: "Gogoat, dodge quickly!"
Gogoat reacted swiftly, shifting its body to the side and easily evading the Hydro Pump.
But Poliwrath didn't give Gogoat a chance to catch its breath. It closed in rapidly, preparing for a close-quarters attack.
Seeing this, Wen Qi's heart tightened. He knew Gogoat wasn't adept at close combat, and if it got hit by Poliwrath's Dynamic Punch, the consequences would be dire.
He quickly thought of a strategy and finally came up with a plan.
"Gogoat, use Leech Seed!" Wen Qi shouted.
Gogoat immediately acted. It extended its tongue and spat out a green seed, which accurately stuck to Poliwrath's body.
The seed quickly took root and sprouted, draining energy from Poliwrath's body, slowing its movements.
Poliwrath clearly sensed something was wrong. It tried to shake off the Leech Seed, but it was too late.
Seizing the opportunity, Wen Qi directed Gogoat to create distance, preparing for a decisive strike.
"Gogoat, use Dig!" Wen Qi gave a new order.
Gogoat lowered its head and began digging into the ground with its front hooves. Soon, a hole appeared beneath it. It quickly burrowed into the tunnel and vanished from the surface.
Poliwrath was startled. It looked around, trying to find Gogoat's trail, but it was too late.
Suddenly, the ground trembled. Gogoat burst out from underground, charging straight at Poliwrath.
With all its strength, it launched a Take Down attack.
"Boom!" A loud crash echoed as Gogoat and Poliwrath collided violently.
Poliwrath was sent flying by the immense force, crashing heavily to the ground.
It struggled to get up, but its energy had been drained by the Leech Seed, leaving it unable to stand.
Wen Qi looked at the fallen Poliwrath and smiled in victory.
In this battle, Gogoat, relying on Wen Qi's wisdom and strategy, had successfully defeated Poliwrath.
Wen Qi felt proud of Gogoat's bravery and cleverness.
Seeing their leader defeated, the group of Poliwag and Poliwhirl panicked. They rushed forward, surrounding Poliwrath protectively.
Wen Qi realized he couldn't treat Poliwrath directly. So, he said to the Poliwag, "I have medicine to heal Poliwrath. Please move aside."
The Poliwag looked at each other, unsure of what to do. Finally, one Poliwhirl mustered the courage to call out, clearing a path.
Wen Qi quickly stepped forward and used a healing spray on Poliwrath.
Soon, Poliwrath slowly opened its eyes and regained consciousness.
Seeing Wen Qi and Gogoat before it, Poliwrath understood it had been defeated. It didn't go back on its word but accepted the outcome calmly.
It said to its son—the Poliwag—"From now on, you'll follow this person. He'll take good care of you."
The Poliwag didn't object to its father's words. It had long wanted to see the world outside, and this was the perfect chance. So, it slowly stepped out from the group and came to Wen Qi's side.
Seeing Poliwrath keep its promise, Wen Qi felt a surge of respect for it.
He said to Poliwrath, "Don't worry, I'll train it well. I live nearby, so it can come home anytime. If you ever need food, you can come work at my farm—watering the berry trees and grass. I'll provide meals."
Hearing this, Poliwrath considered it and eventually agreed. Still, it decided to wait and see how things went, not wanting to entrust its entire group to a stranger too hastily.
Wen Qi said to the Poliwag, "Little one, from now on, you're with me. I'll take good care of you. I've got plenty of tasty treats."
With that, he pulled out some delicious Energy Blocks.
The Poliwag's mouth watered at the scent. It grabbed one and started eating, savoring the flavor like nothing it had ever tasted.
The other Poliwrath, Poliwhirl, and Poliwag watched the little one eat so happily, drawn in by the enticing aroma, their mouths watering.
Seeing this, Wen Qi quickly brought out more Energy Blocks and shared them around.
Instantly, the Poliwag and Poliwhirl swarmed Poliwrath, surrounding it.
Poliwrath had wanted to keep the treats for itself, but faced with the hungry stares, it reluctantly shared them. Still, it managed to stash most of the Energy Blocks in its own pouch.
Wen Qi found the scene amusing and said to Poliwrath, "Feel free to come work anytime. I'll pay in Energy Blocks."
Hearing this, Poliwrath felt a strong urge to follow Wen Qi. But it decided to wait and see how Wen Qi treated the Poliwag first. If things went well, it would bring the whole group along and stay with Wen Qi permanently.
At that moment, Wen Qi checked the Poliwag's information.
Pokémon: Poliwag Level: 10 Type: Water Ability: Swift Swim (Speed increases in rain) Talent: Green Moves: Water Gun (Proficient), Hypnosis (Beginner), Pound (Beginner), Mud Shot (Beginner), Bubble Beam (Beginner), Rain Dance (Beginner), Icy Wind (Beginner)
Scanning the Poliwag's details, Wen Qi couldn't help but feel that its daily training had paid off. Its Water Gun was already proficient, and having Icy Wind—a move effective against Grass-types—was a clear advantage.
Seeing the Poliwag had eaten its fill, Wen Qi took out a Poké Ball and easily caught it.
Now, not counting the Sandslash couple, Wen Qi had seven Pokémon, plus the precious Rhyhorn egg, making eight in total.
In such a short time, even he hadn't expected to catch so many Pokémon.
But the reality was a bit harsh: aside from Gogoat and Bellossom, who were battle-ready, the rest were still quite weak.
It seemed that in the days ahead, he'd need to focus on training these Pokémon, helping them grow into strong battle partners.