Wen Qi knew that encountering a Pokémon of this strength at the edge of the forest meant this area was definitely its territory. So, he led Gogoat and Venonat and turned to head in another direction.
Wen Qi had originally only planned to wander around the forest's edge, with no intention of venturing deeper. Although the forest Wen Qi was in wasn't vast, it was the edge of the Alliance's largest forest in the southwest—Evergreen Forest.
Evergreen Forest was the most expansive forest in the Yanhuang Alliance's southwest region, stretching across the entire area like fragmented veins, much like tributaries carving the southwest into scattered pieces. Because of Evergreen Forest's existence, Grass- and Bug-type Pokémon were abundant in the southwest, as the environment was highly suitable for their growth.
Facing this forest, with Wen Qi's current strength, recklessly delving deeper would likely result in an unknown death—caution was best. Wen Qi felt that if he barged in carelessly, even if he didn't encounter Champion-level Pokémon, Gym-level ones would certainly be present.
Fortunately, after changing direction, the Pokémon he encountered were mostly lower-level, around level 10 to 20. These were easily handled by Venonat. When facing opponents of similar levels, he sent out Turtwig.
For some reason, Turtwig's combat ability seemed greatly enhanced in this forest, with noticeable improvements in both attack and defense. Its recovery ability was especially remarkable—other Pokémon would attack Turtwig multiple times, but the damage would quickly heal, leaving the opponents exhausted and forced to concede.
Thus, as he traveled and battled, Wen Qi could check the information of the Pokémon he encountered. Whenever he found one with green potential, regardless of species, he would capture it. However, along the way, the highest potential he saw was only deep yellow, which held no interest for him unless he encountered a strong, younger one worth capturing.
Soon, it was noon. Wen Qi had been walking all morning and was already exhausted. He found a grassy spot near a river to set up camp and have lunch.
Just then, Venonat suddenly stood upright, staring intently toward the eastern forest, as if sensing something unusual there. Wen Qi was startled by Venonat's reaction and quickly asked what was going on.
Venonat said, "There are several Pokémon fighting over there, and they're heading this way." It pointed east.
At that moment, deep within the lush, shadowy forest, a thrilling battle was raging fiercely. The protagonist was an agile Scyther, clad in emerald-green armor, its eyes gleaming with sharp, starlike light, facing off against five imposing Pinsir.
The Pinsir were relentlessly chasing the Scyther. As they burst out of the trees and onto the grass, the Scyther was caught. The battle erupted instantly—the Scyther knew there was no escape and had to fight with all its might.
The Scyther struck first. It leaped swiftly, its wings vibrating with a sharp whistle, like a green lightning bolt tearing through the sky. Its first move was "Fury Cutter"—it swung its forelimbs, the razor-sharp blades carving brilliant silver arcs through the air, aiming for the Pinsir's weak points.
The five Pinsir were no pushovers. They immediately counterattacked. Their shells were as hard as iron, able to withstand most attacks. One Pinsir used "Harden," its massive body charging like a battering ram straight at the Scyther.
The Scyther agilely sidestepped, simultaneously using "Double Team" to create several illusory copies, confusing the Pinsir. Then, it unleashed its second move—"X-Scissor." Crossing its blades into a perfect X, it swung forward, sending a powerful energy wave rippling outward, forcing the Pinsir back step by step. This move was devastating, putting immense pressure on the Pinsir.
Yet the Pinsir didn't give up. They began coordinating, using their skills to surround the Scyther. One used "Earthquake," shaking the ground violently as if a dragon stirred beneath; another used "Take Down," trying to ram the Scyther directly. The Scyther, with its exceptional speed and nimble movements, deftly evaded these fierce attacks.
In the heat of battle, the Scyther kept seeking a breakthrough. Finally, it found a perfect opening. When one Pinsir exposed a flaw from continuous attacks, the Scyther immediately used "Aerial Ace." It flapped its wings, shooting into the air like a rocket, then dove down like a brilliant meteor, crashing straight into the exposed Pinsir. With a thunderous roar, that Pinsir was sent flying by the Scyther's powerful blow, crashing heavily to the ground and losing consciousness instantly.
This earth-shattering strike not only defeated the opponent but also greatly intimidated the other Pinsir. Fear and unease crept in, and their tight encirclement began to crumble. Seizing this rare opportunity, the Scyther picked off the remaining Pinsir one by one. It flexibly used various moves, sometimes moving like the wind to dodge attacks, sometimes launching a storm of fierce blows to catch them off guard.
After an epic battle, all five Pinsir were defeated by the Scyther, collapsing onto the forest floor. When the fight ended, the Scyther stood proudly in the center of the battlefield, its blades raised high, as if celebrating its glorious victory. Though its body showed signs of fatigue, its eyes sparkled with the triumphant light of a star. This battle had not only honed its strength but also strengthened its resolve and determination.
Wen Qi watched, somewhat stunned, never expecting such an intense offensive and defensive battle. He had thought the Pinsir would win, but the Scyther emerged victorious instead. Through his system, he saw that the five Pinsir were all around level 35, while the Scyther was level 40. Yet, taking on five alone and winning so brilliantly was extremely rare.
The Scyther, seeing the defeated Pinsir, didn't continue attacking. Wen Qi didn't know why the Scyther had been chased by the five Pinsir, but since it stopped, he guessed the Scyther had provoked them earlier.
Soon, the Pinsir recovered their strength. Realizing they couldn't defeat the Scyther, they felt too embarrassed to pursue the matter and left directly. As soon as the Pinsir departed, the Scyther, which had been so imposing moments before, suddenly deflated like a punctured balloon, collapsing to the ground, unable to get up.
Seeing this, Wen Qi understood that the Scyther had likely fought in the jungle earlier and just endured this fierce battle, even without severe injuries. After such a long fight, both mentally and physically, it was a severe test. Its stamina was probably depleted, and it was injured as well.