Wen Qi noticed that the Flying Mantis had just recovered and thought to himself that if they fought now, even if he won, the Flying Mantis would likely feel resentful. So he agreed to battle with the Flying Mantis an hour later and handed it some items.
The Flying Mantis stared at the energy cubes in front of it. Though it didn’t know what they were, the enticing aroma made it ravenous. After such a long fight, it was starving, its stomach practically touching its back. It eyed the energy cubes hesitantly, unsure whether to accept the food Wen Qi offered.
Wen Qi could see the Flying Mantis’s dilemma and said, “Go ahead and eat. If I wanted to harm you, I would have done it while you were injured, not healed you.”
The Flying Mantis thought about it and realized Wen Qi had a point, so it dug in. Once it started eating, it couldn’t stop—the taste was so delicious that it was utterly addictive.
Wen Qi watched the Flying Mantis eat with such relish, his heart swelling with joy. He knew he was already halfway to success.
And so, after the Flying Mantis had eaten its fill and rested enough, it stood up and signaled to Wen Qi with its eyes that it was ready to fight.
Seeing that the Flying Mantis had recovered, Wen Qi prepared for battle. He sent out his Riding Goat, which he had carefully nurtured. With the accelerated growth from the small world, the Riding Goat had reached level 44, making it a perfect match for the Flying Mantis.
On the grassy riverbank, the Riding Goat and the Flying Mantis faced off, ready for a fierce clash. Sunlight filtered through the leaves like golden blades, casting light on the two warriors about to fight, adding tension and excitement to the scene.
The Flying Mantis was as light as a swallow. It struck first, instantly using Agility to dash toward the Riding Goat like a bolt of lightning. Then, it swung its sickle-like forelimbs, sharp as blades, unleashing a Fury Cutter attack. Streaks of silver light slashed fiercely at the Riding Goat.
Wen Qi observed the battle calmly. He knew the Flying Mantis’s speed and attack power were formidable, but the Riding Goat had its own strengths. He decisively ordered the Riding Goat to use Dig to evade.
The Riding Goat acted immediately, its legs digging rapidly into the ground, disappearing beneath the surface in an instant. The Flying Mantis’s attack missed, leaving it stunned. It looked around warily, trying to locate the Riding Goat’s hiding spot.
Just then, the Riding Goat burst out of the ground nearby, targeting the Flying Mantis’s opening with a Take Down. The Flying Mantis reacted quickly, using Substitute to create a phantom of itself that took the hit.
The Flying Mantis seized the chance to create distance, took a deep breath, and began to Focus Energy. A faint glow surrounded its body as it gathered immense power. Then, it swung its sickle-like forelimbs, unleashing its ultimate move, X-Scissor. A massive energy slash hurtled toward the Riding Goat.
Seeing this, Wen Qi shouted, “Riding Goat, dodge!”
But the Riding Goat couldn’t evade in time and was struck, collapsing to the ground. Its body trembled, clearly badly hurt. Wen Qi’s heart clenched, but he knew this wasn’t the time to give up. He said, “Riding Goat, use Grassy Terrain to recover, and drink Milk to restore HP.”
With the skills’ help, the Riding Goat’s body slowly regained vitality. It stood up, shook off the dust, and its eyes shone with determination. It knew the battle wasn’t over, and it had to persevere.
The Flying Mantis remained on high alert, maintaining its attack stance, ready for the next round. The two combatants faced off again, and an even more intense clash was about to unfold.
The synergy between Wen Qi and the Riding Goat peaked at that moment. Wen Qi called out, “Riding Goat, use Razor Leaf for a quick attack. Then use Bulk Up to power up, and finally, Take Down.”
The Riding Goat immediately unleashed a master-level Razor Leaf, incredibly fast and accurate. Though the Flying Mantis was quick, it was still hit by the leaves and injured. The Riding Goat seized the moment to use Bulk Up, boosting its attack and defense. Then, as the Flying Mantis was slowed by its injuries, it charged with Take Down.
The Riding Goat shot toward the Flying Mantis like a green lightning bolt. The Flying Mantis knew it couldn’t dodge and chose to counterattack, using its X-Scissor. With a loud bang, they collided. After a cloud of dust settled, the Flying Mantis lay unconscious on the ground.
The Riding Goat was in bad shape too, panting heavily, as if it might collapse at any moment. Though the Riding Goat was higher level, it was at a disadvantage against the Flying Mantis. Winning this time was pure luck.
Wen Qi then had the nearby Turtwig heal both the Riding Goat and the Flying Mantis. Grassy Terrain covered the two Pokémon, and soon the Riding Goat was mostly recovered. The Flying Mantis was more seriously injured. Though it woke up, having been hurt several times in one day, its stamina and spirit couldn’t recover quickly despite the healing. It lay quietly on the ground resting, either too tired or so trusting of Wen Qi after being defeated that it fell asleep.
Wen Qi found the Flying Mantis asleep and couldn’t help but laugh wryly, but he said nothing. He decided to stay nearby for the afternoon, since the river made a good spot to set up camp.
By evening, the campsite by the forest river looked like a painting. The setting sun, like a golden disc, slowly sank westward. Its rays filtered through the treetops, scattering like fine gold dust on the river, shimmering beautifully. The water gently lapped the shore with a soft sound, like a gentle melody. The campfire danced cheerfully in the breeze, its warm light illuminating the surroundings, creating a cozy and mysterious atmosphere. Lush trees surrounded the area, with occasional crisp bird calls adding to the forest’s peace and tranquility. The entire campsite felt like a paradise far from the world’s noise, enchanting and hard to leave.
By then, Wen Qi had finished preparing dinner. The sleeping Flying Mantis woke up. Seeing Wen Qi busy cooking at the camp, it remembered it had been defeated. According to their agreement, it was now this person’s Pokémon. Yet strangely, it didn’t feel resistant to being caught. Instead, it felt a urge to follow Wen Qi.
Wen Qi noticed the Flying Mantis was awake and said with a smile, “Oh, you’re awake. How are you feeling? Recovered well? Hungry? Want to come eat something?”
The Flying Mantis didn’t hesitate. Since it had lost, it accepted the outcome. Following Wen Qi’s invitation, it came over to eat. The Venonat, Riding Goat, and Turtwig all cheerfully welcomed the new member. Having witnessed the Flying Mantis’s strength that afternoon, they were thrilled to have such a powerful partner join them.