"Bzz-bzz-bzz!"
After so much time had passed, Aven's Shiny Vespiquen had finally managed to successfully gather and take in more than a dozen Combee.
Now, sensing the familiar presence of their companions, these Combee all buzzed and flew over.
"Bzzz~"
Aven's Shiny Vespiquen also carefully observed the Combee before her.
As for these former companions, she naturally knew them like the back of her hand!
The only difference was that they were still Combee, whereas she had already completed her evolution—she had become a Vespiquen!
She slowly closed her eyes, and in her mind appeared scenes from all that she had gone through during this period.
When she opened her eyes again, a sudden firmness and resolve shone within them.
Shiny Vespiquen:In order to help Lord Aven, I must gather even more companions!
"Bzzzt! bzzz~"
With her decision made, Aven's Shiny Vespiquen began trying to persuade the Combee in front of her.
Although she could have simply released her pheromones to directly control these Combee, she still wished to gain their approval willingly.
As the Combee listened to the Shiny Vespiquen recount her past experiences, a stir arose among them.
"Bzzz-bzzz-bzzz.."
The Combee looked uncertain and suspicious.
They finally recognized that this was indeed their former companion!
Yet none of them had expected that the one who had once been different from them had now evolved into a Vespiquen!
"Bzzz-bzzz-bzzz-bzzz!"
As they listened to the Vespiquen's story, several Combee suddenly flew over, circling behind the Shiny Vespiquen.
However, more of the Combee chose to fly back toward their territory, turning toward the direction of the hive.
Aven's Shiny Vespiquen had already made her stance clear—she had come here for the purpose of challenging the Vespiquen!
Challenges between Vespiquen were not unheard of among the Combee species, though they usually occurred when a Vespiquen within the hive was growing old.
Once a Vespiquen entered old age, she would lose the ability to produce new young, and at the same time, the pheromones she secreted would gradually diminish.
In such a situation, many Combee would begin to break free from that Vespiquen's control.
This was also the only time that the Combee within a hive would have the opportunity to evolve!
The female Combee who broke free from the Vespiquen's influence would continually accumulate their strength.
Among them, the first to successfully evolve into a Vespiquen would gain the chance to secrete a large amount of pheromones and seize control of the entire hive.
When that happened, the newly born Vespiquen would challenge the aging one, overthrowing her to become the new ruler of the hive, producing the next generation of young and continuously expanding the colony.
Of course, during this process, there was also the possibility that several female Combee might successfully evolve into Vespiquen at the same time.
In that case, the Vespiquen would compete using their pheromones to seize control over the Combee, eventually splitting into several new colonies.
For example, the Vespiquen currently ruling the white apricorn grove was herself a newly evolved Vespiquen who had inherited her colony from the previous, older generation.
However, this time was different—before the young Vespiquen had even reached old age, a challenger had appeared.
This was something extremely rare within wild Combee populations, after all, wild Vespiquen were truly scarce!
"Bzzz-bzzz-bzzz-bzzz~"
As time passed, more and more Combee began to gather.
They buzzed above the Glooms, drawn by the enticing sweet aroma in the air.
Yet the Shiny Vespiquen standing in front of the Glooms caused a wave of unease among the Combees.
They didn't know how to face this Vespiquen, who carried the same kind of aura as their own hive—could this still be considered their companion?
No one knew how long it had been when, from a distance, a yellow Vespiquen came flying over.
Compared to the Shiny Vespiquen, a normal Vespiquen's body was yellow.
"Bzzzzt!"
Upon arriving, the Vespiquen's gaze fell on the Shiny Vespiquen, her pupils contracting slightly.
From this fellow of her kind standing before her, she actually sensed a familiar trace—a faint scent of pheromones she herself had once released.
Though the trace was extremely faint, she could feel it clearly.
This was clearly a Combee who had once been under her control, but who had broken free and successfully evolved into a Vespiquen!
"Bzzz-bzzzt!"
Realizing this, a sharp gleam flashed in the Vespiquen's eyes.
Within a single colony, there could never be two Vespiquen.
If two existed in the same hive, what awaited them was an unending battle to the death.
Just like back then—when she had been the first to evolve, and in order to eliminate competition, she had directly wiped out several of her kind who had not yet evolved, and then defeated the old Vespiquen, becoming the new ruler of the Combee colony!
"Bzzz bzzz bzzz.."
The Shiny Vespiquen was also looking directly at her opponent.
She glanced at her hesitant companions, then at the slightly angry Vespiquen before her, and a surge of satisfaction welled up in her heart.
Back then, she had been ostracized by her peers.
Now, upon returning, she had evolved into a Vespiquen herself and possessed the right to challenge for the position of queen.
And when faced with the Vespiquen's hostility, Shiny Vespiquen did not show much concern—after all, she was not alone. She had a family of her own as well!
"Plume~"
Sensing the Vespiquen's arrival, Vileplume led the Glooms out from the forest.
With their approach, the sweet, intoxicating aroma in the area grew even stronger, causing the expressions of the Combee to change.
Once the Vileplume and the Glooms emerged, they stood directly behind Shiny Vespiquen.
After all, this Vespiquen had been raised by Vileplume—there was no way she would allow her to be bullied!
"Bzzz-bzzz-bzzz-bzzz-bzzz-bzzzt!"
Seeing this scene, the Vespiquen's pupils narrowed.
The Combee, under her command, gathered more tightly around her.
"Vespiquen, perhaps we should have a talk."
Just as the tension in the air reached the breaking point, a completely unfamiliar voice rang out to the Vespiquen.
She turned to see a human she rarely interacted with walking out from the distant forest.
Behind him, a large number of powerful Pokémons followed.
"Nido! Nido!"
The Nidoking leader came forward, holding a bag of Pokémon food in his arms, the aura of a quasi-king-level Pokémon radiating from his body!
The appearance of so many Pokémon made the Vespiquen's eyes fill with wariness.
Her gaze flickered between light and shadow as she surveyed the surroundings, before finally resting her attention on the one at the front of the group—Aven.
"Bzzz-bzzz-bzzz-bzzzt!!!"
Suddenly, the Vespiquen let out a sharp cry.
Her eyes flashed with red light, and the Combee gathered around her began to glow with multicolored radiance!
"That's Vespiquen's Attack Order!"
Aven's pupils contracted sharply as his figure quickly retreated, while the Nidoking leader stepped forward to shield him.
A moment later, the Combee, their bodies shining with multicolored light, transformed into beams of radiant energy, firing straight toward their enemies!
This was one of Vespiquen's three signature Order moves—the Attack Order.
Even without any formal training, a Combee could still unleash immense power under the influence of the Vespiquen's pheromones!
This was why a Vespiquen's combat strength was heavily dependent on the number of Combees she controlled—the more she commanded, the stronger the Attack Order's power!
"Plumee!"
Vileplume suddenly lifted her head, her body flaring with green light.
Following her lead, the Glooms and Oddish also gathered green energy, all unleashing the Absorb move in unison.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
High up in the air, the multicolored beam and the green beam collided fiercely, clashing again and again.
Moments later, the multicolored beam suddenly overpowered the green one, forcing its way through and blasting straight toward the Vileplume!
The move "Attack Order" unleashed by the Combee was fully bolstered by Vespiquen's advanced-level strength, and its power was indeed formidable!
At this critical moment, the Nidoking tribe also launched their assault—countless poisonous needles shot forth at high speed. Under the lead of the Nidoking leader, they forcefully intercepted and shattered the multicolored beam!
"RHYYY!""
Just then, Rhydon made its move.
Accompanied by a deep, rumbling roar, countless sharp stones materialized around Rhydon's body and were suddenly fired outward in a deadly barrage!
(End of Chapter)