The Flooded Forest was a vast biome of mountains and waterways, home to countless monsters. Every day, innumerable hunters arrived to test their skills within its lush confines.
Around three in the afternoon, Zhang Tian arrived at the edge of the forest on his Arcanine. The Arcanine, being a Fire-type Pokémon, clearly disliked the environment. Water was everywhere; even the shallowest areas were covered in twenty to thirty centimeters of it. The Pokémon was visibly uncomfortable.
"Return, Arcanine." Seeing its discomfort, Zhang had no choice but to recall it to its Luxury Ball.
"Rathalos, I'll be counting on you." He released his Rathalos, settled onto its back, and flew toward the last known location of the Garangolm.
"Roar!" In a stream half a meter deep, a green, gorilla-like monster was locked in combat with two Nargacugas. The green beast was enormous—eighteen meters long, thirteen meters high, and nine meters wide, several times larger than the Nargacugas it fought.
This was none other than the Garangolm, one of the Three Lords of the Kingdom.
Garangolm
Level: 59 (Quasi-Elite Four Tier)
Nargacuga
Level: 57 (Quasi-Elite Four Tier)
Nargacuga
Level: 58 (Quasi-Elite Four Tier)
High in the sky, a Rathalos circled.
"This Garangolm is being besieged by two Nargacugas. It's only a matter of time before it falls," Zhang observed through his binoculars, analyzing the battle from his perch on his Rathalos's back.
If it were just one Nargacuga, the Garangolm might have stood a chance. Unfortunately for it, there were two. Normally, Nargacugas were solitary hunters, much like the tigers of his previous life. However, a small number, often siblings, would hunt in groups. These two were clearly brothers.
"Should I intervene?" Zhang stroked his chin, thinking. "Two Nargacugas and one Garangolm… dealing with all three at once would be troublesome."
He glanced at the Garangolm with a hint of pity. "Garangolms don't eat meat. Otherwise, it would be worth capturing. My Pokémon can only grow quickly by eating monster meat." The Garangolm looked powerful, but as a herbivore, it was unsuitable for his needs.
"I'll wait for the Nargacugas to kill the Garangolm, then I'll strike. I can kill two birds with one stone, reap the fisherman's profit, and hunt these two Nargacugas at the same time." In the end, Zhang decided to wait and watch.
Ten minutes later, the Garangolm collapsed under the relentless assault of the two Nargacugas. Both predators were now injured, exhausted, and panting heavily.
"Hiss!" Just as one of the Nargacugas was about to begin its meal, a black shadow descended from the sky and slammed into its head. It was his Rathalos.
Bang!
The Nargacuga's head was driven into the muddy ground, blood pouring from its orifices.
"Come out, Brute Dragon, Nargacuga, Crimsondog Beast!" From his Rathalos's back, Zhang threw out three more Poké Balls, releasing his team to surround the remaining Nargacuga.
"Kill them," he ordered. He already had one Nargacuga and had no plans to capture another. The more monsters he had, the harder they were to feed.
"Roar!" The Rathalos seized the dazed Nargacuga, carried it high into the air, and then dropped it mercilessly.
Simultaneously, the Brute Dragon, his Nargacuga, and the Crimsondog Beast launched their attack on the second one.
Blade Wing! Zhang's Nargacuga lunged forward, its sharp wings flashing toward the wild Nargacuga's neck.
"Hiss!" The wild Nargacuga didn't dodge, instead meeting the attack with its own Blade Wing.
Clang!
The blade-wings of the two monsters collided with a metallic screech, perfectly matched in strength.
"Dragon Dance!" The Brute Dragon didn't rush in. It calmly began buffing itself, unlike the rash Nargacuga. It was clear that the wild monster, without Zhang's training, didn't understand Pokémon-style battles and was still relying on its old instincts. Unless given a direct order, even Zhang's own Nargacuga often forgot to use buffing moves.
"Hooar!" The Crimsondog Beast used its tail as a springboard, launching itself into the air and landing on the wild Nargacuga's back.
Exploding Pinecones!
The pinecones in its paws were thrown down, landing squarely on the Nargacuga.
Rumble! Rumble! Two violent explosions ripped through the Nargacuga's back, tearing its flesh and even injuring the bone. The moment it landed the hit, the Crimsondog Beast's ability triggered, raising its Attack and Speed by one stage.
Blade Wing!
Taking advantage of the opening, Zhang's Nargacuga attacked again. Its sharp wing sliced across the wild Nargacuga's left eye, carving a huge gash that exposed the white bone beneath.
"Hoo hoo roar!" The Crimsondog Beast landed next to the beast, planted its hands on the ground, and swung its massive tail in a powerful arc—Tail Swipe.
Bang! Before the Nargacuga could react, the tail smashed into its head, cracking its skull.
Swish! After shaking its head, the injured monster leaped backward, trying to escape, but the Brute Dragon blocked its path.
"Roar!" The Brute Dragon opened its mouth, the heat-dissipating membranes on its back flaring. A massive pillar of fire erupted and shot toward the Nargacuga.
Rumble! The beast was hit head-on by the fiery blast.
Boom!
The Nargacuga was sent flying. It tumbled through the air a few times before landing right in front of Zhang's own Nargacuga.
Blade Wing! Zhang's Nargacuga attacked one last time. Its sharp wing flashed, cleanly severing the wild monster's head.
On the other side, the Rathalos had also finished off its opponent. Strengthened by six Dragon Dances, it had made quick work of the injured Nargacuga.
"A great harvest!" Zhang said with a grin. He began to butcher the carcasses, storing the meat in his spatial backpack. Two Nargacugas and one Garangolm were enough to feed him and his Pokémon for more than forty days. The hunt was a resounding success.
After recalling his team, Zhang mounted his Rathalos and flew toward Kamura Village.
"Roar!" Just as he was about to leave the Flooded Forest, a roar echoed from a distance. A white wyvern appeared nearby, opening its mouth to spit a whirlwind of ice at his Rathalos.
The white wyvern was about the same size as a Rathalos, twenty meters long and six meters high. Its body shape was similar—bipedal with wings—but its head resembled that of a leopard or tiger, and its teeth were long, like a saber-toothed tiger's.
"A Barioth?" Zhang stared at the monster in surprise. "What is a Barioth doing in the Flooded Forest?"
From what he knew, Barioths were native to the snowy mountains and the frozen tundra of the Frost Islands. What was it doing here? In terms of strength, its ecological niche was the same as a Rathalos's.
"A Barioth appearing in the Flooded Forest is not a good sign," Zhang thought silently. "There's only one explanation for such an abnormal phenomenon: an Elder Dragon has appeared in the Frost Islands, displacing it."
Barioth
Level: 59 (Quasi-Elite Four Tier)