Bang!
Just as the frenzied Barioth struggled to get back on its feet, the Redhelm Arzuros descended from the sky and slammed a massive claw onto its head, knocking it out cold. The frenzied Barioth was powerful, but it was no match for a coordinated group assault.
"Go." Zhang used a Wirebug to swing over to the unconscious monster and threw a Luxury Ball.
Whirr!
A red light enveloped the Barioth, pulling it into the ball.
Whirr... Whirr... Whirr...
The Luxury Ball shook more than a dozen times before it finally clicked shut, barely managing to contain the frenzied monster. It was a testament to how difficult the virus-infected creature was to capture.
[Barioth successfully subdued!]
[Beginning Pokémonization...]
[Pokémonization complete!]
[Notice: The Frenzy Virus has been expelled due to the host's inability to overcome it.]
[Barioth's information is as follows:]
Barioth
Level: 59 (Quasi-Elite Four Tier)
Type: Dragon / Ice
Ability: Frozen Wind (Upon entering battle, a freezing wind blows across the field. The Speed of all non-Ice-type Pokémon is lowered by 50%, and the power of Ice-type moves is increased by 50%.)
Exclusive Moves: Dragon Rush, Pounce, Tail Swipe, Body Slam, Mid-Air Pounce, Mid-Air Swoop, Wall-to-Wall Swoop, Ice Cyclone, Mid-Air Ice Cyclone.
Base Stats:
HP: 100Attack: 160Defense: 100Sp. Atk: 40Sp. Def: 70Speed: 130
Total: 600
Zhang opened the Barioth's status screen and began to read. "Good base stats. And its ability is a bit like a weather skill. I might be able to form an Ice-type team with this Barioth as the core. A 50% speed drop for non-Ice-types is brutal, and the 50% power boost to Ice moves is the icing on the cake."
He was very satisfied with the Barioth's ability. As for its moves, they were all offensive, with no particularly notable support skills.
"Let's go." After healing the Barioth, Zhang mounted his Rathalos and flew out of the Flooded Forest.
There shouldn't be any more surprises this time, right? he thought, looking up at the white clouds with some uncertainty.
Zhang arrived back at Kamura Village on his Rathalos. Although the villagers all knew him, the sight of the massive wyvern still struck fear into many of them. He quickly recalled it.
He went to the guild office, but the quest maiden at the counter was not Hinoa, but Minoto.
"Minoto, I didn't expect to see you here," he said. "Help me turn in this quest first." He sat down in front of her and gestured to the Garangolm head he had brought as proof.
"Okay," Minoto nodded. She stamped his quest form as complete, then handed him a large bag of Zenny. "Is there anything else?" she asked softly, her tone a little timid, giving her an air of someone who could be easily bullied.
"On my way back from the Flooded Forest, I encountered a Barioth. It was infected with the Frenzy Virus, which leads me to believe there's a Gore Magala in the Frost Islands," he explained. "I suggest you report this to the Guild. They should send a large number of hunters to investigate and deal with any frenzied monsters. Once an infected monster dies, its corpse can hatch a new Gore Magala. If this continues, the Frost Islands could become their domain. And if a Gore Magala matures into a Shagaru Magala, it will be even more terrifying."
In a way, the Frenzy Virus was even more insidious than a zombie virus.
"Gore Magala?" Minoto frowned. She hadn't expected him to bring back such troubling news. The issue with the Magnamalo and Bazelgeuse wasn't even resolved, and now this.
"I will report it," she nodded slightly.
"Then I'll be off," Zhang said, stowing the Zenny in his pack before striding away.
Although Gore Magala was the larval form of an Elder Dragon, it was far from weak. Its ecological niche was two levels higher than a Rathalos's, placing it on par with the strongest non-Elder Dragons like Diablos, Seregios, Brachydios, and Glavenus. He estimated it would have the strength of a Champion-tier Pokémon. With his current power, hunting one was impossible. Reporting it to the Guild and letting them handle the headache was the best solution.
After returning home, Zhang fed his monsters and began a training session, focusing particularly on his three newest captures: the Redhelm Arzuros, the Barioth, and the Nargacuga.
That night, just as Zhang was finishing his training and about to take a bath, he heard Minoto's voice.
"Zhang Tian, are you home?"
"Yes," he replied, opening the door. "What's wrong, Minoto?"
"The Guild received the report… and they want me to hunt the Gore Magala. I was hoping you would go with me," she said, her face slightly flushed. "I don't dare to go alone."
"I can, but not today. Something this major requires preparation," he said. "If it's not urgent, I'd like to prepare for a few more days."
The meat from quasi-Elite Four monsters was working wonders. In a few more days, he was confident he could reach that tier himself. More importantly, once his Gardevoir reached that level, its Teleport would have a much greater range, providing a perfect escape route. Then, even if they were defeated by the Gore Magala, Gardevoir could get them out safely.
Of course, the most important reason he agreed was that Minoto's strength was likely on par with the Gore Magala's. Otherwise, the Guild would never have assigned her the quest.
"How many days do you need to prepare?" Minoto asked after a moment of thought.
"At least five," Zhang replied.
"Alright. In five days, I'll come find you," she nodded.
"What about your sister?" Zhang asked, puzzled. "And Elder Fugen, Master Utsushi, Hamon the blacksmith… their strength is greater than mine. You should ask them."
"My sister went to Bherna Village to provide support; they have a Gore Magala problem there too. Instructor Utsushi went to the Shrine Ruins to investigate the Rampage. As for Elder Fugen and Hamon, they need to stay and protect the village. The Magnamalo is getting restless, and the next Rampage could be coming soon. So, none of them can leave. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come to you."
She then added meekly, "Don't worry, I'm still very strong. Even if we can't hunt the Gore Magala, I can get you out safely."
Zhang couldn't help but chuckle. "I'm not as weak as you think. Don't worry, I won't drag you down." There was a certain charming contrast in the way she spoke so timidly while promising to protect him.
"Mm," Minoto nodded slightly.
"By the way, isn't the Guild sending any support?" Zhang suddenly remembered to ask.
"No support. This is the Gore Magala's active period, and they've appeared in many places at once," she explained softly. "The Guild doesn't have the manpower to support us."