Arthur's squad had now grown to five.
Aside from Arthur himself, there were Goldie and Bella—both fully evolved Beedrills—and Whitey and Brownie, who were currently Kakunas expected to emerge within the week.
A squad of five Beedrills was a far cry from a true swarm, but it was a solid foundation. In this primeval forest, they weren't exactly world-beaters yet, but they had earned the right to carve out a small slice of territory for themselves.
And Arthur was the king of that slice.
He assessed his team's combat power. Goldie was, as always, a physical marvel. Standing at 1.9 meters, he was a full head taller than Arthur. In their five-man squad, Goldie was the undisputed heavy hitter.
Unlike the others who had been "convinced" to join through force, Goldie owed Arthur his life. Even if someone were to attempt a coup in the future, they would have to get through Goldie first. He was Arthur's most trusted partner.
Bella, by contrast, had "shrunk" slightly in proportion during evolution, standing at 1.6 meters. However, what she lacked in stature, she made up for in aesthetics.
Her orange-yellow hide was vibrant and glossy, her large eyes a striking shade of pink, and her black stripes shimmered with a healthy sheen.
While Arthur couldn't fully appreciate "bug beauty," the way Goldie kept stealing glances at her confirmed she was a top-tier specimen of her species.
As for Whitey and Brownie, their true potential would only be revealed once they left their shells.
"Let's go. We're heading toward the lake!"
Arthur signaled with a stinger, and the trio took to the skies.
Being able to fly changed everything. He didn't dare fly high enough to challenge the avian predators yet—they were only around Level 10, after all—but scouting the mid-canopy was fair game. Under the cover of the massive leaves, the safety factor was high.
Flying is the life, Arthur thought.
Back when he was a Weedle, he was slow and weak, confined to a few square meters of undergrowth. Now, the world was opening up.
"ARBOK!!!"
Just as they approached the edge of the lake, a threatening, rasping hiss echoed through the trees.
"Let's check it out."
Curiosity piqued, Arthur led Goldie and Bella toward the sound. After a few dozen meters, his expression shifted.
A massive Ekans, nearly 3.5 meters long, had cornered a Poliwag and a Sandshrew.
In the modern League era, an Ekans averaged only 2 meters. In this era of Magical Beasts, this one was a terrifying giant.
"Attack the snake!"
Arthur didn't hesitate. He didn't know the Sandshrew, but that Poliwag was his little "toddler" friend. Even though the tadpole had clearly finished its newborn phase, it was no match for a predator of this scale.
Poison Sting x3!
The three Beedrills unleashed a volley from above. They held the high ground; there was no need to get into a wrestling match on the dirt.
Arthur knew Poison-type moves wouldn't do much damage to a fellow Poison-type like Ekans, but the goal was to intimidate.
"Hiss!!!"
The Ekans recoiled, its cold yellow eyes darting toward the sky. Sensing the overwhelming pressure of three giant Beedrills, it hesitated for a moment before slithering back into the tall grass and vanishing.
The Poliwag and Sandshrew huddled together, trembling. They looked like they had jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire as the three formidable Beedrills landed before them.
Arthur signaled for Goldie and Bella to stay back while he approached. The Poliwag and Sandshrew were both about 0.6 meters tall—average for the modern era, but mere "elementary students" in this world.
"How many times do I have to tell you to stop wandering off?"
"...Poli?!"
Hearing the familiar voice, the Poliwag froze, then its eyes widened in pure shock. It couldn't fathom how the tiny worm it used to play with had transformed into this towering, armored warrior.
"Why the long face? Is this your friend?"
"Poli." The tadpole quickly introduced the Sandshrew.
"From a neighboring territory?" Arthur raised a brow. It seemed the Poliwag had actually gained some intelligence; it finally understood the concept of "territory."
Through a series of chirps and gestures, the Poliwag explained the local political landscape. It turned out the lake was split into three major domains:
The Peace Zone: Ruled by Poliwag's father, a powerful Poliwrath. He kept the area safe by driving out any Pokémon that became strong enough to pose a threat. It was a haven for the weak.
The Ruined Zone: Formerly ruled by Sandshrew's father, a Sandslash. However, the Sandslash had been a negligent ruler, allowing dangerous predators to grow unchecked. Eventually, a massive Arbok had killed and consumed him. The Sandshrew was a refugee, and the Ekans had been hunting him.
The Neutral Zone: Ruled by a Nidoking and Nidoqueen pair. They were the strongest of the three, but they were indifferent to others. As long as you didn't bother the Nido family, you could live, fight, or die there as you pleased.
So the reason I survived as a Weedle wasn't just luck... it's because I was born in the Poliwrath's backyard?
Arthur realized he was basically living in a protected "nursery." He felt a wave of relief, but also a new sense of ambition.
I need to stay here and build my strength. Once we're strong enough, we'll expand. That Arbok in the neighboring territory looks like a perfect first target.
Arthur turned to leave with his squad. The Poliwag tried to invite him to play again, but Arthur shook his head.
He still wasn't strong enough. In this world, "play" was a luxury he couldn't yet afford.