Pokémon: Reborn as Lucario

Chapter 148: Some People's Malice Never Dies

The natural, primitive environment within the Natural Park always gave him the illusion of being back in Newmoon Forest.

"Sigh, I suddenly miss the Blastoise Boss and the others a little. I wonder how Sister Flower, the Oddish guys, and Brother Scyther are doing. Has that brat Poliwag had the evolution he was so set on? Are the leaves the Caterpie eat still fresh?"

"And that kid, Takuma, what new gadgets has he developed? Has Brother Machop started a new journey with Professor Kamiya?"

Unconsciously, a sense of homesickness welled up in his heart.

Although he had traveled to many places in the Middel Region with Míng Rìzhào and experienced many things, in the depths of Rio's heart, he still thought fondly of the group of little companions he had met when he first came to this world.

"I remember hearing Uncle Wattson and the others say that there's a high-speed train in Cale City that can go to the Ist Region. When Xiao Zhao has time, I'll mention going to the Ist Region with her, so the Oddish and the others can see that I'm now a Pokémon with a badge."

The thought of those few Oddish looking up to his awesome self with reverence diluted much of the homesickness in Rio's heart and also made him look forward to returning to the Ist Region even more.

…

Ist Region.

In Newmoon Forest.

The Blastoise Boss, who had evolved from the form of a Squirtle that struggled to evolve, into the form of a Hegemon Blastoise in one fell swoop, suddenly thought of that small little dog Pokémon that could stand up against the super divine beast, Mewtwo.

But in his heart, besides longing, all that remained was endless pain.

"Rio, if you have the chance, never come back..."

His originally stout body had already become somewhat gaunt, and his hard shell was covered in shocking, eye-catching cracks, one after another, that almost split the shell open. Dried blood even formed black spots clinging to his arms.

He sat before several hastily made burial mounds, staring blankly without moving. And behind him was the valley, which had already become ruins.

It seemed that disaster and pain had not departed from this ill-fated Pokémon.

…

Rio, far away in the Middel Region, naturally could not know what had happened.

But as he was strolling, he found that by the flower bed ahead, Snivy was happily admiring the beautiful flowers in the flower bed with Ruru.

A wicked idea came to Rio's mind.

"Let me go over and scare them, hehe."

In terms of Pokémon age, Rio was currently not even 1 year old; he was still a baby. Dare one ask, who didn't love to play pranks as a child?

Although he had lived for more than twenty years in his previous life, after switching to this Pokémon body, Rio still couldn't help but have many childish thoughts.

"So you're the one who said my head is full of muscles."

Rio grinned mischievously, eyeing Snivy. He planned to use [Quick Attack] to zip behind her and then give her a scare.

As for Ruru, that was out of the question. What if he angered her and she refused to cook for him?

As the saying goes, a Pokémon can be beaten, but Ruru's meals cannot be missed.

Rio expressed that he still had a sense of proportion.

Seeing Snivy engrossed in looking at the flowers, Rio was already eager to make his move.

Unexpectedly.

Suddenly, a large net fell from the sky, directly capturing the three of them and the Pokémon egg!

Rio, Ruru, Snivy: "?????!!!!!"

I thought the Natural Park was supposed to be very safe!

Before Rio could finish his complaint, he was squeezed together with his two little companions as the capture net contracted.

The large net covering them rustled, squeezing the few Pokémon inside so much they could barely breathe.

Snivy, angered and flustered, pushed Rio's doggy head. "Teng, teng! (Pokémon Language) Rio, what's going on?! Is this your doing?!"

"Big sister, didn't you see I was captured too?"

Rio said irritably.

"Also, your tail! Could you please move it? That leaf is about to poke me in the nose!"

Snivy quickly moved its tail, then glared at Rio.

The space was too small. The originally easy motion of moving its tail was now extremely difficult to perform. Rio's hands were also squeezed so much he couldn't move and could only remain stiff.

"Ruru, can you sense Xiao Zhao?"

Ruru, being pressed by Snivy, struggled to expand her psychic power, but then shook her head.

"Iya, iya! (Pokémon Language) No, it's too far. I can't sense Xiao Zhao or anyone else."

Hearing this, Rio also tried to expand his Aura perception, but in his perception, he unexpectedly discovered several people lying unconscious in the grass not far away.

"Are those... Park Rangers?"

He cried out inwardly, knowing this was bad.

"Even the powerful Park Rangers have been taken down. Who on earth wants to capture us?"

At this moment, Snivy, who had already calmed down, extended two vines from the small flower ornament by her neck, attempting to use the vines to twist open the capture net.

Unfortunately, it was a futile effort.

His Aura perception was useless. Rio also tried to struggle free from the capture net to escape.

But this capture net was not made of ordinary rope, but an iron net formed by very hard and sturdy iron chains. It was no wonder that even Snivy's vines, with their great strength, couldn't tear it open.

But not looking was one thing; the more he looked, the more familiar this capture net seemed.

Rio always felt he had seen these iron chains somewhere before.

"Could it be..."

He had a guess in his heart.

And the person who appeared next proved his guess was correct.

"Finally caught you beasts."

A sinister voice came out, and the owner of the voice also revealed himself.

Wearing a black overcoat, with a headband tied on his head, his eyes shone with a black light.

It really was the Poacher General Captain, who had disappeared during the battle with the Steel God Pillar in Verdant Leaf City.

Behind him, a Mightyena, a Shiftry, and an Exploud slowly walked out.

Rio certainly recognized that Shiftry that had unhesitatingly used [Explosion] before and nearly blown him to bits.

In addition, several other Pokémon also appeared one by one: a Krookodile, a Drapion, and a Honchkrow.

眯 (narrowing) his eyes to look carefully, Rio, as expected, discovered the familiar black light in the eyes of all the Pokémon.

"It's this damned black light again! How many times has this thing been the cause of trouble? Just let me find out which bastard is behind this; I'm going to hang him up and beat him up!"

Rio cursed silently in his heart.

It was no wonder the Natural Park Rangers were no match. Pokémon controlled by the black light often gained more berserk power at the cost of losing their conscious sanity. Looking at the Poacher General Captain's Pokémon team: Mightyena, Shiftry, Exploud, Krookodile, Drapion, Honchkrow—all were the final evolved forms of their respective Pokémon, and their species were not weak to begin with. With the strength of such Pokémon being enhanced, they were indeed difficult to contend with.

The Poacher General Captain stepped on the net made of iron chains that bound the few Pokémon, the chains clattering from the pressure.

"If you hadn't ruined my operation back then, I would now possess the power of Registeel."

He suddenly lost control of his emotions and stomped heavily several times.

"The great power of the legendary giant, because of you pieces of dog shit, is gone just like that! And it even caused me to be..."

As if wary of something, he swallowed the rest of his words.

Rio, without changing his expression, shielded Ruru, Snivy, and the Pokémon egg under his body, letting the Poacher General Captain vent on his back.

"This time, I'll take you back and see how I'll teach you a lesson."

The General Captain spoke viciously to Rio.

"Oh, and a Snivy. Not bad, also a rare Pokémon. It should be worth a bit when sold."

"This Pokémon egg, it couldn't be yours, you little beast, could it? Watch how I prepare it."

Malicious words came continuously. Rio, however, had no intention of paying him any mind and expressed that he could stomp all he wanted; anyway, Big Brother's body is tough enough not to be afraid of your stomping.

Instead, he was communicating with Ruru telepathically in his heart.

"(Telepathy) Ruru, this iron chain net binding us is the same kind that the Pokémon poacher gang used to restrain Pokémon last time. You were able to break free with your psychic power last time. Can you do it this time?"

Ruru, under Rio's cover, stirred her psychic power. After trying for a bit, she gently shook her head.

"(Telepathy) No, my psychic power can't tear it open. This iron chain should have been reinforced."

Rio frowned.

Snivy's vines were useless. His own hands were squeezed and couldn't move at all, let alone use Fighting-type moves or even Aura Sphere. Now even Ruru's psychic power was ineffective. It seemed that after the last incident, the poaching gang had improved the material of the iron chains, strengthening their toughness.

However, even if they broke free, facing these ferocious Pokémon, how could they win and escape?

For a moment, Rio was also at a loss.

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[The following is a special note from the author]

There is a small section of content in the text that may make some sensitive reader friends feel uncomfortable, so I am making a special note here.

That small section of content is a foreshadowing for a key plot point later on. As for which volume and which part, I won't say for now. In that part of the plot, it will not be so happy, and may even be a bit heavy and sad. But I feel that a story cannot always be silly and happy, especially if a character is to grow, some things are indeed necessary to go through.

However, the author himself does not like tragedies, so remember, any plot that the author writes that seems like a stab in the feels will definitely have a good ending in the end. Don't worry about that. Sadness and pain are just the process of tempering and growth, not the ending.

After all, there are so many magical powers in the Pokémon world, right? Even if I have to use a cheat, I can still make a happy ending for everyone (wry smile~).

I'm specifically writing this passage to pad the word count... Ah, bah, no, it's to take care of friends who may be more sensitive. So, seeing how considerate the author is, please give us some encouragement (orz).

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