If not for the fact that his grandfather's Metagross and Celebi didn't even know each other and had never spoken, Julian would have suspected that Metagross had been possessed by Celebi.

  The way it spoke was incredibly simir and frustrating.

  Julian indeed hadn't asked Metagross whether that person was still around. He had simply assumed that the enemy must be hiding nearby—he never expected that they hadn't evehe hotel in the first pce.

  "Did I get it wrong from the start, or is he just a coward?"

  Julian muttered to himself, uo figure out where things had gone off track. Acc to the development of the plot, things should have pyed out differently.

  He had obtained something valuable at the au—somethiremely important to his enemy. In order to retrieve it, the enemy would go to great lengths to eliminate him.

  But Julian had caught wind of the pn in advance, deliberately traveling aloo lure the enemy into a trap. The enemy would take the bait, fall into his hands, aher be captured or killed. And in the end, all of the enemy's treasures would belong to him.

  That was how the plot 'should' have unfolded.

  "Well, whatever. Let's get to business."

  Julian yawned. After staying up all night, his energy was running low. Sihe enemy had disappeared, trag them down on his own was o impossible.

  Instead, he might as well explore the Earth Ridge and see if there were any rare treasures to be found.

  The locals of Rockwell City called this pce a 'mini forbidden zone', so there had to be something worthwhile here.

  Taking out his Dowsing Mae, Julian quickly spotted three red dots on the s within a 50-kilometer radius. However, none of them were very big, meaning they were only about as valuable as high-grade Fire Stones, which were worth around five million each.

  Julian didn't bother heading toward them.

  By now, Slowking had already packed everything up, and Julian hopped ontonite's back, instrug it to fly deeper ih Ridge.

  If there was anything truly valuable, it was more likely to be hidden in the deeper areas. Pokémon there would be stronger, making it harder for ordinary traio reach—so the ces of finding something worthwhile would be higher.

  At Dragonite's speed, it took about half an hour of flying before the Dowsing Mae finally showed a slightly rger red dot.

  "Over there."

  Julian patted Dragonite's side.

  The wind and snow hadn't let up—in fact, they had intensified. Under such ditions, riding a Flying-type Pokémon without any way to prevent body heat loss would be suicidal.

  If not for his Physique, Julian wouldn't dare ride a Dragonite flying over a hundred kilometers per hour in this weather.

  Before long, Dragonite reached the area where the red dot was located. However, it didn't desd.

  Below them, hundreds of Trapinch were gathered together.

  Aside from the Trapinch, there was no sign of Vibrava or Flygon.

  Most Flygon preferred to live alone, while Vibrava teo live in groups. However, ohey evolved, they would usually leave the pce where they grew up.

  The levels of these Trapinch were mostly around level 20, with a few reag the low 30s.

  Naturally, Dragonite and Julian's arrival attracted their attention. The Trapinch all looked up at the sky, their jaws clig open and shut with sharp clig sounds.

  They didn't seem afraid o all. On the trary, they looked like they were sidering honite's meat might taste.

  Trapinch weren't particurly intelligent, so they didn't react much to the Elite aura emanating fronite.

  Instead, they only saw a rge-bodied Pokémon that looked like it would be 'very' satisfying to take a bite out of.

  "Honedge"

  Julian had Dragonite lower its altitude slightly.

  Honedge looked at Julian in fusion.

  "Use Fury Cutter orapinch below," Julian said.

  Honedge was taken aback for a moment, and didn't act immediately. It kept staring at Julian.

  Julian emphasized: "Fury Cutter!"

  Only then did Honedge react. Its bde sshed through the air, glowing as it swung. With each stroke, it was as if an invisible hand was wielding a sword.

  Ihan a minute, over a dozen Trapinch had beeed. Most of them were around level 20—not a real challenge for Honedge.

  But the sheer number of oppos made a difference.

  Although this Honedge, is only of Green potential, most of it has turned . After all, it used to belong to the royal family and had been bred well.

  Trapinch: "Get that thing! Bite it apart!"

  The remaining Trapinch, enraged, couldn't believe that Honedge had the audacity to attack 'hundreds' of them on its own. Where did it get the nerve?

  But as the majority of the Trapinch charged at Ho quickly realized that no matter how strong it was, fag so many at once meant only oioreat.

  And that was exactly what it tried to do, instinctively trying to flee.

  Julian frowned but said nothing.

  "Metagross, use Psychic to hold them, just release a dozen or so."

  With a fsh of white light, Metagross emerged. Its overwhelming psychic power instantly froze hundreds of Trapin pce, rendering them motionless.

  Only a dozen or so Trapinch closest to Honedge, remained ued. But they didn't even notice their panions' predit—their eyes were locked on Honedge, determio bite it apart.

  Among them, one was level 33—equal to Honedge in strength—making it the biggest threat.

  The Gallian royal family had raised Honedge well, but its will was g. Seeing that the enemy outnumbered it and that one of them was on par with itself, Honedge's fidence wavered.

  "Don't be afraid. They're slower than you, and they have no coordination. As long as you follow my ands, you win."

  Julian's steady voice reached Honedge.

  Since he wasn't Honedge's first trainer and had only obtai a few days ago, his main ght now was to earn its trust and improve their synergy.

  And the best way to do that was through battle.

  His voice carried the power of Aura, resonating deep within Honedge's mind, calming down his flustered emotions gradually.

  "Autotomize," Julian ordered.

  After activating Autotomize, Honedge's speed increased signifitly. When several Trapinch lunged forward using Bite, it swiftly dodged them with ease.

  "See the opening?"

  The Trapinch that had jumped to attack missed their mark. When they nded, were at their most vulnerable.

  Honedge's eyes lit up. It didn't even need further instrus—its bde gleamed as it sshed downward, striking the falling Trapine by one.

  Each strike hit its mark, and the Trapinch directly lost their ability to fight.

  "Watch your left!"

  More Trapinch rushed in from the left. Hearing Julian's warning, Howisted its body with remarkable agility, using Fury Cutter to ter.

  g! g! g!

  Several Trapinch fell back, but did not lose the ability to fight.

  Their levels were all above 25, and since Fury Cutter had been spread aultiple targets, its power wasn't enough to take them down i.

  *****

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