This morning, the weather was clear and the climate was pleasant, though the ground remained damp from yesterday's rain. Every tree, flower, and blade of grass was drenched in rainwater, making the air feel crisp and fresh. The morning in Viridian Forest was brimming with vitality, like a new life bringing growth to all things.
Eichi entered Viridian Forest early that morning. He had business here today. As he stepped onto the soil, his feet sank into the wet mud. Since it had rained last night, the ground was still soft, and his shoes were quickly coated in muck.
The path had become difficult to navigate. A journey that previously took only an hour and a half might now take two hours to reach the destination. Two hours later, Eichi finally arrived at his goal: the Beedrill swarm's territory.
Everything here was dripping with water. By the time he arrived, his clothes and pants were quite damp. Entering the Beedrill's domain, Eichi released his Beedrill. Seeing the familiar environment, it instantly released its powerful aura.
Two seconds later, a swarm of Beedrill flew toward them, having sensed its presence. Leading the group was the Beedrill Leader. Dozens, even hundreds of Beedrill flew over in a grand, imposing fashion.
Eichi activated his Eye of the Bug Emperor and nodded silently. Having not seen them for several months, the average level of this swarm had improved. This was especially true for the Beedrill Leader; it had the best talent, and while it was at the middle stage of the Experienced rank when they last met, it had now reached the late stage of the Experienced rank.
"Long time no see, everyone," Eichi greeted them.
The Beedrill Leader was still very excited to see Eichi's Beedrill. It led Eichi and his partner toward its living area. Along the way, many Kakuna hung from the trees, and there were quite a few Weedle crawling below. The swarm had expanded significantly.
All of this was thanks to Eichi. Without him trading Pokémon food and Pokéblocks to them, they wouldn't have been able to improve their overall strength. With increased power, obtaining food in the wild became easier, allowing more Beedrill to survive. As these Beedrill gathered more food, they could naturally support more offspring.
The Beedrill Leader brought Eichi to a colossal tree. Because the leaves were so dense on this towering giant, they acted as a canopy, keeping the interior dry. The leader signaled for a dozen Beedrill to fetch the Premium Honey they had collected.
A minute later, the Beedrill returned. They had collected a lot of honey over the past few months, specifically waiting for Eichi to come and trade for Pokémon food and Pokéblocks. The Beedrill Leader wasn't in a hurry and invited Eichi and his Beedrill to taste the honey first.
Eichi didn't stand on ceremony. After drinking a large bowl, he began the trade. As he pulled bags of Pokémon food and several boxes of Pokéblocks from his backpack, the Beedrill Leader and the others behind it grew excited. They hadn't eaten Pokémon food in a long time and missed it dearly.
Eichi had visited the department store yesterday to buy a massive amount of Pokémon food specifically for the swarm. He filled his bottles with all the honey and then exchanged an equivalent value of Pokémon food as agreed. The swarm had prepared quite a lot of honey this time; fortunately, Eichi had bought enough to nearly empty his entire stock of Pokémon food.
Looking at the pile of food on the ground, the Beedrill Leader was very satisfied. Then, it brought up a new topic: Eichi's promise to help them train a powerful Beedrill.
Eichi smiled and said, "That is exactly why I came today. After this visit, it will be a few months before I come again. Therefore, I will take one Beedrill with me and bring it back in a few months. I guarantee that the one I return will be a powerful Beedrill."
After hearing Eichi's words, the leader looked at Eichi's Beedrill. During this visit, it realized that Eichi's partner had become even more unfathomable. It had never seen such a powerful aura on any other Beedrill.
The leader discussed it with the surrounding swarm; deciding who should follow Eichi was an important question. After a brief discussion, the swarm reached an agreement. A single Beedrill flew out from behind the Beedrill Leader.
Eichi activated his Eye of the Bug Emperor.
New Beedrill (Black-Patterned Beedrill)
Talent Grade: Excellent
Trainer Rank: Rookie
Not bad, Eichi thought. It was another Beedrill with Excellent talent. In the entire swarm, there were fewer than five individuals with such talent. According to the leader, this was its son, the most gifted of the younger generation. It was the best choice. This Beedrill had just evolved a few days ago and was still young with great potential.
Eichi observed it closely. This Beedrill looked similar to the others, but there was a black pattern at the corner of its eye. This feature clearly distinguished it from the rest.
I'll call it Black-Patterned Beedrill from now on, Eichi decided. He was quite satisfied. He believed that after a few months of his training, it would reach at least the late stage of the Experienced rank. With a bit of luck, it might even break through to the Elite level.
Black-Patterned Beedrill was somewhat excited. It looked at Eichi's Beedrill with a gaze full of admiration. Beedrill swarms worshiped the strong, and Eichi's partner was undoubtedly a powerhouse. Although it hadn't seen the elder Beedrill's true form in battle, it had heard its father speak of its strength since birth. Consequently, its desire to become stronger was exceptionally intense.
Since Eichi had achieved his goal, next came the battle for the Beedrill. Some members had been born in recent months and had never seen Eichi's Beedrill in action. They were curious about its strength, and Beedrill did not disappoint them.
It flew out in front of them and declared, "I want to fight a hundred."
While it didn't use those exact words, the meaning was the same. It would take on the entire swarm alone. Dozens of Beedrill besieged it at once. Black-Patterned Beedrill joined in as well, but it was useless; they were all defeated.
Everyone was thoroughly convinced, and Eichi's Beedrill enjoyed the workout. Afterward, Eichi took Black-Patterned Beedrill and headed back. At the moment it left the swarm, Black-Patterned Beedrill turned its head to look at its father. Seeing the expectation in its father's eyes, it resolved to become stronger.
Back at home, Eichi first measured its height and weight.
Black-Patterned Beedrill, the Poison Bee Pokémon.
Height: 1.1m
Weight: 31kg
Eichi nodded. It was quite good. With proper training, it would progress very quickly.