Chapter 17: Scizor's Stealth Mission

Watching Meowth dart agilely through the forest, occasionally turning back to check if his silhouette was keeping up. Indeed, the Rocket Team Trio's bond of shared hardship is much deeper than imagined.

After trekking through the dense woods with Meowth for half an hour, Huo La suddenly halted: "Alright, you go back."

Meowth spun around sharply, eyes wary: "You want to back out? We haven't reached the spot yet!"

"I have my own way to find it," Huo La said evenly. "You go rescue your companions; our deal ends here."

He didn't need to actually let Meowth lead all the way; just now, a system chime rang in his mind, already providing the exact coordinates of the Evolution Stone.

"Release treasure‑hunting mission:

Mission objective: Acquire Evolution Stone (coordinates X201, Y29)

Mission time limit: 1 hour

Mission reward: Unlock Su Xing upgrade condition for Bulbasaur

Meowth froze for a moment, seeing that Huo La wasn't lying, hesitated then said, "Meow, I remember your words! If you dare hurt Musashi and Kojiro, Meow won't be done with you!"

After speaking, it turned and darted into the trees, disappearing from view quickly.

Huo La ignored it, pulling up the system‑provided coordinates—X201, Y29—just not far ahead. He immediately quickened his pace, parting the thick grass, and the scene before him made him hold his breath.

Ahead, the forest opened into a broad clearing, but the atmosphere at its center was unusually tense.

The area was clearly split in two, like two opposing "camps".

On the left, a flock of Bird‑type Pokemon hovered: leading them was a Swellow with a wingspan of nearly two meters, eyes sharp as knives, occasionally emitting a piercing cry; behind followed a dozen or so Pidgey, Poliwag, and Fletchinder, wings spread, claws slightly curled, ready to dive at any moment.

On the right stood the Bug‑type Pokemon team: a massive Beedrill floated at the front, its two poison needles glinting with a faint blue sheen, its two pairs of wings beating rapidly, producing a "buzz" sound; surrounding it were dozens of Butterfree and Beedrill, and on the ground a cluster of Weedle, Caterpie, Scizor, and Metapod gathered.

"Whoa, is this a Pokemon 'Gang Fire Fight'?" Huo La couldn't help muttering to himself.

Looking at the standoff, it was clear both sides were battling over something—and the Evolution Stone coordinates marked by the system were right in a crevice of a rock at the center of the clearing!

Staring at the blue‑glowing stone in the rock crevice at the clearing's center, Huo La immediately concluded—it was a Water Stone!

The warm blue aura contained dense Water‑type Energy, making the surrounding air slightly damp and fresh.

Although the Water Stone has no evolutionary effect on Bird‑type or Bug‑type Pokemon, its naturally emitted energy gently nourishes a Pokemon's body, making it a rare "tonic" for any species.

Moreover, Bird‑type and Bug‑type already compete in the food chain, so their standoff over this Water Stone is understandable.

Huo La slipped back into the grass, muttering under his breath, "No wonder the Rocket Team doesn't dare to raid."

In front of him, there were already a dozen fully evolved Swallows and Beedrills each, plus dozens of first‑ and second‑stage unevolved Pokemon; without a ten‑man squad equipped with Gym‑level Combat Power, no one could hope to take the Water Stone from here.

But for the Rocket Team, deploying Captain‑level Strength for a single Water Stone is clearly not worth it—this gave him an opening.

The system's 1‑hour timer was counting down; sitting and waiting to die was unacceptable.

Huo La stared at the opposing Pokemon factions, his mind racing: charging straight in would be suicide; he needed to make them fight first, then seize the stone amid the chaos.

His gaze swept the surroundings: behind the left Bird camp lay a low shrubbery laden with ripe Berries; beside the right Bug camp lay a pile of dry branches.

A meddling plan gradually took shape.

Huo La quietly released a Scizor from a Pokeball; its brownish‑yellow form gently fell into the grass, trembling slightly.

He lowered his voice and instructed Bulbasaur, "When I signal, first use Vine Whip to knock down the Berries from the left shrub and hurl them toward the Bird camp; then use Razor Leaf to cut the right dry branch, letting it roll toward the Bug camp. Move quickly; after finishing, retreat into the grass immediately, and never be spotted."

Bulbasaur blinked its emerald eyes, nodded vigorously, and its two Vine Whips slithered out like serpents, tips coiling around the left shrub's branches, awaiting the command.

Confirming Bulbasaur was ready, Huo La turned to Scizor, his tone stern: "You'll crawl over slowly, blend into the Bug Pokemon ranks; they have Scizor and Metapod, so you won't stand out. When you see the dry branch roll over, immediately use Tackle to charge the opposite Poliwag, act fast, and retreat right after; don't expose yourself."

Scizor gave a slight tremor, as if responding.

It slowly wriggled its body, peeking out from the grass edge, and while the Bug camp focused on the Bird side, it slipped quietly beside a few Metapod and Scizor—also in pupa form; without close inspection, no one could spot this "outsider."

Huo La held his breath, his eyes scanning back and forth between the Swellow and the Beedrill.

Finally, he seized a perfect opening: the Swellow lowered its head, using its sharp beak to preen the disheveled feathers on its wings, while the Beedrill stared intently at the Swellow, completely oblivious to the surrounding movement.

"Go!" Huo La barked low.

Bulbasaur acted instantly, its Vine Whip surged powerfully, yanking hard toward the top of the shrub!

"Wha—la—la!" Dozens of plump red Berries fell, striking precisely onto the backs of several front‑row Pidgey.

"Pidgey! Pidgey!" the struck Pidgey shrieked in fright, instinctively flapping its wings to dodge; the gust from its wing curls happened to ruffle the Swellow's freshly preened feathers.

"Cheep—!" the Swellow erupted in fury, snapping its head up, its sharp gaze fixed on the Bug camp's Beedrill, screeching sharply as its wings beat faster, clearly blaming the opponent for the trouble.

The Beedrill, puzzled by the sudden falling Berries, was suddenly locked by the Swellow's hostile stare, instantly flaring up.

At that moment, Bulbasaur's Razor Leaf shot out; two sharp green blades sliced through the air like knives, precisely cutting the old vine binding the dry branch.

"Gurururu—" the dry branch rolled down the slope toward the Bug camp, colliding with several crouching Weedle and Metapod.

"Needle!" the Bug Pokemon instantly flared, the Beedrills spread their wings, aiming their glinting poison needles at the Bird camp; even the previously still Metapod twitched slightly, showing alertness.

Meanwhile, the infiltrating Scizor seized the moment, bursting out from the Metapod cluster, slamming its hard body into the nearest Poliwag on the opposite side!

"Poli!" Poliwag staggered from the blow, letting out a terrified cry.

That strike fully ignited the battle.

Seeing the opponent "strike first," the Swellow immediately flapped its wings, whipping up a gust toward the Bug camp.

The Beedrill, utterly enraged, rose half a meter with a wingbeat, spraying a stream of tiny poison needles from its tail toward the Swellow.

"Buzz—"

"Cheep—"

As the two leaders clashed, the Pokemon on both sides erupted into a mêlée: flocks of Pidgey surged at the Butterfree, beating their wings against them; the Beedrills circled the Pidgey, occasionally stabbing with poison needles;

The Swellow and Beedrill fought so tightly that beaks and poison needles clashed, producing a "ding‑ding" sound.

Huo La hid in the grass, watching the chaotic scene, and gave Bulbasaur a "ready" hand sign; with all Pokemon's attention on the melee, it was the perfect moment to snatch the Water Stone!