Pokémon: Chronicles of Freedom-Chapter 570 - 569: The Duel Between Spear and Shield

The Bastiodon weren't very fast, but moving across the sandy terrain, they kicked up a huge cloud of dust.

Trailing a considerable distance behind them, Cain couldn't help but put on a mask to cover himself.

There was just too much dust.

Observing the urgency of the Bastiodon, it was clear that something had happened.

After running for about half an hour, they arrived at a depression in the terrain. Although still a rocky area, this place had much more sand than rocks, almost forming a small desert.

Two groups of Pokémon were facing off in this area.

It turned out that conflicts did occur here, only that earlier, there hadn't been enough of a reason.

In this sandy area, Cain noticed some metallic glints, as if reflecting fragments of rare minerals.

The two groups of Pokémon in the standoff—one was the group of Bastiodon that Cain had been following.

Tightly packed into a line, with their faces resembling iron barriers, they stood firmly united, forming something like a wall.

And in front of them was a group of fierce-looking crocodiles wearing what looked like sunglasses. They slammed the ground with their red-and-black tails, stirring up dust with every strike.

Krookodile.

Cain recognized these Pokémon immediately.

He was quite familiar with Krookodile, especially due to one of their most peculiar abilities.

Moxie.

Yes, the same ability his Honchkrow possessed—Moxie.

This ability could give a Pokémon limitless potential.

Although he didn't see any Sandile, there were only Krokorok and Krookodile, probably because the Sandile were of lower levels and didn't participate in such situations.

As Ground/Dark types, Krookodile didn't have a vast set of resistances. While they could face many types, they were also vulnerable to several others.

With double resistances to Poison, Rock, Ghost, and Dark types, and immunities to Electric and Psychic types, they had some advantages.

However, they were weak against Fighting, Bug, Water, Grass, Ice, and Fairy types.

This set of typings could be considered fairly standard.

Krookodile were desert bullies, especially when acting in groups.

But Bastiodon, or "Barrier Dragons" as they were also known, could also be devastating in teams due to their extraordinary defensive capabilities.

This was a classic confrontation between spear and shield.

The reason for the clash was a small cluster of shiny minerals reflecting a metallic light at the center.

For Ground- or Rock-type Pokémon, these minerals were vital for their growth.

While not all Pokémon could consume minerals directly like Larvitar and Aron, many could absorb them to grow stronger.

Cain didn't dare get too close, so he couldn't determine exactly what type of mineral it was.

At the center of it all, the leaders of the Krookodile and Bastiodon were arguing.

Both seemed very tense, unable to reach an agreement.

Cain noticed that his system couldn't scan these Pokémon's data.

He estimated that they were at least at the same level as the Scolipede leader.

To dominate a territory on Dream Island, or lead a large group, a near-elite level seemed to be the minimum requirement.

Drapion, with its excellent camouflage in sandy and rocky areas, allowed Cain to remain hidden without being detected by any Pokémon.

Honchkrow continued circling above, keeping an eye from the sky, only descending if necessary.

From his position, Cain watched as the Krookodile leader opened its jaws wider, adopting a threatening stance.

But the Bastiodon leader didn't back down an inch, moving its armored head right in front of the Krookodile, daring it to try breaking through its shield.

After a few minutes of tension, the two leaders finally began to fight.

The Krookodile struck first, slashing at the Bastiodon with its sharp claws, but the Bastiodon faced it head-on, using its armored head for defense.

Seeing their leaders start fighting, the other members of both groups quickly followed suit.

The Krookodile launched all kinds of attacks, while the Bastiodon simply defended, advancing slowly like bulldozers.

It was clear that the Bastiodon had better teamwork.

They knew their strengths and how to use them together.

On the other hand, the Krookodile tended to fight more individually.

In a one-on-one battle, a Krookodile could probably wear down a Bastiodon slowly thanks to its speed.

But when the Bastiodon united, their collective defensive power far surpassed the Krookodile.

Slowly, the Bastiodon began pushing the Krookodile back.

The minerals became more exposed, catching Cain's attention.

Cain couldn't help but feel tempted.

If those minerals were valuable enough to provoke such a fierce battle between the Krookodile and Bastiodon, they must be worth a lot.

Cain hadn't forgotten that he had Larvitar and Aron—two Pokémon that could devour large quantities of minerals.

And the better the quality of the minerals, the faster and stronger they would grow.

Cain pulled Slowking's Poké Ball from his belt.

If the right opportunity arose, he could have Slowking teleport directly to the minerals.

But he had to wait for the Bastiodon to advance far enough.

He didn't want to face that impenetrable tank formation.

If the Bastiodon noticed him, he could be crushed in an instant.

However, just as Cain was about to act, his Honchkrow, which had been circling above, descended and landed next to him, hiding behind a rock.

Noticing Honchkrow's cautious behavior, Cain immediately signaled Drapion to hide more effectively.

Drapion nodded and obeyed silently.

Cain used telepathy to connect with Honchkrow.

After a brief explanation, Cain understood what Honchkrow had noticed.

It turned out that while Cain had been observing the battle between the Krookodile and Bastiodon, someone else, on the opposite side, had also been watching.

Although the distance was far enough that they hadn't noticed each other, both were there, witnessing the same scene.

Neither Cain nor the other individual had realized the other's presence, but Honchkrow, with its superior vision and vantage point, had detected the person.

Finally, on the fourth day since arriving on Dream Island, Cain had encountered another member of Team Rocket.

Now, it was just a matter of finding out who it was.

(End of Chapter)