"Found it!" Reiji didn't have to search long before he spotted the unmistakable blue, strawberry-shaped Rawst Berries.
Rawst Berries weren't considered particularly rare or valuable. In comparison, the other things he'd spotted—Charti Berry and Beedrill honey—were far more treasured by the Beedrill colony and fiercely guarded in the heart of their territory.
The Charti Berry looked like deep yellow conch shells and could halve the damage from Rock-type moves—extremely useful for Bug and Flying Pokémon. Eating them regularly could even boost resistance to Rock-type attacks.
As for Beedrill honey, its nutritional value was off the charts for baby Pokémon. Even the floral fragrance wafting in the air made it incredibly tempting.
But getting them was out of the question. The Charti Berry tree and the Beedrill honey were on the same tree—patrolled around the clock by vigilant Beedrill.
Honestly, Reiji didn't dare steal berries right under their noses. He'd be content grabbing a few Rawst Berries from the ground and leaving.
He couldn't afford to mess with these forest tyrants.
"Poliwag, I'm going to grab the berries. You keep watch. If any Beedrill comes, alert me."
"Wag…"
Poliwag was just about to respond, but Reiji quickly clamped a hand over its mouth. He'd even spoken in a whisper himself.
"Shhh. I'll be quick."
To move as silently as possible, Reiji even took off his shoes, hanging them around his neck, and tiptoed barefoot to the Rawst Berry tree.
Plenty of blue berries had already fallen under the tree, so he didn't even need to pluck them. He scooped up both good and bruised ones, stuffing them all into his shorts' pockets. Even just one good berry would make the trip worthwhile.
Just as he was quietly preparing to retreat, he heard Poliwag calling out urgently.
"Wag wag! Wag wag!"
"Oh crap—bad news," Reiji froze at the sound. No time to assess the situation or ask what Poliwag had seen—he had to run.
As he passed Poliwag, he scooped it up with one hand and bolted.
Only after they'd covered some ground did the stunned Beedrill finally react. With angry screeches, they roused their still-slumbering swarm.
"Zzz-zhhh… Zzz-zhhh—!"
Bzzzzzzzz—!
A chorus of wings erupted as more Beedrill swarmed the berry tree area and, realizing their thief had already fled, gave chase.
Thud thud thud—!
Thud thud thud—!
As they closed in on Reiji, the twin stingers on their forelimbs lit up with a violet glow. Sharp, glinting Poison Sting needles shot through the air toward him.
But none of them hit. They struck trees behind Reiji instead, the dull thuds confirming how dangerously close they were. Reiji broke into an even faster sprint, heart pounding.
He felt like even Bolt couldn't catch him now—barefoot, he was running a hundred meters in under nine seconds.
But this wasn't a race—this was survival. His opponent was flying. There was no comparison in speed.
He threw Poliwag onto his shoulder and yelled, "Poliwag, Water Gun! Knock them down with Water Gun!"
Psh psh psh—!
They were both moving at high speed, so accuracy was a joke. Even just disrupting the Beedrill's pursuit would help.
They ran what felt like forever until Reiji finally spotted light through the trees—the edge of the forest. The white glow grew brighter, and he knew they were close.
But the Beedrill were still chasing them.
Thankfully, Reiji's recent training paid off. If he hadn't been running every day, his legs would've given out by now.
Swoosh—!
He burst through the underbrush and hit the beach. The buzzing behind him was relentless, but he didn't dare slow down.
Scanning the area frantically, his eyes locked onto the white surf crashing against the shoreline. He bit down hard and made his decision.
With a deep breath, he dashed toward the ocean, stepping onto a reef and leaping straight into the sea.
SPLASH—!
The instant they hit the water, the pursuing Beedrill stopped. A few shot their purple Poison Stings into the sea in a rage before turning back toward the forest.
Seeing them retreat from under the waves, Reiji finally dared to come up for air and swim back toward shore.
But just as he reached the beach, a shadow with sharp teeth lunged from the water—a shark, drawn by the scent of blood.
It missed.
Failing to catch its prey, the shark slipped back into the sea just as silently as it had come.
Poliwag urgently warned Reiji: "Wag wag! Wag wag!"
"What?" Reiji turned to see where Poliwag was pointing. A black figure was retreating rapidly beneath the surface.
Unbeknownst to him, Reiji had brushed against death twice—once from above, once from below—just for a few berries.
"What kind of predator fish was that? Why is the water red?"
He looked down and realized—his feet were bleeding.
"Damn—my feet!" Reiji dropped to the sand and inspected the damage.
His left foot had a deep, gaping wound that wouldn't stop bleeding. His right foot was covered in smaller cuts, also bleeding.
Looking back at the jagged reef he'd jumped from, he realized it was the culprit.
"Oh right—berries." He reached into his pocket and felt the round lumps. Relief washed over him.
The Rawst Berries were safe. His lighter was there too—soaked, but still usable after drying.
"This was a huge loss…" he muttered, sighing. He'd gotten the berries, sure, but at the cost of shredded feet and a wet lighter.
Not that it mattered too much—cheap plastic lighters were water-resistant. Once it dried, it would work fine.
First things first: stop the bleeding.
He tore off his shirt, wrapped it tightly around his left foot. His right foot—he just shoved it into a shoe for now.
"Sssss—damn that hurts…" The saltwater-soaked shirt stung the open wound like hell. He winced and hissed, barely able to keep still.
Even the seawater-soaked canvas shoes were torture to wear.
All for a handful of berries.
He grit his teeth, grabbed a stick from the beach to use as a crutch, and limped step by agonizing step back toward the treehouse—Poliwag standing guard the entire way.
[End of Chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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