With Your Strength, You'd Better Run for Your Life

Cheng Tian hurried outside the cave. The moon was large and bright that night, illuminating the surroundings clearly.

Barbaracle stood motionless in a clearing some distance away, staring intently at the woods ahead. The forest seemed asleep; aside from the rustling of leaves and grass in the wind, there was not the slightest movement.

Just then, three strands of spider silk suddenly shot out from three different directions, straight toward Barbaracle.

Despite his enormous frame, Barbaracle was unexpectedly agile. The three strands seemed certain to hit, but he merely turned sideways. One brushed past his neck, while the other two missed beneath his arm and beside his waist.

The three strands missed, and three Poison Stings followed close behind. This time, Barbaracle swept one hand out, sending three clumps of mud flying into the incoming needles and successfully intercepting them.

It had to be said that Barbaracle's control over his moves was exceptional. What he had just unleashed was his Egg Move, Mud Shot. Accurately executing a move and intercepting an attack in such a short time was no simple feat.

A cold gleam flashed in Barbaracle's eyes. He lightly stamped his left foot, and a row of stone spires swiftly erupted from the ground, attacking the distant bushes.

"Ari!" Three Pokémon leaped out of the bushes, dodging Barbaracle's Stone Edge.

The large pink spiders were precisely the Ariados Cheng Tian and the others had encountered earlier. Their information was almost identical. Only the largest was level 28; the other two were level 27.

Pokémon: Ariados

Gender: Male

Nature: Quiet

Ability: Swarm

Level: 28

Egg Moves: Sticky Web (lv6)

Innate Moves: Swords Dance (lv6), Focus Energy (lv5), Venom Drench (lv7), Fell Stinger (lv8), Bug Bite (lv6), Poison Sting (lv10), String Shot (lv10), Absorb (lv6), Infestation (lv5), Scary Face (lv5), Fury Swipes (lv7), Sucker Punch (lv8)

Tutored Moves: Leech Life (lv7)

"These are the Ariados from earlier! Why did they follow us here?" Cheng Tian was puzzled, but just then, the system automatically brought up an explanation:

"Ding-Ariados does not build its nest in a fixed location. Instead, once its surroundings grow dark, it wanders in search of prey. Sometimes, it wraps silk around its prey before deliberately letting it escape. By following the silk, it can catch both the prey and its companions in one net."

Cheng Tian's heart chilled. That must have been the reason. The Ariados had probably noticed them long before, but rather than attacking immediately, they had planted a little trick to find out where the group would end up-and whether there would be more food to catch in one net.

"There really is no guarding against every trick," Cheng Tian sighed.

But this time, they had picked the wrong targets. The Ariados were also quite surprised. They had not expected an old fellow to be here.

Still, the few behind him were very weak. Any one of the three could take care of them.

In an instant, a strategy formed in their minds. What's there to fear? All three of us can attack together. He's just one old fellow.

Two Ariados charged toward Barbaracle, while the third trailed far behind.

The two Ariados in front used Scary Face first, two terrifying faces materializing above their heads. Then they accelerated, suddenly appearing right in front of Barbaracle. Bug-type energy coated their mouths as they swiftly lunged at his hands with Bug Bite.

These Ariados clearly had plenty of combat experience. This old fellow had so many hands that they needed to restrain him first. Combining Sucker Punch with Bug Bite was an excellent choice.

Facing Sucker Punch, Barbaracle showed no trace of panic. All his hands retracted into his armor at once. Withdraw! He dodged the attack while raising his Defense.

Barbaracle's massive body leaped into the air and slammed heavily into the ground. Dense Ground-type energy spread outward with him at its center.

Bulldoze!

A level advantage that large was no joke. One Bulldoze sent both Ariados tumbling. Barbaracle extended his hands and brought Slash down toward them.

Just then, the Ariados at the rear swiftly fired a needle toward Barbaracle's head. Barbaracle immediately pulled his hand back, and a sound like grinding rock came from it.

Clang! Barbaracle used Rock Polish and blocked the Fell Stinger.

"Froak, froak!" Cheng Tian and the others watched Barbaracle's battle firsthand. Froakie's admiration for his master was practically overflowing.

Master really is so strong! When will I ever reach his level?

Cheng Tian was secretly awestruck as well. Barbaracle was simply too powerful. Even fighting three against one, he remained completely unruffled and actually kept his opponents on the back foot.

Though he held a level advantage, Barbaracle did not mindlessly rush in and throw out moves like the Ariados. Every time, he dismantled their entire offensive with the simplest moves and the least possible expenditure of energy.

That calm, composed bearing was the combat finesse of a ninja tempered through countless battles.

Meeting ten thousand changes with unchanging composure!

The battle continued. Because the Ariados at the rear had interfered earlier, Barbaracle's Slash had not landed, allowing the two on the ground to scramble back up.

This time, they had learned their lesson and swiftly began retreating.

But would Barbaracle give them the chance? Rocks appeared out of thin air, forming a forbidding barrier across their escape route.

After cutting off the Ariados' retreat with Rock Tomb, Barbaracle swiftly struck. He used Night Slash against one of them, his enormous body charging forward at incredible speed.

He struck that Ariados squarely in a vital spot! A white gleam swept from his hand as Cut slashed across the Ariados' head.

The successive attacks knocked out the Ariados, who had already been overwhelmed by the level gap.

Seeing his companion fall, a trace of madness flashed in the other Ariados' eyes. He lunged forward with claws flailing, trying to trade injuries with Barbaracle using Leech Life.

Barbaracle paused, and freezing air burst from his mouth. Icy Wind froze the Ariados solid.

With that, two Ariados had been defeated. Just as Cheng Tian breathed a sigh of relief, a figure suddenly lunged toward Froakie.

It was the remaining Ariados! Madness gleamed in his eyes as he pounced with Bug Bite.

Damn it, I'm dragging someone down with me tonight, no matter what!

Oh no! Cheng Tian's expression changed. A Pokémon's desperate final attack was no easy thing to withstand.

Unable to dodge in time, Froakie instinctively closed his eyes. Without another thought, Cheng Tian darted forward and placed himself in front of Froakie.

A wet piercing sound rang out, but the expected pain never came. Froakie opened his eyes and found Cheng Tian standing in front of him! "Froak!"

Cheng Tian simply stared at the Ariados mere inches away.

That sound had not come from him.

The Ariados before him still wore a crazed expression, but an even greater unwillingness showed through it. The Bug-type energy around his mouth gradually dissipated. A claw glowing white had pierced straight through his body, stopping his forward lunge.

Behind him, Barbaracle's face brimmed with murderous intent. Daring to attack his foolish apprentice-this spider was like an ancient man hanging himself because he had lived too long!

Just moments earlier, somehow, Barbaracle had crossed nearly fifty meters and unleashed Razor Shell, viciously driving it through the Ariados' heart.

One strike, one kill! The Ariados fell to the ground, insect blood steadily spilling from his body. The smell of blood kept assaulting Cheng Tian's senses.

In this single day, he had already seen the Grim Reaper beckoning to him twice.

Had he known it would be this dangerous, he would have bought a Pokémon no matter what.

Barbaracle turned and coldly regarded the Ariados who had now thawed out. His meaning could not have been clearer.

With your strength, you'd better run for your life.

The Ariados trembled all over. Forgetting even his unconscious companion lying nearby, he fled toward the depths of the forest at top speed.

It was too terrifying. He would never forget this night for as long as he lived!

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