Next, Ash showed Sam what true throwing skill looked like.
He tossed a Safari Ball casually—
—and another Tauros was caught.
Sam was speechless.
However, compared to Goh—the true one-ball legend—Ash still had room to improve.
It seemed that the only Pokémon Ash could consistently catch in a single throw was Tauros. Other Pokémon usually escaped at least once before finally being captured.
But Tauros?
One ball. Every time.
The four of them wandered through the Safari Zone for quite a while. The number of Tauros Ash had caught was already difficult to keep track of. If Sam calculated correctly, Ash had caught at least ten.
Only a Trainer like Ash—backed by Professor Oak—could capture Pokémon so recklessly.
For an ordinary Trainer, raising that many Pokémon would be a logistical nightmare. Feeding, training, housing… the costs alone would be overwhelming.
Having connections really was an advantage.
When Ash finally slowed down his Tauros-catching spree, Misty suggested heading toward the lake to catch a Water-type Pokémon.
Everyone agreed.
---
A rugged dirt path wound through thick woodland before opening into a tranquil lake.
The water shimmered under the sunlight, and the grass along the shore swayed gently in the breeze. Several Raticate, startled by the group's arrival, darted into the tall grass.
They stopped at the water's edge.
"Misty! Look! Slowpoke!" Ash pointed excitedly at a Slowpoke waddling lazily onto the shore.
He clearly hoped Misty would catch it.
Misty's expression darkened instantly.
"I am NOT catching a Slowpoke!"
Ever since she caught Psyduck, she'd been periodically tormented by its unpredictable headaches. If she added Slowpoke to the team, she might end up with a duo competing for the title of "Most Oblivious Pokémon."
Just imagining it gave her a headache.
Suddenly, she froze.
"Wait… where's my Psyduck?"
She looked at her waist in panic.
"Ash! Brock! Sam! Psyduck's gone!"
There was genuine worry in her voice. Despite constantly complaining about Psyduck, she still cared deeply for it.
Sam pointed calmly toward the lakeside.
"Your Psyduck is right there."
Sure enough, Psyduck was standing beside Slowpoke. The two Pokémon stared at each other blankly, as if engaged in a deep philosophical discussion.
"Psy…"
"Slow…"
"Psy…"
"Slow…"
Misty's eye twitched.
"Forget it. Let's just go catch something useful."
Sam shrugged and followed the others to the lake's edge.
They took out the fishing rods they had prepared and began fishing.
Staryu.
Goldeen.
Magikarp.
Poliwag.
Marill.
Time passed, but none of them encountered anything particularly promising. Most of the Pokémon here were common and didn't seem especially strong.
Misty sighed.
"Let's head back. We'll try again tomorrow."
Just as they began packing up—
A loud rumbling sound echoed from a distant valley.
The ground trembled faintly. The noise grew closer and closer.
Everyone exchanged surprised looks.
"Let's check it out," Sam decided.
Such a disturbance inside the Safari Zone couldn't be normal.
Ash didn't hesitate. "Let's go!"
The four of them ran toward the source of the noise.
---
Meanwhile, inside the valley—
A middle-aged man dressed in black stood amid destruction.
"Aggron! Aim at the lake and use Hyper Beam!"
The heavily armored Aggron roared and unleashed a devastating Hyper Beam.
The beam tore across the lake's surface and struck the rocky bottom. Water exploded upward. The entire valley shook violently.
"Stop! Stop!"
An elderly man lay collapsed on the ground, shouting desperately.
"Do you know what you're doing?! If you continue, Dragon's Den will be destroyed! The habitat will collapse! Countless Pokémon will die!"
The man in black sneered.
"That's not my problem."
"Old man, hand over Dratini, and I won't have to keep destroying the place."
The elder glared fiercely.
"Even if I die, I will never give Dratini to someone like you! You don't deserve it!"
That only made the man laugh louder.
He stepped forward and pressed his boot onto the old man's face.
"You should blame yourself. All this destruction is because of your stubbornness."
He leaned closer, eyes filled with madness.
"You say I don't deserve Dratini? No one in this world is more qualified than me."
"I am Hunter K."
"Old man, watch carefully as I conquer Dratini."
He threw a Poké Ball.
"Go! Gyarados!"
A vicious Gyarados burst into t
he lake with a thunderous splash, its massive body twisting violently through the water.
"Find Dratini at the bottom of the lake!"
The hunt had begun.
---------------Author---------------
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