Fully prepared and refreshed after two hours of sleep, Peter set out at once, heading straight for the coastline.
Before long, he arrived at a towering cliff. This spot marked the very edge of the coast—because of the height difference between land and sea, the terrain jutted outward, forming a natural rise over forty meters high.
A lush, crooked old tree stretched far out from the cliff's edge. At the very end of its branches sat a bird's nest, crudely woven from twigs and wild grass—strikingly conspicuous against the sky.
"No wonder I couldn't find it last night…"
Peter murmured to himself.
"That dull gray blends perfectly with the dark sea after sunset…"
He raised his binoculars and focused on the nest.
Inside, besides the mother Mandibuzz, were several hungry chicks, mouths wide open as they cried incessantly for food.
There were Rufflet chicks—still fluffy and down-covered—
and Vullaby hatchlings as well.
Clearly, all the eggs seen in Nessa's photo had already hatched.
Judging by the fullness of their feathers, these chicks were already on the brink of being able to fly.
….
Not long after, a massive silhouette swept in from the distance.
A Braviary, wings broad and powerful, descended upon the nest, clutching two enormous sea clams in its talons.
Its razor-sharp claws pierced through the shells, exposing the meat inside.
[Braviary Lv58 (High Gym-tier)]
Peter frowned slightly.
"That level… yeah, there's no way I can just snatch a kid in front of it."
But just as he was thinking that, something unexpected happened in the nest.
Braviary handed one clam to Mandibuzz, then casually lowered its head and began eating the other itself.
The three Rufflet chicks stared at their father with longing eyes, beaks stretched wide.
In the past, this gesture always earned them pieces of fresh seafood.
But today—
Their father showed no reaction at all.
He merely watched them coldly.
On the other side, Mandibuzz had already begun feeding the Vullaby hatchlings, likewise ignoring the Rufflets completely.
A rare sight indeed—favoring daughters over sons.
Yet in the clans of Braviary and Mandibuzz, this behavior was entirely real.
The reason was simple.
Braviary, a Pokémon that worships strength and combat, encourages its offspring to fight and seize food on their own.
Vullaby, on the other hand, is known as the Diaper Pokémon. Before evolution, it lacks the ability to fly, so Mandibuzz stays with them until they evolve—often even crafting makeshift "diapers" out of collected bones to increase their defense.
Right now, Braviary was deliberately using hunger to provoke his sons into attacking him.
…
"Oil!"
Finally, the slightly larger Rufflet shrieked and lunged toward its father, powerful talons aimed straight at the clam meat in his beak.
Braviary didn't even look.
With a casual flick of its wing, he sent the chick flying backward.
Sharp eyes locked onto the three sons.
Under that crushing gaze, the remaining Rufflets could no longer withstand the pressure. All three burst forward at once, their beaks glowing white as they pecked toward him!
"GIAO—!!"
A piercing eagle cry echoed through the air.
In the next instant, a violent gale erupted behind Braviary, sweeping the three Rufflets straight into the sky.
"Oil! Oil!"
The chicks flailed desperately, wings beating frantically—but to no avail.
They had never experienced true altitude before.
They didn't yet know how to ride the wind.
All they could do was fall.
From a height of over forty meters, a direct drop would mean instant death for chicks still in their youth.
Yet Braviary remained unmoved.
This cruelty was tradition.
Or rather—
The pride etched into their blood was forged from childhood yearning for the sky, and the courage to face death head-on.
Peter held his breath, eyes locked on the falling chicks.
"Oil!"
Suddenly, one Rufflet spread its wings hard, stabilizing itself midair.
It began flapping clumsily—
then rose again.
The other two followed, barely managing to lift themselves just before hitting the ground.
In mere minutes, the three chicks had crossed the boundary between ground-bound fledglings and true fliers!
"Chirp—!!"
Led by the first, all three charged once more at their father.
Braviary's gaze instantly turned terrifying.
A crushing aura burst forth, aimed directly at the chicks.
…
Scary Face — Effect: sharply lowers the target's Speed by two stages.
"Chirp…"
One Rufflet froze on the spot, overwhelmed by the pressure.
Disappointment flickered through Braviary's eyes.
With a violent motion, he flung a strip of clam meat like a projectile, smashing it into the chick and sending it flying far away. A surge of wind followed, carrying the small body completely out of sight.
In battle, showing fear meant disqualification.
That child was abandoned.
The remaining two Rufflets continued their assault.
Perhaps enraged by their sibling's cowardice, Braviary grew even more ruthless.
No more wind or intimidation—
This time, he struck directly.
A single wing slammed down.
Wing Attack — Flying-type physical move, power 60.
With STAB, the damage was devastating.
"Boom!"
Both Rufflets were smashed into the ground, dust exploding outward.
Moments later, one struggled back into the air—
The other was swallowed by the dust.
"…."
Peter watched in silence for a long while.
There was no denying it—
To be called "Warriors of the Sky," Braviary truly underwent brutal, iron-blooded training from birth.
"…What a shame. I honestly thought the other one had more grit."
He frowned, puzzled, as he saw only one Rufflet left eating the clam meat.
"That one should've been able to fly again…"
Adjusting the binoculars' zoom, Peter saw a scene he would never forget.
The fallen Rufflet had crashed onto a sharp rock spike.
Its wing had been completely impaled.
Yet even so—
It was still flapping its remaining wing, desperately trying to rise again.
Feathers littered the ground.
Blood streamed down the jagged stone.
But its determination did not waver.
Peter didn't hesitate.
He dropped the binoculars, jumped onto his bike, and pedaled hard.
The Rufflet had fallen into a blind spot of the Braviary's vision—
the perfect opportunity.
"Haah… haah…"
Peter pedaled furiously, lungs burning.
Closer—
Closer—
Almost there!
His eyes were glued to the struggling Rufflet, pedaling so hard the chain nearly smoked.
He was terrified the chick might suddenly break through and fly away.
But life rarely goes as planned.
Just as Peter reached the rock spike, the Rufflet finally tore itself free.
Ignoring its injuries, it beat its wings and tried to rise.
"Ah—don't! Wait for me!!"
Peter shouted desperately.
The Rufflet didn't listen.
And just as despair crept in—
A piercing eagle cry rang out.
Braviary seized the last remaining Rufflet, riding the wind as he vanished into the sky, becoming a black speck on the horizon.
Mandibuzz followed soon after, carrying the nest away.
This was Braviary formally ending the partnership.
The two clans only "borrow blood" during mating seasons.
Once the chicks mature, they return to solitary lives.
That was why most Vullaby were raised only by their mother.
---
"Oil… oil…"
Under the rising sun, the lone injured Rufflet cried weakly.
It wanted to prove itself to its father—
but it had missed the chance.
Sadness shimmered in its eyes.
The pain of its body, combined with the pain in its heart, finally overwhelmed its young frame.
It collapsed.
"Careful!"
Instead of the cold ground—
It felt warm arms catch it.
In a daze, it saw a gentle-looking boy, eyes filled with concern.
--------------
T/N:
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