Pokemon Chronicles of Darkness

Chapter 33

The stillness of night enveloped Cain and Murkrow as they drifted off to sleep in their tent, lulled by the melodic chirping of insects and the gentle rustle of leaves.

When they awoke, the sun had risen, casting its fiery red glow upon the sky like a swollen, angry face. They set about rekindling their fire, preparing a nourishing breakfast, and beginning their daily training regimen.

Cain focused on strengthening his body, while Murkrow honed his moves, knowing that dedication and persistence would ultimately lead to success. For, as the old saying goes, the work of the year must be done in the spring, and the work of the day must be done in the morning. And so, they trained with renewed vigor, knowing that their morning efforts would yield twice the results with half the effort.

Murkrow had recently acquired four new moves from TMs: Protect, Substitute, Screech, and Dark Pulse. Each required extensive practice and mastery to be used effectively in battle. Except for Protect, which could not be trained in the traditional sense, the other three moves all required a significant amount of training in order to be used proficiently. Only through mastery could these moves truly be wielded in combat.

Of particular importance were the two life-saving moves, Protect and Substitute, crucial for survival in the wild. Dark Pulse, as Murkrow's primary dark-type move, was also a move that required constant training. All four moves were essential, each serving a unique purpose in various situations.

In addition to these new moves, Murkrow also needed to continue training Wing Attack, which he had only recently acquired. Though the weight he carried had been strenuous, the constant training of his wings had naturally improved the power of his Wing Attack.

"Murkrow, use Dark Pulse on the large tree in front of you!" commanded Cain, having completed his own training session and now lending his guidance to Murkrow's targeted training.

Hearing the command, Murkrow nodded and focused his energy. An aura of pure malevolence radiated from his body as a wave of pitch-black dark energy gathered around him. With a surge of malice, he unleashed the energy onto the tree, crashing into it with formidable force.

The ground trembled and the leaves rustled in the wake of Murkrow's Dark Pulse, as deep, jagged scratches marred the trunk of the tree he had targeted. A sinister hiss echoed through the clearing, the added effect of the dark energy.

"You see the damage caused by Dark Pulse now, don't you? That tree is still left standing with only some broken bark. Against most foes, the effects of the move may not be so striking," Cain observed, "But don't be discouraged. You've just learned this move. With practice and control, you'll be able to focus the energy, making it all the more powerful. You'll be able to defeat even powerful Psychic and Ghost-type Pokémon with this move of yours."

Murkrow nodded eagerly, determined to master this powerful move.

Once again, the aura of malice surrounded Murkrow as he gathered the dark energy. Instead of releasing it wildly, he focused on controlling the spread, condensing the energy for maximum impact. After a few moments, when the energy had reached its peak, Murkrow unleashed Dark Pulse upon the tree once more.

"Bang!" The ground shook less violently this time, but a finger-sized black hole appeared on the trunk of the tree, smoke rising from the wound. The attack was much more powerful than before. Murkrow was pleased with the progress he had made and determined to continue perfecting this move.

Cain watched with pride as Murkrow's control of Dark Pulse improved, nodding in satisfaction. It was clear that Murkrow possessed a natural talent for energy control, a skill that could only be honed through constant exposure and training.

"Well done, Murkrow. By controlling the concentration of energy and minimizing unnecessary losses, you've increased the power of the move. Though the release time is still too slow, with more experimentation, you'll improve. Keep up the good work," Cain praised Murkrow, knowing that recognition and encouragement would only drive the Pokemon to work harder.

Murkrow eagerly accepted the praise and redoubled his efforts.

Cain couldn't help but smile, feeling honored to have such a gifted Pokemon under his tutelage.

After an hour of training, Cain and Murkrow set out on their journey once more, the main objective being to fulfill Umbra's request. But basic training could not be neglected, for it would be a waste of both time and life.

Murkrow, feeling refreshed after consuming some Pokeblocks, quickly regained his peak condition, even his aura appearing slightly enhanced. The invisible effects of Pokeblocks were undeniable, allowing for recovery in mere minutes as opposed to hours.

With consistent use of Pokeblocks, the gap between Murkrow and other Pokemon would only continue to widen. The effectiveness of Pokeblocks made Pokemon breeders a highly sought-after commodity, even if they could only make the most basic pokeblocks.

A Pokemon breeder might not possess great strength, but they should never be underestimated. The relationships they hold and the favors they are owed by powerful individuals, like a hornet's nest, should not be trifled with.

Cain and Murkrow had strayed from their path the day before in search of water, and now they must retrace their steps.

As the sun rose, the forest came alive with the activity of Pokemon emerging under the warm rays. The entire forest teemed with vitality and energy.

As they journeyed deeper, the Pokemon they encountered became fewer in number, but more alert and aware of their surroundings. Though, from time to time, they would come across injured Pokemon lying on the ground or in trees, or even corpses.

Cain and Murkrow paid little attention to these sights, but as they delved deeper into the forest, they remained vigilant, with Murkrow ever ready to strike.

Their journey was made easier by the system's scanning function, ensuring that no Pokemon could get too close to Cain without being detected.

In truth, under the system's scanning, Cain had become aware of several Pokemon deliberately approaching him, even trailing him for quite some time.

As he came to a stop, a Pinsir suddenly lunged out of the undergrowth, aiming for the vulnerable Cain.

"Caw!" Murkrow, ever vigilant, reacted in an instant, using a combination of Tailwind and Feint Attack to send the Pinsir flying.

Cain couldn't help but laugh at the Pinsir's failed ambush, recognizing it as the same Pokemon that Murkrow had defeated before. But this time, it had learned from its mistake and wisely targeted Cain first. However, it was a mistake still, for even without Murkrow, the system had detected the danger and Cain's body was tensed and ready to dodge at a moment's notice.

"Kruaah!" But the Pinsir had come prepared, as three more Pinsirs leapt out of the surrounding grass upon hearing the cry. According to the system's scan, they were roughly as strong as the one before them.

Cain laughed, "How interesting, they've come as a group for a rematch." A few days ago, Murkrow had been able to defeat one of these Pinsirs, let alone now that Murkrow has grown even more powerful. Even if he were to face these four Pinsirs together, they would be easy to defeat.

"Kruh-ee! Kruh-ee! Kruh-ee! Kruh-eee!" The four Pinsirs exchanged glances, and with a mutual understanding, they advanced on Cain as one. Having suffered defeat before, they knew that the seemingly weak creature before them was their greatest threat.

"Murkrow, Screech!" Cain commanded calmly, his expression unchanged.