Chapter 1: Viridian Forest, Bounty Mission
Viridian Forest, the most expansive primeval forest in Kanto, spans across the gap between Viridian City and Pewter City. Its southernmost reaches even border the Johto region. Within its three million square kilometers of wilderness live billions of Pokémon of every conceivable variety.
At this moment, in a desolate corner deep within the forest, a youth about 1.7 meters tall with a long black ponytail was sprinting across the grass. His handsome, youthful face was a mask of excitement tinged with lingering fear.
He couldn’t help but steal a glance behind him. A purple shadow was hurtling through the underbrush, its thick body moving with a fluid speed that defied the laws of nature as it effortlessly bypassed withered logs and tangled vines. The purple phantom left a long, winding trail of flattened grass in its wake.
Its upright body stood half the height of a man. The flared hood at its neck bore a terrifying, symmetrical pattern resembling demonic eyes a sight that sent a chill crawling up the spine of anyone who looked at it.
It was an adult wild Arbok. Over five meters in length, its powerful build and lethal venom ensured that it had virtually no natural enemies in the wild.
If this guy weren’t weakened from molting, he probably would have caught me by now, Hisoka thought with a bitter smile as the approaching hissing sounds grew louder. If he had a choice, he never would have provoked such a monster.
Fortunately, he had prepared for this. The mission was dangerous, but as long as everything went according to plan, he would be fine. Besides, the reward for this job was breathtaking. Thinking of the payout, the last traces of worry vanished from his face, replaced by a surge of confidence.
“Lulu, how much longer until you can use Teleport?” Hisoka asked, tightening his grip on the little creature in his arms.
Suddenly, a small green head popped out from the collar of his camouflage jacket. Green hair covered half the little head like a bowl-cut, with two red horns protruding from the front and back. It was a Pokémon that looked very similar to a small human girl.
“Ten more breaths and Lulu can use Teleport!”
A soft, childish voice rang out directly in Hisoka’s mind. This was the special ability of Ralts: Telepathy. She could link her mental energy directly with human brainwaves to communicate freely.
Ten seconds, Hisoka noted mentally. He tucked the small head back inside and took a deep breath, pouring every ounce of strength into a mad dash toward the northeast.
At the end of the thicket lay a ten-meter-wide gap in the cliffside. Hisoka had spent an entire day calculating the distance down to the centimeter; when his life was on the line, he couldn’t afford to be anything less than precise.
Ten breaths passed in a heartbeat. The Arbok was now barely thirty meters behind him. To avoid its poison needles, Hisoka ran in a tight serpentine pattern, though the forest floor prevented him from reaching his maximum speed.
He burst through the final layer of brush to find a bottomless abyss yawning before him. Without a moment’s hesitation, he executed the move he had practiced a dozen times. His right foot slammed into a rock at the cliff’s edge, using the momentum to spring forward like a soaring eagle.
“Lulu, Teleport!” Hisoka roared. Before his body could begin its descent into the chasm, a mysterious power enveloped him. He felt a wrenching sensation as space distorted around him, but his face lit up with the joy of survival. A second later, he vanished from mid-air and reappeared on the opposite side of the cliff.
“Hahaha!” Hisoka hit the grass hard and immediately sat up. Ignoring the ache in his limbs, he let out a boisterous laugh and gave the middle finger to the Arbok, which stood on the far ledge, roaring at the sky in frustration.
Lulu’s Teleport limit was one hundred meters, and the distance between the cliffs was only ten meters. The momentum from his dash and jump had more than covered the gap. This bounty mission was a success.
“Lulu, we’re going to have a lot of money once we turn this in. Tell me, what do you want to eat?” Hisoka rode his mountain bike down a deserted forest path. The gentle breeze brushed against his face, making him squint in satisfaction.
Sitting on his shoulder, the Ralts waved her tiny hands excitedly. “Lulu wants vanilla-flavored Poké Puffs, strawberry-flavored Rare Candy, and... and chocolate-flavored Pokéblocks!”
“I’ll buy them, I’ll buy them all,” Hisoka said dotingly. He pedaled harder, and together they rode toward the setting sun, heading back to Viridian City.
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