After being pursued by Charmeleon for half an hour, Bill finally collapsed in exhaustion.
Despite merging with Raticate due to the experimental machine malfunction, he couldn't access any of Raticate's powers or abilities. He could only run and endure Charmeleon's relentless attacks.
Being a researcher rather than a trainer, Bill lacked the physical endurance needed for such a chase. Now lying on the ground panting, he looked up pleadingly. "You're going to have to deal with this yourself."
Bill's pitiful state finally made Eddie halt his attack. Curious, he asked what was actually happening.
"It's like this... it's like this..." Bill wheezed. "This is what happened."
"Oh, I see. So you're Pokémon researcher Bill, but because of an operational error with your machine, you ended up like this?"
"I tried telling you that from the beginning! You wouldn't listen to my explanation at all—you just kept commanding Charmeleon to attack me!"
"Hahahaha, I was startled by your appearance," Eddie admitted with an embarrassed expression. He quickly changed the subject. "By the way, since you're stuck like this now, do you need my help to restore you to your original form?"
Bill's eyes suddenly lit up at the offer, immediately forgetting his previous irritation.
"Yes, yes! I can't fix the machine by myself. You're exactly what I need! Let's hurry back to the Sea Cottage right away."
Bill scrambled to his feet and headed toward his seaside home, frantically gesturing for Eddie to follow.
"Ding! You have triggered the hidden task: Bill's Request for Help. Help Bill return to his original state."
Eddie smiled at the familiar prompt sound. Although this task differed slightly from what he remembered from his previous life, it followed the general plot he knew, so there were no major surprises.
Best of all, this particular task was relatively simple to complete yet offered substantial rewards.
This straightforward mission with generous compensation was exactly the kind any sensible player would appreciate.
However, the moment Eddie accepted the task, everything changed.
"Ahhhhh!! Help!!"
One, two, three.
Three Fearow suddenly swooped down from the sky. One of them seized Bill with its powerful talons and carried him upward into the air.
Name: Fearow
Attribute: Normal + Flying
Ability: Keen Eye
Level: 35
"Well, this is interesting," Eddie mused. "Is this the natural progression of the plot, or is this the mandatory encounter that triggers after accepting the quest?"
"Three level 35 Fearow at once, though—that's unexpected. In an area where the average wild Pokémon is level 25-30, these are definitely among the strongest in the region."
Eddie observed the scene with remarkable calm, commenting on the situation as if analyzing a routine battle strategy. He showed little concern for Bill's screams for help, causing the researcher to wonder if Eddie might actually be a villain.
"I'll have Charmeleon and Frogadier handle one each, while Riolu and Grovyle—who are at a type disadvantage—can team up against the third one."
After considering his options, Eddie noticed the Fearow preparing to depart with Bill. He quickly released all his Pokémon and arranged his strategy against the multiple opponents.
Pokémon like Fearow weren't exceptionally powerful on their own. As wild Pokémon, their strength was generally determined by their species—unless they were Shiny or had some other special characteristic.
Even with the level difference, Eddie's Pokémon were overall stronger than their opponents.
Riolu was the exception, of course. Not having evolved yet, its inherent strength was limited.
"Charmeleon, Frogadier—intercept and bring down your targets. Grovyle, prepare Solar Beam, and Riolu, provide cover!"
With just a few concise commands, Eddie organized his entire strategy. The rest would depend on his Pokémon's individual skills.
"CHAR!"
"FRO!"
Charmeleon unleashed a powerful Flamethrower while Frogadier fired an Ice Beam. Both attacks targeted the Fearows' wings specifically.
Riolu used Focus Blast, a move it had only recently mastered. The attack required significant energy, so Riolu only fired after carefully predicting the target's movement to ensure accuracy.
Meanwhile, Grovyle was absorbing sunlight energy, preparing to deliver a devastating surprise to the Fearow carrying Bill.
The Fearow were immediately enraged. They were naturally irritable creatures, and in this area, they were accustomed to being the apex predators.
They hadn't expected that on a routine hunting expedition, they would encounter a trainer who dared to challenge them. How could they not be furious?
So they all retaliated, determined to teach Eddie a harsh lesson about respecting the local wildlife hierarchy.
At this moment, they were brave warriors charging headlong into battle, ready to demonstrate their superior strength against this foolish human.
However, three minutes later, the scenario had completely changed.
The three Fearow had transformed from fearless attackers into desperate creatures frantically dodging attacks.
During those three minutes, Charmeleon and Frogadier had utterly dominated their respective opponents.
Charmeleon scorched one Fearow with repeated Flamethrower attacks, while Frogadier damaged another with successive Ice Beams.
Riolu's Focus Blast proved both accurate and devastating. After being struck once, the third Fearow dared not approach Riolu again.
The Fearow were confused and panicked, realizing too late that they had severely underestimated their opposition.
Their murderous intent from moments ago had evaporated, replaced by a desperate struggle for survival.
The two Fearow facing Charmeleon and Frogadier were managing to hold their position somewhat. Despite their opponents' strength and rapid attack rate, they could still use their aerial advantage to dodge—if they were extremely cautious.
Though escape was impossible due to the continuous barrage of attacks—turning to flee would mean exposing their backs to their enemies—they weren't in immediate danger.
However, the Fearow facing Riolu and Grovyle was in a state of panic.
It hadn't forgotten about Grovyle!
To ensure a precise and powerful hit against the Fearow, Grovyle had been absorbing sunlight energy to the point of near saturation.
Though Grass-type moves normally dealt reduced damage against Flying-types, everyone familiar with Pokémon battles knew the raw power of Solar Beam. Combined with Grovyle's Miracle Seed, the attack would still inflict significant damage.
The Fearow had no desire to experience the full force of such an attack but couldn't approach Grovyle because Riolu stood guard.
When it had attempted to charge forward earlier, Riolu had countered with a devastating Thunder Punch.
So it hovered anxiously in the air, lacking any effective strategy but trembling with fear.
Of course, it wasn't the only one trembling.
Bill, still clutched in its talons, was equally terrified.
"Is that Solar Beam? No! Are you trying to kill me too?! Help!!!"