Pokémon: Chronicles of Freedom

While observing the weakened Arbok, Cain's frown deepened. Although this Arbok was a Poison-type Pokémon, making it vulnerable to Cain's Slowpoke and its psychic moves, and had been aggressively attacked head-on by Sneasel, it shouldn't have been this fragile.

Losing the ability to fight was expected, but this Arbok seemed to be on the verge of death, breathing laboriously.

Given its robust constitution, it shouldn't have fallen so quickly.

After Slowpoke's first psychic attack, Cain had already noticed something strange in Arbok's mental state, and Slowpoke's second psychic attack confirmed his suspicions.

"This Arbok has something unusual about it," Cain murmured to himself.

Cain took a Poké Ball from his pocket and threw it toward Arbok.

Since Arbok was at death's door, the capture process was simple and without incident. The red light on the Poké Ball blinked a few times before going out.

After capturing Arbok, Cain immediately released it. If he didn't act quickly, Arbok would die in less than half an hour, despite its sturdiness.

Cain took out a special pill he had created with the help of the system. This pill was extremely costly; just one of them cost nearly one hundred thousand Pokédollars. Cain had prepared them on the cargo ship before arriving at Judgment Island.

This pill, when ingested by a dying Pokémon, activates various hormones in its body, increasing its vitality. Additionally, it contains a variety of elements that help restore the Pokémon's mental state.

In summary, the pill can save a Pokémon's life when it's on the brink of death.

Cain had prepared ten of these pills, spending most of the money he had earned from the Mauville City tournament in Hoenn. They were a vital resource for emergencies.

The production cost of these pills was at least ten times what Cain paid, as their manufacture required the skills of an advanced breeder. On the market, their value could reach between three hundred thousand and four hundred thousand Pokédollars, and demand always exceeded supply.

Using one of these pills on Arbok pained Cain a bit.

In a place like Judgment Island, where supplies are limited, each use of these pills was a significant loss.

He could only hope Arbok had some hidden value that could justify the expense.

However, if he managed to control this Arbok, it could make his journey across the island much easier.

Even if Arbok had no hidden value, Cain believed it was worth trying to save it.

After treating its internal injuries, Cain took out a medicinal spray and applied it to Arbok's wounds.

While healing its external injuries, Cain noticed something unusual in Arbok's scars.

There were scars on its body and tail that were neither deep nor very visible, but upon closer inspection, Cain could see them clearly.

"System, conduct a detailed scan of this Arbok," Cain ordered mentally.

Arbok's scales weren't very hard; they felt somewhat soft to the touch, suggesting it had just shed its skin. However, after shedding, Arbok shouldn't have any old scars.

Unless the original wounds were extremely severe and deep, affecting even the new skin.

Shortly after, the system completed a detailed scan of Arbok.

Unlike simple data gathering, a detailed scan is only possible when the host makes direct contact with the Pokémon. Through microelectric currents in the human body, the system can transmit information to the Pokémon and obtain complete data on its body.

Thus, Cain only performed detailed scans on his own Pokémon.

A complete set of data appeared before Cain, including the system's preliminary explanation about Arbok's scars.

The analysis largely aligned with what Cain had imagined.

This Arbok had a resilient body, but it was covered in multiple wounds. Additionally, roughly one-tenth of its muscles were torn or damaged, allowing it to move only due to its natural constitution.

If it continued like this, not only would the new injuries affect it, but the accumulation of old wounds would cause internal problems, potentially even diminishing its potential.

According to the system, Arbok's original potential might have been higher, but the numerous wounds had caused a decrease in its capacity. If not treated in time, its potential would continue to decline.

However, if Cain could provide enough energy and the elements necessary for recovery, there was a small chance Arbok could regain some of its former potential.

Additionally, the system detected that Arbok not only had physical issues but also mental instability.

This was partly due to the two powerful psychic attacks from Slowpoke, which had caused shocks to its brain. However, the main reason was that Arbok had gone four or five days without sleep.

Its mind and body were at their limits, and if not for its strong constitution, it wouldn't have survived until Cain's arrival.

"It's clear it's been continuously attacked and harassed," Cain said, looking at the now bandaged Arbok.

"But something doesn't add up. From what I see in the surroundings, Arbok has lived here a long time. Its traces are clear. Why is it only now that these attacks are starting? Were the other Pokémon ignoring it before?" Cain was puzzled.

This Arbok wasn't weak, but considering its environment, the place it occupied was quite desirable, which surprised Cain from the start.

Even if it had been injured defending its territory, it shouldn't have only recently been attacked. It should have been fighting since it arrived here.

Unless...

Unless someone had been protecting it.

The only way to know the truth would be to wait until Arbok woke up.

Cain took a bottle of Moomoo Milk from his storage space and, using Slowpoke's psychic powers, opened Arbok's huge mouth and poured the milk in.

The unconscious Arbok woke up, choking on the milk.

Its eyes snapped open, filled with fury.

With one bite, it crushed the glass bottle, filling its mouth with shards, but its tense muscles prevented it from cutting itself.

"If you keep moving, you'll end up completely incapacitated," Cain said coldly, watching from the side.

(End of Chapter)