Chapter 579: Acceptance
When seeing so many wild Bastiodons.
Kazuya understood.
He didn't just come to the Ancient Era.
He had clearly arrived at the primordial period when Dragon-type Pokémon stood at the apex of nature and dominated the whole world.
The heads of the Bastiodons were an exaggerated three meters long.
Facing the same direction and standing in a row, they were simply a city wall to humans.
Even though Kazuya's current height was 3.3 meters.
He still had to look up slightly to see the top of the Bastiodon's head.
"Bastiodons should be relatively friendly, right?"
Kazuya stood in the distance, sizing them up.
In the Pokédex description.
Bastiodons have a docile personality, feed on grass leaves and berries, and almost never take the initiative to attack other Pokémon.
Even if Pokémon invaded their territory, as long as they didn't harm the Bastiodons and Shieldons, they wouldn't be attacked by them.
However.
That was, after all, Pokédex data from the League Era.
Kazuya couldn't say for sure how it actually was.
To cross this grassland and head to the northern swamp.
The path before them was the closest one.
Taking a detour, who knows what Pokémon's territory they would intrude into.
Right now.
The Bastiodons and Shieldons saw the three of them, but didn't launch an attack, or even generate hostility; they merely remained vigilant.
With this kind of attitude, they shouldn't mind them borrowing the path through here, right?
"Flo-ette."
Floette shook her head.
This place was too far from her clan's territory.
In the past, Floette had never been here, and didn't know what kind of Pokémon were here, let alone understand the personalities of these Pokémon.
She was even seeing Pokémon like Bastiodon and Shieldon for the first time today.
"Roar?"
Charmeleon turned his head to look at Kazuya.
The first thing was to ask if they were edible.
"No! Don't just ask if they're edible whenever you see other Pokémon. You can only eat what I catch for you."
Kazuya looked at this Brother-kun somewhat speechlessly.
"Roar."
Charmeleon nodded obediently.
At this time.
The grass in front seemed to be divided by something.
A Shieldon-kun, only one meter tall, slowly drilled out.
Guy-kun couldn't even walk steadily yet.
"Shiel~"
Shieldon-kun was just born not long ago, and hadn't yet realized the cruelty and sinister nature of the world.
So towards Kazuya, who possessed the Dragon Stone, he couldn't help but move closer, completely not considering whether this big guy would hurt him.
"Flo-ette~"
Floette, seeing this honest and sincere Dragon-kun, happily went up to meet him.
She seemed to really like this kind of cub.
When she first saw Kazuya and Charmeleon, she also hurriedly took action to protect the cubs.
Cold sweat flowed slightly on Kazuya's forehead.
Floette's sudden approach made all the Bastiodons not far away tense up, and they began to move their heavy steps to approach this side.
The Bastiodons' speed was very slow, appearing very clumsy.
Yes.
Heavy.
The weight of these Bastiodons, it was estimated that each of them had to be measured in tons.
With over a dozen Bastiodons stepping this way, Kazuya even had the illusion that this grassland was vibrating.
Fortunately, Floette didn't do any more movements that stimulated the Bastiodons.
On the contrary.
Seeing Floette teasing the Shieldon cub with the small flower in her hand, coaxing Baby-kun to play together, the Bastiodons actually gradually relaxed their vigilance.
Of course.
Kazuya also played an invisible role in this.
His affinity with Dragon-type Pokémon was relatively high.
Just standing here could make the completely unfamiliar Bastiodons generate a bit of trust.
"Don't act rashly, they are not enemies."
Kazuya reached out and patted Brother-kun's shoulder.
He was afraid this foolish fellow would act up at this time.
Fortunately, Charmeleon had never dropped the ball at critical moments, standing obediently in place and swaying his tail.
Towards these approaching Bastiodons.
He was not only unafraid.
But even a little expectant and excited.
His intention was very obvious and also very simple—he wanted to play together with the Bastiodons and Shieldons.
This pitiful child.
From birth until now, he only had Kazuya and Floette beside him.
One older brother and one older sister.
He didn't have any Companion-kuns of the same age to play with.
"Bastio."
A Bastiodon with a slightly larger physique, nearly five meters tall, boldly approached.
She was the patriarch of the Bastiodon clan.
Quite old in age, she could tell at a glance that these two dragons and one flower were also Child-kuns.
However.
What made her curious was.
The Charizard clan was the overlord clan of the volcanic mountain range bordering the south of the grassland.
And the Florges clan was one of the most powerful Alpha clans on the grassland.
What were these three Child-kuns doing running to the northernmost part of the grassland, a thousand miles away, instead of staying in their safe homes?
"Shiel."
Shieldon-kun, seeing the patriarch come over, obediently retreated and made way.
"Hello, we want to borrow the path to go to the northern swamp."
Kazuya nodded at the Bastiodon patriarch, a touch of strangeness flashing in the depths of his eyes.
In this clan, there were 12 Bastiodons and 5 Shieldons.
It was a clan of a relatively small scale.
But.
This number was already enough to birth an [Alpha].
But judging from the size of the Bastiodon patriarch, the other party clearly hadn't obtained the Alpha designation, otherwise, no matter how malnourished, her height should have gone up to six or seven meters.
"Bastio? Bastio."
Bastiodon frowned after hearing this, and then shook her head.
Her body didn't move aside.
Meaning she wouldn't let Kazuya and the others pass.
However.
The reason Bastiodon didn't let Kazuya pass wasn't because she refused to lend the path.
Instead, it was because she cared about the lives and safety of these three children.
"Is there a problem ahead?"
Kazuya humbly asked.
Bastiodon, as the local boss of this area.
Definitely had a better understanding of the nearby situation, and might even know a bit about the situation over in the swamp, so it was better to ask in advance.
"Bastio..."
Under Bastiodon's explanation.
Kazuya's brows couldn't help but furrow.
Bastiodon didn't know what exactly happened in the swamp, but it had been quite chaotic over there recently. Many Poison-type Pokémon had run out of the swamp, seemingly having lost their homeland.
And this.
Was clearly quite different from what Kazuya had learned from Florges.
As a territory with an overlord, and an overlord that didn't eat meat and wouldn't actively initiate attacks.
The swamp should have been a relatively peaceful and stable zone.
Chaos?
Then there was no doubt.
Something definitely went wrong with that overlord.
"Is that so."
Kazuya pinched his chin and lowered his head.
In this way, the swamp was indeed not a good place to go.
He already had quite a few complaints about the natural environment there in the first place.
He was completely heading there for the low survival difficulty.
Now, this survival difficulty had also started to rise.
But.
Could it be that they had to turn around and go back?
"Bastio?"
"We all didn't want to stay in our own clans, so we left. We originally wanted to go survive over by the swamp to be a bit safer, but now, we haven't thought of where to go for the time being."
Kazuya sighed and explained a bit.
If it were just him alone.
It actually wouldn't matter where he went.
But he still had a simple-minded Brother-kun and Sister-kun beside him, he couldn't leave them behind and ignore them.
"Bastio."
Bastiodon looked at Kazuya and said with a smile.
She was inviting the three of Kazuya to stay in their clan.
"Is it okay? Will it cause trouble for you?"
Kazuya was somewhat tempted.
The personalities of Bastiodons are mostly honest and docile, and they are very good at guarding.
If they lived together with them.
They basically wouldn't need to worry much about dying prematurely halfway, nor would they need to migrate frequently.
According to his observation.
The Bastiodon patriarch's level wasn't high, but it was also at Lv. 45.
In this edge zone of the grassland, it was already considered one of the top levels.
"Bastio."
Bastiodon smiled and nodded.
She took the initiative to step forward and nuzzled Kazuya a bit, expressing her attitude and intimacy.
The other Bastiodons and Shieldons also spoke up one after another to urge them to stay.
Those who were slightly bolder would take the initiative to step forward and nuzzle the three of them.
This was the Bastiodon clan's way of expressing friendliness.
The skull, comparable to diamond, made Kazuya feel a slight coolness on his skin.
"Then it would be impolite to decline."
Kazuya nodded.
He decided to stay with Floette and Charmeleon.
"Shiel~"
Shieldon-kun only then wagged his short, chubby tail and stepped forward, a joyful expression revealing on his face.
Floette and Charmeleon went over to greet everyone.
This friendly attitude also made the Bastiodons sigh in relief in their hearts, gradually accepting the three of them.
"Bastio."
The Bastiodon patriarch nodded at Kazuya, taking him to patrol her territory.
It took less than fifteen minutes to walk a circle.
Thinking about Bastiodon's speed.
Walking for fifteen minutes.
This piece of territory could be said to be quite small.
It was only two or three times larger than the territory Kazuya had in his first life when he was a Beedrill.
It was true that the Bastiodon clan had few members, but relying on the Bastiodon patriarch's strength, the territory definitely shouldn't be this narrow.
The food resources on this land.
Was it enough for the Bastiodon clan to distribute?
Kazuya didn't have any hesitation or concerns, and directly asked.
Since they were going to live together in the future.
Then it was better to ask and clarify this kind of question in advance.
If the Bastiodon clan actively reduced their territory, then he wanted to understand the reason.
If not.
Then he would figure out a way to expand the Bastiodons' survival resources, as a way of repaying the Bastiodons' acceptance and protection.
"Bastio..."
Bastiodon's eyelids drooped, and she turned her head to look towards the east.
Kazuya followed her gaze and looked towards the east, coming to understand the Bastiodon clan's current situation.
According to what the Bastiodon patriarch said.
In the east.
There was another Pokémon species.
Their strength was even more powerful, their number of members was greater, their temper was also more violent, and they were carnivorous Pokémon.
Being neighbors with the Bastiodon clan.
It wasn't hard to imagine what that group of Pokémon would do.
Under the harassment and attacks of that group of Pokémon.
Although the Bastiodon clan protected the children very well, without a sharp decline in the number of members.
But the range of their territory was constantly being squeezed.
To make matters worse, Bastiodons and Shieldons had slow movement speeds.
Even if they wanted to run, they had nowhere to run.
They could only always be passively beaten and endure silently.
Just at this time.
Just as Bastiodon finished speaking.
Heavy and aggressive footsteps came from the grassland in the east.
Bang!
"Are they here."
Kazuya, who had just learned of the situation from the Bastiodon patriarch's mouth, immediately understood what was going on.
That Pokémon clan from the east had come to attack the Bastiodon clan again.
He wanted to see.
What kind of clan this was.
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