"This opportunity can't be missed!" Ash pulled out a Poké Ball, preparing to send Pidgey to battle the Weedle and then capture it. "Pidgey, you're up!"

As the white light dissipated in mid-air, revealing Pidgey, it hovered in place and turned to look at Ash. After seeing Ash point towards the Weedle, Pidgey quickly understood what was expected.

Meanwhile, the unsuspecting Weedle continued leisurely climbing up the tree trunk, oblivious to the imminent threat.

"Pidgey, use Wing Attack!" Ash commanded, sparing no mercy, urging Pidgey to use its most powerful move in hopes of incapacitating the Weedle in one hit.

"Pidgey—!" Flying-type energy converged on its wings as Pidgey dived straight at the Weedle.

Feeling the gust of wind, the Weedle seemed to realize the danger too late. It turned its head slightly to the left, only to be shocked by the sight of Pidgey barreling towards it. In a panic, Weedle accidentally released its grip on the tree bark, tumbling towards the ground and, by sheer luck, evading Pidgey's attack.

Pidgey hadn't anticipated this move. By the time it realized what had happened, it was too late to alter its course. Pidgey continued on its trajectory, slashing the tree trunk with its wings, leaving a mark but not harming the Weedle.

"We were too careless..." Ash frowned slightly, realizing that Pidgey had underestimated the Weedle, not considering the possible scenarios that could unfold.

While this mistake wasn't disastrous—Weedle hadn't escaped—it highlighted a critical point. Small details like this could decide the outcome in battles.

Ash had watched enough of the Pokémon League matches, like those between Elite Four members Lorelei and Agatha, to know that such fleeting moments of consideration were crucial, and Pokémon were quite adept at exploiting them.

"The journey ahead is indeed long..." This single attempt to capture a Pokémon had brought new insights to Ash.

Pidgey turned to look at the fleeing Weedle on the ground, its expression showing frustration. It hadn't expected this seemingly weak Bug-type Pokémon to dodge its attack, and this stirred a mix of annoyance and embarrassment within it.

"Calm down, Pidgey!" Ash could see Pidgey's agitation and knew that losing composure during battle was detrimental. It was fine for Pidgey to be spirited, but it needed to maintain its judgment and not expose vulnerabilities to the opponent.

Even with a strategy focusing on fast and strong attacks, it wasn't about reckless aggression but about strategically exploiting the opponent's weaknesses.

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Misty, despite her fear of Weedle, was impressed by Ash's guidance. She realized that Ash was quite different from the typical novice trainer; he seemed to possess a level of battle experience and insight that was uncommon among beginners.

Hearing Ash's words, Pidgey calmed down slightly, its gaze sharpening as it fixed its eyes on Weedle. The Weedle, feeling Pidgey's intense stare, quivered slightly and hurried its climb.

"Try again, use Wing Attack," Ash instructed, nodding slightly as he observed the situation.

"Pidgey—!" The Flying-type energy surged again, gathering on Pidgey's wings as it dove sharply downwards, launching another attack at Weedle.

In a panic, Weedle tried to dodge. Its speed was decent compared to other Pokémon of its kind, but it still lagged behind Pidgey, especially since Pidgey had undergone specific training.

This time, Pidgey accurately anticipated Weedle's attempted escape route, even manipulating Weedle's movements to some extent. As Weedle made a move to the left, Pidgey swiftly adjusted its trajectory to intercept Weedle's path.

"Boom—!" There was no doubt about the impact. Pidgey's attack struck Weedle hard, sending it flying several meters and knocking it out before it even hit the ground, emitting a pained cry as it lost consciousness.

"Pidgey—!" Pidgey soared back into the air, letting out a satisfied cry, evidently proud of itself. However, when it noticed Ash's calm gaze, Pidgey subdued its burgeoning pride. After all, it was just a Weedle, and defeating it wasn't something to be overly proud of.

"Well done, Pidgey," Ash said, nodding slightly in approval. His praise was not just for defeating Weedle but for Pidgey's emotional maturity following the victory. He felt that Pidgey was growing.

"Pika Pika—!" Pikachu also waved its little paws at Pidgey, celebrating its victory.

"Go, Poké Ball!" Ash wasted no time, throwing a Poké Ball at the weakened Weedle. With no strength left to resist, the Weedle was quickly captured inside the ball, and after a moment, with a 'click', three golden stars briefly sparkled, signaling a successful capture.

"I've got my third Pokémon!" Ash picked up the Poké Ball, his eyes gleaming with a small yet significant victory on his path to becoming the strongest.

"Ash..." At that moment, Misty's trembling voice reached Ash's ears, turning his attention towards her with a puzzled look.

"Do you hear something...?" Misty glanced at the Poké Ball in Ash's hand. Though slightly frightened, she stepped closer and asked with a pale face.

"A sound...?" Ash paused, then focused on listening carefully. Soon, he too heard a strange, buzzing noise surrounding them, creating an unsettling atmosphere.

Recognizing the sound, Ash's face turned pale. Without hesitation, he recalled Pidgey into its Poké Ball, scooped up Pikachu, grabbed Misty's hand, and started running in the opposite direction.

Pikachu's expression was one of alarm. It had encountered this sound before while in the wild and had witnessed a terrifying scene that it could not forget.

"What's going on?" Misty, confused, couldn't understand why Ash was reacting so dramatically to the strange noise.

"That's the sound of insect wings vibrating. Judging by the intensity, there are at least twenty pairs of wings. In Viridian Forest, the only swarming Bug-type Pokémon are Beedrill!" Ash explained hurriedly as they ran, knowing all too well that attracting the attention of a Beedrill swarm was not good news.

Beedrill's strength was at least at the standard level, far surpassing the Spearow flock they had encountered outside Pallet Town.

While the Spearow flock might be more numerous, if they were to clash with a Beedrill swarm, there was no doubt the Beedrill would emerge victorious, even despite the type disadvantage.