"Beedrill?!" Misty's face turned even paler than Ash's, partly from her fear of Bug-type Pokémon and partly from knowing just how formidable Beedrill, especially a swarm of them, could be.

"We can't run far; we need to find a place to hide..." Ash knew that Beedrill was fast, and they wouldn't get far before being spotted and caught if they tried to run. They needed to find a hiding spot quickly.

Looking around, Ash spotted a dense thicket that seemed like a good hiding place. The bushes, about a meter high, could completely conceal them if they crouched down.

Though unsure if this would be enough to evade Beedrill's detection, Ash knew it was a better option than remaining exposed.

Dragging Misty along with Pikachu in tow, Ash rushed into the thicket. Without hesitation, he pushed Misty down to crawl to the side while he lay flat on the ground, slightly lifting his head to keep watch.

The best-case scenario would be that the Beedrill passed by without noticing them, allowing them to leave after the danger had subsided. The worst-case scenario was undoubtedly a battle with the Beedrill.

If it came down to one or two Beedrill, Ash was confident that he and Pidgey, along with Pikachu, could handle them. Misty, however, was not to be relied upon in this situation, as she had yet to overcome her fear.

But a whole swarm of Beedrill was a different matter entirely, presenting a far more dangerous crisis than even a flock of Spearow.

Next to Ash, Misty trembled slightly, both from fear and nervousness. She clung tightly to Ash's hand, biting her lip and keeping her eyes shut, unwilling to face the scene in front of her.

Moments later, a horde of menacing Pokémon appeared in Ash's line of sight—there were about fifteen Beedrill!

Beedrill looked similar to a giant wasp but, unlike typical wasps, they only had four legs instead of six and their bodies were divided into three segments: the head, thorax, and abdomen.

There were three striking features about Beedrill: their ruby-red eyes that shimmered like jewels; their large, thick stingers that glinted coldly; and the formidable poison stinger at their tail end.

Beedrill

Type: Bug, Poison

Category: Poison Bee Pokémon

Ability: Swarm

Swarm: Pokémon with this ability increase the power of their Bug-type moves by 1.5 times when their HP drops to one-third or less.

Level: Normal

Ash's gaze captured the attributes of each Beedrill, all consistently classified as Normal—neither surpassing nor falling below that level. Their only notable ability was the common Swarm, without any possessing the Sniper trait.

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This was both good and bad news. Facing fifteen Normal-class Beedrills was no easy task, but fortunately, none possessed strength beyond this level.

Judging by their movements, the Beedrills seemed to have singled out Ash and his group, following the trail left by Ash and Misty. This slight realization made Ash's expression darken slightly.

He and Misty had been too panicked, failing to notice the tracks they left behind, which led straight through the ground to the bushes here. If the Beedrills paid any attention, they could likely guess their hiding spot.

"Misty, stay hidden here and be careful..." Ash decided on the spot, opting for a preemptive strike rather than waiting to be discovered and attacked first, aiming to thin their numbers right away!

"Wha..." Misty was startled, unable to finish her sentence as Ash and Pikachu nodded to each other, suddenly standing up and rushing out of the bushes.

"Pikachu, Thunder Shock!" Ash commanded without hesitation. Pikachu launched a Thunder Shock at one of the Beedrills while Ash threw a Poké Ball, sending out the recently retrieved Pidgey, "Pidgey, use Gust to disrupt their formation!"

"Pika——!" Pikachu leapt from Ash's shoulder, initiating a Thunderbolt. A flash of golden lightning struck a Beedrill!

"Beedri——!" The struck Beedrill cried out in pain. After the flash of electricity dissipated, it fell to the ground, smoking, incapacitated by just one Thunder Shock—an impressive feat given that Pikachu was only at the Initial level, while Beedrill was a tier above at Normal!

It is evident that under the influence of Osiris the Sky Dragon, Pikachu has begun to display the capability to challenge opponents beyond its level. Moreover, Pikachu is now not far from reaching the Normal level itself!

On the other side, Pidgey was also proving its mettle. It launched Gust immediately, its wings beating rapidly to whip up a strong wind that scattered the unprepared Beedrills, preventing them from organizing an effective counterattack.

Seizing this opportunity, Ash once again commanded Pikachu to use Thunder Shock, incapacitating another Beedrill. Although the situation hadn't eased much, at least their opponents were now down by two.

Meanwhile, Misty was shivering, hidden in the bushes. She wanted to rush out to help Ash, but the sheer number of Beedrills was overwhelming. Had there been only one or two, she might have ventured to assist, but the presence of so many Bug-type Pokémon was like a trigger for those with a phobia of clusters, resembling countless dots.

At that moment, she deeply resented her weakness, and this mix of resentment and fear tormented her greatly.

After a brief lull, the gusting wind ceased, and the expressionless Beedrills stared at Pidgey and Pikachu, and beyond them, at Ash. Their ruby-like eyes flickered slightly, and in the next instant, they launched a coordinated attack.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack to dodge their attacks, then look for an opportunity to strike back with Thunder Shock!" Ash waved his right hand, issuing commands to Pikachu, then turned to Pidgey, "Pidgey, keep using Gust to block their advances. If they get close, dodge and counter with Wing Attack!"

Ash couldn't manage precise commands for both Pokémon while facing so many Beedrills, so he could only provide general directions and adapt his commands during the fight.

"Pika——!" Pikachu dashed forward, using Quick Attack to weave through the swarm of Beedrills, harassing them and narrowly dodging their attacks without finding an opportunity to retaliate.

Soon, however, Pidgey created that opportunity by unleashing another Gust, the strong winds disrupting the Beedrills' formation in mid-air, preventing them from continuously attacking Pikachu.

"Good job, Pidgey!" Ash's eyes lit up, and he immediately shouted to Pikachu, "Now, Thunder Shock!"

"Pika...Pika——!" Pikachu let out a youthful roar, its electric power maximized as if breaking some kind of barrier. The Thunder Shock was much more powerful than before, erupting in dazzling lightning. The terrifying electrical surge hit four Beedrills simultaneously surrounding it!