Not long after parting ways with Tokiwa, Yuga ventured out of the peripheral area cleared by the inspectors. The path ahead became increasingly challenging as it hadn't been cleared, with vines and wild grass obstructing his way.
Since the ground was covered with these obstacles, Yuga had to release his Bellossom and have it use Razor Leaf to clear a path ahead.
Along the way, Yuga finally witnessed the kind of commonplace predator-prey scenes that Tokiwa had mentioned. Here, scenes of Pokémon preying on each other were indeed very common.
As Yuga left the peripheral area, he activated the terrain recorder device that Mr. Alder had given him.
Just as Mr. Alder had described, the terrain recorder accurately documented the terrain of the areas Yuga passed through, allowing Yuga himself to worry less about it.
Yuga, of course, didn't forget his mission: documenting the various Pokémon species and groups he encountered along the way.
However, Yuga hadn't traveled far, and the variety of Pokémon species he encountered was limited. The largest group he encountered wasn't ancient Pokémon but rather a community composed of Crustle and Dwebble.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, Yuga merely glanced at this group from a distance and quietly moved on.
Along the way, Yuga sporadically spotted a few other types of Pokémon, but the number of each species was small, preventing them from forming significant populations. Nevertheless, Yuga still made note of them.
As Yuga continued on his way, he suddenly heard the sound of water not far ahead. Soon after, a Chatot flew over and informed him of a stream up ahead. So, Yuga quietly made his way there with Bellossom.
Yuga's caution was understandable, as places with water were usually gathering spots for Water-type Pokémon, and an inadvertent approach could provoke them.
As Yuga suspected, when he looked in the direction of the stream through the gaps in the leaves, he saw countless Omanyte and Omastar in the water, wildly waving their tentacles. The sight was somewhat intimidating.
The Omanyte and Omastar, with their pale blue skin, were mostly submerged in the water. Apart from the waving tentacles, only their pale gray shells floated on the water's surface.
The sheer number of Omanyte and Omastar made the surface look crowded. Fortunately, Yuga didn't suffer from a fear of crowds; otherwise, this would have been a nightmare.
However, Yuga quickly noticed that these Omanyte and Omastar were slowly moving. They were all drifting upstream in the direction of the creek.
Could they be migrating? Yuga wondered.
So, Yuga quietly followed behind these Omanyte and Omastar, hoping to discover their destination. His mission was to investigate the distribution of Pokémon in this area, and if these Pokémon were migrating, finding out their destination was part of that task.
As he progressed upstream along the creek, Yuga observed that the water was gradually widening, and the terrain was becoming gentler. The other Pokémon he encountered along the way began to disappear gradually.
Before long, Yuga saw the destination of the Omanyte and Omastar: a clear lake.
Above the lake, a small river was slowly pouring water into it, and below, the same creek along which Yuga had been traveling.
The slow flow of the river above the lake meant that the lake's surface remained undisturbed, appearing serene.
The surroundings of the lake were filled with the sounds of birds, lush green grass, and trees laden with colorful berrys. It was evident that this was a perfect habitat for Water-type Pokémon.
Crossing the creek, the densely packed Omanyte and Omastar joyfully leaped into the lake, creating ripples on its previously calm surface.
Just when Yuga thought this was a routine migration, he noticed something amiss. The lake's center suddenly saw the emergence of brown-shelled creatures with black spots, quietly floating on the water's surface.
Yuga quickly realized that things were not as they seemed. These brown-shelled creatures were none other than Kabuto.
Yuga initially believed that the Omanyte and Omastar would be caught off guard by a surprise attack from the Kabuto. However, to his surprise, the Omanyte and Omastar abruptly halted their playful activities and swiftly counterattacked the approaching Kabuto as if they were well-prepared.
The Kabuto that jetted toward them with Aqua Jets were swiftly taken down by the Omanyte's Mud Shot.
As the Kabuto plunged back into the water, numerous pale blue tentacles suddenly surged from the surface, ensnaring and dragging the submerged Kabuto beneath. In no time, the water turned red with blood.
The Omanyte handled the counterattack, while the Omastar ambushed and hunted down the Kabuto. Their coordination was impeccable, and it dawned on Yuga that this was a territorial dispute that had been meticulously planned.
The Omanyte and Omastar had come here well-prepared, knowing that this territory belonged to the Kabuto.
As the Omastar re-emerged after dragging the Kabuto underwater, their sharp teeth chewed on the torn flesh from the Kabuto's bodies. Only the Omastar's sharp teeth could break through the tough shells of the Kabuto, which was why they were responsible for the ambush and kills.
As the Kabuto were hunted and killed, the Omanyte and Omastar began to enjoy their spoils, quickly devouring the fallen Kabuto.
Yuga, who had witnessed several bloody scenes before, remained unfazed by the sight. He had to thank Tokiwa for giving him his first lesson; otherwise, if he had seen such brutality for the first time, he wouldn't know how he'd react.
However, the conflict was far from over, contrary to what Yuga initially thought.
Just as the Omanyte and Omastar were savoring their hunt, sharp scythes suddenly sliced through the water from below. Some unprepared Omanyte were swiftly cut in half, and blood sprayed into the air, creating a gruesome rain of blood.
In the face of this horrifying scene, the Omastar showed no signs of panic. They seemed to have foreseen this, extending their long tentacles and harnessing the power of the Water Wave. They vigorously stirred the lake water, and in no time, the Kabutops were flung out of the water.
What followed was a battlefield between the Kabutops and the Omastar. The weaker Omanyte and some surviving Kabuto hid one after another.
Despite the exceptional ferocity of the Kabuto, the Omastar, with their overwhelming numbers, forced the Kabuto to retreat. In a short time, their numbers dwindled by half, and the entire lake turned crimson with the blood of the Kabutops.
The surviving Kabutops and Kabuto left the lake, and in this territorial dispute, the Omanyte and Omastar emerged victorious. While there were casualties, it did not significantly affect the overall strength of their communities.