Axel had anticipated that Beedrill or Nidorino would be the next to rank up, but to his surprise, Mamoswine emerged as the champion. Its evolution had greatly aided its performance in battle. While Nidorino was focused on leveling up the move 'Venom Drench' to 40, and Beedrill aimed to reach Stage III of its passive move 'Resolve' in order to ascend to the pseudo-king rank, Axel found the conditions for upgrading 'Venom Drench' to be quite complex.
He desired for all poison moves to possess the effect of 'Venom Drench', and although Nidorino could now use a poison move and 'Venom Drench' simultaneously, they couldn't be combined just yet. Nonetheless, Axel felt they were on the verge of achieving that feat.
'Resolve' proved to be the most challenging move to upgrade. It stood as the strongest move among Axel's Pokémon, always activated as a passive ability, and offered numerous benefits. However, improving its potency had proven to be a daunting task, as Axel was currently experiencing. Nevertheless, Axel remained optimistic, sensing that both Pokémon were close to mastering their moves and would rank up in due time.
Axel shifted his attention to Mamoswine and examined its stats:
Pokemon Name: Mamoswine (Age: 3 Years)
Ability: Snow Cloak (100%)
Hidden Ability: Thick Fat (96%)
Health: 4800/4800 Attack: F
Agility: F Defense: F
Sp. Atk: F Sp. Def: F
Moves: Ice Shard (G) (Lvl 39), Icy Wind (G) (Lvl 39), Icicle Crash (G) (Lvl 39), Hail (E) (Lvl 40), Mist (G) (Lvl 39), Take Down (G) (Lvl 31), Earthquake (G) (Lvl 39), Rest (G) (Lvl 32), Endure (C) (Lvl 29), Substitute (G) (Lvl 32), Icicle Spear (G) (Lvl 39), Dig (G) (Lvl 39), Sleep Talk (C) (Lvl 26), Rain Dance (G) (Lvl 39), Blizzard (G) (Lvl 39), Anchor Shot (G) (Lvl 33), Iron Defense (C) (Lvl 29), Ice Domain (E) (Lvl 40), Calm Mind (G) (Lvl 30), Mud Sport (G) (Lvl 30), Sand Attack (G) (Lvl 30), Sand Armor (Lvl 1)
Hidden Power: Steel (50%)
While there weren't many changes compared to before, Axel was surprised by the progress made. Mamoswine's ability had reached 100% mastery, and its hidden ability had reached the 90s. Some of its moves had also leveled up, and its Ancient Power had increased to 10%. Although Axel was unsure of its exact effect, he was pleased with the progress.
Today, all the members of the Venu family had gathered at the entrance of the forest. It marked the day when a chosen member would venture beyond the forest's unexplored depths. The group consisted of 10 members, including 5 elite members, 4 elders, and their leader, Angela.
Every elder, except for Mark, had been chosen for this mission. Mark lacked a Pokémon ranked as king, but his exceptional research capabilities warranted his role as an elder. Angela made this decision accordingly.
"Members of the Venu family, today is a momentous day for us. This forest has been an integral part of our history, but regrettably, we haven't fully explored its depths. Many of our predecessors attempted this perilous journey and never returned."
"However, we are determined to change that. In the past, they didn't have me and my champion-ranked Venusaur by their side. I have handpicked capable members of our family, along with four esteemed elders, to support our expedition. The mission is expected to last around a month, during which we will explore the area to the best of our abilities."
Axel comprehended the essence of Angela's speech despite its length. He observed the excitement gleaming in the eyes of the Venu family members, resembling a scene from a Viking tale where leaders set out to explore uncharted territories. However, some members felt a sense of sadness as their loved ones embarked on this risky mission. They understood that despite having a champion-ranked Pokémon, success was not guaranteed.
After Angela's lengthy speech, tearful farewells and warm embraces were exchanged, and the team of ten embarked on their mission. The entire day felt somber for Axel. Though excitement lingered, the odds of the mission's success seemed bleak. Axel couldn't fathom why Angela had decided to take this risky step.
Axel's talent had started to bear fruit. Beedrill had ranked up to Elemental (A), Sandslash had reached Elemental (B), and Pidgeot had attained Elemental (K) rank. Other members' Pokémon had also evolved and climbed the ranks. Moreover, a deep bond had formed between K and Golbat. Since being released from its Pokéball, Golbat had grown to trust K more. They spent ample time together, conversing and training.
Axel's own Pokémon had grown considerably stronger. Absol and Tauros had both ranked up to Rare (R) rank. Now, with the exception of Pidgeotto and Venusaur, all of Axel's Pokémon were at least Rare rank. This marked a significant milestone for a trainer who had commenced their journey merely a year ago. Axel hadn't utilized the rank-up condition for them; they had developed remarkably well. Their stats were all S rank, and their move mastery had reached satisfactory levels.
Axel examined the stats of Tauros and Absol:
Pokemon Name: Tauros (Age: 5 months)
Ability: Intimidate (47%)
Hidden Ability: Sheer Force (39%)
Potential: Black (Monstrous)
Health: 1800/1800 Attack: F
Agility: F Defense: F
Sp. Atk: F Sp. Def: F
Moves: Horn Attack (G) (Lvl 35), Thrash (G) (Lvl 34), Endure (C) (Lvl 24), Swords Dance (C) (Lvl 28), Double Team (E) (Lvl 40), Earthquake (C) (Lvl 25), Wild Charge (G) (Lvl 31), Electric Terrain (C) (Lvl 24), Raging Bull (U) (Lvl 15), Hyper Beam (Lvl 1), Close Combat (Lvl 1)
Hidden Power: Electric (6%)
Axel noticed the limited number of moves in Tauros' repertoire compared to others. However, the focused training on these select moves had resulted in impressive development, particularly with 'Double Team' reaching level 40.
The mastery of its ability and hidden ability had also improved, which boded well for Axel. During this period, Tauros had even learned a new move called 'Raging Bull,' similar to 'Outrage' and 'Thrash,' but with greater penetrating power capable of piercing strong defenses.