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The nearby forest area was called Slakoth Forest for a simple reason—it was home to an overwhelming number of Slakoth.
Well, more than enough to be seen everywhere.
Since Sato had left the cave on Arcanine's back, the Pokémon he had encountered most frequently were Slakoth.
Without exception, these lazy creatures were all either sleeping in trees or sprawled on the ground, their faces perpetually stuck in a drowsy expression. Even when hungry, with food right in front of them, most couldn't be bothered to move an inch.
If not for the fact that they had the backing of a King's Rock-wielding powerful Slaking and were regularly cared for by their hyperactive Vigoroth counterparts, who never seemed to tire, half of them would probably have starved to death by now.
"Sigh… Slakoth really live up to their name. Every single one of them is unbearably lazy. No wonder so few trainers bother raising them. A personality this sluggish is completely unfit for Pokémon battles. Maybe they'd work as pets—no, scratch that, even as pets they'd be useless. They're just too lazy..."
Sato watched the countless Slakoth around him with a mix of exasperation and disappointment. He was starting to regret his grand plan of raising a Protean-powered Slaking—it seemed like a hopeless endeavor.
But Sato wasn't one to give up so easily. As he traveled, he meticulously used his system's scanning function to inspect every Slakoth he came across.
To his surprise, these lazy creatures had shockingly high potential. Along the way, he had already spotted nine Slakoth with gold-tier ratings, three of which even inherited some exceptionally strong moves.
However, these nine golden Slakoth—likely due to being pampered by their colony—were even lazier than the rest. They lived like royalty, with food and care handed to them without lifting a finger.
For Sato, talent was secondary. Personality was the real deal-breaker. As long as a Slakoth wasn't lazy, he'd take it regardless of its potential.
Unfortunately, finding a Slakoth that actually wanted to train was easier said than done. So far, Sato hadn't seen a single one that engaged in any form of combat practice.
The wild Pokémon in Slakoth Forest mostly treated Slakoth as invisible or mere mascots. Very few bothered to attack them, let alone see them as threats.
With the forest's abundant resources and Slakoth too lazy to consume much of it, other Pokémon had no reason to risk angering the Slakoth tribe by fighting over food.
As a result, these Slakoth lived completely without fear, enjoying carefree lives every day. Under such heavenly conditions, their already-lazy nature had zero motivation to change.
This was why many of the Slakoth Sato encountered were actually quite old, yet their levels remained pitifully low—around 7 or 8. It was a testament to just how deeply ingrained their laziness was.
After circling most of Slakoth Forest on Arcanine's back, Sato left with a heavy heart, speeding southwest in disappointment.
"Laziness is incurable. Maybe I should start fresh with a Slakoth egg. The ones here are beyond saving—raising them would just be a waste of resources. While nature is hard to change, with the right environment and training, a newborn Slakoth might still have a sliver of hope to overcome its instincts..."
As Sato rode Arcanine, directing him southeast, he pondered how to raise a Slaking that wouldn't slack off too much.
A white figure leaped down from a tree ahead, blocking their path. Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡•𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚•𝙣𝙚𝙩
"Another one of these hyperactive nuisances. Ignore it, Arcanine. Speed past."
Sato frowned at the Vigoroth shouting and waving at them. Without hesitation, he ordered Arcanine to dash away.
Compared to the unbearably lazy Slakoth and Slaking, Vigoroth were the complete opposite—relentlessly hardworking. Aside from sleeping at night, they spent every waking moment laboring for their colony.
Their days were spent either searching for food or delivering it to their lazy kin. Without them, the Slakoth tribe would have collapsed long ago.
If Slakoth and Slaking were victims of their Truant ability, then Vigoroth were prisoners of their Vital Spirit.
Their relentless energy kept them in a permanent state of excitement. If they didn't burn it off, they couldn't sleep at night.
Their heart rates were ten times faster than normal, their blood constantly boiling. Unless they exhausted themselves, they couldn't stop moving.
They were, in short, severe hyperactivity cases.
And out of all the wild Pokémon Sato had encountered blocking his path, Vigoroth were the most frequent offenders.
Used to bullying others in Slakoth Forest, they were extremely territorial and xenophobic. The moment they spotted Sato and Arcanine, who were clearly outsiders, they attacked without hesitation.
At first, Sato had considered battling them to grind some EXP for his team. But he quickly realized he'd poked a hornet's nest.
These creatures fought dirty. If they couldn't win alone, they called for backup—leading to an endless swarm.
Now, Sato knew better than to engage. The best strategy was to run and avoid them entirely.
Following Sato's command, Arcanine's flaming mane flared, and he blazed forward like a crimson streak, leaving the Vigoroth far behind.
But this particular Vigoroth was stubborn. Infuriated by being ignored, it let out an angry cry and gave chase.
While Vigoroth couldn't match Arcanine's speed on the ground, its tree-hopping agility and perfect balance allowed it to keep up, leaping from branch to branch.
Sato gritted his teeth as the Vigoroth's shouts attracted even more of its kind, forming a small mob behind them.
"These pests just won't quit. Arcanine, let's teach them a—wait!"
Just as he was about to order an attack, an idea flashed in his mind, cutting him off mid-sentence.
A grin spread across his face.
"That's it! Why didn't I think of this earlier? This might actually work... Fight poison with poison!"
A few seconds later, Sato's frustration melted away, replaced by excitement.