Pokemon: A New Path-Chapter 452: Gogoat and Skiddo

Naoki had once heard Mewtwo recount the story of the Skiddo.

A year ago, Mewtwo and its fellow cloned Pokémon had been traveling aimlessly across the world. During one of their stops, they came across a secluded house deep in the wilderness.

The owner of the house was a burly middle-aged man, his face rough with age and covered in a thick beard.

Using his Houndoom, the man had captured numerous wild Pokémon, forcing them to labor under his command.

Since the male Skiddo couldn't produce milk like a female Miltank, its role was to haul heavy cargo, carrying stones and supplies.

Meanwhile, the man sat comfortably at the back, Houndoom at his side, a thorned whip in his grasp—watching the Pokémon toil under the harsh sun.

The enslaved Pokémon were exhausted, their bodies covered in dirt and bruises.

Whenever the Skiddo faltered, struggling to carry its burden, the man would crack his whip mercilessly, forcing it to continue. Day after day, the brutal treatment continued, until the poor Pokémon's body was covered in welts and scars.

That was when Mewtwo passed through. Seeing the suffering of the Pokémon, Mewtwo couldn't simply walk away.

Fueled by a sense of justice, it freed the Pokémon, taught the man a lesson he would never forget, and erased his memory.

From that day forward, the rescued Skiddo became part of Mewtwo's team. But the experience had left a deep scar on the Pokémon's heart—it had since grown wary of humans.

Now, on the way to the World Tree, Naoki shared the Skiddo's past with his own three Gogoat, explaining the reason behind today's visit.

"…So, our mission today is to visit that poor little Skiddo at the World Tree and keep it company. Understood?"

As he spoke, Naoki adjusted the wooden tray in his arms, carefully balancing the freshly steamed grass dumplings he had made earlier.

These were meant as a gift for the Skiddo at the World Tree. Unlike their unfortunate counterpart, Naoki's three Gogoat had never suffered such hardship.

Born and raised on the grassy plains near Casseroya Lake, they had always lived a carefree life.

That was until Naoki found them and brought them back to his ranch.

There, they were given the best care—plenty of food, shelter from harsh weather, and a peaceful place to roam. At times, they felt like they were the happiest Gogoat in the world.

In comparison, the Skiddo they were about to meet had endured so much…

"Meaa!"

One of the Gogoat let out a determined cry, its eyes burning with resolve.

No problem! It would make sure the poor Skiddo felt welcome!

The second Gogoat immediately nodded in agreement. "Meaaa!" (We'll help it forget all about that awful human!)

The third Gogoat glanced at its companions before eagerly chiming in. "Meaaa!" (Me too!)

Naoki smiled at the sight of their enthusiasm.

"Good, that's the spirit!"

While chatting, Naoki and his three Gogoat traveled through the Distortion World's gateway, stepping onto the vast floating island where the World Tree stood.

Taking the bubble elevator, they ascended all the way to the top floor.

The World Tree was as lively as ever.

The Pokémon living there moved about freely, enjoying the bustling streets and the thriving Expedition Guild.

As Naoki led his Gogoat along the path, various Pokémon greeted him warmly.

Naoki returned their greetings with a smile.

Before long, he arrived at a familiar spot—the café. And sure enough, there he saw his own Eeveelutions relaxing inside.

Upon spotting him, the three Eevee brothers—led by Flareon—perked up instantly.

Waving their tiny paws, they called out excitedly.

"Bu-yi!"

Naoki walked up to them, reaching out to poke Flareon's fluffy head.

"You haven't been home all day," he teased, smirking. "Are you planning to evolve into a Noibat instead?"

Ever since the Expedition Guild was founded, the Pokémon from Naoki's ranch had started frequenting the World Tree.

It wasn't just the Eeveelutions—even Alcremie, Garganacl, Ogerpon, Gholdengo, and other Pokémon had taken to visiting.

At first, everything was fine, but over time, the Pokémon became so enamored with their surroundings that they hardly wanted to leave.

Because of this, Naoki jokingly referred to them as "wild Pokémon."

However, as soon as he said that, Flareon's gaze shifted awkwardly, looking a bit guilty.

"Bu-yi…"

The other Pokémon nearby also started avoiding eye contact.

Naoki smirked. "Alright, alright! Have fun!" He ruffled Flareon's fur before gesturing toward the Pokémon in front of him. "After all, this place was built just for you."

"Bu-yi!"

Hearing that, the Eeveelution's eyes sparkled with joy, their tails wagging in excitement.

Naoki chuckled to himself. If the Eevees spent more time playing at the World Tree, it meant they wouldn't be lounging around at home, constantly seeking his attention. That would make his life much easier.

Independent Pokémon like Glaceon and Umbreon weren't too much of a problem. But Flareon and Sylveon? They were too affectionate.

There were times when he'd just be sitting on the sofa, scrolling through his Rotom Phone, only for a few Eeveelutions to jump onto his lap, squeeze in beside him, or drape themselves over his shoulders. Sometimes, they'd even press their noses against his face just to get him to play with them.

Breathing became difficult, and his clothes would be covered in Eevee fur.

Thinking of this, Naoki dusted off his hands and turned toward the Pokémon. "Alright, you guys keep playing. I'm taking Gogoat to visit a certain Skiddo."

"Bu-yi!"

Hearing this, Leafeon perked up and quickly pointed out where the Skiddo was.

It had just seen the little one near the windmill, riding the breeze.

"Oh, at the windmill?" Naoki nodded, patting Leafeon on the head. "Got it. Thanks."

Then, he turned back to the Eeveelutions. "I'll be heading off. Don't forget to come home tonight—I'll cook up something delicious for you."

At the mention of food, the Eeveelution's ears twitched in excitement.

"Eevee!" They all responded in unison.

With that, Naoki followed Leafeon's directions and made his way to the windmill. Sure enough, when he arrived, he spotted the Skiddo standing alone by the riverbank, staring at its reflection in the water.

"Hey, Skiddo!" Naoki called out.

The little Skiddo flinched slightly before turning its head toward him.

Naoki approached with his own Gogoat following closely behind. "These are the Gogoat I told you about," he said gently. "I brought them here today to visit you. Oh, and I brought you something tasty."

He placed the basket of freshly steamed green grass dumplings onto the soft grass.

Skiddo's nose twitched, clearly tempted by the sweet, fragrant scent of the dumplings.

Seeing this, the three Gogoat eagerly encouraged it.

"Baaa!" (Eat up, eat up!)

"Baaa!" (These are Naoki's homemade grass dumplings! The best in the world!)

"Meaaa!" (That's right!)

Faced with such enthusiasm, Skiddo hesitated, feeling a bit shy.

Naoki realized what was happening—his presence as a human likely reminded Skiddo of its past mistreatment. It was understandable that it still harbored some fear.

To ease its tension, Naoki casually turned away and began inspecting the large field, where Pokémon had planted various crops with their own hands.

The Gogoat, however, mistook Skiddo's hesitation as fear of Naoki himself.

So, they quickly reassured it.

"Baaa!" (Don't be scared! Naoki is a really good person!)

"Baaa!" (That's right! Even though we weren't hatched by him, he's always taken great care of us!)

Skiddo's ears twitched in confusion.

"Baaa?" (Naoki is… your master?)

One of the Gogoat shook its head. "Meaaa!" (No! He's our trainer!)

Seeing Skiddo's curiosity, the Gogoat eagerly shared their own story with Naoki.

A long, long time ago, they had been weak, little Skiddo living by a vast lake.

One day, a human arrived at the lake, engaging in a fierce battle against them before capturing them with Poké Balls.

That human was Naoki.

From that moment on, the three Skiddo found a new home at Naoki's ranch.

To make them feel welcome, Naoki didn't just provide them with shelter—he went above and beyond, crafting fresh, delicious grass dumplings for them daily using the most fertile, hand-picked grass.

Under Naoki's care, they flourished. With time, they grew stronger and eventually evolved into powerful Gogoat.

But that wasn't all. They became the guardians of a trial.

Trainers from all over would come to the ranch to challenge them, testing their strength against the mighty Gogoat.

Yet, despite countless challengers, only two had ever managed to pass their test.

Visit frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓ for the b𝘦st novel reading experience.

As Skiddo listened to the story, its heart swelled with admiration. It could hear the genuine fondness in the Gogoat's voices as they spoke about Naoki.

That human… was really kind.

Skiddo thought back to its own past—the mistreatment it had endured, the harsh reality of being forced to work under cruel conditions.

Hesitantly, it asked:

"Baa?" (Has Naoki ever hit you with a whip?)

The three Gogoat froze, blinking in confusion.

"Baa?" (Whip? No! Why would Naoki hit us with a whip?)

Skiddo lowered its head in thought, then asked again.

"Baa?" (Because you didn't finish your work?)

The Gogoat burst into laughter.

'Work? What work?'

Their daily routine at the ranch consisted of dancing, eating, napping, and basking in the sun. Occasionally, they would use their Grass-type energy to help take care of the crops—but that was voluntary, and Naoki never forced them to do anything.

Skiddo's eyes widened as realization dawned.

Naoki… didn't force Pokémon to work?

Its heart clenched with envy.

One of the Gogoat stepped forward, standing tall and proud as it looked at Skiddo with a determined gaze.

"Baaa!" (Then let's train!)

Skiddo tilted its head, confused.

The Gogoat grinned.

"Meaaa!" (That way, you can become as strong as us and protect yourself—and other Pokémon!)

As soon as those words left its mouth, an incredible surge of energy erupted from the Gogoat.

A deep, radiant green light spilled forth, pulsing like a heartbeat before bursting outward in waves, engulfing the entire area.

In an instant, the whole world transformed into a sea of emerald energy.

The very ground shimmered with pure Grass-type power, as if the land itself had awakened. Lush, glowing grass swayed under an invisible breeze, stretching far into the horizon.

It was surreal.

Skiddo stood frozen in awe, completely captivated.

"Meaa..."

The energy radiating from the Gogoat was unbelievable.

However, the next moment brought an even greater shock.

The three Gogoats bent down slightly, their hooves digging into the ground as a force of nature gathered at their core.

Brilliant green energy condensed around their mouths—

And then—

It solidified into a massive, Sacred sword

Three gigantic, gleaming sword of grass-infused power extended from their jaws, humming with raw energy.

The Gogoat wielded them effortlessly, standing tall and proud as warriors of the land.

And in the blink of an eye—

They vanished.

With a thunderous crash, a massive boulder nearby was cleaved cleanly in half—before shattering into countless fragments.

The force of the impact sent shockwaves rippling across the ground.

Skiddo: (°Д°)!!

The young Skiddo's eyes widened in awe. That was incredible!

Its heart pounded as it stared at the three senior Gogoats before it, eyes brimming with admiration.

"If I could become that strong," Skiddo thought, "would I be able to protect myself? Protect my friends… from humans who hurt them?"

Old memories surfaced—painful, terrifying memories that had been buried deep in its heart.

A vast, desolate forest.

A human who called himself a Pokémon hunter stood behind them, a cruel sneer on his face as he cracked his whip against the ground.

"Move it, you useless wretches! Since you're not worth much, you'll work until you drop!"

Crack!

Crack!

The whip snapped through the air, striking down mercilessly. Some Pokémon, too weak to continue, collapsed from exhaustion. Others tried to resist—only to be ruthlessly taken down by his Houndoom.

The rest could only tremble in fear, too terrified to fight back. When one Pokémon struggled to its feet, the hunter let out a cold laugh.

"Pathetic. You actually thought you had a chance?"

And so, the work continued.

But Skiddo… Skiddo had already been whipped countless times. Its body was covered in bruises and wounds. It couldn't keep going.

The hunter noticed this and stomped toward it, fury burning in his eyes.

"Slacking off again, huh?!" he barked.

Skiddo froze in place.

It couldn't run. It couldn't fight. It was too afraid.

The hunter raised his whip high, ready to strike again.

And then—

A shadow descended. Before the whip could come down, something stepped in front of Skiddo. A powerful presence—one that radiated overwhelming strength.

Mewtwo.

A terrifying psychic force erupted from its body. In a mere blink of an eye, the hunter and his Houndoom were blasted away, tumbling helplessly across the ground.

That was the day Mewtwo saved them. If Mewtwo hadn't arrived in time, Skiddo might not have survived.

The fear, the helplessness, the pain—Skiddo never wanted to feel like that again. And it never wanted to see others suffer that way, either.

If it had been stronger back then, could it have fought back? Could it have protected the others?

A new determination ignited in Skiddo's heart. Its gaze became firm. It lifted its head, looking up at the three mighty Gogoat before it.

"Baaa!" (Seniors, please train me!)

The Gogoat studied the young Skiddo for a moment. Then, one of them grasped a bundle of grass dumplings with its Vine Whip and placed them in front of Skiddo.

"Meaaa!" (Eat first! Then we'll start teaching you our special move—the Sacred Sword of Grass!)

"Meaa?!" (Sacred Sword of the Grass?!)

Skiddo's ears twitched in surprise at the name of the unfamiliar move.

The Gogoat nodded proudly.

"Mea!" (That's right! That's the name Naoki gave to our ultimate move!)

Hearing that, Skiddo's heart swelled with excitement.

It turned toward the basket of freshly made grass dumplings and, without hesitation, began eating in big, eager mouthfuls.

Because if it wanted to be strong like its seniors… If it wanted to protect others the way Mewtwo had protected it…

Then it had to train.

...

50 chapters 👉👉 /Keepsmiling818