They entered the hunting grounds.
A sea of green grass greeted them, and numerous Pokémon could be seen strolling about. These Pokémon noticed Xiao Mao and Na Zi, but they all seemed indifferent.
The hunting grounds had existed for many years, and the Pokémon living here all knew the rules. If a Pokémon wanted to leave with a Trainer, there was no need to struggle, they would simply be caught in a Poké Ball.
In fact, most of the Pokémon in the hunting grounds hoped to be caught.
Because those who came here to catch Pokémon had a bit of money, and living with humans meant they could eat well and live comfortably.
Over time, these Pokémon became quite intelligent, developing a keen sense of observation, knowing which people seemed wealthy and which didn't.
Moreover, the Pokémon here were generally not very welcoming to Trainers because Trainers used Pokémon for battles.
While Pokémon could battle, it didn't mean they wanted to. After all, battles could lead to injuries.
Xiao Mao and Na Zi's attire clearly indicated that they were Trainers, so the Pokémon didn't show them any enthusiasm.
“Moo~！”
“Moo!”
“Moo...！”
The ground trembled to the sound of mooing, and a herd of Tauros came running from afar, thundering across the grassy plains.
“Oh! Tauros.”
Xiao Mao was surprised. He didn't expect to encounter Tauros so quickly upon entering the hunting grounds.
In the first generation, Tauros, with its Intimidate ability, was a god-tier Pokémon. In the first generation, there was no distinction between physical and special attacks, making Intimidate an overpowered ability.
Moreover, Tauros had a base Speed stat of 110 and a base Attack stat of 100, making it an exceptional Pokémon in the first generation.
“Moo...！”
The Tauros showed no intention of stopping upon seeing Xiao Mao and Na Zi, continuing to charge forward.
Xiao Mao and Na Zi quickly moved out of the way. As they passed by, each Tauros glanced at Xiao Mao and Na Zi, their eyes seemingly holding a glimmer of hope.
However, the Tauros only looked briefly before continuing their straight run.
“Those Tauros were looking at us just now, did you see that, Na Zi?” Xiao Mao asked.
“Yes, they want to be caught by us,” Na Zi said.
Xiao Mao was startled.
He understood that there were Pokémon here who wanted to be caught, but he didn't expect the Tauros to be so proactive.
Come to think of it, whenever Xiao Zhi wanted to catch other Pokémon, these Tauros would suddenly charge through, blocking Xiao Zhi's Poké Balls, always at the most opportune moment. It was clearly intentional on the part of the Tauros.
It seemed that Xiao Zhi was able to capture 30 Tauros because they wanted to be caught and had been hanging around him.
“We need to be careful when catching Pokémon,” Xiao Mao reminded her.
He would leave the Tauros to Xiao Zhi to capture. He wasn't interested in Tauros himself.
Xiao Mao and Na Zi continued towards the depths of the grassy hunting grounds. They didn't have to search for long, just fifteen minutes, and Xiao Mao found his target Pokémon.
On the grass, a Rhyhorn, clad in gray armor, was strolling, occasionally lowering its head to nibble on some grass.
【LV20 Rhyhorn/Normal】
“Xiao Mao, look, it's Rhyhorn,” Na Zi pointed to the Rhyhorn, knowing that Xiao Mao intended to catch it.
“This one's no good,” Xiao Mao shook his head slightly. A Rhyhorn with ordinary potential wouldn't be able to evolve into Rhyperior, making it not worth training.
Rhyhorn could evolve into Rhyperior at level 42. Ordinary potential Pokémon could only reach level 30 at most, while Elite potential Pokémon could only reach level 40, falling two levels short of the evolution requirement.
Na Zi didn't say anything. Having traveled with Xiao Mao for so long, she had noticed that Xiao Mao was extremely accurate in judging the potential of Pokémon, almost able to instantly determine the potential of a Pokémon.
Na Zi attributed Xiao Mao's discerning eye to Professor Oak, after all, Xiao Mao had grown up around Professor Oak and had a deep understanding of Pokémon.
“Let's go talk to the Rhyhorn,” Xiao Mao said.
Although this Rhyhorn had poor potential, it didn't mean it didn't know other Rhyhorn.
“Hello, Rhyhorn,” Xiao Mao greeted the Rhyhorn.
The Rhyhorn simply glanced at Xiao Mao and didn't respond, continuing its leisurely stroll.
Seeing that the Rhyhorn ignored him, Xiao Mao didn't mind. He took out two green energy cubes and waved them in front of the Rhyhorn.
The Rhyhorn stopped, looking at the energy cubes swaying in front of it. While it didn't know what they were, it could smell a delicious aroma emanating from the energy cubes.
“Try these,”
Xiao Mao offered the energy cubes to the Rhyhorn.
The Rhyhorn didn't hesitate and ate them directly. Many people who came here would use food to lure the Pokémon, making it easier to catch them.
“Roar...!” The Rhyhorn's pupils dilated after swallowing the energy cubes. It was the first time it had tasted such delicious food.
“Do you want more?” Xiao Mao asked.
“Roar.” The Rhyhorn nodded. Those few energy cubes weren't even enough to satisfy its craving.
Xiao Mao gave the Rhyhorn two more energy cubes. Obviously, that wasn't enough.
“Rhyhorn, if you want more, you have to help me with something,” Xiao Mao said.
“Roar.” The Rhyhorn, motivated by the delicious food, had completely shed its indifferent demeanor and transformed into a fully devoted fan.
“The favor I need from you is simple, help me meet the other Rhyhorn here. I'll give you two energy cubes for each one you introduce me to,” Xiao Mao said.
“Roar.” The Rhyhorn raised its head, considered the offer, and then turned its side towards Xiao Mao.
“You mean I should get on?” Xiao Mao asked.
“Roar!”
The Rhyhorn nodded.
Rhyhorn were rideable because of their wide bodies. They provided a very stable ride, and there were even Rhyhorn races in various regions.
Xiao Mao and Na Zi got onto the Rhyhorn's back.
The Rhyhorn started running. Its speed was very even, with hardly any jolting. The ridges on its armor could be used as grips, providing a stable ride.
“Moo!”
“Moo~...！”
Soon, a herd of Tauros came rushing through, deliberately passing by this location. However, upon seeing Xiao Mao and Na Zi riding the Rhyhorn, they all showed disappointment, turned around, and quickly left.
Not long after, the Rhyhorn carrying Xiao Mao and Na Zi arrived at a forest where another Rhyhorn was located.
【LV21 Rhyhorn♂/Normal】
This Rhyhorn also had ordinary potential, and Xiao Mao definitely wouldn't catch it.
“Let's go find the next one,” Xiao Mao said.