Congratulations! You've collected the eight Gym badges of Kanto, or Johto, and so you're heading up to Victory Road. Right?
But there's a reason the guards won't let you past if you don't have the eight badges.
There's a monster that lurks there.
It doesn't seem harmless at first. I mean, you've got eight Gym badges, and you're about to hit up Victory Road for some training, so you're pretty much sweet from there.
You could not be more wrong.
They've been spotted outside and inside Mt. Silver, too, but Red keeps the population down as much as possible. Same with Cerulean Cave, but Misty and Sabrina take care of that.
Why? It's because the death toll keeps rising.
There's been studies undertaken with these monsters, and apparently, their markings differ from area to area. And if you try to run from it, it'll keep following you, no matter how far.
How to defeat it?
This thing can crush steel oil drums with its tail. By the time your prize fighter gets within five feet of it, trust me, it'll already be dead. They're deadly fast.
My advice?
Before stepping onto Route 23, use as much Repel as you can. Make your highest level Pokémon walk with you.
Maybe, just maybe, the Arbok won't get you.
Arbok, the Cobra Pokémon
Red/Blue: It is rumored that the ferocious warning markings on its belly differ from area to area.
Silver: With a very vengeful nature, it won't give up the chase, no matter how far, once it targets its prey.
Emerald: This Pokémon has a terrifically strong constricting power. It can even flatten steel oil drums. Once it wraps its body around its foe, escaping is impossible.