"You damned beast! I'm right here!"
Seeing this scene, Jan flew into a rage in the sky.
"Archeops, Hyper Beam!"
After a brief charge-up, the Archeops beneath him unleashed a terrifying energy beam from its mouth.
Ditto, which had already locked onto Shiro and was about to dive down in pursuit, was instantly intercepted by the Hyper Beam. Its entire body was washed over by the pillar of energy.
The Aerodactyl form it had transformed into quickly melted away into its original black sludge. Then that mass of sludge immediately reshaped itself again, forming the bright feathers of an Archeops.
The constant twisting and transforming made it look especially horrifying.
As the Hyper Beam gradually faded, Ditto crashed heavily onto the ground. Yet it surprisingly did not seem to suffer much damage.
"Roar!"
After a brief reconstruction, a completely black Aerodactyl shot into the sky and charged straight at Jan and his Archeops.
"Go!"
Jan shouted and threw out two Poké Balls.
An Aerodactyl and a Solrock appeared simultaneously.
"Use Rock Tomb and Stone Edge!"
Several massive rocks condensed in the sky and closed in toward the black Aerodactyl.
Boom!
But they only managed to block it for an instant before the dark Aerodactyl smashed through every rock and continued rushing forward at high speed.
"Move!"
Jan's expression darkened as he directed his Pokémon.
They quickly began retreating away from the grassy slope.
He intended to lure this Ditto away to a deserted area. That way, he could slowly wear down its stamina.
It was the safest and most reliable way to win.
* * *
On the ground, Shiro immediately saw through Jan's plan.
But that drugged-up Ditto looked completely fearless, as if it was ready to risk its life. Hunter A was nowhere to be seen either and had probably escaped long ago.
After hesitating for a few moments between helping the battle and searching for Hunter A, Shiro finally made his decision and threw out a Poké Ball.
"Drakloak, go help Jan defeat that Ditto first!"
"Draak!"
Drakloak nodded seriously and flew toward the battle in the sky.
Just as it started using Quick Attack to rapidly close the distance, a ghostly glow suddenly appeared from another direction.
"Drakloak! Use Protect!"
Shiro pushed his psychic power to the limit as he shouted the command. Drakloak instantly raised a green barrier around itself.
The pink ghostly light shot over from the horizon and crashed against the barrier. Ripples spread across its surface, but in the end, it still failed to break through and gradually faded away.
"That attack..."
Shiro quickly ran toward Drakloak while looking in the direction the attack had come from.
A gigantic Claydol, completely black from head to toe, slowly floated upward. Rings of scarlet eyes continuously blinked across its body.
[Name: Claydol
Type: Psychic/Ground
Level: 65 (Champion)
Ability: Levitate
Held Item: None
Moves: Hyper Beam, Harden, Teleport, Mud-Slap, Rapid Spin, Confusion...
Status: Weakened, Out of Control]
There's another trainer here?
Could it be another hunter? Or someone working behind Hunter A?
Either way, they're an enemy!
After quickly scanning its information, Shiro immediately shouted, "Drakloak, use Shadow Collapse!"
"Draa!"
Drakloak spread its short claws as ghostly energy instantly wrapped around its blue-green dragon body.
At the same time, the Claydol on the opposite side lit up its scarlet eyes again and began gathering another attack.
A second later, countless terrifying phantom shadows burst through the pink psychic energy and surged toward Claydol.
Even though Claydol's level was higher than Drakloak's, its weakened state combined with the power of the fused move still left it at a disadvantage. In the end, it could only use Teleport to evade.
Claydol had no intention of fighting head-on either. It continuously used Teleport, luring Drakloak farther and farther away.
The two Pokémon quickly disappeared into the distance.
"A Champion-level Claydol... weakened and out of control," Shiro muttered softly as he carefully observed the surroundings.
The real mastermind should be showing himself soon.
He did not have to wait long. The person controlling Claydol slowly walked out from a nearby forest.
"Hehehe... Shiro, we meet again."
Alfred leaned against a tree with a twisted smile on his face. He had changed into a new black cloak. His severed left wrist was hidden beneath the sleeve while his slightly bent left leg still barely supported his body.
The two stood over twenty meters apart in silence, neither moving.
'Medicine? It healed him this quickly... and with such strong effects...'
Shiro's thoughts paused on those details for only a moment before his body tensed, ready to rush forward at any second.
This Claydol was not one of the Pokémon Hunter A had before. Shiro had personally handled those Poké Balls and remembered every single one.
Besides, those Poké Balls had already been destroyed. Without specialized equipment to cut them open, there was no way the Pokémon inside could be released.
So what other trump cards did Hunter A still have?
Another controlled Champion-level Pokémon like this Claydol?
Putting aside how he controlled them… could Hunter A actually still have a second Champion-level Pokémon he could use?
As Shiro rapidly considered his options, he asked in a low voice, "Are you here alone?"
If Hunter A really was alone and lacked powerful Pokémon, then coming here would be no different from suicide.
"Alone... is more than enough."
Alfred remained completely calm, as though he was not worried at all. In his hand, he held up a pitch-black Poké Ball.
His expression turned sinister as he coldly said, "Aside from Drakloak, the highest-rank Pokémon you have left should be that Elite-level Haunter from before, right? After all, that Corviknight was badly injured too. It probably doesn't have the strength to keep fighting anymore... and even if it does, it won't matter."
Shiro's expression immediately changed.
Other than Haunter, he truly had no usable Pokémon left.
Drakloak was tangled up with Claydol far away. Corviknight and Bewear had both lost the ability to fight after all the battles and damage they endured. Growlithe had already left with Looker and Anna.
That only left the unreliable Vibrava and the recently recovered Rhyperior.
But both Vibrava and Rhyperior were only Gym-level Pokémon. Against Elite-level opponents, they might still barely stand a chance.
But against a Champion-level Pokémon, even Corviknight, without the help of the Unown and Mesprit, would never be able to cross two entire major ranks in battle.
Only Haunter remained.
At that moment, Alfred suddenly threw out the Poké Ball.
"Come out, Weezing!"
Without even a moment of hesitation, Shiro immediately turned and sprinted into the forest.
"Weeez!"
Weezing's cry rang out behind him.
Shiro leapt across several exposed rocks with agile movements while simultaneously using his psychic power to inspect Weezing.
[Name: Weezing
Type: Poison
Level: 67 (Champion)
Ability: Levitate
Held Item: None
Moves: Double Hit, Tackle, Smokescreen, Smog, Poison Gas, Heat Wave, Clear Smog, Assurance...
Status: Irritable, Out of Control]
"As expected... another Champion-level."
Shiro quickened his pace.
**
**
**
Thank you for reading! If you'd like access to extra chapters and want to support my work, you can visit my P@treon:
P@treon/SilverShark769
Vote with Power Stones for Bonus Chapters!
Your support means a lot, thank you!