Thirty seconds!
Shiro didn't even have time to wipe the sweat from his forehead before immediately recalling Rhyperior. With injuries from poison this severe, taking another attack head-on would almost certainly leave permanent damage.
But for the remaining time...
He hurriedly glanced back.
Haunter was still enveloped in white light. The glow had completely wrapped around its body, and he could vaguely make out its form changing within.
Deeper inside the cave, the Bidoof were working together to gather dirt and branches while the Bibarel built a crude earthen wall.
They still needed to hold on for about another thirty seconds...
Outside the cave, seeing Rhyperior recalled, Alfred revealed a vicious grin and waved his hand. "Keep attacking! Weezing, use Double Gunk Shot!"
Upon receiving the order, Weezing briefly shut its eyes in discomfort before opening them again. Its body squirmed continuously as both fang-filled mouths opened wide. Yellow-green poisonous gas leaked out while two masses of black sludge rapidly formed.
Shiro hesitated between two Poké Balls for only a moment before throwing one.
"Corviknight!"
Corviknight's massive body blocked the cave entrance, its wings folding slightly inward while the dark steel armor around its neck gleamed faintly. Its crimson eyes locked onto the enemy as white vapor escaped from its beak.
Sizzle!
Both Gunk Shots struck directly, yet merely slid off Corviknight's metallic body without causing any real damage.
Steel-types were immune to Poison-type attacks. However, Corviknight's stamina was already nearing its limit. The enemy definitely wouldn't use another Poison-type move next, which meant Corviknight would have to be recalled as well.
In an instant, Shiro's mind raced while his finger was already pressing the Poké Ball switch.
Forty seconds!
The white light surrounding Haunter had grown even brighter.
Suddenly, a stream of water shot out from the side and splashed directly onto Weezing's skull-like face.
Several pairs of eyes immediately turned toward the source.
A Bibarel had stepped out from deeper within the cave. Its huge black tail dragged behind it, and the normally dull look in its eyes had become noticeably firmer.
It was the Bibarel leader, the same one that had guided Shiro here. With only Advanced-level strength, surviving the aftermath alone would already be a blessing.
Shiro called out, "Get back!"
Bibarel instinctively shrank back slightly, but outside the cave Alfred merely glanced at it indifferently before making his decision. "Weezing, ignore that little thing that's wasting time. Use Flamethrower!"
Fire beat Steel. There was no way Corviknight could withstand that attack.
Drakloak and Growlithe weren't here. Bewear and Rhyperior were injured. Only Vibrava remained!
"Vibrava!"
Shiro recalled Corviknight and pressed another Poké Ball.
The moment Vibrava emerged, a familiar wave of blazing fire greeted it head-on.
"Viiiib..."
It flapped its wings frantically as flames licked around its body and gradually dispersed. Somehow, it managed to endure the attack.
Forty-five seconds!
"Weezing! Gunk Shot!"
"Protect!"
The commands were issued almost simultaneously.
Then, the poisonous sludge crashed into the emerald barrier. The freshly erected Protect shield immediately emitted a series of sizzling sounds as a large hole began corroding through its surface.
Inside the barrier, Vibrava looked frightened and instinctively backed away, but there was nowhere left to retreat.
Fifty seconds!
Haunter's appearance had already changed dramatically.
Outside, Alfred's fingers curled like claws. Veins bulged along his arm as he growled through gritted teeth, "Weezing, prepare another attack!"
A red beam flashed inside the cave as Shiro recalled Vibrava.
Now he stood alone at the entrance. He took a deep breath and lowered his stance, fists clenched.
There were no extra Pokémon left, only the trainer himself.
The standard equipment provided by Macro Cosmos would never withstand an attack of this level. But Shiro still possessed one item of exceptional quality, something that absolutely would not shatter from an attack… as long as he could endure the impact.
Outside, Weezing tilted its head back and began gathering energy once more while Alfred narrowed his eyes slightly, confusion flashing through his mind.
Had the opponent completely given up? Or did he still have some hidden trick?
Perhaps he planned to gamble on Corviknight and force him into using a Poison-type move...
Countless thoughts flashed by before Alfred suddenly shouted, "Weezing! Double Dark Pulse!"
At the same time, Shiro pulled out an ancient rust-covered shield. It looked so weathered that it seemed ready to crumble at any second.
The Rusted Shield!
But just then, a brown figure suddenly rushed out from behind him and stood in front of him.
"Bibarel?" Shiro shot upright in shock.
Bibarel lowered its body slightly and bared its buck teeth and black claws at the enemy ahead. Within its eyes, which were mostly white sclera, the tiny black pupils that once seemed foolish now held courage unlike anything before.
"Bibaaaa!"
It roared with all its strength as its front teeth glowed gray.
Super Fang!
The strongest move Bibarel possessed, a move that viciously bit the opponent with sharp teeth and cut the target's health in half.
Time seemed to slow. Meanwhile, Weezing had already unleashed its attack. Two spiraling waves of darkness rotated through the air. Filled with the oppressive nature of Dark-type energy, they resembled twin spirals of death silently advancing forward.
Bibarel showed no fear and leaped into the air.
Shiro opened his mouth, stunned. By the time he reacted, the black tail ahead of him had already charged in front of the attack.
One of the Dark Pulses seemed to veer off course and slammed heavily into the ground behind him, leaving behind a deep crater.
The other continued straight ahead.
In midair, the glowing white Super Fang collided with the Dark Pulse, its light instantly turning black.
Bibarel's teeth shattered immediately, then were pulverized into dust. The Dark Pulse didn't stop. It pierced through its jaw and then tore straight through the cream-colored fur covering its chest.
Not even a spray of blood accompanied the strike. The attack simply continued forward.
Shiro's scalp went numb. It felt as though lightning had washed through his entire body. A chilling cold surged from his spine straight to the top of his head.
The Dark Pulse was right in front of him.
Relying purely on muscle memory, he reacted instantly and raised the shield.
Boom!
A deafening collision echoed through the surroundings as violent shockwaves exploded outward, causing dust and dirt to rise into the air.
The Dark Pulse shattered against the Rusted Shield, but the impact still sent Shiro flying. His body rose nearly a meter into the air before he crashed down, unable to recover his balance.
He hastily used his left arm to cushion the fall. Even then, he slid across the ground until slamming into the cave wall.
Ignoring the pain, he struggled to raise his head.
At the entrance of the cave lay a motionless body. A massive hole had been torn through its chest and half its face, while blood flowed silently across the ground.
"Bibarel…" Shiro murmured as he tried to stand, only to realize half of his body had gone numb.
One minute!
The light within the cave finally dispersed, and in its place stood a red-eyed demon with twin horns, Gengar.
Outside, the joints of Alfred's clenched fingers crackled. He snorted disdainfully. "What a pity. Even after evolving, it's still only Elite-level… Weezing, Double Dark Pulse!"
Weezing's body squirmed as it gathered energy again.
The newly evolved Gengar floated to the cave entrance and released a furious roar.
At that moment, the purple stone it had swallowed earlier suddenly began to shine, and a second wave of white light enveloped its body.
Shiro struggled to his feet and tightly gripped the multicolored Keystone that had become scorching hot against his chest.
"Evolution beyond evolution… Gengar, Mega Evolve!"
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