The remaining eighteen Fairy-types surged. Three Grimmsnarl and three Togekiss led the charge. The air in the sewer grew heavy with Reflect and Light Screen.
"Bulk up," the lead Assassin barked.
The Grimmsnarls grew in size, their hair-like muscles tightening. They swung their massive fists at Nidoking. One landed a Spirit Break, slamming Nidoking into the stone wall. The King roared, the Life Orb on his neck burning bright red as he pushed back against the weight.
"Drapion, Pin Missile," Daichi commanded.
Drapion fired a volley of glowing stingers. The Togekiss trio swerved in mid-air, using Air Slash to swat the missiles away. One Togekiss dove, its wings glowing with Aura Sphere. It struck Drapion's armored chest, forcing the scorpion back into the muck.
"They're layering defenses, Break them them" Daichi commanded, not giving a single chance for the fairy army to fight back.
Salazzle scurried up the wall, dodging a Dazzling Gleam. She spit a cloud of Corrosive Gas. The acidic mist began to eat through the Grimmsnarls' magical screens. The hair-shields began to melt.
One Grimmsnarl lunged at Salazzle, catching her tail. It slammed her into a pipe. Salazzle hissed and fired a point-blank Sludge Bomb into the giant's face. The Grimmsnarl staggered, its vision clouded by poison, before collapsing into the water. Seven down.
The other two Grimmsnarls double-teamed Nidoking. They hammered him with Drain Punch. Nidoking took the hits, his feet furrowing the ground. He grabbed both by their throats.
"Earth Power," Daichi said.
The ground erupted beneath them. The golden energy shattered the remaining screens. Nidoking slammed their heads together and tossed them aside. Eight and nine down.
Above, the Togekiss circled, raining down Extreme Speed strikes. They blurred, hitting Dragalge from three sides. Dragalge groaned, its kelp-skin torn.
"Crobat, Haze. Dragalge, Sludge Wave," Daichi ordered.
Crobat exhaled a thick black fog, resetting the Togekiss's speed advantage.
Blinded, the pokemon slowed. Dragalge seized the moment, exhaling a massive wave of toxic waste that coated the ceiling. The three Togekiss fell from the air, their white wings stained purple and heavy. They struggled to flap before going still.
Twelve down.
Daichi wiped a drop of grimy water from his cheek. Half the horde was gone.
"Twelve left," Daichi calmly noted.
The remaining twelve Fairy-types spread out, filling the tunnels. Three Shiinotic, two Whimsicott, and a Florges stepped forward. The pink glow was replaced by a sickly green light as the Shiinotic released spores.
"Spore cloud. Get back," Daichi ordered.
Crobat flapped its wings, creating a whirlwind to push the sleep-inducing powder away. But the Whimsicott were faster. They used Prankster to set up Tailwind instantly.
The air in the sewer began to howl. The Florges stood at the back, its petals glowing as it activated Grassy Terrain. Green vines sprouted from the sludge, wrapping around Nidoking's legs.
"Now! Moonblast!" the Assassin yelled.
Six beams of concentrated lunar energy slammed into Daichi's line. Drapion took the brunt of the hit, its purple armor cracking under the pressure. Dragalge fired a Hydro Pump to intercept one beam, but the Tailwind made the Fairies too agile. They dodged and countered.
"Salazzle, use the pipes," Daichi commanded.
Salazzle leaped onto the overhead steam pipes, her claws clicking. She fired Venoshock at the Shiinotic, but the mushrooms used Strength Sap.
They drained the energy from Salazzle mid-leap, causing her to crash into the water. The Whimsicott followed up with Hurricane, trapping the lizard in a vortex of wind and debris.
"Nidoking, break the terrain!" Daichi command trying to regain his advantage.
Nidoking roared, his Life Orb pulsing. He used Ice Beam on the vines, freezing them until they shattered.
He lunged at the Florges, but the two Whimsicott intercepted him with Cotton Spore, clogging his joints and slowing him down. The Shiinotic moved in, their caps glowing with Dream Eater.
"Gengar, swap," Daichi said.
Gengar shifted through the shadows, appearing in front of Nidoking. He took the Dream Eater hit but laughed it off. He countered with Confuse Ray, hitting the Shiinotic. The mushrooms began to sway and bump into each other.
Drapion finally broke free from the Moonblast barrage. It used Night Slash on the Whimsicott, tearing through the cotton shields. One Whimsicott went down. Thirteen down.
The Florges screamed and unleashed a Petal Blizzard. The sharp leaves cut through the air like razors. Dragalge raised a shield of sludge, but the blizzard was too intense. Crobat dove in, using U-turn to strike the Florges and retreat, but the Florges used Wish to heal its wounds instantly.
"They're stalling," Daichi realized. "Dragalge, use Toxic Spikes. Saturate the water."
Dragalge fired glowing toxins into the sewer stream. The poison spread under the Grassy Terrain. As the remaining Whimsicott landed to reset its wind, it touched the water and shrieked.
The poison took hold. Salazzle saw the opening and used Flamethrower. The cotton-like Pokémon caught fire and fainted. Fourteen down.
The three Shiinotic tried to regroup, but they were still confused. They walked straight into Nidoking's Earthquake. The ground buckled. The mushrooms were crushed under the shifting stone. Seventeen down.
Only the Florges remained of this wave. It stood its ground, its flowers wilting in the toxic air. It gathered energy for a final Solar Beam.
"Drapion, finish it," Daichi said.
Drapion lunged, its claws glowing purple with Cross Poison. It struck the Florges before the beam could fire. The Fairy-type collapsed into the poisoned vines.
Eighteen down. Only six left
Daichi looked at the Assassins. His team was breathing hard. The Grassy Terrain was dying, replaced by the purple stain of Dragalge's toxins.
He stared at the
remaining six Pokemon gaurding the assassin.