"Nidoking, Fire Release: Flaming Perserverance!"
"Blaziken, Inferno Ring: Flame Emperor!"
A sea of flames erupted, blocking two Pokémon hunters rushing in from the right. Then, Blaziken's Inferno Ring: Flame Emperor descended like a blazing sun, scorching everything in its path.
From the front, Machamp unleashed Finger Pistol: Daytime Tiger. Ferocious white tigers roared as they charged forward, displaying the sheer power of a quasi-Elite Four. In an instant, the three Pokémon hunters in his path were overwhelmed.
Shadowy claws emerged as Persian dashed forward, swiftly and cleanly eliminating three enemies along with their Pokémon.
Machamp carried the bodies back for Ron to scavenge resources, while Persian sped off to provide support to Nidoking.
Meanwhile, as Blaziken's Flame Emperor dissipated, remnants of fire still flickering on the ground, delicate white petals began to fall.
Lethal swordlight was hidden within the petals, silently dispatching two foes in an instant.
At the center of the battlefield, Ron stood beside Gardevoir, who continuously assisted in gathering supplies and relayed reports from the three battlefronts. Like a devoted companion, she awaited Ron's commands.
The more she helped, the more guilt Ron felt.
His other Pokémon could fight freely, yet Gardevoir remained by his side.
Sensing Ron's thoughts, Gardevoir affectionately rubbed her cheek against him.
Though she said nothing, her eyes shone with contentment, holding no trace of resentment.
Ron stopped dwelling on it and refocused on commanding Machamp and the others, using his Fighting Aura to restore their stamina.
Among them, Blaziken was undoubtedly consuming the most energy. As the weakest among them, he had to rely on Inferno Ring: Flame Emperor to pose a threat to the High Elite-ranked Pokémon hunters.
However, this technique drained Blaziken's stamina significantly, forcing him to shuttle between the battlefield and Ron's side.
Such a commotion inevitably attracted a quasi-Elite Four-ranked Pokémon hunter.
Fortunately, the five hunters, in their effort to locate Ron and his Gardevoir, spread out their search, delaying their arrival at the battlefield. Otherwise, Ron would have been facing more than just one quasi-Elite Four opponent.
"Machamp, Finger Pistol: Evening Elephant!"
With the quasi-Elite Four Pokémon hunter leading the charge, the previously defeated hunters regained their courage, closing in on Ron from all directions.
A massive red elephant's foot manifested in midair, hurtling toward Gauthier and his Golem.
"Golem, Rock Charge!"
Recognizing Ron's signature move, Gauthier didn't dare to be careless. He commanded Golem to unleash its most powerful attack combination.
With a fusion of Giga Impact, Heavy Slam, and Stone Edge, Golem leaped into the air, transforming into a massive boulder as it hurtled toward Evening Elephant.
The outermost layer of Stone Edge shattered upon impact, leaving Golem to rely on its sheer momentum to resist.
Though Machamp's Finger Pistol: Evening Elephant had the superior force, Golem's raw strength gave it the upper hand, resulting in a stalemate.
After the clash, Golem suffered the recoil from Giga Impact exposing a brief opening.
Seizing the opportunity, Persian, who had been lurking, dashed forward with blinding speed, executing Finger Pistol: Shadow Claw Execution to swiftly eliminate the hunters and their Pokémon attempting to protect Golem.
Using Shave to close the distance, Machamp followed up with another Finger Pistol: Daytime Tiger, sending three ferocious white tigers to further divide the battlefield.
Though Golem, the strongest opponent, remained standing, the battle had significantly tilted in their favor.
A moment earlier—
Taking advantage of Ron's focus on the frontlines, the Pokémon hunters on both flanks launched a fierce assault.
Standing firm like an unyielding guardian, Nidoking unleashed Fire Release: Flaming Perserverance repeatedly, transforming his surroundings into a blazing inferno.
Perhaps due to his continuous use of Fire-type moves, Nidoking felt his entire body heating up, even emitting wisps of steam.
Yet, despite his efforts, he was still outmatched by the High Elite-ranked hunters, who also had the advantage of numbers.
Water-type attacks, mixed with other elements, rained down, swiftly extinguishing the flames.
Just as Nidoking prepared to counterattack, he suddenly hesitated, slowing his movements and allowing the hunters to direct their Pokémon closer.
In the next moment, Gardevoir, who had been by Ron's side, vanished without a trace, taking on a support role.
Moonlight bathed her, making her appear as ethereal as a celestial maiden.
She unleashed her most powerful combination move—Illusory Realm—melding Hypnosis, Future Sight, Psychic, and Moonblast into a devastating onslaught.
Under Hypnosis' influence, the advancing Pokémon faltered, only to be struck by Future Sight, Psychic, and Moonblast in a relentless assault.
Being of Mid Elite rank, Gardevoir alone couldn't finish them off—but Nidoking was another story.
Lightning Release—False Darkness erupted, as spears of electricity rained down like the scythes of the Grim Reaper, carving deep scars into the ground while instantly killing two High Elite Pokémon.
Scarlet blood splattered, causing the Pokémon hunters to hesitate.
Seizing the moment, Gardevoir teleported to Nidoking's side, preparing another Future Sight for the next wave.
Blaziken launched Inferno Ring: Flame Emperor, initiating the first wave of attacks. But instead of retreating, he clenched his right fist, slowly gathering flames.
Swordlight flashed, but this time, the hunters were prepared, immediately commanding their Pokémon to use Protect.
Blaziken used Shave to dash forward, the flames on his right hand surging wildly, as if ready to explode at any moment.
Blaziken charged forward using Shave—Instant Step, its scorching flames surging wildly around its right fist, as if they could explode at any moment.
The instant the Protect barrier of the poacher's Pokémon was shattered by Bellossom, Blaziken swung its fist with full force. Fire Punch ignited, sending a blast of searing flames toward its target.
The intense heat was overwhelming, leaving the enemy trainers momentarily stunned. The Pokémon poachers hastily ordered their Pokémon to counterattack.
As Blaziken launched its assault, Bellossom executed its strongest technique combination—One-Sword Style: Finger Pistol – Verdant Shroud.
Pure white petals fluttered through the air, slashing through two High Elite-level Pokémon in succession.
As Bellossom struck back, Blaziken swiftly retreated into position. After eliminating their targets, both Pokémon instinctively stepped back, their movements perfectly synchronized.
Their seamless coordination allowed Bellossom and Blaziken to fully unleash their strength, completely suppressing the enemy's offensive.
"Machamp! Finger Pistol: Evening Elephant!"
"Persian! Go support Nidoking!"
"Bellossom! One-Sword Style: Finger Pistol – Verdant Shroud!"
"Nidoking! Fire Release—Flaming Perserverance, back-to-back!"
A flurry of commands echoed through the battlefield.
Surrounded by powerful foes and with more Pokémon poachers rushing to join the fray, neither Ron nor his Pokémon felt the slightest bit of fear. Instead, their blood boiled with excitement, eager for an even fiercer battle—one that would push them to their very limits.
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