Read up to 30 advanced chapters exclusively on my Patreon at - patreon.com/LoverrBoy
---------------------------------
"Gym Leader Blaine! Don't get distracted! My attack is coming! Nidoking, use Earth Power on Rapidash! Then charge in with Poison Jab!"
Liam chuckled as he reminded Blaine that their battle was still ongoing, quickly commanding Nidoking to launch an attack.
"Nido!"
Nidoking stomped on the ground once more, sending a powerful tremor surging toward Rapidash. Not stopping there, Nidoking followed closely behind, his thick arms glowing with a sinister purple light, eyes flashing with fierce determination.
"Rapidash! Dodge with Bounce! Magmar, counter with Fire Punch!"
Hearing Liam's words, Blaine quickly refocused and responded immediately.
"Neighhh!"
As the tremor closed in, Rapidash pushed off the ground with its powerful hind legs, soaring into the air and perfectly avoiding the shockwave of Earth Power. Then, from midair, it plummeted straight toward Nidoking.
Meanwhile, Magmar charged in as well, flames igniting fiercely on both of its arms as it swung at Nidoking with all its might.
"Hmph! Nidoking, use—"
Just as Liam was about to command Nidoking to use Surf to break free from the pincer attack, a voice interrupted him.
"Slowbro, use Zen Headbutt to knock away Rapidash!"
As soon as Lorelei's command was given, Slowbro's body glowed with a deep purple psychic energy. Then, in an eerie display, it was lifted off the ground as if it were a ragdoll being controlled by an invisible force.
In a flash, it transformed into a purple streak, colliding precisely with Rapidash midair.
"Neighhh!"
Rapidash let out a pained cry as it was sent flying sideways, crashing to the ground. At the same time, Nidoking clashed violently with Magmar, his glowing purple fists slamming against Magmar's flaming arms in a brutal exchange of blows.
"Did you all forget about me? Don't underestimate me! Slowbro, use Water Gun on Magmar!"
Lorelei, looking displeased at being sidelined, quickly joined the fray.
"Slow!"
After knocking away Rapidash, Slowbro drifted back to the ground beside Nidoking. Staring blankly at the locked struggle between Nidoking and Magmar, it suddenly opened its mouth, releasing a jet of water straight at Magmar's face.
"Maghhr!"
Hit at point-blank range, Magmar let out a muffled groan, its strength faltering. Nidoking seized the moment, pushing away Magmar's flaming fists and driving a glowing purple fist straight into its face with Poison Jab.
"Maggh!"
Magmar stumbled back several steps, groaning in pain. Soon, a faint purple glow began spreading across its body—signs of poisoning.
"Nido!"
Suddenly, Nidoking let out a pained cry. Looking closer, flames had coiled around its fist, rapidly spreading up its entire arm, dealing continuous burn damage.
"Damn! A burn?! Just my luck! Magmar's Flame Body ability is so annoying! We can't afford close combat anymore. Nidoking, use Earth Power!"
Most Magmar possessed Flame Body, a trait particularly troublesome for Pokémon reliant on physical attacks. However, Nidoking wasn't one of them—his specialty lay in special attacks rather than physical combat.
"Nido!"
Enduring the searing pain from its burnt arm, Nidoking slammed the ground again, sending another powerful Earth Power shockwave forward.
"Slowbro, you attack as well! Use Water Pulse on Magmar!"
Lorelei wasn't about to let this chance slip by and quickly issued her command.
"Slowbro..."
With its usual blank stare, Slowbro barely reacted. Then, its mouth slowly opened, forming a swirling sphere of water.
"Not so fast! Magmar, use Smokescreen at full power! Rapidash, disrupt Slowbro with Megahorn!"
Blaine, a veteran Gym Leader with extensive battle experience, remained composed as he gave his commands.
"Maghh!"
Magmar threw back its head, unleashing a thick cloud of black smoke that quickly enveloped the battlefield, obscuring vision.
Meanwhile, Rapidash galloped forward at full speed, its forehead horn elongating and glowing a bright green—transforming into a spear-like Megahorn—as it charged at Slowbro.
"Slowbro, use Withdraw!"
Before Rapidash could strike, Lorelei swiftly ordered a defensive maneuver.
"Slowbro!"
Dropping the Water Pulse it had been forming, Slowbro's Shellder-covered tail began glowing before suddenly expanding in size. In the blink of an eye, the massive Shellder snapped shut, fully enclosing Slowbro within.
BANG!
A loud impact echoed as Rapidash's attack slammed into the hardened shell, sending it rolling to the edge of the battlefield. As the shell shrank back to its normal size, Slowbro reappeared—visibly battered from the impact.
"Slowbro..."
Even though Withdraw had absorbed much of the blow, Megahorn was still a powerful Bug-type move that was highly effective against Slowbro's Psychic typing.
The damage left Slowbro too weak to stand, forcing it to sit on the ground.
"Slowbro, use Slack Off!"
Seeing Slowbro injured, Lorelei urgently ordered it to recover.
"Slowbro..."
Slowbro flopped forward, stretching out all four limbs as a soothing green aura surrounded its body, gradually restoring its stamina.
"I won't let you get away with that! Rapidash, use Take Down on Slowbro! Magmar, trap Nidoking with Fire Spin!"
Blaine wasn't about to let Slowbro heal uninterrupted. At his command, Rapidash raised its forelegs high, letting out a piercing cry before charging at full speed toward Slowbro.
Simultaneously, Magmar forced one eye shut, gritting through the poison's effects as it spat out a swirling vortex of flames toward Nidoking.
"Maghh!"
In an instant, the flaming tornado engulfed Nidoking, trapping him within its fiery prison.
"Slowbro!"
Lorelei's heart clenched as she saw Rapidash rushing toward Slowbro. Unlike Roost or Recover, Slack Off couldn't be interrupted once initiated—Slowbro could do nothing but watch as the attack came straight at it.
"Nidoking, use Surf!"
At that critical moment, Liam shouted out his command.
Blaine and Lorelei both looked on in shock as a massive tidal wave rose beneath Nidoking, sweeping away the Fire Spin and carrying him forward.
"Rapidash!!"
Rapidash barely had time to react before the towering wave crashed down upon it. Without even a cry, it was washed away, thrown out of bounds onto the rocky ground, its fiery mane reduced to a dim flicker.
It struggled weakly before collapsing completely.
Since Surf was a battlefield-wide move, Magmar and Slowbro weren't spared. Slowbro, however, simply drifted along the wave, looking oddly content as the water carried it.
Magmar, on the other hand, was not so lucky—it was swept straight into the surrounding lava. Even the molten rock around the arena had been cooled and solidified by the flood.
Magmar let out a few weak bubbles from beneath the lava before floating to the surface, eyes spinning. Alongside Rapidash, it had been completely knocked out.
"This... This is impossible!"
Blaine stood in disbelief, staring at his two unconscious Pokémon.
Lorelei, too, gaped at Liam, looking deep in thought.
"Come back, Nidoking. Gym Leader Blaine, thank you for the battle."
Liam recalled Nidoking with a smile, looking confidently at his opponent.
"Haha, well played!"