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Exploding into Team Asuka's base, Chris and Blaziken were immediately met with opposition.
A stream of blue water shot toward them.
"Flame Charge!" Blaziken sidestepped slightly, easily dodging the attack. With flames engulfing its entire body, it strode forward, plunging directly into the cluster of enemy Pokémon.
Meanwhile, Chris standing behind Blaziken faced the incoming water attack.
"Mirror Coat!" Chris casually threw a Poké Ball.
Wobbuffet emerged, its body generating a mirror-like reflection that absorbed the incoming water and then reflected it with double the power!
This counter transformed a simple Water Gun into a devastating Hydro Pump!
The blast struck the Kingler who had initially attacked Blaziken.
Chris issued no further commands and sent out no other Pokémon.
This was already Blaziken's solo performance. Flame Charge stacked twice, combined with the acceleration from its Speed Boost ability.
Blaziken had built its speed to a frightening level early in the battle, effortlessly overwhelming the resistance from Asuka's members.
Its figure resembled a cluster of flowing fire, passing by in a flash. Wherever it went, enemy Pokémon were sent flying, staggering back in disarray.
Standing still afterward, not a single Trainer or Pokémon remained standing before Chris.
"SKREEE!" Blaziken raised its claws and crowed excitedly.
"Looks like he's been holding back a lot of frustration," Chris laughed. He really hadn't let Blaziken out for a proper battle in quite some time.
Looking toward the stairs, Chris spotted someone leading a Houndoom down from the second floor.
Surprisingly, this person looked familiar.
And for someone from Team Asuka to be familiar...
Was it a Asuka member from the fake Archaeological Association in the Forest of Abundance?
"WOOF!!!" Houndoom snarled upon seeing Chris, baring its fangs and letting out a fierce roar.
"That's him?" Owl stared at Chris, searching his memory for when he had instructed Houndoom to remember this stranger's scent.
Chris's expression changed slightly when he heard Houndoom's roar.
Through his Soothe Bell, he understood what Houndoom had just communicated: "It's him! He's the one who took something from the ruins!"
"I didn't expect that the scent would turn out to be a trace I left behind," Chris thought with surprise. It had been his first time doing something like that, and he had no experience covering his tracks.
The tracking methods in the Pokémon world were not to be underestimated. But it wasn't a major problem—he'd simply have to defeat this Houndoom.
With so many Team Asuka bases, what were the odds he'd encounter this particular operative at the base he happened to visit? The enemy's path was narrow indeed.
"Blaziken, Double Kick!"
Blaziken immediately leaned forward, accelerating like a motorcycle at full throttle, charging straight toward Houndoom.
"Return!"
"Pidgeot, use Wing Attack!" Owl swiftly switched Pokémon.
With his left hand, he recalled Houndoom, while his right hand released a Pidgeot.
The battlefield-worthy Pidgeot transformed into a sharp arrow to intercept Blaziken. Its wings glowed with white light, slicing through the air pressure.
But at the moment when the attack was about to connect, Blaziken dodged sideways at a speed far exceeding Pidgeot's. It stomped heavily on the ground with its left foot, causing the floor to crack, and twisted its body around its right foot.
The bright flames exploded with a "BANG!" In the next second, the Double Kick transformed into a Blaze Kick, striking Pidgeot's body from the side.
Watching the sequence, Chris felt like he was witnessing a football player on the field—a magnificent shot!
And this Pidgeot was the ball being shot into the goal!
"BOOM!" Pidgeot slammed into the wall, creating a sizeable hole in the structure.
This immediately alarmed the Pokémon Investigator assigned to defend that side.
Seeing it was just a Pidgeot that had lost its fighting ability, the Investigator relaxed somewhat.
"Such power..." Witnessing Pidgeot's instant defeat, Owl's expression immediately darkened.
The rapid exchange of offense and defense revealed the enormous strength gap between their Pokémon.
The Pokémon Investigators had sent such a powerful opponent against him this time—far more than he could handle.
How... how could he escape?
But Chris didn't give him any time to consider options and issued another attack command.
"Flame Charge!"
Blaziken's entire body erupted with intense flames, closing the distance to Owl in the blink of an eye, launching into a flying kick!
"Feraligatr, Hydro Pump! Block it!" Owl had no choice but to release his third Pokémon...
"RAAAWR!" Feraligatr roared as it materialized, immediately surrounded by a layer of light blue water. Facing Blaziken's blazing flames, it showed no fear whatsoever. Rather than countering with its own kick, it swung directly at Blaziken's face.
It turned out to be too much...
"BOOM!"
The water covering Feraligatr's body collided with the flames engulfing Blaziken, immediately creating a cloud of steam. Yet Feraligatr could not avoid being kicked away.
Its power and Blaziken's were fundamentally different in nature.
Even if it could neutralize the flames, it still had to absorb the physical impact of the kick.
Moreover, this kick carried the force of a Fighting-type move—like something from a Machamp.
"CRASH!" Where Pidgeot had blasted a hole in the wall, Feraligatr created an even larger one.
When Feraligatr landed this time, it didn't immediately lose its ability to fight, but the alarmed Pokémon Investigators quickly defeated it with follow-up attacks.
"Counter!" Chris commanded suddenly.
But this order wasn't directed at Blaziken, but at Wobbuffet.
From the side, a black figure suddenly rushed toward Chris. A sharp edge flashed in mid-air, the cold aura seemingly lowering the surrounding temperature. It was a Weavile that had been hiding in the corner, now launching a sneak attack on Chris. Frost glinted on its sharp claws, this was its...
Ice Punch?
Whatever it was!
Wobbuffet immediately positioned its hands on its waist, performing its signature salute. "WO~BBU~FFET!" (You cannot break through my defense!)
With its squinty eyes, arms akimbo, and taunting posture, Weavile didn't choose to dodge but instead increased the strength behind its attack.
As a result, its attack—registering as a Fighting-type move—bounced back with double the power.
"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!" Weavile's slender body was sent flying like a cannonball, knocking down five shelves in succession before hitting the wall.
This time it didn't break through the wall but became embedded within it.