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The force of the Hyper Beams tore through the campsite like a hurricane, obliterating everything in its path.
Tents, sleeping bags, equipment, and even large stones were sent flying. The surrounding forest swayed violently, as if on the verge of being uprooted by the sheer power of the blast.
The gale whipped through Kai's hair.
With a flick of her wrist, Sabrina conjured a psychic barrier, shielding the group from the shockwave's deadly aftermath.
Even with the barrier in place, the overwhelming force made them stagger, their bodies trembling under the impact.
Misty, being the lightest among them, nearly lost her balance.
Kai reacted swiftly, grabbing her arm just in time to keep her from falling. Instead of pulling away, Misty clung to Kai, nestling against him like a frightened Pidgey.
"Bleh—pfft!"
Nearby, Ash spat out sand, his face covered in dirt. He turned toward the blast zone his eyes widening in disbelief.
The once-sloping lakeshore now had a gigantic crater, at least ten meters wide.
The attack had torn through the terrain, exposing layers of fresh soil, shattered rocks, and uprooted plant roots. Water from the lake rushed into the pit, rapidly filling it.
In just a few minutes, the crater would be completely submerged.
"This… This is insane…" Tracey murmured in shock.
Misty's voice trembled. "They changed the entire landscape…?"
Kai let out a slow exhale, his heart still pounding.
"That was way too close. If Sabrina hadn't reacted in time… we'd be toast."
As the dust settled, Kai glanced at the remains of their campsite. Most of their gear had been scattered, but nothing had been completely destroyed.
Quackenpoker's research equipment, as well as their personal belongings, were still intact, albeit strewn across the ground.
—
Meanwhile, the Gyarados horde had recovered from their attack's post-move lag.
The massive serpents swam toward the shore, their eyes still burning with rage.
Quackenpoker, oblivious to the looming danger, was fiddling with his equipment, ensuring his precious data remained intact.
Kai sighed, 'Of course, he's more worried about his research than his own life'
At this point, there was no choice but to fight.
Kai and Ash moved in front of Quackenpoker, forming a protective line between him and the approaching Gyarados.
Their Pokémon followed suit, instinctively forming a defensive formation around their Trainers.
The air grew tense.
Every second brought the inevitable battle closer.
Ash gritted his teeth before stepping forward.
Raising both hands, he called out in an attempt to reason with them.
"Gyarados, listen! We're not your enemies! The ones who captured you—
"—was Team Rocket, not us!"
His words echoed across the lake But the Gyarados were beyond reasoning.
Their fury remained unshaken.
The closest Gyarados bared its fangs, issuing a deep, guttural growl—
A clear warning.
They're about to attack again!
Kai's expression hardened.
There was no time to talk.
"All units—engage!"
At his command, a wave of Pokémon surged forward. Charizard, Pikachu, Starmie, Marill, and every other Pokémon in their lineup joined the battle.
Aerial units soared, land units charged, and water units dove in—
A clash between the Trainers' Pokémon and the rampaging Gyarados horde had begun!
"Charizard, use Flamethrower!"
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
"Marill, Bubble Beam!"
Attacks flew in every direction bursts of water, electricity, fire, and psychic energy colliding in an all-out battle.
The battlefield was chaotic.
With so many Pokémon in combat, it was impossible to issue precise commands.
The Trainers had no choice but to let their Pokémon fight on instinct.
Despite their massive size, the Gyarados were at a disadvantage.
Having exhausted themselves climbing waterfalls and wasting energy in their rage, they lacked coordination and battle discipline.
Energy beams lit up the night sky like fireworks.
Amidst the frenzy—
"Psyduck! What are you doing here!?"
Misty's frustrated voice cut through the noise.
Kai turned just in time to see Psyduck standing still, its vacant eyes staring at the chaos.
It neither attacked nor dodged.
It just tilted its head like it was trying to process what was happening.
Misty groaned in exasperation, snatching Psyduck's Poké Ball and recalling it immediately.
Kai chuckled, 'Some things never change'
As the fight continued, Kai's hand instinctively hovered over his Poké Balls.
His fingers brushed against three distinct spheres—
The Legendary Birds.
No…
Using them was overkill.
Zapdos alone could wipe out the entire battlefield with a single Thunderbolt.
Also, Kai knew that his Charizard needed this type of battle to increase his strength!
Their Pokémon were holding their ground, but neither side was gaining the upper hand.
The Gyarados were relentless, and their Pokémon were taking damage.
Kai's eyes narrowed.
They needed a new strategy fast.
Just then a fiery projectile whizzed past their heads, barely missing them.
Kai and the others ducked on instinct.
Looking up, they saw Ash's Charizard flying overhead its eyes glowed with blind fury. It had just taken a direct hit from Hydro Pump and was enraged beyond reason.
Ash panicked. "Charizard! Stop & watch where you're attacking!!"
But the Charizard ignored him completely, letting out a defiant roar before unleashing another Flamethrower.
"Hehehehe..., Looks like you need my help"
Suddenly, a dark, ghostly figure emerged from Kai's shadow.
It was Haunter.
Up until now, it had been watching from the sidelines, enjoying the chaos.
But as the battle spiralled further out of control, it finally decided to intervene.
The mischievous Ghost-type hovered protectively in front of Kai, grinning as its eyes flickered ominously.
Haunter wasn't about to let Sabrina do all the protecting. Kai was its Trainer and it had no intention of leaving his safety to anyone else.
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