"Mightyena, are you alright?!"
Shelly's voice carried a trace of panic. Mightyena was her strongest Pokémon—if it fell, she would have no way to resist Aoki.
Mightyena staggered back onto its feet and let out a determined growl, signaling that it could still fight. However, the impact of Relicanth's Hydro Pump had drained much of its stamina.
Shelly sighed in relief but kept her gaze locked on Boss Lairon, her expression grim.
Standing alone against four Pokémon and remaining unscathed—this level of power… was it possible that Boss Lairon had already reached the Elite rank?
Shelly's heart sank further. If this Lairon had truly reached the Elite level, then even with her entire team combined, she stood no chance. She had witnessed the overwhelming might of an Elite-level trainer before. That kind of power made even strong trainers feel utterly powerless.
"Mightyena, another Hyper Beam! Crawdaunt, Ludicolo, Walrein—Hydro Pump, all at once!"
Despite her unease, Shelly launched the first attack. Defeating Aoki was the only option left.
"Boss Lairon, rush in and use Mega Punch!"
Boss Lairon wasted no time, charging forward. Its right foreleg gleamed with white energy before smashing into the incoming attacks.
BOOM!
The ground shook violently as the impact created a massive crater. The combined force of Hydro Pump and Hyper Beam was completely obliterated by Boss Lairon's devastating punch.
"Impossible!"
Shelly's eyes widened in disbelief. Even with four Pokémon attacking together, they still couldn't break through Boss Lairon's defenses.
No doubt about it—it's Elite level.
Fear crept into her heart. She had to retreat. Right now.
"You're not getting away. Boss Lairon, Thunderbolt—cover the entire field!"
"DORAAAH!"
Boss Lairon roared, sending powerful golden lightning crackling across the battlefield.
"No! Dodge it! Mightyena, move! Walrein, Crawdaunt, Ludicolo—use Protect!"
A desperate counter. The three remaining Pokémon generated shimmering white barriers around themselves just in time to block the powerful attack.
Even though they survived, the strain was immense. Protect might have blocked the hit, but the sheer power behind Thunderbolt had left them exhausted. If they had tried to block it individually, it would have been impossible.
"Close the distance! Use Thunder Punch!"
Boss Lairon charged forward with surprising speed for its massive body. The earth trembled beneath its steps.
Shelly barely had time to react before WHAM—Thunder Punch landed squarely on Walrein.
"GAAAH!"
Walrein let out a pained howl before collapsing. The Electric-type attack had been super effective, and Walrein lost consciousness instantly.
"Target Mightyena! Aura Sphere!"
Aoki commanded with precision. Boss Lairon gathered a sphere of blue energy and hurled it toward Mightyena.
Still weakened from previous attacks, Mightyena had no chance to dodge. The attack hit it head-on, sending it rolling across the ground.
"Ugh…!"
Shelly clenched her fists. In mere moments, two of her strongest Pokémon had fallen.
She cursed her misfortune—why did she have to run into Aoki of all people? If it weren't for him, her mission would have gone smoothly.
She knew she was outmatched. She had to retreat now.
"Crawdaunt, Ludicolo—we're falling back!"
She quickly recalled her defeated Pokémon, preparing to make a run for it.
"Not so fast! Combusken, Flamethrower! Frogadier, Water Pulse! Relicanth, Hydro Pump! Boss Lairon, Rock Cannon—don't let her escape!"
A coordinated barrage of fire, water, and stone was unleashed.
The attacks crashed into Shelly's position, causing a massive explosion.
The shockwave sent Shelly tumbling across the ground.
"Ugh…!"
She groaned, struggling to her feet, but before she could move, all of Aoki's Pokémon had already surrounded her.
"Boss Lairon, one more Thunderbolt—but hold back, don't kill her."
Electricity surged as another bolt of lightning struck Crawdaunt and Ludicolo.
Despite their pain, the two Pokémon refused to back down. They launched simultaneous Hydro Pump attacks toward Aoki in one last desperate attempt to turn the tide.
"Relicanth, Protect!"
At Aoki's command, Relicanth jumped forward, erecting a glowing shield that absorbed both Hydro Pump attacks effortlessly.
Boss Lairon let out an enraged roar, its Thunderbolt intensifying. The continuous surge of electricity proved too much—Crawdaunt and Ludicolo finally collapsed.
With that, all four of Shelly's Pokémon were down.
She only had four to begin with—after all, she wasn't a cadre yet and couldn't afford to train a full team.
Now, she knelt on the ground in defeat.
All her efforts—the years she had spent climbing the ranks of Team Aqua—were about to end here.
She had dreamed of rising to the top, of becoming a cadre, but now… she was just another grunt caught in the act.
"Relicanth, great job. You rest for now. Treecko, Frogadier—you too."
Aoki withdrew his Pokémon, except for Boss Lairon.
They were still out in the wild, and he wasn't about to let his guard down.
If Shelly tried anything reckless, she wouldn't get a second chance.
And judging from the look in her eyes… she was still looking for an opening to escape.
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