After breaking free from the encirclement, Lian sprinted at full speed. Only a few Pokemon could keep up with him, while the rest were left trailing behind.
However, this wasn't sustainable for long as Gliscor had charged towards him, ready to launch its attack.
Undoubtedly, Lian's greatest concern was the level 50-plus Gliscor, which far surpassed the other Pokemon in strength and was rapidly closing in on him.
Just then...
A remarkably swift Pokemon flew in from afar - it was a flying-type Swellow. With only one Gliscor present in the sky, this Swellow clearly did not belong to the Dark Guild.
The Swellow moved significantly faster than the Gliscor, even quicker than Lian himself. In the blink of an eye, it caught up to Gliscor and blocked its path.
"Hm?"
Lian didn't have time to look back but sensed someone was assisting him, temporarily preventing Gliscor's pursuit.
"Professor!" Kalia exclaimed joyfully. It turned out that Professor Evergreen had arrived, bringing his Pokemon to help Kalia.
In reality, Kalia had informed Professor Evergreen about the Dark Guild's involvement, and he felt concerned for her safety. Thus, he discreetly provided protection nearby. Sensing Kalia's peril, he promptly intervened.
Professor Evergreen's timely appearance was akin to rain during a drought. While Swellow managed to engage Gliscor, the Professor rode on his Tauros with three other Pokemon, swiftly heading towards Kalia.
With Gliscor being held off, Lian escaped immediate danger. He had already dealt with the flying types earlier, leaving only ground-based Pokemon, which were slower than him.
It's time to counterattack!
A fierce gleam flashed in Lian's eyes. Apart from evolving under pressure, accumulating sufficient 'experience' could also enable his growth. Since pressure evolution wasn't feasible now, he decided to test his abilities by taking out these Pokemon.
Meanwhile, Lian had replenished his fire energy reserves. Although lacking wide-area moves, it didn't mean he couldn't handle multiple Pokemon at once. With Sunny Day still active, the instant detonation of Wrath of Fire had caused significant damage to the ground-based Pokemon; some unlucky ones even suffered burns.
Boom!
A massive Weather Ball condensed in mid-air and crashed down onto the group of Pokemon. Lian had been preparing this move, as it required no fire energy yet possessed immense power - certainly not something to waste.
The explosion of fire energy unleashed terrifying force, sweeping through the area instantly killing several weaker Pokemon at the epicenter of the Weather Ball. Only those with stronger defenses survived, but combined with the previous damage from Wrath of Fire, they were significantly weakened.
Despite their numbers, without Trainers directing them, these Pokemon resembled a swarm of headless flies. The only formidable combatant, Gliscor, was already engaged by Swellow.
Now, Lian could truly act freely. Unless faced with unexpected interference, he could methodically eliminate all the remaining Pokemon.
In the next moment, Lian turned towards the survivors and unleashed Flamethrower, widening its range to cover more ground like a spreading fan.
Another wave of Pokemon was swept away by the fiery blast. However, due to the dispersion of flame's strength, the reduced power could only defeat a portion of the opponents.
Babu from the Dark Guild, upon seeing Professor Evergreen arrive with his Pokemon for rescue, showed no fear and instead shouted aggressively, "You must be from the research institute! Hand over that bracelet!"
Professor Evergreen glared coldly at Babu while commanding Tauros, Linoone, and other Pokemon to confront the dozen-plus members of the Dark Guild. Dealing with these individuals required direct attacks on them rather than focusing solely on their Pokemon.
The League's rules protect Trainers and civilians, not the members of vicious organizations operating outside the law.
"Drapion!" Babu promptly deployed Drapion, positioning it defensively, and summoned Tyranitar as well, engaging in battle against Tauros and the other Pokemon.
Professor Evergreen's Pokemon were somewhat weaker, barely managing to hold off the combined assault of Drapion and Tyranitar. The presence of Tyranitar triggered a Sandstorm around them.
"Professor!" Kalia expressed her concern, observing that the Professor's Pokemon might struggle against Tyranitar and Drapion.
At this moment, the Dark Guild members were preoccupied with self-defense and couldn't advance further. With Grovyle guarding Kalia, they dared not approach, knowing its Leaf Blade was not something to underestimate.
"Don't worry; backup will arrive shortly," Professor Evergreen reassured her. Given the nature of Dark Guild members, one could never be too cautious. Before arriving at the scene, he had already alerted Rhine City's mid-level Trainers and police department.
At that moment, Babu, initially panicking, suddenly brightened up and shouted, "Guild Master!"
A Staraptor appeared from afar, carrying Pes, the Overseas Archipelago branch leader of the Dark Guild, swiftly approaching them.
"You incompetent fool! I knew relying on you would be useless. Thankfully, my instincts were right, and I came to check!" Pes' face brimmed with anger. The guild master had recently pressured him, making him uneasy about Babu's actions. His suspicions proved correct as Babu failed yet again, unable to complete the task.
Pes was truly the powerhouse within the Dark Guild, and his arrival tipped the battle heavily in their favor.
Professor Evergreen's expression darkened. He was well aware of the Dark Guild, and Pes, as one of its executives, was undoubtedly a formidable Trainer, almost equivalent to a High-Level Trainer.
Pes arrived swiftly on his Staraptor, touching down at the battlefield within moments. He glanced towards Professor Evergreen and Kalia.
"Hand over the bracelet, and this matter will be considered settled!" A cold glint flickered in Pes's eyes. Although he claimed that surrendering the bracelet would end it, no one could truly know his intentions.
Professor Evergreen was not naive; with reinforcements yet to arrive, his best strategy was to feign cooperation and buy time.
"The bracelet is at my research institute," said Professor Evergreen, seemingly conceding. "I'll go fetch it for you."
"Fine, but first, have your Pokemon cease their resistance!" Pes demanded. At that moment, Tauros, Linoone, and other Pokemon were still battling against Tyranitar. Ordering them to stop resisting would inevitably leave both Pokemon unable to continue fighting.
Without the protection of his Pokemon, Professor Evergreen would undoubtedly face danger. However, his primary goal was to stall for time, so he had little choice but to compromise.
"I cannot ask them to cease resistance entirely, but I can recall my Pokemon." Professor Evergreen prepared to return his three Pokemon to their Poké Balls. Facing such overwhelming odds, he couldn't afford to be too stubborn, but neither could he leave himself completely vulnerable. Otherwise, he'd become like lamb led to slaughter, unable to ensure his own safety.
Pes observed the battle on the other side; more than ten Pokemon lay defeated on the ground, all from the Dark Guild. Meanwhile, a single Charmeleon, outnumbered, continued fiercely battling against a group of Dark Guild's Pokemon.
The fact that one Charmeleon could hold its own to this extent was astonishingly impressive. Most notably, it even seemed to have gained the upper hand.
Pes's eyes gleamed, reflecting his long-standing habit within the Dark Guild—being highly attuned to exceptionally talented Pokemon. This formidable Charmeleon sparked a desire in him to capture it.
For Pes, no Pokemon was beyond changing ownership. With such astounding potential, if he could forcefully acquire this Charmeleon and nurture it, it would undoubtedly become an incredibly powerful Fire-type Pokémon in the future.
Meanwhile, Professor Evergreen had already recalled his Pokemon, appearing resigned to be captured. He spoke up, "Send a few people with me to retrieve the bracelet. Kalia is innocent; let her leave."
"Hmph, releasing her is possible, but I want that Charmeleon. Have her recall it and hand over the Poké Ball," Pes demanded.
"Impossible!" Kalia vehemently protested, shocked that they were targeting her Charmeleon; there was no way she would compromise.
"Babu, capture her!" Pes commanded. A Weavile emerged from its Poké Ball and charged towards Kalia.
Babu and several Dark Guild members rushed at Kalia, but Grovyle swiftly moved, quickly distancing them with its speed.
However, Pes's Weavile was exceptionally fast, darting ahead in a flash, overtaking everyone to catch up with Kalia.
"Ahh!"
In the next moment, Weavile unleashed a Slash attack, instantly knocking Grovyle airborne and defeating it. Then, Weavile seized Kalia, who cried out in shock as she felt intense pain in her shoulder being gripped tightly.
During his fierce battle, Lian effortlessly overwhelmed the opposing Pokémon, proving superior even against their numbers.
Suddenly, hearing Kalia's scream sent shivers down Lian's spine. He immediately disengaged from combat and turned towards Kalia, noticing her captured by a Weavile, her expression pained.
A surge of fury engulfed Lian, overriding any concern for the ongoing fight. With Kalia held captive, he knew he had to rescue her at all costs.
In the next instant, Lian burst forth with incredible speed, creating a crater as he charged towards the Weavile. However, midway through his sprint, a Staraptor intercepted him.
Boom!
Lian's Fire Punch collided with the Staraptor's wing, sending him flying due to its superior level.
Helplessly, he watched as Kalia was brought before Pes, who then demanded, "Return your Charmeleon to its Poké Ball."
"Pes, I warn you, release Kalia or you won't get the bracelet," Professor Evergreen sternly stated. The Weavile tightened its grip on Kalia's shoulders, its sharp claws causing her immediate pain.
"I will not hand over my Charmeleon," Kalia defiantly replied, anger and helplessness surging within her, contemplating even death at that moment.
"It's not up to you." Pes swiftly grabbed Kalia's Poké Balls. "Which one is Charmeleon's?"
Kalia remained silent.
Meanwhile, Lian continued battling the Staraptor when Pes shouted, "Charmeleon, if you don't want to see your Trainer die, obediently return to your Poké Ball."
Lian's fury boiled within him, never expecting such shamelessness from his opponent, using Kalia as leverage against him. However, he couldn't ignore her safety.
Subsequently, Pes opened three Poké Balls, waiting for Lian to enter one voluntarily. Pokemon have simple instincts and cannot remain indifferent when their trainer is in danger.
Reluctantly, Lian surrendered and returned to a Poké Ball, prioritizing Kalia's well-being above all else.
"Haha, there's no Pokemon I can't obtain in this world," Pes laughed triumphantly.
However, inside the Poké Ball, Lian's anger grew stronger by the moment. Suddenly, a surge of immense power erupted deep within him.
He realized it was time for his evolution.
In the next instant, a blinding white light burst forth from the Poké Ball, startling Pes who instinctively closed his eyes due to the intense brightness.
Even Weavile was taken aback. At that moment, Kalia seemed to recall something crucial, enduring her pain and swiftly breaking free from Weavile's grasp.
Caught off guard, Weavile lunged with its claw towards Kalia, its sharp talons poised to tear through her back.
Bam!
A fiery fist emerged forcefully from the white light, sending Weavile flying away.
Kalia initially thought she was caught by Weavile, but it didn't feel like its claws. Instead, she sensed a gentle grip around her body, accompanied by the sound of wings flapping and a soft breeze lifting her hair.
Out of the corner of her eye, Kalia glimpsed an orange-red hue and excitedly looked up to see a majestic, orange-red Pokemon holding her securely. With broad wings fluttering, they soared towards the sky.
The orange-red Pokemon's flying seemed somewhat unsteady, swaying as if it were a young Pidgey learning to fly for the first time.
"Charmeleon!" Kalia exclaimed joyously, momentarily forgetting her shoulder injury, filled with sheer delight.
Lian had evolved directly from the Poké Ball into a Charizard, breaking free to save Kalia and ascending into the air.
With newly acquired wings, Lian's flying skills were still raw, barely managing to carry Kalia aloft.
Now brimming with power, the feeling post-evolution was exhilarating. He gazed down at the ground, focusing on the Dark Guild members below.