Below, Blaise quickly pulled up information about Silas from his memory.
"A talented civilian Trainer from Kanto, huh."
He let out a disdainful sneer.
"Just another lapdog of the League."
"Swellow—knock him out of the sky."
Blaise suddenly flung a Poké Ball from beneath his cloak.
"Skree—!"
A hoarse cry rang out as a blue shadow shot straight into the sky.
"Pidgeot, Wing Attack.
Blaziken, Flamethrower.
Togekiss—catch me."
Silas, who had still been hesitating about whether to engage, immediately acted when he saw this. Without another word, he and Blaziken leapt off Pidgeot's back.
It seemed he no longer had the luxury of choice.
While falling through the air, Silas' mind was exceptionally clear.
This wasn't the time to worry about whether he could win, what mattered was how to survive midair without disrupting his Pokémon's combat performance.
A red flash of light appeared, and Togekiss materialized beneath him, catching him steadily.
Bang!
Pidgeot, its wings glowing white, collided head-on with the rapidly ascending blue streak.
A dull impact echoed through the air.
In the next instant, as Pidgeot flapped its wings and retreated, blazing flames swept through the space.
It was Blaziken, descending alongside Silas.
However, due to the recoil of the attack, Blaziken, who had barely been maintaining its aerial posture, was now falling even faster toward the ground.
"Come back, Blaziken.
Blaziken, come out!"
Silas instantly recalled Blaziken and released it again.
Blaziken reappeared atop Togekiss' back, crouching low to stabilize itself.
"Blazi."
Its cry was filled with vigilance and excitement at facing a powerful opponent.
"Pidgeot—"
"Swellow—!"
From diagonally above, the two bird Pokémon let out sharp, opposing cries.
Only now did Silas finally get a clear look at the opposing Pokémon.
It closely resembled a swallow, with predominantly dark blue plumage. Crimson markings adorned its neck, tail tips, and forehead, while its belly was pure white.
Swellow
Category: Swallow Pokémon
Type: Normal / Flying
Height: 0.82 m (average: 0.7 m)
Weight: 23.3 kg (average: 19.8 kg)
Battle Level: Elite level
Likely Known Move: Brave Bird
A blue translucent data screen from Zero floated steadily in Silas' vision.
Since this wasn't his own Pokémon, Zero could only provide limited information, but it was enough.
"This is bad…"
Silas' expression darkened.
This was the scenario he least wanted to see.
Just from the name Team Magma, one could tell which attribute their Pokémon specialized in.
Fire-type Pokémon were powerful, so Team Magma's overall combat strength was nothing to scoff at.
The awkward part was this—
Possibly due to Groudon, there were very few Fire-type Pokémon capable of flying, let alone ones adept at aerial combat.
To compensate for this weakness, Team Magma members often trained Taillow, Swellow, and Golbat.
Golbat was standard issue for criminal organizations. Swellow, on the other hand, fit their theme surprisingly well.
From its Taillow stage, Swellow constantly migrated in search of warmer lands, barely close enough to associate with fire.
The Pokémon best suited to solve this problem outright would have been one of Kanto's starters: Charizard, Charmander's final evolution.
But if a Hoenn criminal organization managed to obtain Charizard as a core combat Pokémon, Kanto's Pokémon League would lose all face.
Whether to avoid courting disaster or because Charmander was simply too rare, using it as a combat Pokémon was far less practical than trading it for resources.
Thus, this option remained nothing more than wishful thinking for Team Magma.
No matter how strong a criminal organization was, it still paled in comparison to the world-ruling Pokémon League.
And as one of the Three Admins, Blaise's main force was undoubtedly powerful Fire-type Pokémon.
Yet under these circumstances, even his Flying-type Pokémon had reached Elite level.
"No wonder this Blaise has lived longer than the others…"
Silas couldn't help but let his thoughts wander.
"Did he prioritize training Swellow just so he could escape more easily?"
Despite the looming threat, his mind still drifted off course.
"Swellow, Double Team."
Below, Blaise's lips curled into a feral grin.
Judging from the earlier exchanges between Pidgeot, Blaziken, and Swellow, the opponent's two main Pokémon hadn't yet broken through to Elite level.
Which meant, he had them completely under control.
Whoosh—whoosh!
Swellow rapidly split into one afterimage after another.
In the blink of an eye, Silas and his three Pokémon were surrounded by a swarm of Swellows.
"Blaziken, Heat Wave.
Pidgeot, Togekiss, Air Slash."
Silas issued his commands calmly.
Even if this was pseudo–Elite versus true Elite, he didn't believe he stood no chance.
After all, this wasn't a formal one-on-one battle.
A wheel battle and a group fight were two entirely different concepts.
Under Blaziken's control, scorching red-hot air spread outward like a massive net, engulfing the swarm of Swellows.
Immediately after came Pidgeot's slashing white wind blades.
Because Togekiss had to ensure Silas' balance and safety, its attack formed more slowly, only now taking shape.
"Swellow, Quick Attack."
With a sweep of his cloak, Blaise officially launched the offensive.
Bullying weaker opponents, especially so-called geniuses was fun, but now wasn't the time to waste effort.
League reinforcements could arrive at any moment.
At that point, it wouldn't be a matter of fun anymore.
With a bit of bad luck, he might end up meeting the previous Blaise.
Blinding white light instantly filled the sky.
Every Swellow was enveloped in brilliant radiance.
Whooo—
The sound of wind howled.
The white light scattered in all directions.
"Blaziken—locate the real one."
Silas responded without panic.
It seemed the opponent still didn't understand him well enough.
Then again, a Blaziken proficient in Aura wasn't exactly common sense.
If Swellow's clones and its real body stayed mixed together, even with Aura, pinpointing the true one among so many would be extremely difficult.
But once they separated—
The drastic drop in numbers within a given area gave Blaziken tremendous room to operate.
Not to mention, under the dual interference of Blaziken's Heat Wave and Pidgeot's Air Slash, Swellow's flight paths were already heavily restricted.
"Blazi."
Blaziken's eyes flared with brilliant blue light.
It extended a claw and pointed.
"Togekiss!"
Receiving the signal, Togekiss immediately hurled its slightly delayed Air Slash.
"Skree—!"
White light collided with white light.
Under Blaise's slightly astonished gaze, Swellow's true form was revealed.
It had been struck by Togekiss' Air Slash and forced into a flinching state, making it impossible to sustain its Quick Attack.
As for how much damage it had taken, that was hard to say.
At the very least, Silas couldn't see any obvious signs of injury.
Swellow tilted its head, glancing at its now-disheveled feathers, the fury in its eyes steadily rising.
To it, neat and beautiful plumage was a matter of dignity.
Having that dignity damaged by three weaker Pokémon was completely unacceptable.
"Skree—!"
An enraged cry echoed through the sky.
"Good, just like that!
Swellow, use Steel Wing and charge!"
Blaise quickly snapped out of his surprise.
Seeing his Pokémon like this didn't make him angry in sympathy instead, it only excited him further as he barked out the command.
A pale silver sheen gradually spread over Swellow's wings.
"Pidgeot, use Twister to disrupt its flight!
Blaziken, take the chance and use Rock Tomb!"
At that moment, Silas suddenly realized that he might have been underestimating his partners' strength.
Because he lacked sufficient experience fighting Elite–level Pokémon, he had initially believed that Blaziken and Pidgeot were still far behind such opponents.
After all, the Blastoise at the Indigo Plateau had been terrifyingly strong.
But this exchange made Silas feel that things weren't quite that simple.
Compared to that Blastoise, Blaise's Elite level Swellow clearly felt weaker by a noticeable margin.
On one hand, this could be attributed to the advantage of coordinated "three-versus-one" pressure.
On the other hand, it also proved just how much his own Pokémon had grown.
Under Blaise's increasingly unpleasant expression, Swellow's furious Steel Wing charge not only failed to deal damage to Silas' Pokémon—
It was instead restrained by the combined efforts of Pidgeot and Blaziken.
Moreover, the Rock-type move Rock Tomb dealt considerable damage to Swellow.
A struggling expression appeared on its face.
"Tch."
Blaise felt as though he had been slapped in the face.
"What are you all staring at?! Get your Pokémon out here, now!"
He glared viciously at the surrounding Team Magma members.
"Go—Golbat!"
"Zubat!"
Though inwardly grumbling, his subordinates immediately released their aerial Pokémon.
Blaise followed up by throwing out a second Poké Ball.
A Golbat, at pseudo–Elite level.
Under its lead, over twenty Golbat and Zubat—ranging from Advance-tier to ordinary strength, swarmed toward Silas.
"Damn it… that's just dirty."
Even though he had anticipated this, Silas couldn't help but curse when it actually happened.
These Team Magma guys were really ganging up on him.
Silas didn't believe that Blaziken, Pidgeot, and Togekiss alone could stand against that many enemies.
While Blaziken and Pidgeot could indeed hold off Swellow together, they wouldn't be able to finish it off anytime soon.
And Togekiss alone had no chance of dealing with so many Pokémon.
It wasn't that Silas didn't want to send out Serperior and the others, the battlefield simply didn't allow it.
For the sake of mobility, Pidgeot couldn't carry another Pokémon.
Togekiss already had Silas and Blaziken on its back; there was no room for a second Pokémon.
Not even the slimmest Ampharos would work.
As for Gigalith—forget it.
As for retreating to the ground to fight…
…Yeah, no.
After considering the enemy's lineup, Silas decisively abandoned that idea.
Aerial combat was already his best possible option.
"What now…?"
His brow furrowed with anxiety.
"What's the energy activation progress?"
Seeing Silas struggling helplessly in the sky, Blaise turned to his subordinates and asked about the situation.
"Fifty percent, three more minutes until we can withdraw!"
The operator replied, drenched in sweat.
The temperature around the volcano was continuously rising.
Not only him, Blaise himself was also soaked through.
"Excellent."
Blaise nodded in satisfaction.
At this rate, as long as nothing unexpected happened, the League's reinforcements wouldn't make it in time.
Near the crater, complex and precise machinery flashed with red lights.
Each flash advanced the progress bar on its screen slightly and made the earth tremble in response.
Boom.
The tremors spread across the entire Ilex Forest.
Deep within the darkness, an abandoned shrine began to change.
Specks of green light gathered toward it from all directions.
"La—!"
A voice rang out—somewhat silly, yet clearly irritated.
Outside the shrine, a green vortex formed.
A small, fairy-like green Pokémon flew out.
Its head was round, curving backward, with green antennae tipped in blue extending from its forehead.
Light-blue eyes were surrounded by thick black rings, and its round, toeless feet and three-fingered hands gave it an adorable appearance.
If Silas were here, he would recognize it instantly.
The Psychic- and Grass-type Mythical Pokémon he had long yearned for—
Celebi.
Celebi's large eyes, unusually filled with anger, seemed to sense something.
"La?"
It turned its head curiously toward the distant volcano.
That was its destination.
Yet… there was also a strangely familiar presence.
"Bzz—"
Unnoticed by Silas, the GS Ball stored in a case within his inner pocket trembled several times.
"La~"
As if confirming something, Celebi brightened again.
It spun several times in the air—
Then dove headfirst back into the green vortex from which it had emerged.
"Huh?"
Including Silas, who was struggling desperately all eyes were drawn to the sudden burst of dazzling green light in the distance.
"Th—this…"
In the next moment, Silas stared in disbelief at his own hands, now glowing green.
What, was he turning into Green Lantern or something?
No, no, no—please don't.
He panicked.
Then, Silas felt it.
Within his perception, the entire world seemed… different.
Almost instinctively, he beckoned toward the trees below.
The lush forest appeared unchanged—yet in an instant, it seemed to "age" dramatically.
Specks of green light spread upward.
"Boss… I think—I can beat them now?"
Blaziken's uncertain Aura message echoed within Silas' mind.
It felt its power surge dramatically under the veil of green light.
....
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