Alex's confidence in the fight against Theodore, a Master ranked trainer, came from several factors. He was at the peak of his rank, his body honed to perfect fitness, while Theodore lingered at the lower end of his rank, his body having wasted away over the years, giving Alex a clear edge in raw physical power.
His Dark type energy was overflowing, providing a temporary surge in both quality and quantity that could rival a Master ranked trainer's own energy. On top of that, his Dark type energy had been actively cultivated, while Theodore's Flying type energy had grown more passively. To Alex, all of this made the fight feel balanced.
With growing confidence, he surged forward and opened with a flurry of punches as Theodore braced himself.
Alex snapped a stinging jab into Theodore's guard, the impact thudding against flesh and bone as he gauged his range. Without missing a beat, he unleashed a straight right cross that slipped through Theodore's guard and snapped his head back, a sharp crack echoing in the space between them. Before Theodore could steady himself, Alex swung a lead hook around the side, grazing the jaw, then drove another right cross straight through the center, knuckles finding Theodore's nose.
Sensing Theodore faltering, Alex pressed the advantage. He pumped a rapid double jab, each punch striking like a whip and forcing Theodore's guard higher, eyes flickering in panic. He launched a high-speed right cross, snapped a flicker jab right after, and finished with a crushing right cross that slammed into Theodore's chest. The force sent him staggering backward, legs wobbling, air knocked out of him, the fight now firmly in Alex's control.
Immediately, Alex realized his strikes weren't landing as hard as they should. Theodore's Flying type energy wasn't just creating blasts of air, it was reinforcing him, cushioning each punch and absorbing some of the impact. He would have to finish the fight using holds instead of relying on impacts, but it would be best to soften him up first.
Alex surged forward again, opening with the familiar combo. He led with a jab to probe Theodore's guard, then followed with a straight right cross that Theodore easily weaved under. It was a predictable move, one that Theodore could read, but Alex anticipated it as well.
As Theodore ducked, Alex drove a knee upward into his chin, snapping his head back and setting up another flurry, left hook to the jaw, right cross to the face, rapid double jab forcing his guard higher. Alex readied a high-speed right cross to break through, but Theodore ducked again, keeping his guard tight this time against the incoming knee Alex had countered with.
In one fluid motion, Theodore blocked the knee strike and seized Alex by the back of the knee. He drove him forward, throwing him off balance, and executed a takedown, sending Alex crashing to the ground with surprising force that cratered the earth beneath them.
Taking advantage of his position, Theodore mounted Alex and began hammering his face, left and right fists alternating with maddened fury. He had been a boxer in his heyday and was a wrestler as well, so he knew a thing or two about grounding and pounding his opponents. Unfortunately, it was an outdated combat maneuver that failed to account for their heightened physical abilities.
Pinned under Theodore, Alex reacted quickly. He whipped his legs around Theodore's body with impressive flexibility, planted his feet against Theodore's chest, and kicked off at full power, sending him tumbling into the sky.
Theodore's Flying type energy took control of his ascent, lifting him and holding him suspended as he glared down at Alex. At the same time, he glanced at the ongoing battle between their Pokémon and realized the situation wasn't looking good for him. His Master ranked Pokémon were being tactically contained, while his Champions were being eliminated one after the other.
The source of the problem was a team of three Champions, a Roaring Moon being ridden by an Iron Valiant, both followed by a Hydreigon. The three struck his Champions in quick succession, pouncing on them one after another and beating them into unconsciousness before moving on to the rest. They were powerhouses that even his own Master ranked Pokémon would struggle to resist.
For a moment, he considered retrieving his Pokémon and retreating, returning later with more loyal subordinates for revenge. But his pride, stung from being insulted and toyed with, compelled him to continue the fight. He could still win if he managed to hold Alex hostage.
He tilted forward, body slicing through the air as he dove toward Alex, fist drawn back and ready to strike.
The moment they clashed, Alex exploded into action. He caught the descending fist, spun, and executed a shoulder throw, slamming Theodore into the ground while keeping a tight grip on his arm. Before Theodore could recover, Alex shot his legs up and around Theodore's shoulder, trapping the arm tight against his chest. He dropped back in one motion, arching his hips sharply to hyperextend the joint. The sudden, explosive pressure forced the arm past its limit, snapping the elbow.
"GAAAAH!!! My arm—ugh!" Theodore howled, his voice cracking as agony shot through his limb.
Alex took full advantage of his hold on Theodore and began breaking his limbs one after another. He stood while keeping a grip on the broken arm and reached for the other, catching a fist that swung to punch him away. Then, with a flying armbar, he snapped the other arm.
"GAAAHHH!" Theodore screamed as the pain doubled, but Alex wasn't done with him yet.
He stood again, pulling Theodore up by the broken limb, then reached down for a leg, only to be met with a knee to the face that staggered him.
Finally free of Alex's deadly hold, Theodore unleashed his Flying type energy, crouched low, and leapt with all his might to escape. He gained some distance before turning toward Hammerlocke, trying to fly away, but he didn't get far.
A pair of Crobats swooped down with Quick Attacks, striking him hard and sending him tumbling back toward the crater, where Alex waited with open arms and bloodthirsty anticipation.
Once Theodore landed heavily on the ground with the wind knocked out of him, Alex grabbed a leg, lifted his elbow, and slammed it down on the side of the knee, breaking it with a thunderous snap.
"GAAAHHH!"
Assured his prey wouldn't escape, Alex reached for the other leg and repeated the process.
"GAAAHHH!"
Finally, he grabbed the weakened, limp, heavily breathing Theodore by the collar and lifted him to eye level.
"I have to admit, old man, you gave me a run for my money," Alex said as he turned Theodore's limb body around and grabbed him in a choke hold. "I was lucky my taunting worked on you; otherwise, I would have had a real problem on my hands."
Theodore gasped desperately for breath as Alex's muscles constricted around his neck, cutting off blood flow to his brain. Slowly, amid Alex's ranting, black spots began to appear in his vision as consciousness slipped away.
Sensing Theodore's resistance fading, Alex finally grabbed him by the head with both hands, tightening his grip and preparing to twist, ready to end his life.
CRACK!
Alex twisted Theodore's neck, ending his life instantly. Almost immediately, enraged, anguished howls broke out as Theodore's Pokémon descended into a rampage, confused and lost without their bond.
Unfortunately for them, they were already contained, unable to escape the systematic control of Alex's Pokémon.
In fact, their rabid state made the fight easier, as they no longer thought critically. Like wild animals, they tore through the battlefield without regard for the damage they were taking, greatly speeding up the end of the battle.
In no time, they were brought down one after another, ultimately killed and stored for their meat. These were powerful Pokémon, and their nutrition would undoubtedly bolster Alex's team, allowing even more of his Pokémon to reach Champion rank in due time.
Once the fighting was over and the spoils were stored, Alex ordered a different kind of cleanup. They had to repair the damage they had caused to the surroundings, or they would be slapped with a hefty fine for damaging public roads. Rhyperior began leveling the ground, while Tsareena, by her lonesome, spread Grassy Terrain to restore the foliage on both sides of the pathway.
A moment later, Alex received an incoming call from Marnie. Checking his history, it seemed she had been trying to contact him for the past few minutes.
"What's up?" Alex asked, noticing that Marnie was still running laps.
"Alex! You finally answered! I heard you were in a fight with Theodore Everhart. What happened?"
"Killed him," Alex said simply.
"Really? You beat him and three other Champions all by yourself?" she exclaimed, clearly impressed.
"I scared the Champions away and took down the old man. It was actually pretty easy since he had his head shoved pretty far up his ass. Is there anything I should be worried about?"
"He's the patriarch of the Everhart clan, so I don't think you have to worry about any sort of retaliation. Although… there'll be a bloodbath soon. His Pokémon at his mansion will probably kill everything in sight, including his relatives and servants. Then his businesses will be swallowed up by the other families, assuming they don't start killing each other first."
"Am I going to get flak for that?"
"No. I've got your back on this. I'll make sure the League focuses on their businesses instead of blaming you."
"Thanks, Marnie."
"No problem, Alex."
Once the call ended and the cleanup was finished, Alex started running again as if nothing had happened. His energy was still overflowing, so he needed to burn more of it off.
Now, he was on his way to Hammerlocke to deal with another of Mustard's problems and perhaps finally get the chance to fight a Max Pokémon.
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