"Ka~!"
At Ethan's command, Munchlax raised his chubby hands and began to waggle them, Metronome glowing faintly.
On the other side, Sabrina, who had been smiling with quiet amusement, suddenly froze. The memory of her earlier prophecy surged back—darkness swallowing everything. Her eyes narrowed.
"Alakazam, Psycho Cut!" she ordered.
"Huuhhh~!"
Alakazam's spoons gleamed, twin psychic blades tearing through the air.
But in that instant, Munchlax lifted his hands higher. A sphere of darkness formed above him—small at first, no bigger than a fist, but swelling rapidly until it loomed over the battlefield.
Sabrina's pupils constricted. "No…"
The black sphere burst outward, plunging everything into absolute night.
She gasped. Darkrai's move—Dark Void!
In an instant, Lavender Town was drowned in pitch black. Sabrina raised her hands, but even her psychic senses met only silence. No heartbeat, no voices, no sound—just endless emptiness.
"Alakazam!" she called. "Alakazam, respond!"
Nothing.
She clenched her fists, panic stabbing at her composure. The void pressed in like a coffin, dredging up memories of her lonely childhood, when her powers had first isolated her from the world. Her scream tore through the darkness.
Reality.
Ethan blinked at the scene before him. The entire Rocket unit had collapsed, Pokémon and trainers alike slumped in sleep. He let out a sharp breath.
"Did Munchlax really just trigger Dark Void? That's Darkrai's signature move!"
The Nightmare Pokémon's divine technique—no wonder an entire army had been silenced in an instant.
His mind snapped back to the moment. "Charmeleon! This is your chance! Time to level up—take out every sleeping Rocket Pokémon!"
"Rua!"
Charmeleon roared and charged, claws and flames tearing into the helpless foes. First Alakazam, then the others, one after another. Ethan directed him ruthlessly.
"Split! Flame Fang! Keep going!"
The experience poured in. His system window blinked as Charmeleon's level soared.
29… 30… 31… 32… 33… 34… 35… 36… 37.
A blinding glow enveloped his partner.
Ethan's heart pounded. "It's happening…"
Charmeleon's body grew, wings unfurling from his back, tail flame blazing like a bonfire. In a deafening roar, the light shattered, revealing a black-scaled Charizard, its wings spreading wide with power.
Man and dragon locked eyes across the field. Ethan grinned, pride burning in his chest. Charizard's gaze was steady, resolute.
"Ka—!"
But the moment was broken by Munchlax tugging on Ethan's pants with a weak groan. Its little face twisted with resentment, clearly saying: I just pulled off a god-tier move. Where's my food?
Ethan dropped to a crouch, pulling out energy cubes. "I'm sorry, Munchlax. Here—eat, eat."
Munchlax brightened, scarfing down the food eagerly. Ethan exhaled, then turned to Charizard. "Keep going. Harvest the rest while they sleep."
Charizard obeyed, cutting down Rocket Pokémon left and right. Munchlax, too, benefited, his level climbing from 31 all the way to 38.
Not far from 40 now, Ethan thought with satisfaction. Both of them—monsters in the making.
Amid the chaos, Cynthia's voice rang out, hesitant.
"…You're not really undercover, are you?"
Ethan's temper snapped. "Do I look like an undercover agent to you?!"
"Then why were you standing with them? Dressed like them? And so close to that woman?" she shot back, cheeks flushed with anger.
Ethan groaned. "It's a long story. But hear this—I'm sworn against Team Rocket. That woman? I only got close because your sandstorm forced me into her barrier. Use your brain!"
Without waiting, he flicked her forehead.
"Ah—!" Cynthia yelped, clutching her head. To her own surprise, relief washed through her chest. So he really isn't one of them…
Ethan smirked. "You dumb girl. Next time, think before you accuse. Do I look like the type to betray you?"
She huffed, rubbing her forehead. "Fine… but I'm still not letting you off easy."
Ethan turned on the nearby Lavender Gym students, who earlier had screamed for refunds. His finger jabbed their heads one after another, each tap punctuated with a scolding.
"Refund, huh?" Whack.
"You too? Refund?" Whack.
"I'll refund you right into the ground!" Whack.
The students ducked their heads in shame. Despite their earlier insults, they had been the first to stand when Rocket invaded. Ethan's anger softened. "Enough whining. Use this chance—have your Pokémon clean up these Rockets. Get stronger."
They brightened, calling out their partners and joining the fight.
As Ethan watched them rally, a faint smile tugged his lips. For all their foolishness, they were still reliable when it counted.
But in the distance, Sabrina—who had collapsed into Dark Void like the others—began to stir. Her eyes flickered open.
The battle wasn't over yet.