"Annihilape, Rage Fist!"
The Ghost/Fighting-type slammed its fist into the nearest Houndoom. The Dark-type howled in agony, hurled across the entire Lake of Rage, crashing into the western shore hundreds of meters away.
"My Houndoom!" its trainer screamed, stunned.
Around them, Team Rocket's formation faltered. Even Dr. Silanu himself was left gaping.
"This Annihilape…" He licked his lips, shock melting into obsession. "It must have undergone some kind of mutation. Worthy of study… absolutely worth capturing!"
His glasses flashed as he barked, "Seize it! Double fortune today—Red Gyarados and this Annihilape will belong to Team Rocket!"
Ethan, hovering above the chaos on Charizard's back, snorted at Silanu's madness. "Double fortune? More like double funeral. You'll be singing for mercy soon."
Below, Annihilape raged among Rocket's Pokémon. A single Machamp tried to meet it head-on with a Dynamic Punch—only to be flattened by one blow. A Raichu and Ninetales launched Thunderbolt and Flamethrower in tandem, but Annihilape charged through the barrage, fists blazing, and knocked them both into the boiling lake.
From over twenty Rocket Pokémon, only four or five still stood. The rest lay broken on the ground or floating in the shallows.
Silanu's excitement withered into panic. What monster is this? How do you capture something like that?
"Retreat!" he yelled, face pale. "Forget Annihilape and Red Gyarados. Fall back!"
Overhead, the battle between Charizard and Dragonite continued. Dragonite, though wounded, still pressed forward with relentless power. A destructive Hyper Beam lanced from its maw, but Charizard swerved aside—sending the blast crashing into Rocket lines instead.
The beam obliterated a Poliwrath and a Sunflora instantly.
"Damn you, Lance!" Silanu spat, shaking with rage. "You don't care who you hit—Rocket or not!"
Lance's eyes were like steel. To him, there was no difference. Team Rocket, Ethan, Red Gyarados—none would leave this place.
"Dragonite, pursue!"
Dragonite surged higher, forcing Charizard into retreat. Ethan gritted his teeth, sweat stinging his eyes. Even with Mega Evolution, Charizard's struggling. If Annihilape wasn't holding Rocket down, we'd be crushed already.
Then something unexpected happened.
Rocket, desperate not to lose Annihilape, sent half their remaining Pokémon skyward—not at Ethan, but at Dragonite.
"Don't let Dragonite finish Charizard!" a grunt shouted. "We need that monster Annihilape!"
Ethan blinked, then laughed. "Well now… thanks for sharing the pressure, Rocket."
He patted Charizard's neck. "Dragon Breath—don't let them go down easy!"
Charizard roared, exhaling a stream of searing draconic fire. Rocket's Pokémon staggered, buying precious seconds as Dragonite was forced to fend them off.
Lance scowled. His Dragonite, once crushing everything in its path, now found itself entangled. "Trash," he muttered, fury rising. I should have brought more than three Pokémon.
Still, he had one more card.
"Come forth, Aerodactyl!"
Light burst beside him. A massive, bald, purple-winged predator shrieked as it materialized. Its presence alone sent Rocket grunts stumbling back in terror.
Ethan's system scanned automatically:
Pokémon: Aerodactyl
Level: 58 (65 days to next level)
Potential: Elite-Class
Ability: Pressure
Gender: Male
Known Moves: Wing Attack, Scary Face, Fire Fang, Roar, Agility, Ancient Power, Body Slam, Bite, Iron Head, Hyper Beam.
Ethan hissed between his teeth. Two Elites and one Champion-level… born into fortune, that's Lance. And me? Just one Annihilape keeping us afloat. Damn, that guy really was born lucky.
"Hyper Beam!" Lance commanded.
Aerodactyl shrieked, maw glowing as it gathered power.
Ethan glanced down at Annihilape. The Ghost-type was slowing, its fury sated after crushing Rocket's ranks. It had done its part. Now it was his turn to keep them alive.
"Charizard, hold—wait until the moment's right," Ethan whispered.
A golden beam erupted from Aerodactyl's jaws. At the same time, Dragonite unleashed its own Hyper Beam.
Twin lances of annihilation streaked toward him.
Ethan's pupils shrank. "Now, Charizard—up!"
Charizard veered skyward in a burst of sunlight, dodging both beams. The blasts slammed into the Rocket line below instead. Pokémon shrieked as they were obliterated in the explosion.
Ethan winced at the carnage but kept his voice steady. "Perfect. Couldn't have planned it better."
Rocket survivors glared up at him, realizing too late they'd been used as shields.
"After him!" Lance snapped.
Aerodactyl shrieked and dove after Charizard, its Roar shaking the air.
Ethan blinked as his Poké Balls shook at his belt. Charizard vanished in a flash—forced back by the effect of Roar.
In its place, a Poké Ball burst open midair.
Snorlax appeared, wide-eyed and bewildered.
For a heartbeat, Ethan and his Pokémon exchanged equally confused looks. Then gravity reclaimed them both.
They plummeted.
"Snorrrr…?" Snorlax blinked, still half-asleep, as it and Ethan fell through the sky toward the boiling waters of the Lake of Rage.