By the eighth day, Luke thought he had learned every secret tunnel in this part of the mountain — until they rounded a corner and froze. A massive Onix blocked the path ahead. Its body coiled through the narrow tunnel like a moving wall of stone, eyes glaring as if it had been waiting for challengers.
Luke's pulse raced. "Houndours… we can't fight this one head-on. We need to run. Now!"
The battle began instantly. Onix's tail smashed into the walls, sending showers of rocks flying. The male Houndour lunged with Ember, flames bouncing off Onix's thick body, while the female tried to flank it, her white scarred eye flashing with determination. Every tunnel was a trap; debris fell around them, and the sound of crashing stone echoed through the maze.
Luke shouted commands, using his Dark-type energy to guide the Houndours. The male darted forward aggressively, forcing Onix to react, while the female struck with careful Ember blasts, slowing its pursuit. Rocks tumbled down, barely providing enough cover as the trio fled deeper into the winding tunnels.
It was brutal. Exhausted, their breaths ragged, the Houndours occasionally had to dodge falling boulders or leap over gaps in the floor. Onix slammed its head and tail repeatedly, shaking the tunnel and forcing Luke to roll out of the way at the last moment.
Finally, they spotted a narrow side passage. It was almost too small for Onix to follow. "This way!" Luke yelled, leading his Pokémon in a desperate sprint. Onix tried to follow but became stuck momentarily, thrashing violently before retreating back into the shadows with a deafening roar.
Luke collapsed outside the tunnel entrance, clutching his exhausted Houndours. The eight days of continuous battles, training, and near-death experiences had transformed them.
The male Houndour stood tall, muscles taut, flames ready at every instinctive move — level 22, aggressive yet loyal. The female, scarred eye blazing with confidence, displayed precision and courage she had never shown before — level 24, agile, intelligent, and fierce.
Luke smiled through the exhaustion. "We made it. We survived Mt. Moon… and we're stronger than ever."
The Houndours nudged each other gently, tails brushing, their bond now unshakable. The mountain had tested them to the limit, but together, they had survived, grown stronger, and become an unstoppable team ready for the adventures that awaited beyond Mt. Moon.