As Petrel shouted, the Poké Ball was already about to reach Grey.
A burst of red light flared. The same Forretress that had appeared back on the S.S. Anne sprang out of the ball!
A rapid, acrid white glow surged over its body—smelling like cordite.
Explosion.
The classic suicide move!
"I don't believe you've got a Pokémon that can block this!"
Petrel sneered, flicking his brows at Archer to hurry up and finish Grey.
This was his last gambit.
Aside from Dratini, he had no other main fighters left.
Right now, Annihilape was charging straight in with Rage Fist cocked back; every step shattered the ice-bound ground, grinding the fragments to powder that drifted through the air.
Archer's sightline was blocked. His hand slid to his belt—just waiting to counter the instant Annihilape lunged!
"Awooo!"
Houndoom's whole body roared with fire. A torrent of rolling crimson flame surged forward with it to meet the incoming Blizzard!
BOOM!!!
Fire and ice smashed together and boiled into a bank of white fog.
Both were Elite-tier; type matchups would decide it.
Articuno's Blizzard was Ice-type—up against Houndoom's Inferno, it was fighting uphill.
After a brief stalemate, Houndoom's steady advance began to push the Blizzard back.
"So it really is a bit short…"
Grey glanced at the little Riolu beside him nibbling on a berry, then brought his gaze back.
A prickle of danger rose; that harsh white radiance was closing in fast.
"Fooo~"
As Forretress spun at high speed, Grey could see the mocking look in its eyes.
This thing lived to explode.
He didn't bother with it.
He just flicked two Poké Balls.
"Breloom—Mach Punch!"
Out popped Breloom and… Poliwhirl!
The instant Poliwhirl hit the field, the air turned damp.
Forretress's Explosion fizzled on the spot—the white glow snuffed out as if it had never been.
"Forre?" (Huh? Where'd my boom go?)
Forretress hovered, snout full of wet air. Its shell grew tacky; the cold even frosted it over.
Miserable.
Utterly miserable!
A day without blowing up made it itch all over, and now this clammy air wouldn't let it explode…
"???"
Petrel blinked through the fog. One look at the Poliwhirl told him everything.
Ability: Damp
Effect: Soaks the area, preventing anyone from using self-destruction moves.
Grey had done his homework.
Neither Petrel nor Archer would be slipping away.
He was turning the whole lot into bounty.
"Damn it, all that prep and—wha—?!"
Halfway through cursing, Petrel felt a razor of wind rip toward him through the fog!
Mach Punch!
He'd thought that since he was unarmed, Grey wouldn't target him, and would go all-out on mid-Elite Archer instead.
And the result?
Grey picked on the weak and infirm—him?!
Where was the dignity?!
"Bre!" (Told you to use Ditto before. Too late now!)
Breloom's fists drove forward. Its red forearms snapped longer and hammered straight at Petrel's face!
Aim for the face—scramble him without cracking the skull.
"Tch—"
Petrel jammed a Poké Ball up as a shield; Dratini burst back out.
"Bre?!"
Breloom felt the Dratini's fear, but it was too late to pull the punch. It bit down and redirected—
CLANG!
The heavy fist smashed into Petrel's gut, sending him skidding meters across the ice with a vicious jolt.
"Gh—"
When he finally stopped, Petrel dropped to one knee, clutching his stomach and gulping breath.
White vapor puffed from his lips. He felt like he'd almost gone to meet his great-grandma.
"Still standing?"
Grey, watching both fronts, noticed Petrel hadn't passed out and couldn't help admiring him. "Petrel, with a core like that you'd kill it on the prison sewing line—might even earn yourself a little 'Model Worker' pennant."
"???"
At that, Petrel spit blood. His vision swam. Both knees hit the ground—done.
"Petrel!!!"
Archer had seen the whole thing and no longer knew who the real 'villain organization' was here.
"What are you staring at? When you used Explosion you weren't sparing a thought for me. Respect me an inch, I'll outplay you a mile. I'm just giving you a taste of your own medicine."
Grey sounded bored.
Right then, Houndoom burst through the Blizzard's shackles. A surging sea of flame melted the winter back to mud and slush!
"Awoo!"
Houndoom howled; even if the Blizzard had blunted it, the fire still smashed head-on into Annihilape's Rage Fist!
"Ice Beam."
Grey gave the order. A pin of blue lit at Articuno's beak, and in the next heartbeat a killing cold lanced down.
The slicing beam outran Annihilape—striking Houndoom first!
Inferno collapsed to cinders on contact.
Annihilape's bent arm had been soaked with grudges; it seized the split-second opening and drove the punch home!
Fully stacked Rage Fist erupted mid-air, snuffing the last ember to ash.
"Fire Fang!"
KRNNCH!
Power detonated across Houndoom's frame, but this time it didn't get knocked flying.
On reflex, it snapped its jaws at Annihilape's arm, flames rippling between its teeth—
KABOOM!!!
Fire flared. Sparks scattered across Annihilape's hide!
Houndoom's fangs clamped and held. One dog, holding the monster back by brute force!
"Good. What's left is a freshly Elite Articuno—hardly worth noting."
Archer brushed ice-dust off his coat, eyes fixed on Articuno's beating wings. He didn't spare a glance for Grey's other partners.
At worst, that Breloom was a little grimy.
He still had five usable Pokémon.
This wave—he had the edge!
"Grey, what a pity. Even if you beg now, it's already too late."
Murder flashed in Archer's eyes. He pinched a Poké Ball, ready to hurl.
Grey's eyes flicked—and he shouted over Archer's shoulder, "Lance, you're here!"
"What?!"
Archer's pupils blew wide as he whipped around.
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