🎆 Happy New Year! 🎆
Thank you all for the amazing support throughout this year. 💙To celebrate the arrival of the new year, here is a special New Year code:
🎁 Code:NewYear: F3B16
📅 Code validity:
Start: December 30, 2025 at 11:55 p.m.
End: January 2, 2026 at 11:00 p.m.
Enjoy it and let's start this new year strong. 🚀✨Here's to an amazing 2026! 🎉
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After the tournament ended, Ethan Black stored the Water Stone in his backpack, mounted Absol, and departed from the Slowpoke breeding grounds, intending to return to the Pokémon University of Ironvale City before nightfall.
On the way, Shellder was still far too excited to return to his Poké Ball. Ethan Black let him be and allowed him to snuggle into his arms.
Fuuuh, fuuuh.
As Absol ran, a fresh breeze brushed against Ethan Black's face.
"Abbssss!"
Once they had left the breeding grounds and entered a lonely stretch of road, Absol suddenly came to a halt. The horn on its head began to glow faintly, scanning the surroundings with alertness.
Noticing Absol's strangeness, both Ethan Black and Shellder raised their guard. Shellder extended his psychic power outward into the environment.
Suddenly, Shellder's eyes widened, and several barriers rose around Ethan Black's body.
"Swoosh!"
In that very instant, a sharp whistle sliced through the air. A figure appeared beside Ethan Black, swinging down with razor-sharp claws.
Boom!
The claws were about to strike Ethan Black, but the attacker hung in the air for a split second—the blow crashed against the barrier, making it vibrate violently.
The stranger, surprised that his attack had been blocked, quickly withdrew and slipped into the forest before Ethan Black could react.
"What was that?" Ethan Black broke into a cold sweat, staring fearfully in the direction the shadow had fled.
If not for Absol's prior warning and Shellder's psychic reaction in raising the barrier, his head would already have been cleaved.
"Was it a wild Pokémon... or is someone watching me?" Ethan Black frowned, his expression growing darker.
"Everyone, come out!"
Uncertain of what was going on, he released Sandslash, Cacturne, Meltan, and Shuckle—bringing six Pokémon to his side to prevent another surprise attack.
Fwoooosh.
The moment they appeared, a whistling sound cut through the air. From the sky, a white flash: three wind blades descended straight for Ethan Black's head and arms.
Thanks to his psychic senses, Shellder had already detected the enemy and raised another barrier in the air, blocking the strikes.
"It's a Golbat!"
In the sky, a large silhouette flapped its purple wings. Its blue body contrasted with a gaping mouth that took up nearly its entire body, revealing four sharp fangs.
"How could there be such an aggressive Golbat in this place? Could it really be that someone is following me?" Ethan Black wondered, frowning. The attacks had targeted his vital points, without the slightest sign of holding back.
"Hssssss!"
"Hssssss!"
"Hssssss!"
As he thought, three Arbok slithered out from the forest, surrounding him from three sides.
And at the last angle, a muscular Persian watched with mocking eyes.
"A Golbat, three Arbok, a Persian... and that stranger from earlier. Six in total. There's definitely a trainer behind this."
Ethan Black's face darkened. He scanned the trees, searching for whoever was commanding them.
"Miauss!"
The Persian roared and lunged forward, wrapped in white light.
"Absol," Ethan Black whispered.
Absol leapt instantly, colliding head-on with Persian. The two became entangled in a fierce clash.
That movement was the signal: the three Arbok spewed streams of liquid, charged with poisonous energy, straight at Ethan Black and his Pokémon.
"Shellder, Counter Shield!"
At once, Shellder formed a ring of water around himself and expanded it, enveloping Ethan Black and the others in a vortex that rose like a whirlwind.
Ziiish.
The three Acid attacks struck the whirlpool, quickly staining it purple.
"It's our turn. Shuckle, use Helping Hand and Acupressure on Cacturne."
"Cacturne, use Ingrain and control the field!"
Shuckle transmitted his energy into Cacturne with his yellow tentacles. Cacturne roared, and thick roots spread like serpents, each as sturdy as an Arbok.
"Go, use Magical Roots!"
The roots lashed out in three directions at once.
Sensing danger, the Arbok twisted across the ground to dodge. But immediately, the roots became wrapped in green energy, chasing them relentlessly.
"Good job, Shuckle, return, you've done great."
"Trapinch, it's your turn! Use Gust to hinder Golbat."
"Meltan, when Trapinch immobilizes it, use Thunderbolt!"
While Cacturne kept the Arbok occupied, Ethan Black recalled Shuckle and sent out Trapinch.
Although he could now control more than six Pokémon, he decided not to reveal that card with a hidden enemy lurking nearby.
Trapinch stirred up flying-type energy, whipping up a gale that shook Golbat in the air, making it stagger.
In that instant, Meltan unleashed a massive bolt of lightning.
Golbat tried to dodge, but it was too late: the thunder struck him full on. Screeching, he plummeted from the sky.
(End of chapter)