The glob of Sludge Bomb hung in the air for a fraction of a second, a dark, oily sphere of concentrated toxicity rotating with terrifying speed.
To Alex, frozen by the Arbok's Glare, it looked like a cannonball and he absolutely couldn't move nor could he dodge.
He could only watch the projectile that was about to liquidate his chest but Nidorino moved.
The purple beast launched himself upward, not away from the danger, but directly into its path. He didn't close his eyes, Just lowered his head, aligning his spine with his horn.
"Nidorino!" Alex choked out, his throat muscles fighting the paralysis.
Nidorino roared, his horn, empowered by the Poison Barb on his collar, glowed with a blinding, violet intensity and met the sludge bomb mid-air.
Zzzzzz.....Zzzzzzzzzzz.....Zzzzzzzz
The impact was violent and deafening, the Sludge Bomb didn't explode like a grenade; it shattered like a water balloon filled with acid, thick, slime sprayed everywhere, coating Nidorino from horns to tail.
He hit the ground hard, skidding backward, his claws carving deep furrows in the dirt and stopped inches from Alex's frozen boots.
Nidorino shook his head, the sludge sizzled on his hide, but unlike Arbok's earlier Acid, this didn't seem to burn him as badly.
He was a Poison type, he lived in this element, so he absorbed most of the toxicity, his skin tingling with the chemical overload.
He looked up at the Arbok, his eyes were burning red, he wasn't afraid anymore.
Arbok hissed, confused, the prey should be dead.
"He..... blocked it," Alex realized, his breath coming in shallow gasps. "He tanked a fucking Special Attack with his face."
Arbok recovered from its confusion and it was completely angry now. The flashlight had dazzled it, its prey had survived its venom, and the human was still standing.
It coiled tight, compressing its muscles like a giant spring, the hood flared to its maximum width.
The tip of its tail began to glow with a shiny metallic, silver sheen, It hardened, becoming as dense as steel..... Iron tail
"Nidorino," Alex whispered, the paralysis in his jaw loosening just enough to speak. "He's coming."
Nidorino planted his feet, he couldn't dodge an Iron Tail as the reach was too long and the swing too wide.
"Sucker Punch," Alex commanded.
"Wait for it."
It was the only way, Sucker Punch was a priority move and it required the user to strike before the opponent's attack landed, It required split-second timing.
Arbok lashed out, it's silver tail whipped through the air, aiming to decapitate Nidorino.
"NOW !"
Nidorino vanished, he surged forward, his body coated in a cloak of dark energy that seemed to absorb the light around him.
He moved faster than what his body should have allowed, propelled by the Hustle ability and the desperation of the moment.
He ducked under the swinging tail, the wind of the attack ruffled his spines.
He was inside the Arbok's guard, Arbok's eyes widened. It tried to retract, to bite, but it was committed to the tail swing.
Nidorino leaped.
He didn't aim for the armored scales instead aimed for the soft, pale underbelly where the hood met the neck.....the pivot point of the snake's movement.
CRUNCH....
The impact was brutal, the Dark-type energy of the Sucker Punch, combined with the Critical Hit ratio from the Focus Energy he had used earlier, delivered a devastating blow.
Nidorino's forehead slammed into the Arbok's throat.
The giant snake gagged, the air was knocked out of its single lung. The Iron Tail swing went wild, smashing harmlessly into the arena wall, cracking the stone.
The Arbok collapsed, writhing in the dirt, gasping for air that wouldn't come.
"Finish it!" Alex roared, the adrenaline finally breaking the paralysis hold on his legs. He stumbled forward. "Horn Attack! Drive it down!"
Nidorino landed on the thrashing snake, he pinned the Arbok's neck to the ground with his heavy front paws and raised his head, the horn poised like an executioner's blade.
He thrust down.
THUD.....
He stopped the horn an inch from the Arbok's eye.
The Arbok froze and stared cross-eyed at the purple spike hovering millimeters from its brain. It felt the weight of the Nidorino on its neck and felt the dominance.
Arbok stopped thrashing and went limp. It hissed softly.....a sound of submission.
The arena was dead silent.
Alex stood there, swaying slightly, his legs felt like jelly. He looked at the Nidorino standing atop the Alpha predator.
"Good...good boy," Alex wheezed.
He looked up at the tower, at the glass window where Captain Viper was watching.
He didn't bow nor did he cheer. He just raised a shaking hand and gave a thumbs up.
The Tower
Captain Viper stared at the monitor, the cigarette in his hand had burned down to the filter, stinging his fingers, but he didn't notice.
"He won," the lieutenant whispered, sounding stunned. "Without a secondary."
Viper exhaled slowly. "He didn't just win, he dominated the psychological aspect and broke a Alpha's will."
He looked at the replay on the side screen, the moment Alex used the flashlight.
"Improvisation," Viper muttered. "He blinded a nocturnal pokemon to create an opening. That's not a Trainer tactic, that's a Ranger tactic, that's... survival."
He pressed the intercom button.
"Match concluded," Viper's voice boomed over the arena speakers.
"Winner: Recruit Ares."
He turned to the lieutenant.
"Get the medical team down there and treat the Arbok, It's an expensive asset."
"And the recruit, sir?"
Viper smirked. "He doesn't need a medical team.... Watch."
The Arena Floor
Alex didn't wait for the medics as he fell to his knees beside Nidorino. Nidorino stepped off the Arbok, which slithered away quickly as the containment gates opened.
"You okay buddy?" Alex asked, checking Nidorino's hide.
The purple hide was pitted and smoking from the acid, and there was a nasty bruise forming where the acid had landed but the Black Sludge collar was working overtime..... a faint, oily sheen coated the wounds, sealing them.
Nidorino grunted, nudging Alex's shoulder. I'm fine. You're the one who couldn't move.
Alex laughed, a dry, rasping sound. "Yeah. Snake eyes..... a nasty trick."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the jar of Black Sludge reserve he had kept. He scooped a handful of the foul-smelling goop and smeared it directly onto Nidorino's deepest acid burn. Nidorino sighed in relief as the pain vanished.
Alex stood up, using Nidorino for support. The paralysis was fading and he was back to normal.
The side gate opened, two grunts walked in, looking nervous.
"Recruit Ares," one said. "Captain Viper wants to see you..... Now."
Alex nodded. "Lead the way."
He recalled Nidorino into his ball.
As he walked out of the tunnel, he passed the stands, the other recruits were silent. Butch was awake now, sitting in the front row, holding his head. He looked at Alex. There was no mockery in his eyes this time. Only fear.
Alex kept walking.
Central Command: Viper's Office
The office was cold, the air conditioning was set to freeze.
Alex stood before the desk, he most definitely smelled like snake shit and burn.
Captain Viper sat behind the desk, reading a file. He didn't look up for a long minute.
"You crossed the fence," Viper said finally.
It wasn't a question.
"I did," Alex replied.
"You stayed there for 28 days."
"I did."
Viper looked up, his eyes were sharp, predatory. "Why?"
"Because the training here is inefficient," Alex lied smoothly. "Too many people and not enough experience (xp)."
Viper chuckled. "Inefficient, I like that but most people call it safe."
He stood up and walked around the desk. He leaned against the edge, crossing his arms.
"You defeated a Level 26 Alpha with what a level 18 Nidorino, right. You used illegal modifications to your gear, that flashlight bomb..... It was god's work."
"Is it illegal?" Alex asked innocently.
"I didn't see it in the rulebook."
"There is no rulebook," Viper agreed.
"That's why you're still alive."
Viper reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a small, black box.
"You passed the Evaluation, top of the class, I am certain I don't even have to look at others, Which means you get the reward."
He slid the box across the desk and Alex opened it.
Inside sat a Great Ball...Blue, with red strips. It has higher catch rate and higher value.
And beside it, a folded piece of paper.
"A Great Ball," Viper said. "And your new assignment."
Alex unfolded the paper.
[ SPECIAL OPERATIONS SQUAD ]
[ RANK: SQUAD LEADER (PROVISIONAL)
[ MISSION: RESOURCE EXTRACTION ]
[ TARGET: MT.POLES (SECTOR 5 DEPTHS) ]
"We're expanding," Viper said. "We're drilling into the mountain but we've hit resistance. Zubat swarms are one thing, but we've encountered... something else, something that is eating our excavators."
"You want me to kill it?" Alex asked.
"I want you to lead a team to secure the site, let it be a test from me to see if you can follow missions. ," Viper corrected. "You can pick two recruits to go with you, choose wisely. If they die, it comes out of your pay."
Viper leaned close.
"And Ares? If you find anything..... interesting... in that mountain. You bring it to me, not the quartermaster.... Me."
Alex looked at the Great Ball and then at the assignment.
"Understood, Captain."
"Dismissed."
Alex turned and walked out.
As the door clicked shut, Alex let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
"Mt. Poles," Alex whispered to himself.
Author's Note:-
Well, our mc is a squad leader now , even if it's temporary.... He impressed viper ...
Also as I said before , I am not going to waste many chapters in the island ....
In the next 20 to 30 chapters the island arc will be over.
Then it's region and travel.
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A review would be appreciated... It's been 32 chapters.
Also a profile called Lizrock, that SOB is review bombing all fics with 1 star with just emojis and after looking at the profile , it seems he is doing it to all stories of all authors.... So please after looking at his profile, report him.
You can see him in my Harry Potter reviews