The Pikachu in Roy's arms watched, dumbstruck.
"Pika... Pika..."
It muttered quietly, its tiny paws gesturing in the air.
As if calculating the intensity of Zapdos's electrical current.
Roy glanced down at it and whispered, "What do you think? Impressive, right?"
Pikachu nodded vigorously.
"Pika pika!"
Its eyes shone, not with fear, but with excitement.
Roy smiled and continued observing.
...
The humans around weren't idle either.
The men in black stood on high ground, holding a strange device.
It looked like a Poké Ball magnified countless times, covered in wires and indicator lights.
They aimed the device at Zapdos and pressed a switch.
A blue beam shot from the device, landing on Zapdos.
Zapdos's movements noticeably slowed for a beat.
It shook its head, seeming somewhat uncomfortable.
But soon, the electrical light on its body erupted violently, repelling the blue beam.
The men in black frowned, exchanging glances.
One of them pulled a Poké Ball from his waist and threw it.
"Go, Crobat!"
A flash of red light, and a massive Crobat appeared in the air.
Its wings spread over a meter wide, a full size larger than an ordinary Golbat.
Crobat let out a sharp shriek and pounced towards Zapdos.
But before it could get close, it was struck by a bolt of lightning.
BOOM!
Crobat shrieked in pain, trailing smoke as it plummeted.
The man in black's face darkened, and he hurriedly recalled Crobat.
...
On the other side, Team Rockets were also in action.
They wore dark yellow uniforms, the 'R' emblem on their chests particularly conspicuous.
The leader was a woman with purple hair, tall and slender, wearing tight black leather pants that accentuated the curves of her hips and thighs.
Her upper body was clad in a short jacket, zipper only halfway up, revealing a black sports bra and a deep cleavage.
Rain soaked her hair, red strands clinging to her cheeks. Droplets trailed down her chin, past her collarbone, and slid into that deep valley.
She seemed utterly unconcerned, her green eyes fixed intently on Zapdos.
"Prepare the electromagnetic net!" she ordered loudly.
Several Team Rocket members immediately pulled metal discs from their backpacks, assembling them together.
Soon, a huge metal net was pieced together.
The edges of the net were connected to thick cables, the other ends attached to a portable generator.
The purple-haired woman waved her hand. "Launch!"
Two members swung hard, and the metal net flew towards Zapdos.
Zapdos was busy dealing with a group of Elekids in front of it and didn't notice the net overhead.
The metal net accurately enveloped it.
"Power up!" the purple-haired woman commanded.
The generator started, sending a powerful electric current through the cables to the metal net.
The net was instantly covered in current, emitting a blinding blue light.
Trapped in the net, the electrical light on Zapdos's body intertwined with the net's current, crackling with explosive pops.
The purple-haired woman's lips curved into a smile. "Let's see where you run now..."
Before she could finish speaking.
Zapdos threw its head back and let out a long cry.
The electrical light on its body erupted violently, several times stronger than before.
Under theberserkcurrent, the metal net began to melt, holes burning through the mesh.
Seconds later, the metal net shattered completely, turning into a pile of scrap metal falling to the ground.
The purple-haired woman's expression changed, and she quickly retreated.
Zapdos turned its head to look at her, eyes filled with anger.
A thick bolt of lightning shot from its body, heading straight for the purple-haired woman.
"Damn it!" The woman threw herself to the side, rolling twice on the ground.
The lightning struck where she had just been standing, blasting a large crater in the ground.
Debris flew everywhere. One piece grazed her thigh, tearing the leather pants and revealing fair skin underneath and a bloody scratch.
The purple-haired woman cursed, got up, and brushed the dust off her clothes.
She looked down at the torn pants and clicked her tongue.
"These pants were expensive..."
...
The ninjas were also in action.
Unlike the men in black and Team Rockets with their high-tech gear, they relied on Pokémon coordination.
Several Greninja moved swiftly in the darkness, attacking Zapdos from various angles.
They formed Water Shuriken in their hands, hurling them at Zapdos.
Blue water blades sliced through the air, striking Zapdos.
But before they could touch its feathers, they were evaporated by the electrical arcs.
The ninja leader was a middle-aged man, his face masked, revealing only two sharp eyes.
He watched Zapdos, brow furrowed.
"Too strong... stronger than the intel said."
He turned to look at a young female ninja beside him.
The girl was around eighteen or nineteen, slender, wearing a black ninja outfit that clung to her body, outlining her delicate curves.
The neckline of her outfit was cut low, revealing a small patch of fair chest that rose and fell slightly with her breath.
Her face was also masked, showing only her eyes and forehead.
Her bangs were damp from the rain, clinging to her skin.
"Aya, circle around to the back, use Substitute to distract it," the middle-aged man ordered.
Aya nodded, her figure flashing as she vanished into the darkness.
...
Roy crouched behind a metal drum, watching it all.
He stroked his chin.
Although these people fought separately, their goal was the same.
And they had plenty of methods.
If not for them restraining each other, Zapdos might really have been captured.
But...
Roy looked towards Zapdos in the center of the hall.
Its stamina was clearly significantly depleted.
The electrical light on its body wasn't as bright as before, and its breathing had become labored.
But it still stood tall and straight, its gaze sharp.
Every attack was merciless.
A few more people couldn't hold back, pulling out Poké Balls and throwing them at Zapdos.
The Poké Balls hit Zapdos, flashed red, and sucked it inside.
The Poké Balls fell to the ground, shaking violently.
Once.
Twice.
Before the third shake finished, the Poké Balls shattered with a *crack*.
Fragments flew everywhere.
Zapdos reappeared from the red light, throwing its head back in a long cry, as if mocking these overreaching humans.
Roy's lips curved.
Just as expected.
A legendary Pokémon of this level couldn't be captured by just casually throwing a ball.
Its willpower was too strong.
Its stamina was still quite sufficient too.
It seemed they still had to wait.
Wait for it to expend a bit more.
Wait for these people to fight a while longer.
Wait for the best opportunity.
But with so many people vying for Zapdos, I need to call for some backup too.
Thinking this, Roy pulled from his chest a bell engraved with dense, intricate runes.
He shook the bell three times, summoning the Thousand-Year Gastly. The runes on the bell flashed with a dark purple light, then quickly faded.
Only a few seconds passed.
The air in front of Roy suddenly began to distort.
As if something was squeezing out from another space.
First, a few wisps of purple smoke seeped from the void, then more and more, growing denser.
The smoke churned, coalescing, finally gathering into a mass before him.
The smoke dispersed.
A purple, semi-transparent Pokémon appeared before him.
Thousand-Year Gastly.
The corners of its mouth stretched into a strange smile.
"Aha! Kid! Long time no see!"
Thousand-Year Gastly's voice was hoarse and sharp, like metal scraping, enough to give anyone goosebumps.
As soon as it appeared, it floated up to Roy, circling him twice, extremely excited.
"Pika pika!" Pikachu poked its head out from Roy's shoulder, waving a tiny paw at Thousand-Year Gastly.
"Aha! Little electric mouse, we meet again!" Thousand-Year Gastly floated over, rubbing its semi-transparent body against Pikachu's face.
Pikachu, tickled, giggled.
"Alright, alright, enough fooling around."
Only then did Thousand-Year Gastly float back, its eyes fixed on Roy, full of anticipation.
"Kid, calling me this time, is there work again?"
Last time it helped Roy, it earned a hefty sum, enough for a good, long period of carefree living.
This time, with the bell being actively shaken, there must be another big deal.
Roy nodded. "There's work. And it's big work."
"Oh?" Thousand-Year Gastly's eyes grew even brighter.
BOOM!
Right at that moment, a tremendous roar came from the factory hall.
Zapdos threw its head back in a long cry, electrical light radiating from its body.
A thick, golden bolt of lightning shot from it, striking a group of Golbats besieging it.
CRACKLE!
The electrical light exploded. Over a dozen Golbats were electrocuted, smoking, plummeting from the sky, and convulsing on the ground.
Thousand-Year Gastly tilted its head, looking over.
"Oho~ What's all that racket?"
It floated a bit higher, peering towards the hall.
When it saw the giant avian wreathed in golden electrical arcs, its blood-red eyes narrowed.
"Zapdos?" Thousand-Year Gastly's voice held a trace of surprise. "A legendary Pokémon. You're not planning to go after it, are you?"
Roy smiled. "What do you think? Daring enough to do it?"
Thousand-Year Gastly floated back, circling him once.
"I remember telling you, I'm not that great at fighting."
"A legendary Pokémon that's lived who knows how many years, its strength is right there. I may have lived a thousand years too, but in a real fight, I might not necessarily beat it."
Roy waved his hand. "No need for you to fight. Aren't all these people fighting it?"
He pointed at the various groups besieging Zapdos in the hall.
"We just wait. Wait for Zapdos's stamina to drop."
Roy lowered his voice, continuing, "You make your move, use some chaos-causing methods. I'll seize the chance to capture Zapdos, then we retreat!"
Thousand-Year Gastly listened, pausing for a couple of seconds.
Then, its strange face broke into an extremely lecherous smile.
"Oh, hehehehehe..."
It let out that signature laugh.
"That's more like it, kid! I approve!!!"
"This kind of underhanded work, I love it the most."
Roy smiled teasingly. "Don't put it so harshly. This is called tactics."
"Right, right, tactics, tactics." Thousand-Year Gastly laughed until its eyes were invisible. "Good, when you say go, we go..."
It paused, leaning closer.
"About that, the fee..."
"You won't be shortchanged!" Roy assured.
"Deal!" Thousand-Year Gastly's eyes lit up. "Alright, boss! I'll go get ready!"
Before the words faded, its body began to turn transparent.
First the edges blurred, then its whole body slowly merged into the air.
Seconds later, Thousand-Year Gastly had completely vanished.
Not flown away, but truly invisible.
Roy could sense it floating not far above, poised and ready.
This old ghost might not be the strongest fighter, but when it came to underhanded tricks, it was definitely a master.
...
The battle in the hall continued.
The various groups were frantically attacking Zapdos.
The men in black had switched to a new device, this time one that fired energy nets.
Blue energy nets shot from the muzzles, enveloping Zapdos.
Zapdos beat its wings, golden arcs erupting, directly shredding the energy nets.
Team Rockets, not to be outdone, saw the purple-haired woman gritting her teeth as she had her people bring out a second metal net.
This net looked sturdier, with denser mesh, and the edges were hung with what were clearly specially-made disruptors.
"This time we must capture it!" the purple-haired woman ordered loudly. "Everyone, attack together!"
Seven or eight Team Rocket members threw Poké Balls simultaneously.
Golbats, Weezing, Arbok...
Various Pokémon pounced towards Zapdos.
Weezing spewed purple poisonous gas, filling the air.
Arbok opened its wide mouth, baring fangs, lunging from the ground.
Golbats circled in the air, emitting piercing ultrasonic interference.
Zapdos was surrounded on all sides.
But it showed no panic.
It threw its head back in a long, sharp, piercing cry.
The golden electrical light on its body erupted violently, several times stronger than before.
Countless electrical arcs swept out in all directions, as if with eyes, accurately striking every Pokémon lunging at it.
CRACKLE!
Weezing was electrocuted, smoking, its poison gas directly evaporated in the current.
Arbok shrieked in pain, rolling on the ground a few times, convulsing.
Golbats fared worse, directly electrocuted until they fell from the sky, landing on the ground unable to move.
The purple-haired woman's face turned livid with anger, the rise and fall of her chest becoming more pronounced with herhurriedbreathing.
Rain soaked her jacket, the fabric clinging to her body, outlining the shape of the sports bra beneath.
A few droplets had collected in that deep cleavage, sliding down her skin, disappearing beneath the clothing.
She gritted her teeth, pulling the last Poké Ball from her waist.
"Go, Houndoom!"
A flash of red light, and a robust Houndoom appeared before her.
Its fur was pitch black, the horns on its head sharp, sparks flickering in its mouth.
"Use Flamethrower!" the purple-haired woman commanded.
Houndoom opened its mouth, and a thick jet of flame shot out, heading straight for Zapdos.
The flame burned in the rain, sizzling, steam billowing.
Zapdos beat its wings, a bolt of lightning meeting the attack.
Flame and lightning collided mid-air.
BOOM!
The explosive shockwave pushed the surrounding people back several steps.
The purple-haired woman staggered from the blast, the fabric on her chest blown open a bit more, revealing more fair skin.
She hurriedly pressed her clothes back, her expression even uglier.
...
The ninjas were also in action.
The middle-aged leader led a few ninjas around from the side, attempting to approach Zapdos.
"Substitute Technique!" he ordered.
Several ninjas simultaneously formed hand seals, their figures instantly splitting into over a dozen.
Over a dozen clones pounced at Zapdos from different directions, forming Water Shuriken in their hands.
Zapdos narrowed its eyes, fanning its wings.
A gale arose, mixed with golden electrical arcs.
The Water Shuriken evaporated before getting close, the clones scattered by the fierce wind.
But one clone did not dissipate.
It was true body.
She slipped through a gap in the wind and lightning, her movements light as a cat's.
Gritting her teeth, she formed hand seals with both hands.
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!"
A water dragon coalesced from her hands, charging at Zapdos.
Zapdos glanced at it, waved a wing, and a bolt of lightning struck down.
The water dragon, hit by the lightning, instantly evaporated into steam.
But Aya's goal wasn't to attack.
Taking advantage of the moment the steam billowed, her figure flashed, vanishing into the vapor.
The next second, she appeared in the shadows behind Zapdos.
Something new was in her hand.
A miniature Poké Ball, entirely black with golden patterns.
It seemed to be a specially-made Poké Ball by the ninja organization, designed specifically for dealing with Zapdos.
Aya took a deep breath and threw the Poké Ball at Zapdos.
The Poké Ball struck Zapdos's back, flashed red, and sucked it inside.
The Poké Ball fell to the ground, shaking violently.
Once.
CRACK!
After only one shake, the Poké Ball exploded, fragments flying.
Zapdos reappeared from the red light, its anger even fiercer.
It turned to look at Aya, its eyes filled with killing intent.
A thick bolt of lightning shot straight for her.
Aya's face changed, her figure abruptly dodging to the side.
But it was too late. The lightning grazed her shoulder, the searing heat wave sending her flying.
If the middle-aged leader hadn't caught her in time, Aya might have been slammed directly into a pile of scrap steel.
Aya bit her lip, clutching her shoulder, cold sweat beading on her forehead.
The middle-aged leader glanced at her. "You should have listened to your brother. You shouldn't have come."
Aya's eyes remained fixed on Zapdos, her gaze filled with unwillingness.
***************************
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