Rei Akagi ignored the criticism flooding the chat.
He focused completely on controlling Rei, slowly approaching the mist-shrouded Marowak.
Matching the atmosphere, he spoke in a low and steady voice.
"The Team Rocket members who hurt you… you've already trapped them at the top of the tower."
"You drove away everyone who approached, just to make sure no one else would get hurt."
He paused briefly.
Then his tone hardened with certainty.
"Now you can rest easy. I can't promise everything… but when it comes to dealing with Team Rocket—"
Rei Akagi moved Rei slightly aside, revealing Red standing behind him.
"He can promise you that."
"He's a very, very powerful Trainer."
"Ah—uh… heh."
Red seemed a bit caught off guard by the sudden spotlight.
He rubbed the tip of his nose awkwardly.
"I'm… not that strong…"
Marowak slowly turned its skull-like head.
Its burning gaze locked onto Red.
At that moment—
A gentle yet powerful force suddenly surged through the air.
Rei and the crying Cubone were softly pushed back beside Mr. Fuji.
The mist churned violently.
Marowak's translucent body rapidly solidified within a glow of light.
Its yellow scales became solid and clear.
Even the bone club in its hand seemed to gain physical form.
Holding the massive bone that symbolized protection and strength, Marowak stepped forward.
One step at a time.
Heavy.
Resolute.
An invisible fighting spirit spread through the tower.
"What are you waiting for?"
Rei Akagi's voice rang out with a smile.
"Go prove yourself."
Red snapped out of his daze.
He lowered his signature cap.
The slight hesitation on his face was instantly replaced by blazing battle spirit.
"Go! Pikachu!"
Pikachu on Red's shoulder answered with a cheerful cry.
It performed a graceful front flip and landed lightly on the ground.
Its small body crouched slightly.
Electric sacs on its cheeks crackled.
Golden lightning surged across its body as its sharp eyes locked onto the now-solid Marowak.
Watching this, Rei Akagi couldn't help twitching slightly.
Electric-type against Ground-type…
Red's understanding of type matchups was truly ahead of its time.
The master of reverse-type matchups—well deserved.
The Battle Begins
Contrary to everyone's expectations, the battle was far from one-sided.
Under Red's predictive commands, Pikachu moved as gracefully as a fish in water.
Again and again, it narrowly dodged Marowak's heavy bone-club swings.
Sometimes it slipped past the whistling Bonemerang by the width of a hair.
However—
Pikachu's counterattacks—Thunder Shock, Thunderbolt, and others—
passed straight through Marowak's body.
They exploded harmlessly against the walls or floor instead.
Electric-type attacks were completely ineffective against a Ground-type Pokémon.
Thus a strange tug-of-war unfolded.
Pikachu could always dodge Marowak's attacks.
But Marowak never dodged Pikachu's.
Pikachu danced through the battlefield with incredible speed and agility.
Marowak endured every ineffective electric strike, stubbornly swinging its bone club.
This silent exchange continued for quite some time.
Rei Akagi and Blue quietly remained silent.
Neither wanted to interrupt Red's complete focus.
"Such a beautiful battle…"
"Powerful, yet gentle…"
"Truly worthy of the name legend."
Even the once-frenzied livestream chat slowly calmed down.
Only occasional comments floated across the screen.
When Pikachu once again leapt backward at the last possible moment, dodging a thrown Bonemerang—
Marowak stopped moving.
It looked at Pikachu.
Then at Red.
Finally—
It turned and slowly walked toward Cubone.
Gently, it stroked Cubone's head.
Cubone trembled violently—
and threw itself into Marowak's arms.
Marowak's body began fading.
Warm, glowing mist rose slowly from its form.
The light gently wrapped around the tattered paper bag on Cubone's head.
Then the vision cleared.
To everyone's surprise—
the fog that had filled Pokémon Tower for so long completely vanished along with the light.
Only Cubone remained.
And the paper bag on its head was gone.
In its place—
was a cracked skull.
Cubone tightened its grip on its bone club.
Suddenly—
a brilliant evolution light erupted from its body.
Pure white light illuminated the entire tower.
When the glow faded—
standing there was a determined Marowak.
Its gaze swept across Rei, Red, and Blue.
Then it fixed firmly on the staircase leading upward.
With a powerful swing of its bone club, it let out a sharp battle cry—
and rushed toward the top floor without hesitation.
"Come on. To the top floor!"
At Rei Akagi's command, the three of them followed Marowak up the stairs.
Pokémon Tower — Top Floor
The scene was chaotic.
Many Team Rocket grunts lay unconscious on the ground.
They had clearly been trapped and exhausted by hunger, thirst, and some unseen force.
Only one person remained standing.
A Team Rocket Elite with a slightly different uniform.
He was desperately commanding a vicious Arbok to fight the newly arrived Marowak.
Arbok lunged forward—
but Marowak easily dodged.
In the next moment, the giant serpent spun around.
Its mouth opened wide.
A venomous fang attack was ready to strike.
"Marowak! Bonemerang forward! Protect your back!"
Rei Akagi reacted instantly.
Marowak roared.
The massive bone club flew out with a sharp whistle, striking the Team Rocket Elite directly.
The bone didn't fall to the ground.
Instead it curved through the air and shot back like lightning.
Clang!
It knocked away the venomous strike aimed at Marowak's back.
Red's command followed immediately.
"Marowak! Catch the bone! Use Bone Club!"
Marowak leapt into the air and caught the returning bone.
Using the momentum of its fall—
it smashed downward with all its strength toward the stunned Arbok.
BOOM!
A dull impact echoed.
Arbok didn't even have time to scream.
Its eyes rolled back as it collapsed to the ground, completely defeated.
Seeing Arbok defeated—
and facing the murderous-looking Marowak along with Rei's group—
the Team Rocket Elite turned pale.
His legs gave out and he collapsed.
"W-we're sorry…!"
"Team Rocket Elite: We shouldn't have occupied Pokémon Tower… we've been trapped here for over a week…"
"No food… no water…"
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