Pokemon: With Title System

Chapter 22: That Was Close, Just Barely Survived

It was all part of the strategy.

Feigning retreat while commanding the Weezing hidden in the shadows to launch a suicide attack.

In his more than ten years with Team Rocket, the captain had used this despicable tactic to deal with countless opponents.

"At such close range, the explosion should've dealt with him," the captain of team rocket muttered to himself.

His experience told him no one could survive an explosion from that range. Yet, a lingering unease gnawed at him.

To ease his concerns, he decided to play it safe.

"You, go check it out!" he pointed to one of his subordinates, ordering him to investigate.

The chosen grunt's face turned pale, but he didn't dare disobey. Gritting his teeth, he sent out a Machoke to walk in front of him as a shield. Slowly, they approached the pile of rubble.

Under the watchful and tense gaze of the remaining Rockets, Machoke arrived at the debris.

"Machoke, move the rocks."

Without much thought, Machoke obeyed, stepping forward to clear the stones.

But just as Machoke's hand touched a boulder—

Boom!

A loud noise erupted as the rubble exploded outward.

Caught off guard, Machoke was struck by a massive rock, sent flying into the wall, and lost consciousness.

The remaining Rockets finally saw the scene beneath the debris.

Asahi stood there, unharmed.

Beside him, Gardevoir gracefully lowered her arms, dispersing the spherical barrier that had protected them both.

"Phew, that was close. Just a little more, and I'd have been blown to bits," Asahi said, pinching his fingers together to illustrate how narrowly he had escaped.

You're lying!

The Rocket members were screaming internally.

If either Asahi or Gardevoir had even a scratch, they might have believed him.

But the truth was—neither of them bore any injuries!

Asahi's over-the-top performance made them want to cry out in frustration, but no words came.

Instead, they stood frozen, staring at the man who had just effortlessly shaken off their best efforts.

Asahi and Gardevoir didn't have a single scratch on them.

Had that level of attack not caused any harm at all?

The Rocket Team members who were still conscious felt like they had fallen into an icy abyss. Some even began nervously glancing around, already looking for escape routes.

The captain of team rocket, watching this, panicked.

Retreat? That was impossible!

Although he was terrified as well, this mission came with orders that could not be disobeyed.

If he returned now, the consequences waiting for him would be worse than being sent to an Alliance prison. At least in prison, there was a chance of being bailed out.

Glancing down at the tracking device on his waist that continued to beep, the captain shouted at his subordinates:

"Hold him off! According to the intel, he only has one Gardevoir! Its stamina is limited! If we stall until the reinforcements from the third squad arrive, we're guaranteed to win!!"

This speech had some effect, slightly boosting the morale of the Rocket Team members, who were on the verge of collapse.

One after another, they threw out their Poké Balls, surrounding Asahi and Gardevoir in an attempt to make up for their lack of quality with quantity.

In the sky, Ojun's Crobat unleashed an Air Slash.

On the ground, a Rhyperior charged forward with its horn spinning rapidly, its heavy steps thundering as it barreled ahead.

Meanwhile, a Magneton fired three beams of light from the smaller Magnemites that made up its body, targeting Asahi and Gardevoir.

...

These Pokémon weren't fighting haphazardly; their attacks were coordinated, showcasing that even Rocket Team grunts had undergone some level of professional training.

But...

"Still too weak!"

If Gardevoir hadn't advanced to the Champion level, Asahi might have panicked for a moment. But after reaching that level, Gardevoir had undergone a qualitative transformation!

As the Pokémon rushed to attack, Gardevoir simply raised a hand. Under its psychic control, the shattered rocks on the ground floated into the air.

And then...

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

With a series of sharp whistling sounds, the rocks shot out like cannonballs in all directions. The attacking Pokémon were bombarded by a relentless hailstorm of debris.

The Air Slash and the Magneton's triple light beams were intercepted mid-air, detonating as the rocks struck them.

The remaining debris rained down on the attacking Pokémon.

Rhyperior and Magneton, with their tough exteriors, could still hold out for the moment.

But for agile Pokémon like Crobat and Fearow, which had poor defenses, the situation was grim.

The captain's Crobat, in particular, received special attention from Asahi.

Even though it flapped its four wings desperately, trying to evade the incoming barrage, the density of the flying debris was simply too overwhelming.

With a pained screech, Crobat was struck and lost its balance in the air.

"No! Crobat!" The captain shouted in alarm.

One of his subordinates gritted his teeth and ordered his Fearow to shield Crobat, taking on part of the barrage.

"Good job—" the captain began, but before he could finish, Asahi's next attack arrived.

[Psybeam!]

A multicolored beam shot out from Gardevoir's hands, instantly striking the disoriented Crobat and the Fearow beside it.

The chaotic psychic energy that made up Psybeam overwhelmed both Pokémon's mental stability, plunging them into a confused state.

With bloodshot eyes, the two Pokémon fully unleashed their violent instincts, viciously tearing into each other mid-air. Feathers flew, and blood splattered everywhere.

Even the Pokémon on the ground were affected.

"Yikes, that's brutal."

Ordinarily, confused Pokémon wouldn't behave like this. The ferocity of Crobat and Fearow could only be attributed to the Rocket Team's overemphasis on aggression during training.

By this point, the Rocket Team's offensive momentum had completely fallen apart. The two frenzied Pokémon acted like chaos incarnate, causing mayhem among their own side and even targeting the trainers.

With no more pressure on his end, Asahi turned to Gardevoir.

"Gardevoir, you handle the rest. Leave them alive, but don't let anyone escape."

He gave Gardevoir a knowing look, signaling it to act on its own.

Meanwhile, Asahi released his Dratini and Bagon, letting them practice by taking on a half-defeated Graveler left behind by Gardevoir's earlier attack.

Five minutes later, Dratini and Bagon successfully took down the Graveler together.

When Asahi turned his attention back to Gardevoir, he saw it using its psychic powers to lift a sparking Magneton, wielding it like a makeshift electric club to repeatedly bash a Rhyperior.

Bam! Bam!

After over a dozen heavy blows, both the Rhyperior and the Magneton succumbed, collapsing unconscious.

By now, no Pokémon were left standing.

Of the Rocket Team members, only the captain remained conscious, a courtesy Gardevoir had extended specifically for Asahi's dramatic flair.

"Any last words?" Asahi asked with a smile.

"The Rocket Team won't let you get away with this!"

"Again with that line."

Waving dismissively in exasperation, Asahi let Gardevoir finish the job. With a psychic wave, silence finally descended on the tunnel, save for the steady beeping of the tracking device.