"It's you!"
Kalia recognized the newcomer, surprised that he acted so swiftly, not expecting him to appear this quickly.
The earlier earthquake was undoubtedly caused by him, aiming to divert others' attention. It became clear that he had been closely monitoring her from the shadows, which sent chills down Kalia's spine.
It seemed evident that obtaining the white bracelet was his primary objective, disregarding any damage to buildings or consequences of intentionally causing earthquakes.
Today, she knew they must resolve this confrontation; otherwise, living under constant surveillance would be unbearable.
"As I warned before, if you insist on taking the hard way instead of cooperating, don't expect me to hold back now. You'll regret it," the Dark Guild member declared, producing three Poké Balls.
Being a Trainer isn't about having more Pokemon; training and nurturing them is complex. Although this man had fewer Pokémon compared to the previous Dark Guild member, Kalia didn't underestimate him at all.
"Who is he?" Tamagawa Naoki asked, aware of his duty as Gym Leader—to apprehend anyone responsible for such disturbances like the recent earthquake.
It seemed that this individual had come specifically for Kalia, although the reason remained unclear; however, asking her would likely shed some light on the situation.
"He's from the Dark Guild!" Kalia promptly replied. As Tamagawa Naoki was a Gym Leader, he would undoubtedly support her side. With his assistance, the battle should become considerably easier.
The Dark Guild was universally despised, and while Tamagawa Naoki hailed from the Ruby Pokémon Academy, being originally from the Sebas region meant he was well aware of their existence.
As expected, upon hearing the man belonged to the Dark Guild, Tamagawa Naoki's eyes flared with intensity, staring directly at him. "You're from the Dark Guild?"
The Dark Guild member sneered, "That's right. I advise you not to interfere. You're the Gym Leader here, but you're no match for me. Even combined, you won't stand a chance against me. My target is solely her."
"For someone from the Dark Guild to boldly show up on my turf, it suggests you're not just any ordinary member." Tamagawa Naoki remarked, releasing all his Pokemon simultaneously.
"Kalia, step aside; you're no match for him. I'll handle this," Tamagawa Naoki said dismissively after glancing at Kalia's Pokémon.
Clearly, Tamagawa Naoki underestimated Kalia. Her two Fire-type Pokémon were specifically trained to counter him but appeared too weak. Only his Pokémon could effectively confront Dark Guild members.
"As you wish." Kalia disliked Tamagawa Naoki's tone; if he wanted to face the Dark Guild member alone, she would let him proceed.
With that, Kalia retreated to the side, not engaging directly but remaining ready to intervene if Tamagawa Naoki faltered.
At this moment, the opponent's three Pokémon emerged, all exceptionally powerful - Gliscor, Tyranitar, and Drapion.
Each of these Pokémon was incredibly strong and notoriously difficult to train.
Notably, the Tyranitar is renowned as a Pseudo-legendary Pokémon, possessing overwhelming power. Additionally, both of the opponent's Pokémon had varying degrees of advantage against Grass-type Pokémon.
Seeing the opponent's three Pokémon, Tamagawa Naoki's expression changed dramatically. This individual was not merely an elite member of the Dark Guild but likely a high-ranking officer, given the formidable lineup of Pokémon.
The battle ahead seemed daunting, but victory wasn't necessary; all they needed to do was stall for time. Once enough commotion arose, help would undoubtedly arrive.
As for seeking assistance from Kalia, Tamagawa Naoki couldn't even consider it. Her Pokémon were too weak, and he found it baffling how such a lineup managed to earn the Flame Badge. He wondered if the Fire Gym Leader had intentionally lowered the bar.
Being a Trainer from the Pokémon Academy, Tamagawa Naoki held stringent standards for Pokémon lineups. With exposure to numerous near-perfect teams at the academy, his perspective was elevated, leading him to feel superior when encountering weaker lineups with obvious flaws.
Tamagawa Naoki's three Pokémon also descended onto the ground: Venusaur, Breloom, and Serperior.
Kalia observed the battle from the sidelines. Analyzing types, Tyranitar was Rock and Dark-type, vulnerable not only to Grass-types but also Fighting-types, making it seemingly the easiest target. However, Tyranitar boasted exceptional defensive capabilities, rendering it far from simple to defeat.
The toughest opponents appeared to be Drapion and Gliscor. The flying-type Gliscor perfectly counters Tamagawa Naoki's Grass-type Pokémon, while the poison-type Drapion also has an advantage over them.
This chaotic battle seemed slightly unfavorable for Tamagawa Naoki, but ultimately, it depends on how effectively his Pokémon execute their strategies. As a student of the Pokémon Academy, he undoubtedly possesses ample experience in handling mixed battles.
Tamagawa Naoki swiftly devised a tactic and issued commands, "Serperior, use Leaf Storm! Breloom, employ Brick Break! Venusaur, release Sleep Powder."
He didn't specify targets for each move, as there was no need; his Pokémon had sufficient judgment to determine which opponent they should engage with independently.
Instantly, the three Grass-type Pokémon sprang into action. Breloom charged towards Tyranitar, while Venusaur unleashed Sleep Powder, sending a shimmering cloud sweeping across the ground directly at Drapion.
Meanwhile, Serperior cast Leaf Storm—a move typically learned much later in its evolution stage, indicating this Serperior's exceptional talent, allowing it to master Leaf Storm prematurely.
The Leaf Storm move perfectly complements Serperior's Contrary Ability; instead of weakening with each use, Serperior's strength continuously increases after every Leaf Storm.
The Dark Guild member also issued his command. Although the Dark Guild's Pokémon haven't undergone systematic training and development, reaching their final evolved forms indicates that they possess significant combat experience, comparable to Tamagawa Naoki's Pokémon.
"Let me show you what a real battle is! Tyranitar, unleash a Sandstorm!" the man shouted loudly.
Swish!
The sky suddenly darkened, and winds began howling. Despite being in an urban area, there was still ample sand and gravel on the ground, now swirling incessantly.
"That's the Sand Stream Ability!" Kalia exclaimed, impressed. The opponent was no ordinary trainer, capable of controlling Abilities. Typically, upon entering the battlefield, Pokémon cannot control their Abilities spontaneously, but this Tyranitar clearly had mastery over triggering its Sand Stream Ability.
Otherwise, it would have activated Sand Stream immediately upon appearance. As the sky dimmed, sand particles whirled fiercely in the gusts.
With Sandstorm activated, the battle heavily favored the Dark Guild man. Facing the onslaught of three Grass-type Pokémon, his trio also launched their attacks.
The three Pokémon simultaneously unleashed their moves. Gliscor dove from the sky, directly targeting Serperior. Although Gliscor couldn't learn Flying-type moves like Wing Attack without inheriting them genetically, it could easily master other flying moves such as Acrobatics and Aerial Ace.
Serperior's Leaf Storm had already initiated, swirling masses of green leaves rapidly approaching like a storm.
As Gliscor descended towards the ground, with Leaf Storm bearing down on him, it suddenly executed a swift aerial maneuver, evading the Leaf Storm and charged towards Breloom instead.
"That's the Aerial Ace move," Kalia remarked. The characteristic of Aerial Ace is its agility and flexibility; initially, it aims not to attack but rather to feint or confuse the opponent, with the second strike being the true offensive move.
Indeed, Breloom did not anticipate Gliscor switching targets and rushing straight at it. With bat-like wings slicing through the air like sharp blades, Gliscor aimed for the sprinting Breloom.