The Burn status affecting Drapion was crucial. Not only would it continuously inflict pain on the Pokémon, but it also hindered its attack capabilities.
Lian's pressure significantly reduced as the Burned Drapion posed less of a threat now. The remaining formidable opponent was Gliscor, and there was no guarantee if it had any additional tricks up its sleeve. It became imperative to swiftly end this battle.
Both Gliscor and Drapion launched another assault, targeting Grovyle and Lian.
At that moment, Tamagawa Naoki's Venusaur unleashed a move—once again, Vine Whip—to restrict Gliscor's movements using the vines. This tactic clearly showcased Venusaur's signature strength.
However, it failed this time. Facing the flying Vine Whip, Gliscor effortlessly snipped it with its pincers twice. With anticipation, the effectiveness of Vine Whip diminished significantly.
Immediately after releasing Vine Whip, Venusaur followed up with Sleep Powder. Earlier, due to the Sandstorm, Sleep Powder couldn't be effectively deployed, but now under clear skies, it presented no issue.
Venusaur released shimmering Sleep Powder, drifting towards Gliscor.
The Dark Guild man observed his two Pokémon facing off against four opponents simultaneously, especially after Drapion sustained burns. He sensed trouble brewing despite knowing his Pokémon were powerful. Quantity can sometimes overcome quality, and the current situation was not favorable for him.
At that moment, the loud crash from Tyranitar's fall earlier had attracted attention, with people starting to approach their location.
"Darn it!" The man cursed under his breath, realizing he couldn't prolong this any further. His biggest mistake was coming without backup.
"Drapion, return!"
He swiftly opened a Poké Ball, intending to recall his Pokémon and end the battle; otherwise, once more bystanders arrived, escape would be impossible.
"He's trying to flee!" Kalia shouted. It was clear that the opponent intended to withdraw his Pokémon and make a run for it. She couldn't let him escape, as he would undoubtedly continue causing her trouble next time.
Both Gliscor and Dragonair obediently moved towards the Poké Balls, eager to return inside.
"Charmeleon, stop him!" Kalia yelled as more people approached from afar, including Trainers responsible for patrolling Rhine City's streets. If they could just delay the opponent momentarily, it would prevent his escape.
"Gliscor, let's go!"
However, with Gliscor at his disposal, the man grabbed onto its long scorpion tail, and together they swiftly took flight into the sky, heading away from the scene.
It was too late.
Gliscor's speed was unmatched, making it impossible for Lian to catch up. The level disparity ensured he could only watch them flee.
At that moment, the patrolling Trainers arrived, witnessing the Dark Guild member flying off. Although they had flying-type Pokémon, without knowing the full situation, they couldn't recklessly pursue.
"He's from the Dark Guild!" Kalia shouted, but it was already too late; even the patrolling Trainers couldn't chase after him.
"No need to pursue."
A middle-aged man dressed in white emerged from the crowd and approached Kalia. She recognized him immediately - Professor Evergreen, a researcher from Rhine City's research institute. He typically spent most of his time conducting studies there, and it was from him that Kalia received her Treecko.
"Professor Evergreen," Kalia greeted politely, as they were acquaintances.
Professor Evergreen nodded slightly and said, "Leave this matter to them. The Dark Guild seems to be targeting you specifically. Let's go to the research institute for a proper discussion."
"Oh, alright."
Kalia hesitated, unsure of Professor Evergreen's intentions but decided to accompany him nonetheless. She suspected it might have something to do with the white bracelet, hoping to finally understand its purpose.
"Why did the Dark Guild come after you?" At that moment, Tamagawa Naoki approached and asked, feeling unsettled by the battle and needing clarity on the situation.
"It could be because I captured one of their members earlier; perhaps seeking revenge." Kalia avoided mentioning the white bracelet, as revealing it seemed pointless.
"You need to be cautious; it's clear they won't let this go easily." Tamagawa Naoki warned before turning and heading back towards the gym.
"Thank you," Kalia responded courteously.
"Kalia, come with me," Professor Evergreen said, leading the way towards the research institute.
Shortly after, Kalia followed Professor Evergreen to the Rhine City Research Institute. Lian accompanied her without returning to his Poké Ball, curious to see what the institute looked like.
It seemed likely that Professor Evergreen's visit was prompted by the Z-ring bracelet, prompting him to seek out Kalia.
Upon entering the institute, Kalia trailed behind Professor Evergreen as they entered an inner room. She proactively asked, "Professor, your request for my presence must be related to that bracelet, isn't it?"
"Haha, so you do have the bracelet!" Professor Evergreen chuckled heartily, a hint of joy in his eyes, and nodded affirmatively.
"That's correct; indeed, my interest is connected to the bracelet. However, there is another matter involving Legendary Pokémon."
"Legendary Pokémon?" Kalia was slightly taken aback. Encountering Legendary Pokémon is notoriously rare, but even if traces were discovered, she couldn't understand how it involved her.
"Let's set aside Legendary Pokémon for now. The bracelet you obtained, did you get it from the Dark Guild?" Professor Evergreen inquired.
"Yes, but I didn't bring it with me," Kalia nodded, explaining that she had left the white bracelet in her backpack.
"Would you like to know its purpose?"
"Definitely," Kalia affirmed, eager to understand the significance of the white bracelet. Given how highly valued it was by the Dark Guild, prompting them to openly attempt theft, it must be something extraordinary.
"I'll give you a brief explanation then. This white bracelet is the latest research breakthrough from the Ellie Region, known as a Z-Ring. When paired with high-tech crystals called Z-crystals, it amplifies the powerful resonance between a Trainer and their Pokemon, generating Z-power. This allows the Pokemon to unleash moves at an unprecedented strength, referred to as Z-moves."
Kalia was astonished. Such technology existed? With a Z-Ring, if a Pokemon could harness these potent Z-moves, it would significantly enhance their combat capabilities.
"However, after using such a Z-Move, it drains both the Trainer and Pokemon's stamina significantly. Therefore, during a battle, you can only unleash it once at most; otherwise, the Trainer might faint due to exhaustion, and the Pokemon could suffer severe consequences, losing its combat ability." As if reading Kalia's thoughts, Professor Evergreen continued.
"I see," Kalia nodded, relieved that there were limitations. This meant she could use it as her trump card, albeit still incredibly powerful.
"Acquiring the Z-Bracelet was quite unexpected, since the Ellie Region strictly prohibits the export of Z-Bracelets and Z-crystals to our Sebas region. They fear we might reverse-engineer them and develop our own production methods."
"Kalia, here's an opportunity I'd like to present: Would you be willing to entrust me with the Z-Bracelet for some time? I wish to study it thoroughly. During this period, you're welcome to stay at the research institute. Once my research yields results, I'll return it to you."
"You should understand that if I succeed, every Trainer in the Sebas region could potentially have their own Z-Bracelet, ushering in an era of battles featuring Z-Moves."
Upon hearing this, Kalia didn't hesitate. Professor Evergreen had already mentioned that using Z-Rings required Z-crystals, which she clearly lacked and wasn't aware of how to obtain.
For now, the Z-Ring held little practical use for her. Although there might be future opportunities to acquire Z-crystals, it seemed beneficial to lend it to the doctor for research purposes temporarily.
"Don't worry; during this time, you'll stay at the research institute. Your visit won't go unrewarded. Now let me share the second matter—the compensation I have for you," Professor Evergreen said with a smile.