Melony took out a Poké Ball and recalled Mr. Rime.
On the matter of generating ice and dropping the temperature, it had already done more than enough.
But Shiro hadn't reacted the way she had expected. He hadn't collapsed from hypothermia, nor lost the ability to command. Was he still not at his breaking point?
Her face shifted between doubt and unease. Part of her hoped he would freeze up any moment now. At the same time, she worried he might actually be one of those rare people with an extraordinary resistance to cold.
Such folks did exist in Circhester. Their bodies were different from ordinary humans. Some could wear just a shirt and a light jacket, yet still play outside in the snow for hours without issue.
If he really is like that... then she'll have to…
"Gym Leader Melony, please send out your next Pokémon!" Ryan seized the chance to hurry her. He had no idea how long Shiro could endure, but either way, the match had to keep moving.
Glancing at the staff members and the cameras around her, Melony reached for her final Poké Ball. This one contained the strongest on her team, her last Gym-level Pokémon.
"Come out, Darmanitan!"
Following a burst of red light, the Pokémon appeared on the field.
The Galarian Darmanitan was different from the usual one. Its fire sac had degenerated as it adapted to the cold, and instead, organs that produced icy air had developed. As a result, its fiery temper had lessened, leaving behind a more timid creature.
When it sensed others nearby, it would even disguise itself as a snowman until the threat passed. Despite its massive frame, it was gentle by nature.
This Darmanitan carried a huge snowball on its head. Its body was almost completely white, with only its exposed limbs and face showing a deep blue hue.
Shiro focused his senses, reading its strength:
[Name: Darmanitan (Galarian Form)
Type: Ice
Level: 44 (Gym)
Ability: Gorilla Tactics
Held Item: None
Moves: Icicle Crash, Tackle, Powder Snow, Taunt, Bite, Avalanche, Work Up, Ice Fang, Headbutt, Ice Punch, Uproar, Belly Drum, Blizzard…]
A Gym-level Darmanitan. Its strength was formidable, the highest among Melony's three Ice-types.
What made it even more dangerous was its ability to change into a different form when enraged, igniting flames around its body and boosting its aggression. Fire was a direct counter to Steel.
Shiro's voice rang out at once. "Corviknight! Use Air Cutter!"
Across from him, Melony coldly ordered, "Darmanitan, Blizzard!"
The steel bird beat its wings and climbed higher. The wind gathered at its side, condensing into pale blades of air that shot toward its opponent.
The snow ape lifted a fist. Its rounded body trembled slightly, and with a guttural growl it opened its mouth.
"Darmani!"
In an instant, a surge of ice energy swept across the battlefield as roaring winds and fist-sized snowflakes filled the place, crashing into the air blades with a series of sharp cracks.
To everyone's shock, every one of Corviknight's blades froze solid in midair before they could even reach their target, falling uselessly to the ground as shards of ice.
"Hm?" Shiro's eyes narrowed. He didn't hesitate. "Protect!"
Corviknight dove straight down. With a powerful sweep of its wings, a green barrier shimmered into life around its body.
The Blizzard struck like a natural disaster. Its sheer power was absurd, beyond what most Gym-level Pokémon could manage. It was close to Elite-level in strength. The only other time Shiro had felt this kind of force was from Granny Shae's Vaniluxe.
He stepped forward, taking cover behind his Corviknight's barrier. Luckily, Unown A and G's psychic power was strong, enough to protect him from being overwhelmed. Otherwise, he might end up frozen before the battle was even decided.
'That woman... Melony, that damn bitch…'
"This is Blizzard! Its power is... cough, cough..." Ryan raised his arm to shield himself, straining to speak into his microphone. "Gym Leader Melony is breaking the rules again... her target isn't just Corviknight, she's trying to strike Shiro himself!"
His voice echoed weakly through the speakers, gradually drowned out by the howling snow.
All ten cameras broadcasting the battle went white. The screens were nothing but static snow. Cameramen staggered backward, retreating step by step before abandoning their equipment and fleeing into the makeshift shelters their crew had set up.
Blizzard had swallowed the whole battlefield.
On her side of the field, Melony sneered. Her expression twisted further, but there was satisfaction in her eyes.
'Let these damned Macro Cosmos dogs suffer. Let them all die here.' Her thoughts seethed as she shouted, "Darmanitan, keep using Blizzard, don't stop!"
In this situation, her Darmanitan was a double-edged weapon.
Its ability, Gorilla Tactics, gave it a fifty percent damage boost, but locked it into using only the first move it selected.
That was why Blizzard was so overwhelming. Darmanitan was forced to channel all its energy into the same attack, over and over.
For her, that was perfect.
She had no intention of fighting fairly. Neither did she care about performing for the cameras. If she could, she would freeze every last one of them where they stood.
As for the match... it was just a gym battle. Win or lose, it was only about a badge. That didn't matter to her.
What mattered was that her son had lost the chance to take part in the Gym Challenge. That loss still clawed at her chest like a wound that wouldn't heal.
The more she thought of it, the more she burned with rage. But staring at the raging Blizzard, a dark delight welled up inside her.
If the storm could tear through Shiro and his Corviknight, then Darmanitan would have done its job.
Whnnnn—
A strange, sharp sound suddenly cut through the storm.
"Kehehehehe..." A chilling laugh followed, eerie and mocking.
Melony stiffened. She instinctively took a step back, scanning the white chaos in front of her.
Her Darmanitan stood there, still pouring out Blizzard. If anything were moving through that place, she should have been able to see it.
She glanced left, then right. Nothing unusual. Had she imagined it?
"Kehehehehe..." The laugh sounded once more.
She whipped her head around. Still nothing.
Confused, she turned forward.
And froze.
A warped, purple-black face leered back at her.
"Ah—"
Her scream never left her lips. Her eyes rolled back, turning blank white. Her body collapsed limply to the ground.
Above her, Haunter cackled, clutching its belly with its claws as it shook with laughter. After a few more chuckles, it exhaled a poisonous mist that drifted straight into Melony's slack mouth.
The poison slid down her throat, seeping deep into her body.
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