Metagross, Tangrowth, Gliscor!
Hunter X sent out three Elite Four level Pokémon all at once, which made both Sato and Cynthia secretly tense up.
Fortunately, the Hunter Guild had never filled out all 26 alphabet slots. Otherwise, that organization would be downright terrifying…
But even now, the situation for Sato and Cynthia was still far from optimistic.
Arcanine was too injured to fight and could only help fend off sneak attacks near Cynthia.
That left just Mega Houndoom and Sharpedo, plus the Mid Elite Four level Garchomp, up against three Elite Four level opponents!
Hunter X let out a chuckle, then gave his three Pokémon the order to charge without hesitation.
Metagross swung its massive steel arms, delivering a Brick Break attack aimed viciously at Sharpedo.
Tangrowth instantly lashed out with over thirty thick Vine Whips, all whipping toward Sharpedo at once.
Only Gliscor launched itself into the air, taking the initiative to engage Cynthia's Garchomp.
There was no doubt Hunter X had identified Sharpedo as the weakest among them and intended to break through by taking it out quickly.
As for Mega Houndoom… he was blatantly ignoring it.
"Heat Wave. Agility."
With Sato's command issued, both Mega Houndoom and Sharpedo sprang into action.
Houndoom opened its mouth wide, and Heat Wave spread out almost instantly. The temperature was so intense that Tangrowth caught fire just from being near it.
Metagross, not particularly heat-resistant either, also had to halt its attack from the unbearable temperature.
Hunter X stepped back while staring in disbelief at the domineering Mega Houndoom. He knew about Mega Evolution, but wasn't this thing supposed to be below Elite Four level?
How could Heat Wave be this terrifying… repelling two of his Pokémon?
Something was definitely off!
"Tangrowth, regrow your vines, then use Power Whip! Metagross, Bullet Punch to stop Houndoom from continuing its attack!"
"Night Slash. Fire Blast!"
Sato's commands were still concise, but Sharpedo and Mega Houndoom both knew exactly what to do.
Sharpedo, moving so fast it had turned into a blur, forcibly blocked Metagross's Bullet Punch.
Meanwhile, Houndoom charged straight at Tangrowth, unleashing a magma-infused Fire Blast without hesitation!
Tangrowth wasn't fast, and it was still regrowing its vines, leaving it no choice but to watch in horror as the terrifying magma Fire Blast came hurtling toward it.
In the instant it was engulfed in flames, only one thought crossed Tangrowth's mind… 'WHERE THE HELL IS MY "TEAMMATE"?!'
Hunter X's plan was for Metagross to use the priority move Bullet Punch to intercept Houndoom's attack in time.
And a mere Ace-level like Sharpedo shouldn't have been able to do any meaningful damage to either opponent.
But he had miscalculated…
Sharpedo possessed speed that surpassed most Elite Four level Pokémon. And Houndoom… had offensive power comparable to one!
After all, the Heart of Earthflame wasn't consumed for nothing.
Sharpedo, with speed that exceeded the effect of typical moves, physically intercepted Metagross, while Houndoom placed its full trust in Sharpedo and launched its attack on Tangrowth.
They were both only Ace level Pokémon, yet they had the upper hand!
For a moment, Hunter X couldn't help but wonder if he himself might be a fake Elite Four…
Magma seared through Tangrowth's body, making it scream in agony. In desperation, it began wildly severing the already-burned. Before long, the two-meter-tall Tangrowth had shrunk to just about one meter, and more than half of its vines were gone, exposing the charred interior.
On the other side, Metagross and Sharpedo clashed once then separated, facing off once again.
Night Slash had done significant damage to Metagross, while Bullet Punch, on the other hand, was average in power and resisted by Sharpedo.
All in all, the mighty pseudo-legendary Metagross had gained nothing from its exchange with Sharpedo.
Just as Hunter X was about to counterattack, a sharp, miserable scream echoed through the sky. Gliscor suddenly crashed to the ground, completely motionless!
"DAMN IT!"
Hunter X cursed under his breath, realizing he had run into tough opponents today, and began thinking of ways to escape.
"Beartic, use Icicle Crash to bring Garchomp down!"
Hunter X recalled Gliscor and seamlessly sent out a Beartic, seemingly ready to keep fighting.
But the next moment, Metagross suddenly used Rock Tomb on Houndoom, while Tangrowth immediately used Growth, prompting grass to surge wildly around them.
At the same time, Beartic's Icicle Crash didn't aim for Garchomp at all!
Instead, it clashed directly with Rock Tomb above and below.
Growing grass, giant boulders, and icy pillars all connected to form a barricade that completely blocked Sato and Cynthia's field of vision. Not even a crack remained.
In less than half a second, the two of them could no longer see any trace of Hunter X!
They look at each other, both thinking the same thing.
'Woah! What an experienced escape!'
"Krooow!"
It was only then that Honchkrow flew out from the woods behind them, asking Sato if he needed to pursue.
"No need. With Lucario on the job, he won't get away."
"Krow! Krooow-Kro…"
Honchkrow nodded in understanding, then immediately turned to "lavish" praise on Sharpedo and Houndoom.
'Sharp-hime, so powerful! Houn-hime, amazing!'
Houndoom and Sharpedo nodded "casually", clearly enjoying the flattery from their "kouhai".
Soon, the two regrouped with the Pokémon left at the lakeside.
Using its powerful Psychic, Gardevoir lifted the entire campsite and transported it over in one piece. Not a single item was out of place.
Just as Sato hesitated over whether to have the Pokémon finish their meal or continue chasing Hunter X to rescue Heatran, Cynthia spoke up.
"Everyone eat first. Lucario has already rescued Heatran. What comes next is the counterattack!"
Sato glanced at Cynthia, then at Togekiss by her side, who was using Aura with its eyes closed, and immediately understood.
"Then let's eat first. Only by restoring our stamina can we avenge Houndoom and the others!"
With Sato's words, the whole group no longer hesitated. They all began scarfing down their food, eager to unleash their full power in the coming battle!
Sato and Cynthia also sat at the table, picking up still-warm burgers and eating faster than usual…
Before long, the ground in front of them began to rumble.
Under the watchful eyes of the Pokémon, Lucario and Heatran emerged before them.
Looking at the badly injured Heatran, who looked like it was about to cry from sheer frustration, Sato couldn't help but ask Cynthia.
"This Heatran… is it still not fully grown?"
Cynthia gave a soft reply, then quietly walked over to Heatran and gently comforted its massive iron head with a hug.