"Tch, stubborn fools!" The Team Rocket grunt sneered coldly.
Even as the two young trainers rushed forward, he didn't bother to dodge. His Cyndaquil's Ember flared against the Golem's rocky body.
But—
Golem wasn't only high-leveled, it was also heavily resistant to Fire.
The sparks struck its rugged hide, yet it didn't even flinch. Then, the Sentret charged in, only to slam straight into the lingering flames. With a shriek, it was blasted backward.
It traced a tragic arc through the air before crashing heavily to the ground. Its head fur singed black, its eyes shut tight—it had already fainted.
"Crobat, finish off that Cyndaquil!" The Rocket grunt's grin twisted into cruelty.
Crobat beat its wings in a blur, slicing through the air. Twin blades of wind cut into Cyndaquil's small frame.
Bang! With a pitiful cry, Cyndaquil was thrown to the dirt, knocked out cold.
In just a few short seconds, both Pokémon were down. The two rookie trainers could only stare in horror, their faces pale.
Seeing their trembling figures, the grunt chuckled darkly. "Hmph, that's the price of meddling! Golem, crush them!"
At his command, Golem tucked itself into a boulder and began to roll, thundering straight at the two rookies.
This Golem had been forced to evolve unnaturally, leaving its body stunted and malformed.
Yet even so, a Golem's Rollout carried terrifying weight. The two rookies screamed as the massive rock bore down on them—
But then—
A surge of water burst through the air, colliding with the rolling Golem and detonating in an explosion of spray.
Soaked and pained, Golem let out a groan before crashing onto its back.
"What?!" The Rocket grunt froze, whipping his head around. His eyes widened in shock—standing beside Yozora was a majestic Dragonair.
The two rookies also turned, and their jaws dropped.
"Dragonair… the legendary Dragonair… That's amazing, senpai!" Their eyes sparkled with awe. At that moment, they worshipped Yozora completely.
Though they called him senpai, they knew he was only half a year or a year ahead of them at most. Yet he already possessed a Dragonair! It was beyond comprehension.
"Dragonair…"
On the other side, greed flashed in the Rocket grunt's eyes. His breathing quickened with mania as he swung his arm down. "Crobat, Air Slash!"
Swish! Swish! Twin blades of compressed air sliced forward.
But Yozora merely smirked, unfazed. "Dragonair, Protect!"
A shimmering blue barrier appeared. The Air Slashes slammed against it with twin crashes, but the shield didn't budge an inch.
Behind it, Dragonair stood calm and unscathed.
"Now, Thunderbolt!" Yozora commanded.
Electricity arced down in a golden flash. Crobat convulsed midair before plummeting like a stone.
A one-hit knockout.
Another instant defeat.
"Whoa! Dragonair is incredible! So this is the power of legends!" The rookies' eyes gleamed like stars. Their admiration for Yozora soared, their yearning for Dragonair burned hotter than ever.
Though not a true legendary, Dragonair was still a pseudo-legendary. To rookie trainers, who wouldn't be entranced by its majesty?
Meanwhile, the Rocket grunt was trembling with excitement.
Dragonair truly lived up to its fabled reputation—so powerful! If he could capture it and hand it over to headquarters, his promotion and riches would be guaranteed!
"Go, Houndoom!"
His voice cracked with thrill as he hurled out his ace. This Houndoom was no fodder—it was his carefully trained partner, raised to the peak of Senior level.
The Geodude and Zubat from before? Just throwaway catches, force-evolved with illegal devices to act as disposable muscle. But Houndoom was the real deal.
"Smokescreen!"
At the order, Houndoom spewed a cloud of choking smoke, blanketing the battlefield in thick black haze.
Hidden within, the grunt's laughter echoed. "Houndoom, use Odor Sleuth to lock on Dragonair's scent—then Bite it apart!"
Growls and crashes erupted inside the smoke. Then silence.
Ten seconds later, the smog dispersed.
The Rocket grunt looked up eagerly—and froze.
His eyes bulged. The grin twisted on his face crumbled into horror.
Houndoom lay unconscious at Dragonair's coils. The serpent itself stood unmarked.
"No… Impossible! Inside the smoke, Dragonair had no vision! How—how did it take my Houndoom down?!" His roar broke into hysterical disbelief.
But his answer was only another sphere of water.
Boom! The Water Pulse burst against him. With a scream, the grunt was blasted off his feet. His head lolled to the side as he fell into unconsciousness.
Once the battle ended, the ranch owner immediately called the police.
Soon, Officer Jenny arrived, swiftly arresting both the Rocket grunt and his Houndoom.
"Thank you, young man. I don't know how I can ever repay you."
With the troublemaker taken away, the elderly rancher clasped Yozora's hand with deep gratitude. "How about this—my ranch has over a hundred Mareep. Take whichever one you fancy as thanks!"
"You're too kind, sir." Yozora chuckled softly, returning Dragonair to its Poké Ball before gazing over the fluffy herd.
Mareep was no ordinary Pokémon. Fully evolved, it became Ampharos—no less powerful than any starter's final form.
And Ampharos possessed Mega Evolution as well.
But as Yozora examined the herd, his excitement dimmed.
Most were ordinary at best.
These were shepherding bloodlines, not bred for battle. Generation after generation had dulled their combat potential.
The majority carried only Rookie or Junior level potential. The best among them reached no higher than Commander-tier.
For Yozora, that was far too low. He needed guardians of the highest caliber. Though his system could enhance them, a Pokémon's starting potential mattered greatly.
"What's wrong? Not a single Mareep caught your eye?" The rancher frowned in disappointment. "I suppose with a Dragonair at your side, you must come from no small background. Your standards are naturally higher than mine."
"Don't worry, sir. I only did what anyone should." Yozora waved the concern away with a calm smile.
(End of Chapter)