Cain and Steven stood at the entrance of the tunnel, and in front of them loomed a Pokémon that neither Drake nor Norman had ever seen before.
Drake's Salamence, upon seeing Kommo-o, had all its scales stand on end, feeling a genuine threat.
Cain and Slowking had already sensed Drake's position through their psychic powers, and now it was time to show off a little.
"Not showing off would be like wearing a brocade robe and walking in the dark."
"Kommo-o, give them a big move — consider it a farewell gift," Cain said to the dragon.
Kommo-o had been holding back his rage for a long time; all that forced retreat didn't suit his fighting style at all.
When he finally stopped, he threw Cain a fierce glare.
He clearly felt deceived, manipulated.
But he was already on the wrong ship — getting off wasn't an option.
All that pent-up frustration could only be vented on Maxie and Archie.
The scales on his body began to rub violently against each other, though no sound came out. Instead, concentric waves of sonic energy formed, not dissipating but growing denser, turning into increasingly larger rings of energy.
Signature Move — Clanging Scales!
Soon, as the silence reached its limit, the energy compressed to its peak. In front of Kommo-o appeared a whitish sphere of energy.
His gaze suddenly sharpened.
"Chiiiirrr!"
A deafening sound swept through the entire tunnel, echoing deep within the cave.
Cain, knowing what was coming, immediately wrapped both himself and Steven in a psychic protective field as soon as Kommo-o began to charge.
They were behind Kommo-o, not in the direct impact zone, so the noise they endured wasn't as brutal. Still, Cain's psychic barrier trembled violently, shaking alarmingly under the force.
In the distance, Drake and Norman also heard the screech.
Even from far away, the pain in their ears was intense — a corrosive noise that made them cover their ears instantly to endure it better.
If even they and Cain were only suffering from the aftereffects, what would become of the Team Magma and Team Aqua members taking the full brunt of the attack, amplified by the tunnel?
Maxie and Archie reacted quickly, immediately releasing two more Pokémon to protect themselves and their men.
"BOOOOM!!!"
The entire tunnel collapsed. The power of Clanging Scales surpassed even that of an explosion, instantly pulverizing the surrounding rocks into floating dust.
Maxie and Archie's Pokémon were blown away as if struck by a giant cannon. The weaker ones had blood seeping from every pore of their bodies.
Maxie and Archie themselves didn't lose consciousness, but blood streamed from their ears.
Tabitha and Shelly, already injured from the previous sounds, were even more damaged now.
Kommo-o, seeing the effects of his attack, snorted coldly, releasing two sharp breaths through his nostrils.
He shot another disdainful glance at Cain.
Cain could only smile awkwardly. He didn't make excuses — after asking for his opinion, he simply returned Kommo-o to his Pokéball.
"Four more chances to ask for his help..." he thought to himself.
Steven looked at him in surprise, as if to ask with his eyes: A Pokémon that strong — and right when the big fight starts — you're pulling it back?
Cain shook his head, resigned. "He's angry. He's not fighting anymore."
"..."
Steven was at a loss for words.
Drake and Norman came running from the distance, also stunned by Kommo-o's final attack.
As they approached, they confirmed the true extent of the destruction.
The tunnel was completely collapsed.
"Cain... that just now... was that...?" Drake asked, seeing the Pokémon had been withdrawn.
Cain realized his performance had worked again. If he played his cards right, more benefits would surely come his way later.
He scratched his head. "It's a Pokémon I found while training in Ho-Oh's space."
"It seemed to have some kind of fixation with my Shelgon, so we met, and by a series of coincidences, I managed to bring it with me. But... its temper isn't very good. It just saved our lives, and now it got angry, so it went back into the Pokéball to rest."
"..."
Drake was speechless.
What a temperamental genius...
"What Pokémon was that? I've never seen anything like it," Norman asked.
Cain nodded. "It's a species not yet registered in the Pokédex. Maybe no one's ever discovered it before. But I know its name — Kommo-o!"
"Kommo-o..." Drake repeated softly.
His Salamence had already told him it was a pure Dragon-type Pokémon.
"It's a Dragon and Fighting-type Pokémon. And not just any Dragon-type — it's... a pseudo-legendary," Cain added.
"A pseudo-legendary!?"
Drake and Norman were stunned.
Another newly discovered pseudo-legendary!
For the League, and for the entire Pokémon world, this was an immense find.
The appearance of a pseudo-legendary — especially one of the Dragon/Fighting type — would have massive repercussions among families and factions across the world.
Excited, Drake patted Cain on the shoulder.
A Dragon-type Pokémon was always something that deeply pleased a Dragon Master.
"I'd say its strength might even surpass my Salamence," Drake admitted in awe.
Cain put on a helpless expression. "That... I'm not sure. Honestly, it doesn't obey me much. It only intervenes when life is in danger — otherwise, it hardly listens at all."
That also set up a convenient excuse for future occasions when Kommo-o might act again.
"No problem. If you've got such a card up your sleeve, I feel much more at ease. You both did great this time. What's left, leave it to Norman and me," Drake said, patting both Cain and Steven once again.
The two geniuses of Hoenn had truly grown.
They were getting old...
The tunnel lay in ruins, and Maxie and Archie had reached the entrance. There was nothing left to block.
The confrontation would now be face-to-face.
"BOOM!"
Rocks flew in all directions.
From within the rubble emerged Maxie and Archie, covered in dust, looking battered.
Their clothes were a mess, though their Pokémon had protected them from serious injuries.
Tabitha and Shelly also stumbled out of the debris, even more miserable than before.
The arrogance they had shown earlier was completely gone — Cain had made a fool of them.
Their vanguard was practically destroyed. Once this was all over, if they even survived, Maxie and Archie would hardly reward them for their failure.
"Maxie, Archie, you've got some nerve!" Drake barked, his expression hardening as soon as he saw them.
"Huh...?"
(End of chapter)