"Diancie, hold off Moltres—go for the control collar around its neck!"
Watching as Moltres wreaked havoc across the area, Rex had no choice but to send Diancie to intercept it, hoping to limit the destruction it could cause to Rex Farm.
"Without Diancie and those Pokémon tribes, let's see what you've got left!"
Sabrina didn't stop Rex's move—after all, she couldn't precisely control Moltres either. As long as Moltres tied up Diancie, her objective was met.
Soon, Rex's Pokémon clashed with Sabrina's in an all-out brawl. With so many Pokémon on both sides, neither trainer could provide detailed commands—they had to rely on their Pokémon's instincts and synergy.
Totem Swellow faced off against Alakazam. Already a powerful Pokémon, Alakazam became even more formidable under Sabrina's psychic amplification, battling Totem Swellow blow for blow without either side gaining the upper hand.
Though Sabrina's team was outnumbered initially, the situation changed drastically when additional Rocket Grunts began disembarking from the airship above.
In an instant, the tide turned. Many of Rex's Pokémon were surrounded by waves of Rocket-controlled Pokémon.
Due to its enormous size and ferocity, Gyarados became a key target, soon swarmed by Arbok and Crobat. These enemies coordinated to wear it down through attrition.
But Gyarados, battle-hardened from years ruling the ocean, didn't falter under siege. Instead, it fought harder, blood-red eyes flashing with feral glee as it lashed out with savage power.
Milotic, besides defending itself, served as a healer. Whenever it spotted an ally in critical condition, it conjured Life Dew to restore their health.
Lapras took up a defensive position near Milotic, working in tandem to guard their healer. Using powerful Ice Beam attacks, Lapras froze oncoming foes mid-charge, creating statues across the field.
Meanwhile, Machamp played the role of a firefighter—rushing to the aid of allies in distress. In most cases, a single punch was enough to KO an enemy.
Seeing his Pokémon fight so valiantly, Rex couldn't just stand by. With a few bounding leaps, he closed the distance to Sabrina and launched an attack.
Sabrina didn't dare let him touch her—physically, she was no different from an average human. One punch from Rex could easily mean serious injury… or worse.
Boom!
Sabrina summoned a dense psychic barrier around herself. Rex's punch, infused with fighting energy, landed with a heavy thud, creating only a ripple on the surface of her shield—no damage got through.
But Sabrina wasn't Rex's real target.
Using his momentum, Rex darted past her, charging into the ranks of Rocket grunts.
"Aaagh!"
"Stay away from me!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Screams erupted wherever Rex passed. Rockets opened fire in desperation, but his speed was too great. The bullets missed—and even if they had hit, the fighting energy aura surrounding his body would have softened the impact.
"Damn you, how dare you ignore me!"
Sabrina's rage boiled over. It wasn't the casualties that bothered her—she never cared about the lives of subordinates. What infuriated her was Rex's blatant disregard for her, striking at her followers as if she weren't even there.
She retaliated immediately, unleashing a psychic barrage that didn't even spare her own people in the crossfire.
Rex was now forced to give her his full attention. In a direct confrontation, he was clearly at a disadvantage—Sabrina's psychic power far outstripped his. He had to rely on his agility and evasive maneuvers just to stay alive.
"Looks like Sabrina still needs some time to deal with that kid. How long can our diversionary teams hold out?"
Watching the battle from his airship, Giovanni turned to Matori.
"Our agents have stirred up quite a bit of chaos in several cities. Most of Hoenn's League forces are distracted and won't notice what's happening here for a while," Matori reported.
"But our roots in Hoenn are still shallow. The new recruits we've gathered aren't particularly strong—chances are they'll be shut down before long."
"That's fine. Cannon fodder is abundant in every region. If someone proves themselves in this crucible, that's the kind of talent Team Rocket needs."
Giovanni's eyes remained fixed on the monitor as he spoke, his words cold and indifferent.
To him, low-ranking Rocket members were expendable. Only those who clawed their way up through merit earned his recognition.
Someone like Sabrina? If she were in danger, Giovanni wouldn't hesitate to launch a rescue—even if it meant confronting the Pokémon League.
It was this belief that inspired such unwavering loyalty from his elites. Even Sabrina—emotionless as she was—obeyed him without question.
Though Sabrina had eventually forced Rex on the defensive, the damage had already been done. Many Rocket grunts lay writhing on the ground, their injuries too severe to continue battling or command their Pokémon.
With his back against the wall, Rex no longer held back. He fought only to win, pushing for any edge that could turn the tide.
"Now! Shaymin—use Energy Ball!"
At just the right moment, Rex shouted toward a specific direction.
"Wait—no!"
Sabrina realized the trap, but it was too late. Focused entirely on attacking Rex, she had left her defenses weakened.
A brilliant green Energy Ball shot straight toward her. She scrambled to raise a shield—but it was too weak. The sphere shattered her barrier and sent her flying across the battlefield.
Watching from above, Giovanni was momentarily stunned. He hadn't anticipated such a sudden reversal.
Only when he saw the Sky Forme Shaymin beside Rex did he grasp what had happened.
"I see… so even this little farm hides yet another legendary Pokémon."
Though briefly caught off guard, Giovanni quickly regained his composure.
(End of Chapter)