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"Heh… heh… gahahaha…"
Lycanroc limped out of the crater created by the titanic clash.
Its body was covered in wounds scrapes, gashes, and burns. Most striking of all was a vicious cut that ran from below its left eye down to its mouth, bleeding freely.
Drip… drip…
It licked the blood trickling down its cheek with a snake-like tongue.
"Salty…"
"Kukuku…"
Its shoulders shook as it chuckled low, eerie, unhinged.
"So much fun…"
"You're dead."
The Lycanroc suddenly raised its head. A wave of terrifying malice erupted from its body. A torrent of red-black energy surged outward, crashing toward Machoke like a demon storm.
Machoke was hunched over, clutching his abdomen. Blood poured from his wound, the corruption still eating away at his flesh.
Cold sweat rolled down his face.
But then his gaze turned toward Bali.
The man stared at him from afar, filled with desperation, pain, and pride.
Memories flooded back.
The first time they met Bali's bright smile.
The first time Machoke was injured Bali's worried eyes.
The countless days of training beneath a waterfall, Bali's resolve to grow stronger together.
The quiet sorrow when Bali gave up on his dream.
The joy in Bali's eyes when his children were born.
Machoke smiled softly.
And then, something deep inside him ignited.
Ignoring the pain, he stood tall.
Drawing on every last drop of strength, he unleashed it all.
Pale steam began rising from his body. His aura flared not as a warrior, but as a guardian, ready to make his stand.
He surged forward like a falling star, his fist glowing white-hot.
"[Power-Up Punch]!"
"Take this Fucker!!!"
At the same time, the Lycanroc cloaked itself in swirling darkness, its fur rising like shadowed flames. Dark energy built atop its jagged mane.
"[Stone Edge]!"
They collided.
Kael, watching from a distance, felt time freeze.
No sound. No movement. Just pure, raw energy surging at the heart of the battlefield.
Then—
BOOM!
Light exploded across the night sky like a comet ripping through the heavens.
A shockwave thundered across the ranch.
When the dust cleared…
Machoke lay motionless in the dirt, breath shallow, strength gone.
Beside him, Lycanroc struggled to one knee, its body shaking. One arm hung limp. Part of its mane had shattered.
It smirked.
"Hhhghh… looks like… I win."
But then it noticed something.
Footsteps.
A human was running full speed across the field.
Bali.
The Lycanroc grinned darkly.
Lifting its claw, it summoned the last of its energy, and a small shard of corrupt darkness formed at its fingertips. It raised its hand to strike Machoke down for good.
Bali's eyes widened in horror.
His lungs burned. His legs screamed. But he ran faster.
"NO!!"
Vmmm…
A sudden ripple of deep blue light formed beside Lycanroc.
Glimmering specks floated within a glowing ring of energy, elegant and ethereal.
"[Hidden Power]!"
Lycanroc never saw it coming.
Kael's move struck point-blank, exploding against its already broken body.
The deep-blue ring sliced through the Lycanroc's mangled fur like butter, searing into raw muscle.
"GHK—!"
Lycanroc vomited blood, collapsing backward.
Darkness crept over its eyes. Consciousness faded.
[Ding!]
Kael stood nearby, shaking from a mix of fear and adrenaline.
And then the system spoke.
---
The Next Morning
Sunlight bathed Bali Ranch in golden warmth.
The grass swayed peacefully. It was hard to imagine that the chaos and carnage of the night before had ever happened.
Across the field, Officer Jenny and her team combed the area with Growlithe.
"Any sign of Louis?"
"No ma'am. That Lycanroc seemed to be acting alone no trainer in sight."
"Louis… wasn't he one of the elite battle Pokémon trained for Dark Star's top agents?"
"Exactly. If a handler had been present, that Lycanroc wouldn't have lost so badly."
"Still… even for a cleanup op, I hope we don't run into him. We're not equipped for that."
"Relax. The League already swept this sector. We're just on support duty."
---
Elsewhere, in a recovery ward at Pokémon Center…
Medical machinery hummed. Machoke lay on a recovery bed, swathed in thick white bandages. Several nurses in white-and-red uniforms surrounded him, adjusting IVs and monitoring his vitals.
In the hallway, Bali sat with his wife and son.
Beside them, Kael lay quietly on the floor, pretending to nap.
Click.
The door to the ICU opened. A bespectacled doctor stepped out, removing his mask.
Bali jumped to his feet.
"Doctor! How is he?"
The young man smiled.
"The surgery was a success. Your Machoke is incredibly resilient he'll be fine after a few days of rest."
Bali's joy was palpable. "Thank you, thank you so much!"
The doctor waved off the thanks and returned inside.
Bali sat back down, finally allowing himself to exhale.
He looked down at Kael still quiet, still by his side.
And Kael?
Kael wasn't sleeping.
He was staring at his [System].
[Defeated Pokémon: Midnight Lycanroc]
[EXP +437 (Overleveled Bonus: +62%)]
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[Species]: Mareep
[Level]: 7 (10/100)
[Moves]: Tackle, Growl, Hidden Power, Thunder Wave
[Evaluation]: A high-level domesticated Mareep
---
"Can't believe I got that much EXP just for landing the finishing blow…"
Kael grinned, proud but a little shaken.
"If that Lycanroc had had any strength left, I'd be toast."
But risk and reward go hand-in-hand.
And this time, the reward had been well worth it.
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
Thank you so much for reading!