The sudden strike caught the bikers completely off guard.
The mohawk leader, seeing Mawile charging toward him with lightning speed, nearly had his hairstyle stand on end from pure terror. He screamed at his Weezing to use Gyro Ball to block the path.
Nearby bikers scrambled to release their own Pokémon as well.
But they hadn't counted on Chansey. The moment she appeared, she raised her small paws, and a crushing weight descended upon them. The intense Gravity caused the hovering motorcycles to slam into the ground with a series of heavy thuds.
Some were damaged instantly, while others began emitting black smoke, sparking widespread panic.
Their Weezings and Koffings were also forced to the pavement, bouncing like basketballs in a chaotic rhythm, a spectacular sight, like dumplings being dropped into a pot.
"Weeeez..."
The leader's Weezing let out a low, muffled groan, its intended Gyro Ball interrupted before it could even begin.
In the midst of all this, only a few Grimer, who emitted a pungent stench and Voltorb, who looked like Poké Balls themselves remained relatively unscathed. However, the terrified cries of the bikers left them hesitating, unsure whether to turn back and help their trainers or continue the assault on Mawile and Chansey.
In the next heartbeat...
A pink storm surged forth like a physical wall, pushing outward in all directions. It was like a gale sweeping away fallen leaves everything in its path, whether Pokémon or machinery, was thrown backward.
Bikers at the epicenter were tossed into the air by the shockwave, only to be slammed back down by the persistent Gravity field, leaving them groaning in agony.
Those on the periphery stood frozen, mouths agape, unable to process the total annihilation unfolding before them.
It was then that Kashiwagi's command rang out.
"Finish them!"
Instantly, the Team Snagem members—who had been waiting for this moment—released their Pokémon, roaring orders to attack the scattered bikers.
Most of the men Kashiwagi had brought were from the Crystal Unit. They had been harassed and cornered by these nameless punks for far too long, forced to retreat time and again. They were nursing a deep, burning resentment.
Now that they finally had the chance to lash out, they went berserk.
"Tell your men not to go too far."
Seeing the Crystal Unit members seeing red, Kashiwagi grabbed the shoulder of the Crystal Unit squad leader, who was also getting caught up in the excitement.
Making an example of a few leaders was fine, but killing them all was unnecessary. They were already short-handed; dealing with the aftermath of a massacre would be a logistical nightmare.
He aimed for maximum efficiency.
As for how much the official Crystal Unit members had suffered, it wasn't his concern. If the peripheral members or the local civilians wanted a "blood for blood" settlement later, he'd be happy to allow it then.
The squad leader nodded instinctively. "Understood!"
A second later, the squad leader froze, realization dawning on him. Somehow, without even noticing it, he had already begun to follow Kashiwagi's lead with total conviction.
-----
On the other side of the battle, Mawile returned, dragging the dizzy mohawk leader by the leg. Under the effects of Gravity, Mawile's Magnet Rise had been neutralized, but thanks to its perfect chemistry with Chansey, it had reached the target and landed the moment the Gravity was released.
Thus, it remained unaffected by the massive area-of-effect move.
Chansey followed close behind, staring at the leader's nearly shredded pant legs, wondering if she should help carry him. Ultimately, she decided against it; she wasn't as fast as Mawile and would likely just end up pulling the man's pants off entirely.
Moments later, the Team Snagem members had successfully rounded up the bikers, reclaimed the stolen loot, and smashed the speakers that had been blasting noise.
"Anything you want to share?"
Kashiwagi looked down at the mohawk leader. Seeing the man's face full of resentment, he added, "Opportunities are rare. I treat cooperative prisoners well, but I have very little patience for those who play tough."
The casual, light tone sent a chill down the leader's spine. "What... what do you want to know?"
"Did Kojiro send you? And besides your group, who else did he assign?"
Kashiwagi didn't waste time with pleasantries; he went straight to the heart of the matter.
The leader's eyes flickered, thinking of a witty retort, but Kashiwagi immediately stepped on his palm. "Think carefully before you speak. Don't forget your current situation!"
"I'll talk! I'll talk!"
The leader howled in pain, quickly spilling every bit of intel Kashiwagi asked for.
Just then, a new group of people emerged from Kojiro's territory across the street.
"Yo, yo, yo, what do we have here? And who are you people, messing around in Jackal Gang territory?" The leader of the newcomers spoke with a mocking, sarcastic drawl.
The Team Snagem members all turned their eyes toward Kashiwagi.
The latter's expression didn't flicker. "Pack up the prisoners. We're leaving."
With that, he turned and hopped back onto his hovercycle.
"Hold on!"
The newcomer's face darkened when he realized Kashiwagi was ignoring him completely. "Stop right there! You think you can just beat people up on our turf and walk away? Demon-wood, didn't your boss ever teach you any manners!?"
Still no response.
Kashiwagi had already started his bike and begun to drive off.
The remaining Team Snagem members shot the newcomers looks that ranged from mocking to bizarre before following their leader, dragging the biker captives with them.
"Unbelievable!"
The rival leader clenched his fists, teeth gnashing at Kashiwagi's blatant disregard.
One of his underlings whispered, "Boss, should we call those other gangs back over..."
"No."
The leader's face was grim. "Word of what happened here will spread fast. Those street rats are smart; once they know Demon-wood is here, they won't come back. Besides, a barking dog doesn't bite—it's the silent ones you have to worry about. What exactly is that guy planning...?"
These were indeed Kojiro's men. Having seen the bikers crushed so easily, they had hoped to come out and exert some pressure or gather info.
They hadn't expected Kashiwagi to treat them like thin air.
That level of confidence made the leader uneasy. Furthermore, as a long-time rival of the Crystal Unit, the fact that Kashiwagi was coming to their aid raised some serious red flags.
What exactly had happened in the Underdome?
The leader immediately contacted Kojiro, who was stationed at the heart of their territory, and passed the intelligence along.
"...We wait and see."
After a long silence, Kojiro decided to continue observing. He had already secured a new partner—one so powerful he didn't fear a Team Snagem invasion. However, picking a fight with Team Snagem right now would still be unwise.
----
Back at the temporary base.
The returning Crystal Unit members, flush with the joy of their "victory," arrived to find the scene swarming with new faces. The moment they saw the Sand Unit insignias, they realized their "home" had been snatched out from under them.
They looked at Kashiwagi in disbelief. They couldn't believe they had just been fighting side-by-side with him, only for him to stab them in the back the moment their heads were turned!
The Crystal Unit members considered going on strike, but they soon realized that as more and more Sand Unit members arrived, they weren't even needed anymore. The district had completely slipped from their grasp.
But the squad leader had no recourse other than calling his superiors.
Kashiwagi's combat prowess had just been put on full display. To put it bluntly, Kashiwagi could crush him like a bug. There was no point in asking for trouble.
Furthermore...
"Big Brother Kashiwagi! We did it!"
A group of disheveled Jackal Gang members emerged from the depths of the district, leading a large crowd of people. Their faces were alight with excitement, looking like heroes who had just completed a grueling mission.
The Jackal Gang members Kashiwagi had sent out had successfully convinced the last holdouts in the area to surrender.
The Crystal Unit's district had finally, truly, seen the dust settle.