As Aldus threw the Poké Ball, it traced a semi-circular arc through the air.
A streak of blue emerged, standing before the Houndoom and Ursaring.
It was... the dragon of the Johto region, Kingdra!
"Go."
Aldus uttered the single word with his usual brevity.
Kingdra took a deep breath, then suddenly released a purple-blue wave of energy from its mouth—Dragon Pulse!
"Roar!"
An Ursaring swung its claws wide, attempting to counter.
Slash!
Boom!
The moment the Dragon Pulse collided with Ursaring, the bulky Pokémon—massive even among its peers—was sent flying like a baseball struck by a bat.
The other rampaging Ursaring, Houndoom, and Murkrow stopped in their tracks, their expressions shifting.
As wild Pokémon, their instincts were sharp, and they could immediately sense that this opponent was on a completely different level from anything they had faced before.
The leader of the Houndoom pack leaped into the air, launching a dark purple-black beam from its mouth—Dark Pulse!
A translucent blue barrier formed around Kingdra, creating a protective dome that repelled the attack.
Protect!
The Houndoom leader's minions, the Houndour, sprang into action, unleashing fiery pillars from their mouths.
"Rain Dance," Aldus said flatly, glancing at the Houndoom.
Kingdra lifted its head to the sky, channeling mysterious energy toward the heavens.
Within ten seconds, the previously clear skies were shrouded in dark clouds, and a torrential downpour began.
With its Water/Dragon typing, Kingdra already resisted Fire-type moves. Now, with Rain Dance boosting its Water-type attacks, the flames from the Houndour were utterly ineffective.
Kingdra remained unflinching as if the fire couldn't even match the heat of a sauna.
"Incredible. As expected of one of the Indigo League's Elite Four," muttered Will.
"The wild Pokémon's attack patterns are completely transparent to that man in sunglasses," he added.
"And none of them have any resistance to Water-types," Giovanni remarked with a smile.
"In this situation, his next move is almost certainly..."
"Surf."
Before Giovanni could finish, Stephen interjected.
Sure enough, Aldus echoed Stephen, "Surf."
Kingdra charged a brilliant blue energy at its snout, then slammed it into the ground.
Boom—Crash—!
A massive wave, seven or eight meters high, radiated in all directions, engulfing the rampaging wild Pokémon.
The wave swept up Ursaring, along with a few Teddiursa, pulling them into a vortex.
The Fire-weak Houndoom and Houndour fared even worse. They didn't even have time to cry out before being overwhelmed, their bellies filling with water.
Only the Murkrow, with their flight advantage, managed to evade the wave by flapping desperately.
But...
Aldus gave a signal to Ritsuki with his eyes.
Understanding immediately, Ritsuki, the landowner, shouted to the recovering trainers, "What are you waiting for? Get rid of the remaining targets!"
The League trainers, snapping to action, sent out Pokémon like Golduck and Tentacruel to dive into the flooded battlefield.
From below, they launched Ice Beam and Hydro Pump at the airborne Murkrow.
The Murkrow, already the weakest of the three wild factions, were further demoralized by the defeat of the Ursaring and Houndoom.
A moment's lapse proved fatal. They were struck mid-air and fell like broken kites.
"Impressive as always, Aldus. Without you, the damage would have been much worse," Ritsuki said, walking up with admiration.
"As for compensation..."
"No need," Aldus replied, shaking his head.
"President Ritsuki, you and my father are partners. This is a small matter."
"Ha! You're too modest," Ritsuki laughed.
"Then, at least join us for dinner to celebrate the success of the Cianwood City Expansion Plan. If your father is free, that would be even better..."
"President! Look out!"
Before Ritsuki could finish, a guard shouted.
"Arf!"
Behind them, the Houndoom leader, grievously injured but not defeated, leaped toward them, fiery fangs aglow.
Ritsuki froze in shock and fear.
Aldus, however, remained calm.
"Hydro Pump."
Kingdra turned sharply, releasing a massive, rain-enhanced Hydro Pump.
The water cannon struck the Houndoom leader squarely in the head, sending it flying dozens of meters into a newly constructed bridge pillar.
Crack—Crack—Crack—!
The sheer force of the attack caused the pillar to fracture.
Thud—!
Kingdra ceased its attack, and the Houndoom collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Boom—!
The damaged pillar finally gave way, collapsing onto the unconscious Houndoom leader.
"Houn—!"
A nearby Houndour tried to rise, its eyes wide with despair, but its battered body betrayed its will.
"Houn! Houn!"
Another Houndoom, the leader's mate, dashed forward.
If this were a movie, she would have heroically saved her partner.
But the reality was cruel.
Just as she reached him, the pillar came crashing down, pinning them both.
"Houn (Father)—Houn (Mother)—!"
The Houndour's heart-wrenching cries echoed through the construction site.
"They brought this on themselves. If they had stayed down, this wouldn't have happened," Ritsuki said, wiping rain or sweat from his face.
"Thank you again, Aldus."
"No problem. What do you plan to do with the rest?"
Aldus asked, gesturing to the fallen Ursaring, Murkrow, and the shattered Houndour pack.
"Maybe my men can dump them somewhere far away. If they attack humans again, euthanasia might be the best option."
"If you don't mind, leave them to me," Aldus offered.
"My father has connections to place them with suitable trainers."
"Since it's you, I can't refuse," Ritsuki agreed with a laugh.
"But first, let's celebrate."
"Well, Stephen, do you still think the League represents justice?" Sakaki asked nearby.
"Neither side is innocent. I've seen enough of this," Stephen replied coolly.
Though not achieving Giovanni's goal of inciting hatred toward the League, it seemed the event had at least left Stephen with a lingering doubt about its integrity.
For Giovanni, that was enough for now.