Seeing a Swoobat perched on Alex's shoulder, Julian understood how Alex had managed to track him down.
Swoobat's most distinctive feature is its heart-shaped nose, which is not only the origin of its name but also the channel for several of its moves.
Beyond its abilities in battle, though, that nose has a lesser-known function—its sense of smell.
Swoobat is monogamous and doesn't have a particularly keen sense of smell in general. However, it has an extremely sharp sensitivity to the scent of its mate.
Even if the scent was left behind forty or fifty days earlier, a Swoobat can still pick it up.
When Julian entered the secret realm, he must have been marked with the scent of a female Swoobat. This scent would remain even after bathing, with time as the only way to fade it.
Using this scent, Alex's male Swoobat had been able to track him down.
"It looks like those who harbor resentment against the Walker family have finally decided to make their move"
Julian wasn't naive, and neither was Alex. For Alex to enter the secret realm and confront him , he must have had significant backing.
As if in response, Julian's Alakazam, a peak Elite-level Pokémon, appeared at his side, ready to protect him.
Across from him, Alex's Mismagius, also at the peak Elite-level, appeared.
"That's it?" Julian remarked calmly.
"Today, you'll die here," Alex replied coldly.
Killing Julian would earn Alex substantial rewards from the families cooperating with him. Those families might see him as a tool, but he was equally using them to eliminate his own rivals—though he didn't know precisely which families were involved.
The noble families wouldn't directly interact with Alex; they used intermediaries to maintain secrecy.
As another Poké Ball opened, Alex's second peak Elite-level Pokémon, a Gourgeist, appeared.
Both were Ghost-types, specifically chosen to counter Alakazam.
These two peak-level Elite Pokémon were the strongest support the families had provided Alex, forming the basis of his confidence.
Even with Alakazam's power, facing two Ghost-types at the same level would be a grueling battle.
Alakazam, locked onto by both Pokémon, grew tense, already preparing to teleport Julian to safety.
Once a peak Elite-level Alakazam decided to leave, it was nearly impossible for anyone even a Champion to stop it.
As he assessed the two Ghost-types, Julian pondered which families might be behind this attack.
It was likely a coalition rather than a single family, and they'd probably loaned Alex Pokémon that weren't commonly used by their family members, avoiding any clear ties.
"Mismagius, Trick Room!"
Teleporting away is usually the best escape strategy, but if the space around them was sealed in advance, then unless Alakazam's power was significantly superior, they wouldn't be able to leave until the spatial lock faded.
When Trick Room was activated, Alakazam initially intended to teleport Julian away. But Julian, through telepathy, stopped it.
Seeing Julian and Alakazam trapped within the Trick Room, Alex smirked with confidence.
"So, this is the best Elite John's Pokémon can do," he sneered.
Alakazam stood silently as Mismagius and Gourgeist positioned themselves in front of Julian.
Alex refrained from sending out his own Pokémon, believing that these two peak Elite-level Pokémon would be enough to handle both Alakazam and Julian.
He was already picturing the spoils of his victory.
He knew that Metagross was wanted by the families backing him, so he wouldn't be able keep it, but he intended to claim the rest of Julian's Pokémon as his own;
Dragonite, Steelix, Lucario—each one a rare and powerful Pokémon.
"Can you at least tell me which families want me dead?" Julian asked.
"Sure, after you're dead. Attack!"
Avoiding the classic villain mistake of talking too much, Alex didn't waste any time. Although he thought Julian was already as good as dead, he stayed alert, aware that Trick Room had a time limit.
"Metagross, Mega Evolve. Melmetal, kill that punk"
Julian commanded, releasing Melmetal to deal with Alex directly.
Mega Evolved Metagross charged at Gourgeist while Alakazam confronted Mismagius.
Within the Trick Room, Mismagius and Gourgeist had the advantage of increased speed.
"What's that Pokémon?"
Alex's eyes widened as he saw Melmetal for the first time. Its massive, charging form radiated power, making him wary enough to send out his strongest Pokémon, Haxorus.
But Melmetal had a reputation; it had previously defeated a mid-tier Elite Gyarados while only at pseudo-Elite level.
Against Melmetal's Dynamic Punch, Haxorus, despite being a peak pseudo-Elite, was sent flying in a single turn.
"Another Pokémon with Elite-level strength!"
Alex's expression shifted—not to fear, but to excitement.
Metagross might be out of reach, but this new Pokémon seemed just as powerful, if not more.
It had never appeared in any of Julian's public battles, leading Alex to believe it might even be his strongest.
"Julian, I have to thank you for this unexpected gift!"
Alex laughed, thrilled with the prospect of capturing this unknown powerhouse.
He threw out another Poké Ball.
This time, a peak Elite-level Zebstrika emerged.
Now, there were three peak Elite-level Pokémon facing Julian.
A cold glint flashed in Julian's eyes. Once he got out of here, he would make sure to find out which families were involved.
At this point, the Trick Room contained four peak Elite-level Pokémon, and the intense aura they emitted was causing the entire space to tremble.
"Zebstrika, kill that guy!" Alex ordered.
Though the three Elite-level Pokémon wouldn't follow Alex's commands precisely, they shared the same goal: to eliminate Julian.
Zebstrika, incredibly fast, was a challenge for Melmetal to stop with its bulky frame. Seeing no other option, Melmetal turned to attack Alex directly, attempting to protect Julian by taking down the source of the threat.
Just then, Haxorus, which had been knocked back earlier, reappeared, blocking Melmetal's path.
Melmetal roared in frustration. In this life-or-death situation for its Trainer, it was infuriating to be obstructed.
As one of the Elite-level Pokémon prepared to strike, Dragonite appeared in front of it, swiftly joined by Steelix.
"Steelix, Mega Evolve!"
Steelix, initially at mid-level pseudo-Elite strength, transformed, reaching the strength of an entry-level Elite upon Mega Evolution.
Alongside the previously Mega Evolved Metagross, Julian had now activated dual Mega Evolutions for the first time.
Thanks to his intermediate psychic abilities, he could manage this feat, though he still felt his mental energy draining rapidly. Fortunately, stamina wasn't an issue.
Alex seethed as he watched Dragonite and Mega Steelix hold off Zebstrika, even if only temporarily.
His anger was only heightened by the realization of just how powerful each of Julian's Pokémon was.
Yet the prospect was equally thrilling; once Julian was gone, these extraordinary Pokémon, along with all the treasures Julian possessed, would belong to him.