Ash stood tall, eyes blazing with determination, as Team Rocket's forces swarmed the beach, dozens of grunts and their Pokémon forming a wall of black uniforms and chaos.
Despite being outnumbered ten-to-one, he didn't take a single step back.
Beside him, Kai shook his head slightly and called out toward the submarine. His voice was calm but laced with dry sarcasm. "Really? This again? Overwhelming numbers? You guys ever try something original—like, I don't know, quality over quantity?"
He said it as if he'd completely forgotten how often he had used a numbers advantage against legendary Pokémon in the past.
Attila and Hun merely smirked in response.
Still clinging to their tactical edge, they scoffed at Kai's confidence. Did he think guts alone could change the odds?
Even if Kai's Pokémon were powerful, there was only so much they could do against an onslaught this large. Numbers weren't just a strategy, they were inevitability. And unlike normal trainers, Team Rocket didn't play fair. They didn't hesitate to go after the trainer themselves if needed.
Hun sneered. "I admire your courage. Really. But courage doesn't beat logic."
Dozens of grunts raised their Poké Balls and then released them all at once.
With a chorus of bursts, the battlefield was filled with shrieking Golbat and floating, fuming Weezing. The sky darkened beneath the horde of wings and drifting poison gas.
Ash didn't blink. He pulled all six of his Poké Balls and hurled them forward.
A flash of blue—Heracross!
A gust of green—Bayleef!
A burst of flame—Quilava!
Then Totodile, Noctowl, and, of course, Pikachu, who leapt forward with lightning crackling from his cheeks.
In tandem, Kai sent out his own team:
Gardevoir, standing poised and silent.
Charizard, wings blazing.
Jolteon, fur charged with static.
Dragonair, elegant and coiled.
Scyther, already shifting into a ready stance.
And finally, the Eevee gifted to him by the Kimono Sisters.
Twelve Pokémon, backs straight and eyes locked forward.
Though stronger than average, they were still massively outnumbered. The enemy's swarm blotted out the sky. But Kai wasn't using his full strength yet—not here. Not unless he had no other choice.
After all, his Crystal Steelix is poorly suited for a beach battle.
And yet… Kai knew Rocket wouldn't come empty-handed either. They must have backup plans too. In the end, it would come down to which side broke first.
From his own shadow, Gengar emerged like a living ghost, floating silently to Kai's side. Together with Gardevoir, the two took defensive flanks, ready to shield their trainer at all costs.
Any threat to Kai would have to go through them.
The beach was dead silent—until Shu's voice rang out from the edge of the surf.
"Guardian Kai! I want to help too!"
He moved forward, his Chinchou swimming beside him, determination in his eyes despite the fear in his trembling legs.
Kai looked over and shook his head. "Shu, stay back. Your job is to protect Silver. You're his last line of defense."
"No buts," Kai said firmly. "He's your friend. And friends don't leave each other unguarded."
Shu paused, swallowed hard, then nodded with conviction. "Understood. Leave it to me!"
It all happened in a blur.
No one could say who launched the first move—but the second it did, the entire beach exploded into chaos.
Dozens of Pokémon clashed mid-air and on land, the battlefield fracturing into smaller skirmishes.
Golbat shrieked overhead, weaving through the air with screeching confusion, striking and vanishing before they could be countered. Their aerial trickery made targeting them a nightmare.
Weezing, meanwhile, floated ominously, pumping thick clouds of noxious gas into the field. Their toxins forced Kai and Ash's Pokémon to keep their distance and fire from afar.
Quilava launched fire across the sand, while Pikachu surged lightning through swaths of Golbat in a thunderous wave. Noctowl flew low, using its wings to scatter the smog.
Ash tried giving commands, but the battle was spreading too fast. With roars and explosions all around, his voice couldn't cut through the chaos.
Kai, however, pressed two fingers to Gardevoir's shoulder. Through telepathic synchronization, he sent clear, focused instructions to his entire team.
> "Charizard—[Dragon Rage], center mass!"
> "Scyther, support Eevee—it's being swarmed!"
> "Jolteon, full spread [Thunder Wave]—but avoid friendly fire!"
Thanks to the mental link, his Pokémon moved with coordinated precision. They still took hits—cuts, bruises, blasts of sludge—but for every wound, three enemies were knocked from the sky.
Even so… it wasn't enough.
More and more Rocket grunts poured in from the boats. More Poké Balls. More noise. The pressure was building.
And then it happened.
Several Golbat swooped low—past the line—circling behind the chaos.
Straight toward Silver.
They had found their target.
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