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The black, catlike Pokémon before Kai was one he'd seen plenty of times before
a Dark- and Ice-type Sneasel.
Its design always reminded him of a mix between a weasel and a cat, with its sleek black body, red tail feather, sharp silver claws, and the golden spots on its brow and chest. A tricky predator by nature, Sneasel hid its claws until the moment of attack.
But even though Kai had run into Sneasel before, he had never really studied one up close. Now, with it suddenly leaping into his path, glaring at him with a vicious look, he instinctively pulled out his Pokédex.
Pokédex: "Sneasel, the Sharp Claw Pokémon. A Dark- and Ice-type. Sneasel live in cold regions and are known for their cunning and ferocity. They often work in pairs to raid nests one distracts the parents while the other steals the eggs. However, they are just as likely to fight each other over food. In Alola, they have even been recorded preying on Alolan Sandshrew."
Closing the Pokédex, Kai looked back at the Sneasel.
It was clearly wild, but its stance told him it wasn't just some aimless wanderer. Beside it stood a Machoke and a Machop almost like bodyguards, standing at its side.
Kai glanced at the ground. "Gengar… what's it saying?"
Gengar poked its head out from Kai's shadow with a grin.
"It says, 'This is my turf. No humans allowed.'"
"My turf?" Kai frowned at the Sneasel. "But this is supposed to be temple grounds. Don't tell me you're the Pokémon who's taken over here?"
The comment seemed to enrage Sneasel. With a snarl, it lunged at Kai, claws outstretched, swiping straight at his face.
Kai dodged back just in time, his eyes narrowing.
"What's the big idea?!"
Sneasel growled again, and Gengar translated smoothly:
"It says it doesn't belong to any 'pathetic human' and that we'd better leave. Now."
Before Kai could respond, the commotion had drawn someone out from the temple buildings. A young monk in black training robes rushed over, his face tight with worry.
"Are you alright?" he asked quickly, glancing between Kai and the snarling Sneasel.
Kai studied him. "You work here? Then what's the deal with this Sneasel?"
The monk sighed. "It's a wild Pokémon. It's been hanging around for weeks now, refusing to leave. We tried to drive it off, but…" He scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed. "None of us could beat it. Even trainers we asked for help lost. And now, it's recruited that Machop and Machoke as underlings. We're powerless."
Erika, who had been quietly watching from behind Kai, finally spoke up. "So it's basically bullying its way into ruling this place…"
The monk nodded miserably. "We're in real trouble. The Silver Conference is about to begin, and with Sneasel blocking the temple grounds, we can't even get near the Sacred Flame."
"Ah, I get it." Kai crossed his arms. "If it's causing that much trouble, then leave it to me. I'll handle this Sneasel."
The monk forced a polite smile, though it was clear he didn't have much faith. He had seen too many confident trainers fall to Sneasel already.
Kai, however, simply reached for his belt, pulling free four Poké Balls. He eyed Sneasel again, impressed despite himself.
If this wild Pokémon had beaten so many opponents, it was no pushover.
Perfect for some real training.
With a flick of his wrist, he released his choices. In a flash of light, Dragonite, Tyranitar, Scizor, and Eevee appeared before Sneasel and its muscle-bound henchmen.
Erika blinked. "You're sending them out even though Sneasel has a type advantage?"
"Exactly." Kai smirked. "No better way to toughen them up than to fight uphill battles. Don't worry, I've got backup if things get rough. But this way, they'll learn how to fight smart when the odds are against them."
As if to prove its reputation, Sneasel didn't hesitate. With a shriek, it charged head-on, Machop and Machoke following close behind. Outnumbered, but fearless.
Kai raised his hand.
"Pupitar, Scizor hold off Machoke and Machop! Eevee, you're with Dragonite. Take down Sneasel!"
The Pokémon split into pairs, clashing with their opponents.
For Tyranitar, the matchup against Machop and Machoke was dangerous they had the clear Fighting-type advantage. Luckily, Scizor's Bug typing gave it some resistance, and together they managed to push the pair back.
But Dragonite… wasn't so lucky. The moment Sneasel's icy claws struck, Dragonite stumbled, its weakness glaring. It was only thanks to Eevee darting in and drawing Sneasel's attention that Dragonite stayed standing.
Erika gasped. "Dragonite's at such a disadvantage this isn't safe!"
Kai didn't flinch. "Relax. This is exactly what I wanted. If they can turn this around, they'll come out stronger. And if not, I'll step in. Either way, we learn."
Still, Erika couldn't hide her worry. She cared about Kai's Pokémon almost as much as he did. Watching them get struck by Ice-type moves was hard to stomach.
And indeed, Dragonite was struggling. Every icy hit drained its strength, and without Eevee's constant interference, it might have been knocked out already.
The battle had only just begun, but one thing was clear this Sneasel wasn't some ordinary wild Pokémon. It was strong, cunning, and every bit the tyrant it claimed to be.
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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