"Crobat, use Air Slash!"
"Persian, hit 'em with Fury Swipes!"
"Koffing, unleash Sludge Bomb!"
The members of Team Rocket didn't hesitate for a second. Upon spotting John, they sprang into action, sending out their Pokemon with ruthless precision. Three Pokeballs flew through the air, releasing Crobat, Persian, and Koffing—all powerful Pokemon in their final evolutions.
John glanced at the numbers hovering above their heads.
These levels indicated seasoned Pokemon, likely used by a Team Rocket Executive. He recognized their strength instantly, having encountered similar foes during his previous foray into the Volcano Project Dungeon. But John had been through this before.
"Double Kick on Persian."
"Water Shuriken on Koffing."
John tossed two Pokeballs. In a flash of light, Greninja and Blaziken materialized at his side, ready to fight. Behind him floated Gardevoir, her presence serene but menacing, with psychic energy radiating around her like a protective barrier.
Crobat dived from above, its wings slicing through the air as it aimed for John. But it never stood a chance. Gardevoir's psychic powers extended like an invisible web, catching the bat-like creature mid-flight. Crobat's shrill cry was cut short as it fell unconscious, its mind overwhelmed by the devastating Psychic attack.
[Defeated Crobat LV48. Gardevoir gains 733 XP.]
Meanwhile, Greninja and Blaziken made quick work of the others. Persian darted toward Blaziken with claws outstretched, but Blaziken sidestepped effortlessly, twisting mid-move to deliver a powerful kick to its midsection. Persian let out a yowl of pain as it crumpled to the ground.
[Defeated Persian LV47. Blaziken gains 824 XP.]
Koffing was next. Greninja's Water Shuriken ripped through the poison gas bomb Koffing had just launched. The star-shaped water blasts struck the floating Pokemon, knocking it backward. When the first volley didn't finish the job, Greninja fired another set of Water Shuriken to end it.
[Defeated Koffing LV45. Greninja gains 559 XP.]
The battle was over in seconds, the Team Rocket grunts left slack-jawed. "What the—this guy's too strong!" one of them stammered before turning tail and bolting.
"Get back here, you cowards!" barked a voice.
The command came from Sird, the team's leader. She was already engaged in a fierce battle with Pryce, the Gym Leader of Mahogany Town. Her eyes burned with frustration as she saw her underlings retreat. "You useless fools! Fine, go deal with him together!"
At her command, another wave of Rocket grunts rushed toward John, Pokeballs flying from their hands. Crobat, Persian, Koffing, and Arbok emerged in a chaotic flurry.
John was unfazed. "Garchomp, Earthquake! Tyranitar, Rock Slide!"
Two more Pokeballs arced into the air, releasing his fearsome Garchomp and Tyranitar.
Garchomp's Earthquake sent shockwaves rippling through the ground, throwing every enemy Pokemon off balance. At the same time, Tyranitar summoned a barrage of rocks from above, the massive stones slamming into anything that tried to escape Garchomp's attack. Crobat, in particular, had no hope of dodging—it was crushed by the falling rocks.
[Defeated Crobat LV45. Tyranitar gains 673 XP.]
[Defeated Arbok LV45. Garchomp gains 774 XP.]
[Defeated Persian LV46. Garchomp gains 829 XP.]
The grunts' Pokemon were no match for John's well-trained team. One by one, they fell, leaving their trainers helpless.
The grunts scrambled back to Sird, who glared at them with unbridled disdain. "You're all pathetic! How did you even get into Team Rocket? We used to have standards!" she snarled before issuing new orders. "Withdraw the base supplies! Carr and Orm, speed up the operation!"
The grunts didn't need to be told twice. Within seconds, they disappeared into the shadows, leaving Sird to face both Pryce and John alone.
Pryce shot a glance at John. "Young Trainer, I'll handle her. You need to stop the Red Gyarados before it reaches Mahogany Town. I've already alerted the Champion—they should arrive soon. Be careful of any sneak attacks!"
John nodded, already moving toward the lake where the Red Gyarados had been sighted. As he ran, a notification flashed before his eyes:
[Limited-Time Mission: Stop the Shiny Gyarados from attacking Mahogany Town.]
[Success Condition: Hold it off for 10 minutes (Bonus rewards available).]
[Failure Condition: Mahogany Town is destroyed.]
The stakes couldn't have been higher. John broke into a sprint, his heart pounding as he approached the lake. In the distance, the water churned violently, and a massive, crimson-scaled figure rose from its depths. The Shiny Gyarados let out an ear-splitting roar, its eyes glowing with an uncontrollable rage.