"The gap is still too big. If I want to win, I can only rely on..."
Shiro did not hesitate and pulled a pitch-black cord from his bag.
A Haunter could evolve directly by using a Linking Cord!
This was a perfect-quality Linking Cord he had purchased previously from Macro Cosmos. Originally, he had planned to save it until Haunter reached the peak of Elite-level and use it to break through straight into Champion-level. Using it now would work as well.
However, a Pokémon's normal evolution required at least dozens of seconds, sometimes over a minute, to complete its transformation and adapt to its new form. After all, evolution was a permanent and massive change. Normally, it needed to take place in a safe and secure room.
The wilderness was nothing like League matches, where opponents were forbidden from attacking a Pokémon during evolution.
If evolution was interrupted, that was one thing. But if it was left incomplete and caused permanent injuries, the Pokémon could be ruined for life.
"I need a good location. I also need about a minute of safety..."
Gripping the Linking Cord, Shiro quickly considered his surroundings while already moving. He had no idea whether there were any caves nearby, but putting more distance between himself and the enemy certainly couldn't hurt.
Just then, a familiar voice rang out.
"Bibaa! Bibareel!"
Bibarel stood upright not far away and called twice. Then it turned its head, paused for a second, and sprinted away.
"It's telling me to follow it..."
Without hesitation, Shiro immediately gave chase.
They passed beneath two large trees leaning against each other. Behind the dense foliage lay a dark cave. It was over two meters high and roughly three meters wide, easily large enough for a person to enter.
Bibarel quickly ran deeper inside, and Shiro followed close behind. As soon as he stepped into the darkness, countless pairs of glowing eyes suddenly lit up, flickering like ghostly flames in the night.
Curled up deep within the cave were numerous Bidoof and Bibarel.
This was the Bibarel clan's nest!
The moment he saw that, Shiro felt an urge to leave.
If this had been an empty wild cave, it would have been one thing. But if Weezing caught up and Haunter evolved here, a battle would be inevitable. The aftermath alone could kill these little creatures.
Unfortunately, it was already too late. Weezing was probably searching for him right now, and there wasn't enough time to find another location.
"Haunter!"
Pulling out the Linking Cord, Shiro shouted.
Haunter immediately understood. It floated over and willingly wrapped the black cord around itself. Loop after loop, the Linking Cord gradually merged into its body.
At the same time, a dazzling white light erupted from Haunter.
* * *
"Oh? He actually ran away?" Alfred held the yellow crystal in his hand and muttered with his eyes closed.
"Hm? He stopped again? A Linking Cord... he's actually trying to evolve Haunter right now?"
His eyes snapped open, already filled with blood-red light.
"Ridiculous!"
With a furious shout, Alfred clenched the yellow Psychic Crystal in his hand.
"Weezing, forget the Torterra. We're leaving!"
Psychic power instantly spread outward. Golden light flashed and enveloped Weezing as well. Space distorted for a moment. When the light vanished, both trainer and Pokémon had disappeared.
* * *
Inside the cave, Shiro quietly counted the time.
"Five seconds."
Suddenly, a deafening explosion came from outside.
Boom!
The two giant trees blocking the cave entrance exploded into splinters. Only two puddles of poisonous sludge remained on the ground.
Weezing's huge, rough body filled the entrance, its eyes wrapped with black markings staring directly inside. The weak Bidoof and Bibarel in the cave trembled all over. Terrified, they huddled together into tight balls.
Shiro's pupils contracted sharply as a Poké Ball appeared in his hand.
Too fast!
By his estimate, Weezing should have spent about thirty seconds searching for him, then another more than thirty seconds traveling here. That would have likely been enough time for Haunter to evolve.
But now, barely a few seconds had passed before it appeared instantly.
How had it done that? Because of that yellow crystal?
Seeing Weezing already opening its mouth and gathering an attack, Shiro had no time to think further. He immediately threw the Poké Ball.
"Rhyperior!"
"Rhyyyy!"
Rhyperior blocked the cave entrance and lowered its head slightly with a deep growl.
Outside, Alfred stood atop Weezing's head and sneered. "A mere Gym-level Pokémon thinks it can stop us? Weezing!"
"Weeez!"
A mass of poisonous sludge shot forward as Shiro commanded simultaneously, "Rock Tomb!"
Rhyperior slammed both claws into the ground. The grassy earth split apart as a massive boulder rose up. Countless smaller rocks gathered from all directions, continuously reducing the sludge's power.
Sizzle!
The poison pierced through the rock, corroding a giant hole through it. However, the rocks had consumed almost all of the attack's power, leaving little damage to Rhyperior.
Fifteen seconds!
They only needed to hold out until Haunter finished evolving!
Shiro silently counted the time in his heart while issuing rapid commands through clenched nerves.
"Rhyperior! Keep using Rock Tomb and build a rock wall to block it!"
The earth split apart once more. The corroded rocks reformed and became even sturdier. The previous attack alone was no longer enough to break through completely.
"So Sludge isn't enough… This Rhyperior has actually been trained pretty well." Alfred abandoned his earlier contempt and shouted sharply, "Use Gunk Shot directly!"
Gunk Shot was Weezing's strongest STAB move. Its power far exceeded Sludge, almost twice as strong. A mere pile of rocks could never stop it.
Weezing's body squirmed as a black-purple stream of foul-smelling garbage and toxic sludge shot from its mouth.
The instant the black liquid touched the rock wall, it sank completely inside as though nothing blocked its path. It pierced straight through the stone and shot toward the Rhyperior guarding the entrance.
"Protect!" Shiro shouted at once.
A brilliant green barrier representing supreme defense appeared and successfully blocked the Gunk Shot.
Twenty seconds!
Cold sweat formed on Shiro's forehead.
Protect was powerful, but it couldn't be used again so soon. How many Gunk Shots could Rhyperior withstand with its body alone?
Even though Rock- and Ground-types heavily resisted Poison-type attacks, the gap in levels was simply too great...
In the blink of an eye, Weezing outside the cave began preparing another attack.
"Weezing, double attack with Gunk Shot!" Alfred barked. "Give it everything you've got!"
"Weeez! Weeez!"
Weezing rolled crookedly through the air as both mouths spat out streams of black poison at the same time.
A fusion move. Double Gunk Shots!
The two masses of black sludge shot forward at high speed. The rocks at the cave entrance had gathered once again, but they were completely unable to resist the poison's corrosion.
With two brief sizzling sounds, the rocks dissolved.
Rhyperior had no choice but to bring its claws together and raise the rocky armor covering its body as a shield.
Yet in only an instant, the poison dissolved more than half of the stone armor on its claws.
"Rhhhyyyperiooor!"
The pain pierced deep into its bones, and Rhyperior let out a miserable howl.
**
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