On the mountainside.
Lucas, Serperior, and Tinkatink each held a pair of binoculars, observing the situation below.
Seeing the Houndours carrying out his instructions so well, Lucas finally let out a small sigh of relief. In that case, the healing medicine he'd brought along would be enough—no need to call for Comfey, or even have Calyrex come over.
However, the battle between the three Houndooms was not so simple. Fierce and courageous by nature, the Houndooms often clashed with the nearby Salazzle tribe. Their moves were no joke, and injuries were inevitable.
"So, the last problem is that Houndoom boss, huh?"
Lucas narrowed his eyes slightly, peering through the binoculars toward the center of the battlefield.
There, only the Houndoom boss and the Dachsbun remained.
With Arcanine's training, Dachsbun had no problem resisting fire or responding to fire attacks. In terms of agility, the two were probably neck and neck. The real contest was raw power and battle experience.
As a human, Lucas couldn't step in to command directly. Everything would depend on Dachsbun's performance.
If things went south, he could always flip the table.
Of course, Lucas had full confidence in Dachsbun. As one of the farm's oldest members, Dachsbun had been around since February of this year. Usually, it looked just like a harmless pet dog.
But the fact that it could endure Arcanine's rigorous training spoke volumes about how much it was hiding its true strength.
"Woof—!!" (You're the challenger—!!)
With a furious roar, the Houndoom boss, eyes fierce, launched the first attack.
Like a lion's roar from the east, its voice, infused with dark energy, swept through the air like a tidal wave, blasting toward Dachsbun.
Houndoom's signature move—Hyper Voice!
Its power could easily shatter any boulder in its path.
Dachsbun was no fool; there was no need to take it head-on.
A glint of intelligence flashed in its black, beady eyes. Strange energy surged through its body, making it light and nimble. With afterimages trailing behind, Dachsbun dodged out of the Hyper Voice's range.
Missing its mark, a flicker of surprise flashed in the Houndoom boss's eyes.
Its impression of Dachsbun improved slightly, but this only meant its next attack would be even more ferocious.
It opened its jaws. Scorching flames leaked out between its razor-sharp teeth, accompanied by a blinding red glow, transforming into a stream of searing fire that swept relentlessly toward Dachsbun.
The six Houndooms fighting nearby tacitly retreated to the edge of the battlefield, careful not to get caught up.
From Dachsbun's perspective, everything in view was rolling fire.
The surrounding air, heated by the sudden surge of temperature, rippled and distorted like ocean waves.
This Flamethrower's momentum and power were both impressive—no wonder the Houndoom boss could command such a large pack.
Facing the flames, the best choice would normally be to show off its specialty. But Dachsbun had learned its lesson: instead of exposing its unique trait right away, it chose another tactic—
Attack to defend!
Centered on its small body, a dazzling flash exploded. Countless radiant, star-shaped lights formed a cross, merging into a semi-circular shield on the ground, expanding rapidly and flickering under the onslaught of Flamethrower.
Dachsbun wasn't exactly a master of energy attacks, so a few seconds later, its Dazzling Gleam shield was already spiderwebbed with cracks.
At the very moment it shattered, Dachsbun didn't hesitate: it burst forward, using the time bought by Dazzling Gleam to spot a gap in the Flamethrower's sweep, dodged at the last second, then charged directly at the Houndoom boss—fearlessly.
Don't let its appearance fool you—Dachsbun was far better at physical attacks than energy attacks.
Seeing Dachsbun, wrapped in pink light and glittering stars, charge at it, the Houndoom boss thought this little fellow was reckless—totally inexperienced in battle.
How boring—
Once again, flames flickered between the Houndoom boss's teeth, streaming out as another searing burst.
The blazing fire twisted in the air like a serpent, morphing into a massive set of energy jaws that collided head-on with Dachsbun's Play Rough attack.
Boom—!
A violent explosion of energy erupted, sending up clouds of smoke and forcing both Dachsbun and the Houndoom boss back several meters.
This meant—
The two were nearly evenly matched in strength!
Compared to Dachsbun's unexpectedly calm expression, the Houndoom boss's face was much more complex.
First stunned, then disbelief, and finally humiliation.
Was its strength really on par with this little thing?
Nearby, Houndoom Dire Tiger, sporting several fresh wounds, also noticed the commotion. Even as its opponent bit down on it, it couldn't help but glance over—its eyes wide with shock.
How could such a small body unleash such force?
If it had been in Dachsbun's place, it would've been sent flying!
Now wary, the Houndoom boss stopped underestimating Dachsbun and went all out.
They clashed several more times. The Houndoom boss even tried using Sludge Bomb—a move it'd picked up after years of fighting the neighboring Salazzle tribe—against Dachsbun.
But with Dachsbun's size and agility, it dodged every attack with ease. Occasionally, when the Houndoom boss lost its temper and breathed out toxic flames, a few would graze Dachsbun, but that was it.
Thinking this was because Fire-type moves had a wide range and strong damage, the Houndoom boss simply kept breathing fire, trying to roast Dachsbun.
Under the relentless flames, Dachsbun's fur gradually darkened, giving the Houndoom boss the illusion that its opponent had been burned, so it doubled down on its efforts.
One thing kept bothering the Houndoom boss, though.
There was always a faint fragrance in the air, making it wonder if it had really roasted Dachsbun.
Taking another direct hit from Flamethrower, Dachsbun wasn't worried about being poisoned by fire.
Lucas had explained: the toxins in Houndoom's flames could only poison an enemy if they caused burns, which allowed the toxins to enter through the wound.
But Dachsbun couldn't be burned by fire at all, so there was no chance of being poisoned.
At one point, Dachsbun realized its skin had grown as hard as steel—its defense was maxed out. Even if it stood still and let the Houndoom boss slam into it, the Houndoom would pass out first.
Thinking it was about time, Dachsbun didn't retreat but charged straight at the Houndoom boss, flashing a brilliant reddish-brown light.
Thinking Dachsbun was making a desperate final attack, the Houndoom boss responded with one of its strongest Fire-type moves—Flare Blitz.
It thought about dodging, but as a boss, its pride wouldn't allow it to run from a challenge.
Only by winning fair and square could it teach the rebellious pack what fear truly meant.
"Arooooo—!!"
With a furious roar, the Houndoom boss tensed every muscle. The flames between its teeth swelled, enveloping its whole body in a wave of heat.
The Houndoom boss charged at Dachsbun like a flaming meteor.
At the same time, Dachsbun unleashed its trump card—
Body Press!
…