At the same time, the Bee Ninja, who was rushing forward, suddenly clutched her head and knelt on the ground.
"Bee Ninja, what's happening?" the Spider Ninja asked, her face full of concern.
"I felt the hives being destroyed... the Beedrill are crying out in agony." The Bee Ninja quickly summoned a Vespiquen, mounted its back, and flew off toward the source of the distress.
"Wait! Bee Ninja, it might be a trap!" The rest of the Seven Ninjas followed close behind.
From a distance, they saw a hive engulfed in flames. Countless Beedrill lay twitching on the ground, and a pungent, thick smoke filled the air. Suddenly, several pillars of Flamethrower erupted from the dense forest, cutting off the Seven Ninjas and splitting them into three groups.
"Go, Ariados, use String Shot!"
A beam of sharp, purple silk shot from an Ariados's mouth, piercing through a giant tree. Where the silk touched the wood, the intense toxins instantly corroded a massive hole.
"It's been a long time, Mie. I never thought you'd become one of Hanzo Shura's Seven Ninjas," Koga said, stepping out from the shadows of the forest. "I'm the one who taught you that move."
The Spider Ninja (Mie) stared at Koga, momentarily losing her composure.
"You were the most talented Poison Ninja. Even Master Hattori praised you constantly. Why did you betray the Koga Clan? Why betray Master Hattori? You know Hanzo Shura is the one who murdered him!" Koga interrogated her, his voice trembling with fury.
"Senior Brother... do not ask. I have my own reasons," Mie replied. Steeling her heart, she released two Spinarak, both radiating Elite-level strength.
"I see you've reached the Elite rank yourself, Mie. You've hidden your strength well. Fine! Let's see how much you've grown." Koga crossed his arms as a Crobat hovered over his head. He stood alone against the Spider, Bee, and Bat Ninjas.
The Sisterhood of Flame and Venom
Nearby, the Lizard Ninja watched the burning forest with an expression of pure excitement.
"What beautiful fireworks! Go, Salazzle! Turn this entire area into a sea of fire!" she laughed, licking her bright red lips. Her Salazzle emerged and began exhaling torrents of black flame.
"Frog Ninja, aren't you going to send out your best?" she asked her twin sister.
The Frog Ninja watched the flames with cold eyes before throwing a Poké Ball. A Toxicroak appeared, its vocal sacs swelling as it let out a deafening croak. Purple venom dripped from its claws, turning into a thick toxic mist that withered the surrounding leaves into ash in seconds.
Norman stepped out from the trees, followed by his Vigoroth. "Come then, Seven Ninjas. Let me see what you're made of," he said with grim determination.
"Oh, little brother, you're so 'Man,'" the Lizard Ninja giggled. "I promise that when I defeat you, I won't kill you right away. I'll torture you first, then feed you to my poisonous pets."
Shadow vs. Scales
On Feng Che's side, he faced the Snake Ninja and the Scorpion Ninja.
The Snake Ninja was a tall beauty with long black hair tied into countless dreadlocks, each adorned with gold coins that jangled as she moved. Her shinobi outfit was a deep violet-black, accented with gold thread. Beside her stood a massive Seviper, its long tongue flicking as it tasted the air.
The Scorpion Ninja was a short-haired tomboy, backed by a Gliscor and a Drapion, both looking at Feng Che with murderous intent.
"I didn't expect to catch such a big fish," the Snake Ninja sneered. "Feng Che, the Gym Leader who captured General Julian. You're the Poachers' most wanted target. I can't believe you dared to set foot on this island."
"Go, Seviper! Poison Tail!"
The Seviper's scythe-like tail whipped forward, moving like a ghost. Feng Che, using his Aura to track the strike, tilted his head to the left at the last millisecond. The tail slammed into the tree behind him, the wood sizzling and dissolving into a bowl-sized hole.
"You want to claim the bounty on my head? You'll need more than that," Feng Che said coolly. "Decidueye, Spirit Shackle!"
Suddenly, both the Snake and Scorpion Ninjas froze. They found themselves pinned to the spot, unable to move a muscle. Unlike Gengar's Shadow Stitch, which uses shadow hands, Decidueye's Spirit Shackle anchors the target's very essence through their shadow.
"Hmph! You think it's that easy?"
A Poké Ball on the Snake Ninja's belt popped open automatically. A Serperior emerged, its noble, emerald body shimmering with royal patterns. It slammed its vines into the ground, creating a shockwave of Grass-type energy.
Decidueye sensed the counterattack and leaped from the Snake Ninja's shadow, perching high on a towering tree branch. It drew a feather-arrow, aiming straight for the Serperior.
As the Spirit Shackle broke, the two female ninjas slumped to the ground, gasping for air. They felt a terrifying coldness—as if Decidueye had been slowly draining their very soul energy while they were pinned.