Hearing Steven's words, the four were stunned for a moment before bursting into unrestrained laughter.
The laughter echoed in the empty cave, piercing and unpleasant.
The crew-cut man leading them laughed most arrogantly. He wiped away the tears from laughing so hard and looked at Steven as if he were a fool.
"Ha, haha... You're asking how many people we've killed?"
He took two steps forward, the gravel crunching under his feet. His arrogant aura was almost tangible.
"I say, young master."
He drawled, his words full of mockery.
"Do you remember how many slices of bread you have eaten in your life up to this day?"
These words were like a switch.
The anger on Steven's face instantly vanished, replaced by a heart-pounding coldness.
He wasted no more words.
"Aggron!"
With a low growl, the heavy steel behemoth roared and charged forward.
However, the opponents were clearly prepared.
"Stop it!"
At the crew-cut man's command, Venusaur and Vileplume stepped up from the left and right.
Dark green Vine Whips, like living vipers, shot out from the bud on Venusaur's back, accurately wrapping around Aggron's thick steel limbs.
The vines were covered in tiny barbs that dug deep into the gaps of the metal armor. They pulled back forcefully, creating a tooth-grinding screeching sound.
Meanwhile, the massive flower on top of Vileplume's head glowed with an ominous green light.
Giga Drain!
Bands of green energy were forcibly drained from Aggron, continuously flowing into Vileplume's body; it was the siphoning of life force. Aggron let out a painful low growl as the momentum of its steel body's charge was abruptly halted.
An even more lethal threat came from behind.
"Golem, finish it!"
Accompanied by a woman's scream, the two massive Golems leaped high into the air, their heavy bodies descending with immense force toward the vine-bound Aggron!
Bulldoze!
Ground-type moves deal quadruple damage against the Steel and Rock-type Aggron!
If this strike landed solidly, even a body as hard as Aggron's would surely be knocked out on the spot!
Ariel's eyelid twitched.
This group's coordination was quite seamless, and their tactics were truly ruthless.
He glanced at Steven beside him.
This Hoenn Champion showed no hint of anxiety on his face; only his eyes were as cold as eternal ice.
Just as the two Golems were about to land.
Steven's wrist flicked slightly, and a Poké Ball was tossed out.
A flash of red light.
A massive steel entity, a blend of silver-white and bright gold, looking like a weapon from the future, appeared out of thin air in front of Aggron!
Shinny Metagross!
Its four thick metal arms were crossed in front of its body, and its crimson single eye lit up, emitting an inorganic sense of pressure.
"Meteor Mash."
Steven's voice wasn't loud; it was almost nonchalant.
But the moment the command was given, Metagross moved.
One of its arms wound back, its fist instantly enveloped in a brilliant energy halo that looked like shattering stars.
The air was distorted by this power, letting out a sharp whistle.
No redundant movements.
Just a simple, direct uppercut.
Bang!
A dull, heavy thud rang out, sounding like a giant hammer hitting a leather drum.
One of the Golems' Bulldoze collided head-on with Metagross's Meteor Mash.
The result, however, was a total crushing.
The Golem's foot, made of hard rock, was covered in spiderweb-like cracks the moment it made contact, then it shattered!
It let out a cry of pain as its massive body lost balance and was sent flying by the irresistible force. It hit the cave ceiling like a broken sack, then crashed down heavily, sending rubble flying, knocked unconscious on the spot.
It wasn't over yet.
After dealing with one, Metagross's body performed an incredible twist in mid-air. Its other arm swung in the same manner, meeting the other Golem with a horizontal sweep!
Bang!
Another loud bang.
The second Golem followed in its companion's footsteps, being cleanly sent flying and embedded into the distant rock wall, so deep it couldn't be pried out.
The entire process was smooth and incredibly fast.
From the appearance of the Shinny Metagross to the instant defeat of the two Golems, barely two or three seconds had passed.
The cave fell into a dead silence.
The laughter of the four people came to an abrupt halt.
Their expressions froze on their faces, shifting from arrogance to bewilderment, and then to a spreading emotion called "fear."
The crew-cut man's mouth hung open, wide enough to fit a duck egg.
The dagger in the short-haired woman's hand fell to the ground with a "clang," yet she was completely oblivious.
They stared intently at the steel overlord floating in mid-air, a blend of silver-white and bright gold.
Shinny... Metagross...
Pseudo-Legendary.
And a Shinny Pseudo-Legendary at that.
In the entire Hoenn region, there was only one Trainer who owned such a Pokémon.
The eldest son of the Devon Corporation.
Steven Stone!
"It's... it's Steven..."
Someone whispered the name in a trembling, mosquito-like voice.
This name was like a bucket of ice water poured over their heads.
It's over.
This was the only thought in the minds of the four.
They actually tried to kill the heir of the Devon Corporation? And even insulted him with those words?
Cold sweat instantly drenched their backs.
Now!
Ariel's eyes narrowed.
He had been waiting, not for Steven to act, but for the moment the psychological defenses of these four crumbled.
"Krookodile!"
Ariel's voice wasn't loud, but it acted like a command, instantly activating the beast that had long been ready.
A dark red afterimage shot out, staying close to the ground!
Krookodile's speed was incredible; almost as the voice fell, it had already rushed in front of the four.
Intimidated by Metagross's aura, the four were in disarray. Only then did they react, scrambling to reach for the Poké Balls at their waists.
"Malamar."
Ariel softly uttered another name.
An invisible wave instantly enveloped the four people.
Confusion!
The four, who were about to grab their Poké Balls, suddenly stiffened.
Their arms, their fingers, and their bodies seemed to be tightly bound by invisible threads, unable to move.
No matter how they struggled, their faces turning red, they couldn't perform even the simplest movement.
The Poké Balls slipped from their stiff hands, rolling a few times on the ground with a crisp sound.
Krookodile wouldn't be polite.
Its massive tail swept out like a steel whip, accurately striking the back of the four people's knees.
"Thud! Thud! ..."
With four dull thuds, the four people knelt in a neat row.
Then, Ariel pulled out a bundle of specially prepared ropes he had ready and walked over leisurely.
With practiced skill, he quickly tied the four people back-to-back into a sturdy "bundle."
"Done."
Ariel brushed the dust off his hands, looked at his masterpiece, and nodded with satisfaction.
Steven recalled Metagross and Aggron, stepped in front of the four, and looked down at them.
His gaze had returned to calmness.
But it was precisely this calmness that made the four feel a shudder from the depths of their souls.
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