Conquer Houndour

Exiting the cave, Yuga spotted the Houndour leader standing in front of its followers, waiting for him. As Yuga emerged, the Houndour leader let out a low growl towards the other Houndour, and they automatically made way, creating a space for their leader and Yuga.

Seeing the prepared Houndour leader, Yuga signaled to Absol. It leaped into the open space, facing off with the Houndour leader as the imminent battle began.

With both sides ready, Yuga spoke up, "Houndour, since everyone ready, let the battle begin."

"Ahwoo."

The Houndour leader nodded and emitted a low sound, indicating its agreement.

With the consensus reached, the Houndour leader wasted no time and launched an attack. Flames burst forth from its mouth, hurtling towards Absol.

"Absol, Quick Attack!"

Absol speed accelerated, allowed it to dodge the fiery attack. It then charged towards the Houndour leader.

As the leader of the Houndour could assume its position, Yuga understood that it must have some impressive skills up its sleeve. The leader observed Absol approaching and exhaled a cloud of black smoke, obscuring their vision. In moments, both figures vanished within the veil of darkness.

Yuga recognized this as the move Smokescreen.

Seeing Absol engulfed in the smokescreen, Yuga sense of unease grew. The black smokescreen not only caused damage to Absol but also inflicted it with the poison status condition.

More importantly, within the smokescreen, Absol couldn't see anything, whereas the Houndour leader relied on its keen sense of smell to locate its opponent.

As Yuga pondered his options, he suddenly recalled Absol Swords Dance ability.

Swords Dance was a widely-used move for strengthening physical attacks. Although it might not be the most potent attack-boosting move, it was highly practical. Unlike Dragon Dance, which required more time to execute, or Metal Claw, which only raised attack one stage per use, Swords Dance was easier to employ and offered substantial benefits.

Of course, while the move was effective, it wasn't easy to learn. Fortunately, Absol had managed to master it.

"Absol, use Swords Dance, but don't complete the final step. Keep the energy swirling around you," Yuga instructed, realizing that Swords Dance could serve a dual purpose in this situation.

Upon hearing Yuga command, Absol comprehended his intent. A series of upright blue phantom swords appeared around Absol. These ethereal swords, created by the move Swords Dance, circled Absol at a high speed.

The rotation of the phantom swords grew faster, and the gusts generated by their movement dispersed the smokescreen that had concealed Absol.

As the smokescreen faded, both the Houndour leader and Absol reappeared in Yuga view. After the smokescreen dissipated, the phantom swords converged into Absol body, and a blue glow enveloped it, indicating a boost in attack power.

The Houndour leader was caught off guard by how easily its smokescreen had been dispelled. It immediately launched another attack. Lowering its upper body, the Houndour leader hind legs tensed, its sharp teeth glowing with white light. It lunged toward Absol with incredible speed.

However, Absol had anticipated the timing of the Houndour leader attack.

Absol body emitted a streak of black light as it dashed past the Houndour leader. Just as the leader attack was about to connect, Absol executed a sharp turn, crashing into the Houndour leader from the side.

Absol level and innate abilities surpassed those of the Houndour leader, giving it an upper hand. Adding the effect of Swords Dance into the equation, Absol attack power had skyrocketed.

The Houndour leader was sent flying by Absol sudden assault and, before it could react, Absol was already on the move again.

Utilizing Quick Attack, Absol closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye. Another Night Slash struck the Houndour leader, its power enhanced by the Swords Dance.

Having a higher level and inherent strength, combined with the boost from Swords Dance, made Absol attack overwhelming. The Houndour leader was sent airborne once more by the attack impact. Absol didn't let up, however.

Absol employed Quick Attack yet again, rapidly reaching the airborne Houndour leader. Its next Night Slash was even more devastating, and the Houndour leader crashed to the ground, defeated.

The Houndour leader, though strong, couldn't compete with Absol carefully calculated strategy and the power-up from Swords Dance. It lay defeated on the ground, and Absol, with the blue glow of the Swords Dance boost still surrounding it, looked triumphant.

Yuga approached the downed Houndour leader, breathing heavily. "It's over. You fought valiantly," he said, extending his hand in a gesture of respect.

The Houndour leader, despite its defeated state, managed to lift its head slightly and touch Yuga hand with its paw. The tension in the air lessened, and the other Houndour seemed to relax.

With the battle won, Yuga turned his attention to the timid Houndour they had sought to capture. "Thank you for accepting the challenge. Now, can we proceed peacefully?"

The Houndour leader nodded weakly, signaling an agreement. It seemed that, like the Houndours, these Houndour respected strength and upheld their agreements.

With the timid Houndour secured, Yuga cast a final glance at the Houndour leader. "May we part on good terms."

The Houndour leader eyes showed a glint of acknowledgment. This encounter had tested Yuga strategies and his connection with his team. As Yuga, Absol, and the timid Houndour began their descent down the mountain, the Houndour observed them with a newfound sense of understanding and recognition.

The low-level Houndour leader couldn't withstand the double assault from Absol, which had been strengthened by Swords Dance. It lost its battle capability instantly.

The other Houndour, witnessing their leader incapacitation, grew restless. They began to roar menacingly at Yuga and Absol.

Observing their growing agitation, Yuga feared they might all rush towards him at once. He hastily interjected, "The match between me and your leader was agreed upon by your leader himself. Are you reneging on your promise? Are you willing to betray your leader?"

Upon hearing Yuga words, the Houndour gradually quieted down.

Fortunately, the Houndour leader injuries were not severe, and it soon regained consciousness.

Raising its head, the leader glanced at Yuga and then turned to a Houndour behind it, emitting a low call. Reluctantly, that particular Houndour stepped forward.

The Houndour that emerged was the very one Yuga had been pursuing.

As this Houndour cautiously approached, Yuga knew that the Houndour had upheld its promise.

Yuga retrieved a Poké Ball and threw it towards the approaching Houndour. In a flash of red light, the Houndour was captured within the Poké Ball.

The capture button on the Poké Ball blinked for a moment before ceasing its activity. It was evident that the Houndour was resistant to being tamed by Yuga, but ultimately, it didn't dare disobey its leader command.

...

<<Houndour>>

Gender: Female

Ability: Blaze

Qualification: Green

Level: 15

Moves: Destiny Bond, Ember, Roar.

...

This Houndour had quite good qualities, bordering on the upper tier of Green quality and nearing blue quality.

Its Blaze ability was very practical, and it even inherited the rare ability Roar. Apart from its low level, it didn't have many shortcomings.

After reviewing the information about the captured Houndour, Yuga turned towards the Houndour leader, which was still lying on the ground. "Rest assured, I will take good care of it," he said, promising not only to take care of the Houndour but also to find a suitable partner for her.

The Houndour leader emitted a call towards the remaining Houndour. Slowly getting up, it then limped its way back into the cave. The other Houndour followed quickly.

Seeing all the Houndour return to the cave, Yuga let out a sigh of relief.

Although the process had been perilous, the ultimate goal had been achieved with minimal danger.

Recalling the Poké Ball containing the captured Houndour, Yuga signaled Absol and Floette to leave the area. They continued their journey towards the summit of Mt. Chimey.

In the end, it wasn't just about capturing Pokémon; it was about forming bonds and understanding the delicate balance of strength and respect in the Pokémon world.