Chapter 10: Narrow Escape

"Hmph, hmph, hmph. You've been under the influence of my special Sleep Powder for so long and still managed to stay conscious. Impressive. But it's a pity you'll die by my hand today. Remember, it is an honor to die under the blade of me, Koga." The young ninja named Koga sneered, his eyes flashing with cold light. He swiftly drew the sharp katana from his back and aimed a deadly strike at Noah's head.

In the blink of an eye, Ekans, who had been lying next to Noah, suddenly opened its cold, snake-like eyes. A foul-smelling stream of acid shot from its mouth like an arrow toward Koga. If Koga continued his attack, he would also be melted into sludge by Ekans's acid.

Koga, a direct disciple of Fuchsia City's Gym Leader Morana, managed to retract his blade just in time. Changing direction, he split the acid in half with his katana. Although he successfully neutralized the threat, some of the acid splashed onto him.

Wisps of white smoke rose from his body. In seconds, the acid had corroded his ninja uniform, leaving it full of holes and even melting some of his flesh. Enduring the excruciating pain, he quickly discarded the half-melted katana and distanced himself from Ekans.

As Koga moved out of Ekans's attack range, Koffing and Ekans positioned themselves in front of Noah, watching Koga menacingly.

"Impressive, I almost died there. But you will die. Muk, Golbat, what are you waiting for? Kill them!" The corrosive pain still seared through Koga's nerves, making his face contort in agony. Furious at being tricked by a Pokémon, Koga commanded his two hidden Pokémon to attack.

With a splash, Muk emerged from the sewage river, appearing right behind Noah. Its rotting maw opened, and countless sludge bombs shot toward Noah. Muk's sludge-covered hand reached out to grab him.

"Golbat~," from the dark ceiling, a pair of crimson eyes opened, followed by numerous air blades shooting down toward Noah's head.

"Damn it, retreat! Koffing, Smokescreen." The Sleep Powder was nearly overwhelming his consciousness. Gritting his teeth, Noah drove his right hand into his left thigh. The intense pain brought temporary clarity. He rolled to the side, avoiding Muk and Golbat's attacks, then commanded Koffing to release a Smokescreen.

"Hissss~," thick black smoke billowed from Koffing, instantly enveloping the area.

"Trying to escape? No way! Golbat, blow the smoke away! Muk, use Mud Bomb to attack the area!" Koga realized something was wrong as Noah evaded the attacks through self-inflicted pain. He threw a kunai at Noah's last position, but the smoke had obscured his target. He ordered Golbat and Muk to stop Noah.

Golbat's wings flapped powerfully, creating a gust that dispersed the black smoke, revealing Noah, who had managed to escape some distance. Meanwhile, Muk was entangled by Tentacruel's numerous tentacles and couldn't stop Noah.

"I'm done for. Ekans, I leave it to you." The Sleep Powder finally overwhelmed him. Even the pain no longer worked. Noah recalled Koffing into its Poké Ball before losing consciousness and falling into the sewage river.

Ekans hesitated, showing signs of struggle in its eyes, but ultimately chose to enter the river. It quickly coiled around Noah, bringing him to the surface and letting the current carry them away from Koga.

Tentacruel, seeing Noah safe, released Muk and followed the current, heading toward Noah.

"Boom~" Koga punched the hard wall beside him, his face dark with anger. Ignoring his bloodied fist, he stared intently at the direction Noah had fled. His near-certain victory had slipped away.

It was his first loss in such a sure-win situation, the most devastating defeat since his training began. It was a blow to his pride.

"Fine, you win this time. But since you're here, you must be after that item. We'll meet again, Noah. Next time, we'll have a proper battle." Koga exhaled deeply, calming his anger.

As a ninja, he had to stay composed. His rage had cost him dearly, revealing a weakness. Once he realized this, his eyes returned to the cold indifference of a true ninja. He murmured to himself as he watched the direction Noah had fled.

"Muk, take them." Koga glanced at the unconscious Bianca and her Pokémon, ordering Muk to gather them. Together, they vanished into the darkness.

Elsewhere, while Noah was fleeing for his life, Vivian, led by a Grimer, reached the central area of the sewer.

A tall, slender man in a Team Rocket uniform stood before her. Despite his thin, rod-like appearance, he exuded a beastly, bloodthirsty aura. The strong scent of blood made Vivian wary of getting too close.

"You did well this time, finally shaking off Koga's interference and reaching here again. This place has changed a lot, hasn't it? It's been three years since we were last here." The tall man looked at the purple swamp below, his eyes gleaming with a bloodthirsty light.

This was the lowest point of the sewer, where all the sewage collected before being discharged into the sea. Over time, the uncleaned garbage turned the central area into a massive garbage dump.

Attracted by the filth, Grimer had turned the place into their paradise. They consumed the waste, excreting toxic substances that formed a vast poisonous swamp over the years.

"Yes, back then, we stumbled upon this place while fleeing from the League's pursuit. Only you, I, and Thomas made it out alive. Unfortunately, Thomas blabbed about the treasure and got killed. That brought us the trouble of Koga. Thanks to our decoys, we avoided Koga and made it here. We're just in time. After three years, it's finally maturing. Once we get the treasure, our power will skyrocket, and we'll become executives soon." Vivian said excitedly, eyeing the purple swamp with greed.

In the purple swamp were numerous wild Poison-type Pokémon, led by Muk and Golbat, occupying two-thirds of the area. The rest was controlled by an Alolan Muk and a Gengar, leading a variety of Poison-types. The four leaders watched each other warily, but their main focus was on the swamp's center.

In the center grew a bizarre black tree, rooted in the toxic sludge. Its black roots spread across the purple swamp.

The tree's black leaves had mostly fallen. At its top hung two purple glowing fruits, emitting a rich aroma that made the leaders' eyes gleam with greed.

As the fruits matured, the atmosphere in the purple swamp grew increasingly tense.

Finally, the purple fruits ripened, and a fierce battle was about to begin.

To be continued… (End of Chapter)