Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [102]

The two Dragon Darts struck Salamence's Protect shield in rapid succession but failed to break through.

Although Salamence wasn't as powerful as Dragapult, it was still Elite Four-level and wouldn't be defeated so easily by two Dragon Darts when using Protect, renowned as the strongest defense.

Already an inherently aggressive Pokémon, Salamence was visibly enraged after being chased down for so long.

"Roar!"

It let out a furious roar, preparing to unleash a Flamethrower toward Dragapult below.

However...

"Gengar, Shadow Ball!"

A Shadow Ball shot out, crossing the distance in an instant and exploding right in Salamence's face, leaving it stunned.

"Damn it!"

Hunter J's expression darkened as Salamence, now sporting a burn mark on its chin, emerged from the smoke with a trail of black soot. However, she remained calm.

"Ariados, Night Slash!"

Ariados, who had been using String Shot on Dragapult, suddenly lunged forward, digging its four spindly legs into the ground for momentum. Using its antennae as a stabilizer, it slid low, its front claws slicing toward Gengar's vulnerable points.

"Phantom Force!"

Gengar vanished instantly, reappearing behind Drapion with a menacing Shadow Claw ready to strike.

But Drapion was highly vigilant, and the moment Gengar appeared behind it, Drapion burrowed underground with Dig.

"Now, Ariados—Poison Sting!"

Hunter J immediately commanded Ariados to launch a Poison Sting at the now-exposed Luo Yuan.

"A second direct attack on me? You seem rather fixated on attacking Trainers," Luo Yuan remarked, snapping his fingers as a psychic barrier formed in front of him, blocking Ariados's attack.

Ariados looked confused, as it hadn't detected any Pokémon using Reflect.

Luo Yuan connected with Gengar from a distance using telepathy.

Just as Gengar was about to use Phantom Force to ambush Ariados once more, a sudden scream rang out from afar.

"Help!"

Jessie, Meowth, and James were scrambling to escape, with Arbok and Weezing putting up a valiant effort against Hunter J's forces but struggling against her dozens of henchmen.

"Those three…"

Luo Yuan sighed.

He couldn't really blame them. Given their strength, facing such a large number of Pokémon hunters was asking too much.

"Gengar, go help them!" Luo Yuan ordered.

At that moment, Salamence returned to Hunter J's side, while Drapion emerged from the ground.

Seeing Luo Yuan sending Gengar away to assist the others, Hunter J smirked.

"So, you plan to take all three of us on alone?"

"Of course not. I value you far too much for that."

"...?"

Hunter J frowned in confusion, watching as Luo Yuan reached down and detached a Poké Ball from his belt, its silver and blue finish gleaming under the night sky.

"I'd really like to get back to sleep, so let's wrap this up quickly," he said, pressing the button on the Master Ball without a second glance at Hunter J's increasingly infuriated expression.

"Come out, Deoxys!"

Boom!

In a flash of red and blue, Deoxys appeared, exuding an overwhelming pressure that weighed on every Trainer and Pokémon present—everyone except Luo Yuan.

"This is…" Hunter J's pupils shrank in shock.

She had heard rumors that the Tech Hunter had tamed a Legendary Pokémon. But, seeing he hadn't used it initially, she had assumed he either hadn't brought it or something had gone wrong.

She had clung to a sliver of hope.

Now, that hope was doused like ice-cold water over her head.

The harsh reality set in: any advantage she thought she had was an illusion. Against a Legendary, her position would shatter like glass.

"No way—I have to retreat!"

In the Pokémon world, there was one universal truth: without technology, only Champions and Legendaries stood a chance against Legendaries.

This thought spurred Hunter J into action. Ignoring her subordinates, she mounted Salamence.

"Salamence, we—"

Before she could finish, she watched as Deoxys shifted forms in an instant.

"Speed Form."

Luo Yuan's voice reached her ears.

Hunter J's high-tech visor flashed a warning, showing a blur of red and blue hurtling toward her at impossible speeds.

"Protect!"

She ordered Salamence to use Protect.

Attempting Protect multiple times in rapid succession carried a high chance of failure, but she had no other choice.

Hunter J was lucky—Salamence successfully managed to raise a shimmering blue energy shield between them.

But she was also unlucky.

The Protect shield provided little defense against the assault.

Appearing in front of Salamence, Speed Form Deoxys condensed its Psychic energy into a blade so intense it distorted the air around it.

Swish!

The Psychic Blade sliced into the Protect shield like a hot knife through butter, shattering it instantly.

Although the blade's energy diminished slightly as it cut through the shield, it continued its path toward Salamence.

Hunter J shouted, "Salamence, use Flamethrower!"

She knew this was her only chance.

Whoosh!

Salamence unleashed a torrent of flames, engulfing Deoxys.

Shing

In an instant, Deoxys switched to Defense Form, its ribbon-like arms crossing over its chest as a faint blue psychic shield materialized around it, effortlessly blocking Salamence's flames.

Before Hunter J could formulate her next move, Luo Yuan's command rang out:

"Zen Headbutt!"

Deoxys concentrated its psychic energy onto its forehead, then slammed it into Salamence's head.

Boom!

The force of impact compressed the surrounding air, which then exploded outward in a shockwave.

Salamence, as if struck by a speeding train, was hurled backward, sending Hunter J flying nearly a hundred meters!

Hunter J, her body bruised and battered, struggled to get up.

Glancing at Salamence beside her, it was clear it hadn't fainted but was on the verge of being unable to continue.

Realizing her escape chances were nearly zero, she issued one last desperate order.

"Focus all attacks on that Pokémon! Target Deoxys!"

Ariados and Drapion sprang into action.

Both of them knew Bug- and Dark-type moves—powerful enough to counter Psychic-types.

Hunter J was pinning all her hopes on this strategy, hoping it would buy her just enough time to make her escape.

But the harsh reality snuffed out her last glimmer of hope.

Against Deoxys's incomprehensible speed, her Pokémon could do nothing but take hit after hit, never even getting a chance to counterattack.

Boom… Boom…

One by one, her Pokémon were struck down by Deoxys, then she was suspended mid-air, bound by its psychic energy, left helpless and struggling.

---

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