Chapter 168: Battle Against Crobat

Ash's instincts kicked in, yanking the secretary back to safety as Pikachu leaped from his shoulder, ready for action. Charmeleon snarled at the Crobat that now loomed above, its presence menacing.

But in a flash, Crobat vanished, its speed beyond what any of them could comprehend. It reappeared in front of Charmeleon, a mocking glint in its fierce eyes, as the energy of a Flying-type move surged into its Dual Wingbeat.

Before anyone could react, Crobat struck.

Boom!

Charmeleon was flung across the room like a rag doll, smashing through the wall and continuing into the dark corridor outside. The impact left a massive circular dent in the wall, cracks spreading out like a spider's web. 

"Chaaar!"

Charmeleon let out a painful cry, crumpling to the ground. The single hit had almost knocked it out entirely.

Ash's heart skipped a beat as he watched in disbelief. Charmeleon lay motionless, and then—

**Boom!**

Another explosion of force. Pikachu had been launched into the air by Crobat, crashing through another wall and landing alongside Charmeleon. Both of Ash's Pokémon lay beaten and barely conscious.

"Impossible..." Ash whispered, struggling to process the speed and power of Crobat. Even Pikachu, his most trusted partner, couldn't withstand the attack.

His hands trembled as he grasped Pidgeotto's Poké Ball. He had hoped to use Pidgeotto for a surprise attack, but now... things were spiraling out of control.

"Not bad. Even though I held back, your two Pokémon still managed to withstand a blow from Crobat," Petrel commented, slightly impressed but indifferent.

Crobat was leagues beyond Ash's Pokémon in strength. Even holding back, the bat had nearly rendered both Pikachu and Charmeleon helpless with just one strike each.

**Too fast... too strong...**

Ash's mind raced as cold sweat dripped down his forehead. His grip on Pidgeotto's Poké Ball tightened. The battle hadn't even properly begun, and already it felt over.

Meanwhile, Silver had been watching from the sidelines, his face a mix of shock and dread. He hadn't expected Petrel to be so powerful. Based on the information he had on the Four Generals of Team Rocket, Petrel was supposed to be the weakest. Yet, his strength was overwhelming.

"Has Team Rocket grown this powerful?"

Silver thought, his eyes narrowing in determination. He couldn't allow the Master Ball's materials to fall into their hands—not with them wielding such dangerous power.

"If it comes to it, I'll destroy the data myself..." Silver's gaze hardened. He subtly moved his hand toward a hidden button under the desk. One press, and every piece of critical information in Silph Co. would be wiped out, forever beyond Team Rocket's grasp.

But Petrel was quick to notice. "Oh, old man, what do you think you're doing?" he sneered, signaling Crobat. In an instant, Crobat zipped across the room, extending its wings to block Silver's hand just before it could reach the button.

Petrel strolled over to the desk, spotting the button hidden underneath. "Ah, an emergency data destruction device, I presume?" He grinned at Silver's frustrated, tense expression.

Petrel grabbed Silver by the collar, pulling him away from the desk. "No more funny business."

Seeing his chance, Ash sprang into action. "Now!" he shouted, throwing Pidgeotto's Poké Ball into the air. In a flash of light, Pidgeotto appeared, wings spread wide, and Ash didn't hesitate for a second. "Pidgeotto, Aerial Ace!"

Pidgeotto shrieked and dove toward Crobat, its movements swift and direct, though seemingly unimpressive.

"A Pidgeotto? Is this kid serious?" Petrel scoffed, glancing at the bird Pokémon. It was even weaker than Pikachu and Charmeleon, and he wasn't concerned in the slightest.

But then, Pidgeotto's speed increased. As it neared Crobat, it seemed to split into three separate images, each one diving from a different angle—left, right, and above.

Crobat's eyes darted from one image to another, struggling to discern which was the real Pidgeotto. Confused, it hesitated, unable to defend itself in time.

**Bang!** The three images collided with Crobat simultaneously, converging back into a single form as Pidgeotto struck true, sending Crobat flying backward into the wall.

Petrel's jaw dropped. "What?! How...?"

Seizing the opportunity, Pidgeotto turned its momentum on Petrel himself, forcing him to dodge away from Silver. Free from Petrel's grip, Silver immediately reached under the desk and slammed the emergency button.

A piercing alarm blared throughout the entire Silph Building as the destruction program began. Across the facility, scientists and researchers watched in horror as their computers began wiping data at breakneck speed. In mere moments, countless amounts of critical data were lost.

On the seventh floor, Archer, one of Team Rocket's higher-ups, stormed out of his office, shouting at the guards, "What's going on?!"

But the guards were just as clueless. The chaos had erupted out of nowhere.

Back on the eleventh floor, Petrel's face twisted in rage. "You little brat!" he roared, his eyes burning with fury as he directed Crobat. "Cross Poison! Take him out, NOW!"

Crobat shook off the hit from Pidgeotto, its eyes glowing with a murderous glint. Purple energy crackled around it, forming into a cross-shaped aura of toxic power. In a flash, Crobat shot toward Ash, closing the distance in an instant, the venomous blades aimed directly at him.

Ash froze. The attack was coming too fast—there was no time to dodge.

Suddenly, the ceiling above cracked with a deafening **boom**, and chunks of debris rained down. Dust filled the room, obscuring Ash from view as the attack neared.

Everything went silent.

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