The dusk over Gringey City was dyed with a hue of destruction.
It was no longer a yellow glow, but rather closer to blood red.
The setting sun like blood?
That was probably it. The ear-piercing alarms intertwined with the manic roars of Pokémon, echoing through the city's narrow streets and open grounds.
The city, which was once dilapidated but maintained a semblance of order, had now completely sunk into a quagmire of chaos.
After this event, the entire city would really have to start major infrastructure construction.
Some matters that were previously difficult to handle would fall into the category of 'must be handled' after this concludes.
Due to issues of authority and responsibility, those factory buildings that were hard to tear down... facing the pollution caused by this event, they would inevitably be subject to mandatory demolition.
Slimy, foul-smelling purple-black figures, mixed with some yellow and multi-colored individuals.
Countless Grimer and Muk, along with a small number of Trubbish mixed in, slowly spread out like pus oozing from every pore of the city.
Stimulated by Team Rocket's "Aggregation Toxic Lure," their most primal desires were ignited. They frantically searched for anything devourable and launched indiscriminate, sticky attacks on any existence blocking their path.
The Grimers were hungry. The Grimers needed food.
And in such an environment, true power became a shackle instead.
"Onix, use... no, that won't work!"
Brock stood atop the head of his colossal partner, his brows locked tight.
Subconsciously, he had wanted to order Onix to unleash Earthquake or Rock Throw, which would have instantly cleared a large area.
But within his line of sight were teetering abandoned factory buildings and the faintly visible outlines of residential buildings in the distance.
Once that power went out of control, the secondary damage caused might be even more terrifying than the invasion of the Grimer.
Sometimes, whether destructive power is strong or not isn't the most important indicator.
Whether it adapts to the occasion is what matters most.
"Use Rock Tomb! Be careful to control the range, just block them, don't hit the buildings!"
Huge boulders crashed down one after another, then piled up and interlocked, forming a temporary rampart that momentarily blocked the torrent of Grimer surging from the direction of the industrial zone.
But more Grimer oozed out from the cracks or circled around from other directions; the cleanup efficiency was extremely slow.
Brock felt a wave of powerlessness. This kind of battle, where his hands and feet were bound, was more exhausting than facing powerful wild Pokémon.
Theoretically speaking, against large numbers, one should use map-clearing attacks.
However, map-clearing attacks of the Ground and Rock types tend to affect too large an area.
This is like swatting mosquitoes or flies at home.
The intensity of a flyswatter is already overflowing with attack power... It's impossible for someone to swing a club or throw stones inside their house.
Professional, targeted insecticides are more efficient and cause less destruction.
On the other side. In the low-lying residential area near the river, Misty was also caught in a predicament.
"Gyarados, blast them away with Hydro Pump... Wait!"
"Lower the angle! Don't splash the residential houses!"
Misty stood atop the ferocious head of the blue Gyarados, commanding anxiously.
Her Starmie and Goldeen constantly unleashed Water Pulse to push away the Grimer attempting to approach, but faced with this endless "sludge advance," the effect was negligible.
Just then.
A group of figures with mixed attire and fanatical eyes rushed out from the street corner. The woman in the lead was none other than Cassidy.
She was accompanied by a group of "Sludge Friends Society" members. Looking at the Grimer filling the streets, they showed no fear, but instead revealed expressions bordering on obsession.
"It's her! It's these League lackeys who want to take away Lord Grimer's home!" Cassidy incited them with a shrill voice, pointing her finger straight at Misty.
As for Misty's identity as the Gym Leader of the Cerulean Gym, there was no need to mention it.
After all, these guys behind her wouldn't recognize her anyway.
"Protect Lord Grimer!"
"We can't let them succeed!"
The bewitched members, eyes red, actually commanded the relatively docile Grimer and Muk they had raised themselves to launch attacks at Misty and her Pokémon.
Although these Grimer didn't have strong combat power, their existence greatly interfered with Misty's cleanup work.
She had to split her attention to deal with these deceived Trainers, and the situation instantly became even more chaotic.
"Oh my! I'm so angry!" Misty gritted her teeth in fury, yet she couldn't deal heavy hands against these citizens who weren't essentially villains; she could only maneuver with difficulty.
A gentleman can be deceived by his own integrity?
Good people indeed have more concerns...
What exactly are you protecting?
I indeed have to protect these.
Meanwhile.
At the edge of the industrial zone where Brock was, uninvited guests also arrived.
Butch appeared with another batch of "Sludge Friends Society" members.
Utilizing their familiarity with the terrain, they constantly used various methods to harass and hinder Onix's movements, attempting to destroy the rock ramparts and open a passage for the Grimer herd.
"Troublesome..." Although he said this, Brock still strove to respond with composure.
What outsiders do, what outsiders think, has nothing to do with him.
What he has to do is to do what he should do well.
If they go too far, and I learn to go too far like them.
Then what is the difference between me and them?
The resolute and steady Will of Stone would not change because of this.
But Brock's actions were indeed severely delayed, unable to effectively contain the Muk surging out from the direction of the dump.
Just as Ash was riding the Golden Gyarados, shuttling quickly along a relatively wide main road, using Pikachu's Thunderbolt and Misdreavus's Confusion to clear scattered Grimer while trying to rush to the area under the greatest pressure to support—
A scorching pillar of fire shot out from a side alley without warning, striking straight at Gyarados's flank!
"Gyarados!" Ash reacted extremely fast.
The Golden Gyarados twisted its body with agility, barely dodging the attack, but the scorching heat wave still made it let out a low growl of dissatisfaction.
Ash's gaze instantly locked onto the source of the attack.
He saw a figure slowly walking out of the shadows, a suppressed, twisted smile of triumph hanging on his face.
It was Cross!
"Finally..." Cross's voice carried a sense of satisfaction bordering on the pathological. "Finally, I've caught the chance to find you alone!"
"Without that rock-player and that water-playing Gym Leader getting in the way by your side!"
He had joined Team Rocket for this very reason.
And now, just as when he first joined, he had indeed obtained this opportunity.
Looking at the surrounding scene that resembled a painting of hell—the frantically surging Grimer, the destroyed streets, the terrified cries coming from the distance...
Ash's mood was already terrible due to the city's tragic state.
Seeing one of the chief culprits appear at this moment, his face became so gloomy it looked like water could drip from it.
"Cross..." Ash's voice was cold, carrying suppressed fury. "All of this... these things happening in the city, you planned it?"
Although he was asking what he already knew, he really needed him to admit it himself.
If you admit it yourself, then whatever situation you fall into is justified, right?
If you did it, admit it.
If you didn't do it, deny it.
That is all.
As long as you admit it, no matter what happens, you deserve it, right?
At least, that was what Ash felt right now.
He could barely hold back the urge to strike.
"Planned? Hahaha!" Cross laughed triumphantly, admitting it without any taboo.
"That's right! I suggested it to Cassidy and Butch!"
"Using these brainless sludges and those idiots' feelings for them!"
"What a perfect plan!"
"Look at the miserable state of this city!"
"This is the consequence of resisting Team Rocket and offending me, Cross!"
He waved his large hand, and two Poké Balls opened.
Lycanroc bared its teeth, its eyes ferocious.
Incineroar beat its chest, letting out a provocative roar.
At the same time, several surrounding Muk, which were obviously specially marked and had even more manic eyes, gathered around, blocking Ash's retreat.
Sourcing materials on the spot to catch a few powerful Muk wasn't bad either.
Since Gringey City was once a chemical industrial city, the Muk born here were very toxic.
Their combat floor was very high.
Standing atop the Golden Gyarados, looking down at the arrogant Cross below, as well as this city plunged into pain because of him, an unprecedented flame of rage rose in Ash's chest.
The Golden Gyarados seemed to sense its Trainer's mood, letting out a deafening roar.
Its crimson eyes deadlocked onto Cross, filled with primal brutality.
With just one command from Ash, it would tear him and the surrounding Muk to shreds together—this was meant literally.
Gyarados could control its anger after cultivation, but that didn't mean this anger had vanished.
Ash took a deep breath, his hand already pressing on the Poké Ball at his waist.
He had intended to show no mercy, releasing all his partners to crush this disaster-making bastard with the force of a thunderbolt!
Why talk about morality with this kind of scum? Everyone, let's go together—
But just at the moment he was preparing to act.
He clearly felt that one of the Poké Balls at his waist was jumping violently.
A scorching will to fight transmitted directly to his palm through the Poké Ball—it was Charmeleon!
That pulsing was so intense, filled with unwillingness, anger, and the desire to prove itself.
It seemed to be saying: Give this guy to me!
Charmeleon being caught by Cross back then was purely out of youthful ignorance.
After this period of Ash's nurturing.
It had grown a lot, both physically and mentally.
Thinking that the one who once caught it was actually this kind of person... Charmeleon was furious, ahhh!!!
However, without Ash's command, it wouldn't run out of the Poké Ball on its own.
Ash's movements paused.
He looked down at the jumping Poké Ball, then raised his eyes to look at Cross below, who had a look of haughtiness, certain that Ash couldn't leave his companions' help.
In an instant, he changed his mind.
This wasn't just to smash Cross's taunt of "relying on numbers to win," but to respond to Charmeleon's blazing and proud heart.
It needed this battle.
It needed to prove to itself that it possessed the power to defeat strong enemies.
It needed to say goodbye to the past.
And nothing was more suitable as a ceremony for this than a battle of authority.
"Pika?" Pikachu on his shoulder keenly sensed the change in Ash's thoughts and called out in confusion.
It felt that facing this kind of enemy, everyone attacking together was the fastest and most secure way.
"Mai mai?" Misdreavus, wearing a plastic bag, tilted her head.
She was always indifferent to this kind of thing.
Who isn't worth beating?
The Golden Gyarados let out a low growl of dissatisfaction.
It wanted to personally teach that bastard who dared to ambush it a lesson with Hyper Beam—the kind that would blast him into slag.
But Ash raised his hand, gently soothing his partners.
"I understand what you mean."
His gaze became firm again as he looked at Cross. "But this round, leave it to Charmeleon."
The Aura power on Ash's body began to infuse into the Poké Ball.
This wasn't a formal Gym duel right now; in a sense, this counted as a wild battle.
Since that was the case, of course, the Trainer and Pokémon would go together!
Ash wasn't some rigid person.
Indeed, it was mainly letting Charmeleon take action, but this didn't mean he wouldn't intervene at all.
He threw the Poké Ball with force: "I choose you, Charmeleon!"
"Gaa oh—!!!" Red light flashed, and Charmeleon's figure landed boldly.
With a whoosh, the flame on its tail shot up high as if fuel had been poured onto it. The scorching heat wave pushed outward, displaying the boiling fighting spirit within its heart.
Charmeleon's gaze stared dead at the Incineroar opposite it, without a shred of fear.
...Regarding this tiger that used to bully it often, it was very unhappy.
Cross was stunned at first.
Then, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world, he laughed rampantly and mocked again:
"Hahaha! A one-on-one?"
"Just relying on this unevolved waste of a Charmeleon that I threw away?"
"You want to oppose my Incineroar?"
"Ash, have you been angered into stupidity?"
"Without those two Gym Leaders, Brock and Misty, by your side, sure enough, you just indulge in wild fantasies!"
However, mockery aside, that twisted pride deep in Cross's heart was also triggered.
He wanted to thoroughly crush one of Ash's aces in a frontal battle; this would satisfy his desire for revenge more than a simple siege.
"As you wish!"
"Incineroar, let this little lizard we threw away know what true power is!"
Cross wanted to defeat Ash head-on.
He wanted to thoroughly shatter the self-esteem of this brat who didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth, bit by bit, in the fiercest and most cruel way.
"Charmeleon, let's go!" Ash closed his eyes and instantly opened them again. The nascent Aura power within his body, like an awakening stream, began to surge.
He had already infused a part of his Aura into Charmeleon's body earlier.
And homologous Aura has the same fluctuation frequency.
This was going together in the literal sense.
"Gaa oh—!!!" Receiving the Aura enhancement, Charmeleon felt its whole body filled with explosive power, every cell cheering and jumping.
It roared to the sky, its whole body seemingly shrouded in an invisible field. With a stomp of its foot, the ground cracked slightly, and its body rushed toward Incineroar like an arrow leaving the string!
"You don't know death! Incineroar, Darkest Lariat!" Cross grinned ferociously.
Incineroar roared, its thick arms wrapping in scorching flames and Dark-type energy. Like a burning windmill, carrying the momentum to crush everything, it smashed ruthlessly toward the rushing Charmeleon!
Cross wasn't a good person.
But he was indeed an Ace Trainer.
Compared to Vicious using Dark Balls, Cross could still achieve tacit understanding with his Pokémon.
...At least he could achieve it for now.
...It was also very possible his level would get worse and worse later.
After all, in this world, there was never a rule that strength is only allowed to improve and not allowed to regress.
Facing this heavy and powerful strike, Charmeleon didn't take it head-on.
Under Ash's silent command, it exerted the agility bestowed by the Aura to the extreme.
Being small had the advantages of being small.
Charmeleon ducked its body, passing under Incineroar's armpit with an extremely thrilling sliding tackle, while simultaneously clawing ruthlessly at the opponent's waist and abdomen with claws burning with flames.
"Chi-la!" Claws collided with flames, making an ear-piercing sound.
Incineroar cried out in pain, roaring as it turned around, its other claw swiping at Charmeleon's back with a vicious wind.
Charmeleon seemed to have eyes in the back of its head. Its tail lashed the ground violently, borrowing the force to bounce sideways, while scorching flames were already spewing from its mouth—Flamethrower!
Incineroar showed no weakness, and a thicker pillar of fire erupted from its belt to blast back!
"BOOM—!!!"
The two pillars of fire collided violently in mid-air.
The shockwave generated by the explosion dried the surface of several surrounding Muk's bodies a little.
A scorching heat wave swept out.
It illuminated Ash's serious figure, as well as Cross's expression, which was gradually putting away its contempt and becoming solemn.
Compared to Ash, who was still wearing a gas mask.
Cross actually wasn't wearing one?
It was unknown if his sense of smell had completely failed.
The confrontation of flames and claws, the collision of Aura and brute force, opened up a small stage filled with tension and danger on this chaotic battlefield.
Charmeleon and Incineroar.
These two Pokémon, both burning with flames.
Figures crossed, roars rang out repeatedly.
The battle entered a white-hot state right from the start, inextricably intertwined!
Both sides could be considered old enemies.
For Incineroar, the little brother it used to bully always was now actually daring to resist it?
Simply outrageous!
For Charmeleon, this was the ultimate battle to bid farewell to its once cowardly and ignorant self.
I am no longer who I used to be.
MEGA Starmie
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