Chapter 131: Chapter 131:
The girl's icy gaze locked onto the Sneasel charging towards her. She knew, with chilling certainty, that it intended to kill her. Swiftly, she plucked a Pokeball from her waist and hurled it into the fray.
"Sneasel!"
Another Sneasel materialized on the battlefield!
Cain hadn't anticipated that the girl would possess a Sneasel as well. His own Sneasel faltered, momentarily ceasing its attack.
It was clear that it sensed a formidable presence emanating from this newly arrived Sneasel.
Cain frowned as he observed the unexpected appearance of the rival Sneasel, but he didn't reproach his own for halting its assault.
Having only recently been tamed, his Sneasel's judgment was crucial for building trust between them. It was a matter of adaptation and mutual understanding.
Yet, the girl's Sneasel had caught Cain off guard. Unlike common Pokemon such as Beedrill, Sneasel was a relatively rare find. From his Sneasel's reaction, it was apparent that the opposing Sneasel was no pushover, having provoked a palpable sense of threat.
"Return, Sneasel!" Cain commanded, his expression grave.
The girl was unmistakably a fellow Hunter, and judging by her ability to navigate this treacherous terrain, she was far from weak. The way she directed her Pokemon in combat further confirmed that she was no rookie.
"Hey! You're a Hunter too?" The girl inquired, her voice like a silver bell, her cheeks flushed with anger.
Cain hesitated briefly before nodding. There was no point in concealing the truth now. Besides, even if he denied it, would she believe him?
The girl's gaze swept across Cain's team: her own Sneasel's equal, the pale pink Shiny Slowpoke, the well-trained Murkrow, and the elusive Gastly. Each of them exuded strength.
Her heart sank at the thought of not reclaiming her other target, the mighty Onix.
Though she wasn't intimidated by Cain, she knew his true prowess would only be revealed in battle. Still, his determined demeanor indicated he was no pushover. It was impossible to predict who would ultimately emerge victorious—or who would fall in defeat.
It wasn't just the girl who felt apprehensive; Cain too hesitated upon seeing her Sneasel. The girl was clearly not a mere grunt like those from Team Rocket. Her survival skills in the wild were formidable, and her Pokemon hunting ability was nothing to scoff at.
But after a moment's contemplation, Cain resolved to attack!
Even if it meant paying a small price, he had to keep her here. She was strong now, and there was no telling how powerful she'd become in the future. Even a minor disagreement could ignite the spark of a full-blown confrontation down the line.
Cain was 80% certain that, if he gave it his all, he could hold the girl back.
"Slowpoke, Calm Mind! Murkrow, Tailwind! Sneasel, Agility!"
If a battle was imminent, his Pokemon needed to be in peak condition.
The girl watched as Cain issued orders to his Pokemon, seemingly prepared to fight to the death. She couldn't fathom where he'd found the confidence to keep her at bay.
"Hey! Rude guy! It's just an Onix. Is there really a need for a fight to the death?! Are you sure you can take me down?" She bristled, her anger flaring. It seemed as though she had suffered the loss, and he was the one recklessly risking everything.
Yet Cain paid no heed to her words, coldly instructing his Pokemon to prepare for battle.
As for Gastly, he kept it close, guarding against any sudden threats.
The girl's frustration mounted when she saw that Cain was completely ignoring her, as if he were a block of wood. But she had to ask herself—would she, like the stubborn man before her, risk her life for an Onix that held little value? That wasn't a choice any rational person would make, right?
With nowhere to direct her fury, she could only stomp her feet, as if crushing the unresponsive man standing opposite her beneath the stone.
After venting for a bit, she deflated, muttering, "Really, why am I even competing with a lunatic! Just my luck! Hmph!"
She then grabbed another Pokeball from her belt and tossed it into the air.
Cain watched as she released another Pokemon, his eyes narrowing.
Indeed, she had more up her sleeve.
As he braced himself for an attack, a bird Pokemon encased in silver-white armor materialized from the Pokeball. Its wings bore red undersides, and its mouth bristled with sharp teeth.
Recognizing the Pokemon, its name surfaced in Cain's mind: Skarmory! A dual steel and flying-type Pokemon.
Skarmory boasted impressive resistance. Apart from fire and electric moves, which dealt double damage, it took only half damage from normal, flying, steel, psychic, dragon, and fairy-type moves. Bug and grass-type moves dealt a mere quarter damage, and ground and poison-type moves were entirely ineffective.
Out of the 18 known types, Skarmory was immune or resistant to 10. Its defenses were undoubtedly exceptional.
Cain lacked fire and electric-type Pokemon. If they were to clash, he'd find himself at a significant disadvantage.
However, to his surprise, the girl opposite him puffed up her cheeks and glared furiously at Cain. With a huff, she leaped onto Skarmory's back.
She then recalled her other three Pokemon, all the while repeating, "Don't lower yourself to the lunatic's level! Don't lower yourself to the lunatic's level…"
She didn't even glance at Cain. Instead, she patted Skarmory's armored neck and signaled for it to take off quickly.
But as she was leaving, her anger surged once more. From high above, she yelled, "Hmph! You lunatic, I won't lower myself to your level! My name is Rogue! The next time you hear that name, you better steer clear, or else… or else, I'll definitely… definitely bite you to death!"
Having vented her frustration, she and her Skarmory soared away without looking back.
Slowpoke and the others watched the girl make her escape, then glanced at Cain, their expressions blank. Unsure of what they should do, they awaited Cain's command.
But Cain did nothing. He simply gazed at the receding figure in the sky.
After a moment, he murmured, "Tsk, maybe I should get a flying mode of transportation too? It's so convenient!"
His comment seemed out of place.
Regardless, the distance between them was too great. Even if he tried, he wouldn't be able to stop her in such a short time. The appearance of Skarmory had caught him off guard, leaving him ill-equipped to counter the Pokemon.
If before Skarmory emerged Cain had been 80% confident of keeping her at bay, that number plummeted to 50% or even lower after Skarmory's arrival.
If it was deemed impossible, there was really no point in trying in vain.
At least he'd acquired an Onix. In the end, he'd come out ahead.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone