Chapter 18: Sudden Change

"This is never-ending! Have these wild Pokémon gone mad? They seem fearless. Charizard, burn them all!" Michel felt a chill down his spine as he faced the wild Poison-type Pokémon, whose eyes were filled with murderous intent.

The plan had failed. Initially, they aimed to kill three leader-level Pokémon with a surprise attack to create a deterrent effect, then ignite the prepared wildfire oil to cause chaos, seize the berries, and finally use Alakazam's teleportation to escape.

Everything had gone smoothly at first. Although Koga caused some trouble, the outcome was still acceptable; both of them had obtained the berries, meeting their initial expectations. It should have been a happy ending.

However, they had underestimated the special nature of the Bewitched Tree Berries. These berries contained a trace of primordial power, making them impossible to store in the space bag and beyond Alakazam's abilities. They were now trapped in their own trap, blocked by equally greedy wild Pokémon, with no way out.

Despite the massive casualties and escape of many Poison-type Pokémon due to the group battle and wildfire, hundreds remained, all strong. While they might not match the peak elite level of the three leader Pokémon, they definitely had the power of low or mid-level elites.

Michel, confident in his high-level Team Rocket elite status, had Charizard and Alakazam, both near-peak elite Pokémon. Yet, he wasn't sure he could escape from hundreds of wild, frenzied Pokémon.

"Damn it! Alakazam, it's up to you. Eat this and unleash your strongest psychic power." Seeing Charizard and Alakazam about to fall, Michel's eyes flashed with determination. He handed a black pill to Alakazam.

Alakazam hesitated, eyes pleading, but Michel's gaze was cold and ruthless. Finally, Alakazam swallowed the pill with a look of despair.

"Alakazam!" Alakazam, already injured, began to emit a black glow, becoming excited. Psychic power surged from it, sending all nearby Poison-type Pokémon flying.

Surrounded by a barely visible blue light, Alakazam's eyes were covered with a red glow. It floated cross-legged in midair, a powerful psychic wave spreading from its body. Every Poison-type Pokémon hit by the wave froze.

Some severely injured Poison-type Pokémon died instantly, while others were heavily injured. Afterward, Alakazam's life force rapidly waned, its golden skin losing its luster as it fell from the air, near death.

"You did well, Alakazam. Return. Charizard, take me out of here now." Seeing a large group of Zubat and Golbat falling from the sky, Michel smiled, recalled the incapacitated Alakazam, climbed onto Charizard's back, and commanded it to fly away.

"Wait for me! I'm not on yet!" Vivian tried to catch up, but Michel ignored her, ascending with Charizard, leaving behind a cold, battered figure.

"You forced me! You think you can escape so easily? Blastoise, bring them down!" Seeing Michel determined to escape alone, Vivian's eyes turned vicious.

She pulled out a blue Pokéball from her chest, releasing her trump card. Blastoise fired two massive water jets, hitting Charizard in midair with perfect accuracy.

Already severely injured, Charizard lost its fighting ability and fell into the flames with Michel.

"Blastoise, please get me out of here." Vivian, pleased, spoke to Blastoise.

While the heavily injured Poison-type Pokémon around struggled to rise, she climbed onto Blastoise's shell. Blastoise retracted its head and limbs, fired high-pressure water from its cannons, and launched them into the sky, flying straight.

Elsewhere, Noah and Bianca also faced a deadly crisis. The two purple-glowing berries in their hands were like beacons, attracting Poison-type Pokémon.

Seeing this, Noah and Bianca exchanged glances and tacitly decided to temporarily stop fighting each other.

"Venomoth, Psybeam! Delibird, Blizzard!"

"Muk, Sludge Bomb! Golbat, Air Cutter!"

Both attacked the same direction, creating a path free of flames. Their Pokémon's attacks broke through the Poison-type Pokémon's encirclement, and Noah and Bianca headed for the gap.

Unfortunately, Noah's injured leg slowed him down. Poison-type Pokémon quickly caught up, and Bianca, instead of helping, pushed Noah, blocking his retreat with Delibird's Ice Wall.

"Damn it! If I escape, I'll make you pay." Trapped between the icy wall and flames, Noah saw the approaching Poison-type Pokémon.

"Golbat!"

"Nido!"

"Muk!"

"Ekans!"

The wild Poison-type Pokémon, eyes red with greed, charged at the Bewitched Tree Berries in Noah's hand.

"Ha ha ha! Come on! If you want them, you'll have to get through me! Muk, Golbat, attack!" Cornered, Noah stood tall, laughing maniacally.

Muk and Golbat couldn't withstand the elite wild Pokémon for long. They were soon killed, and Noah was knocked down, poisoned, and robbed of the berries.

As a furious Nidorino prepared to stomp Noah to death, a blue water ball knocked it away, followed by flaming sludge bombs that exploded, killing or maiming the wild Pokémon.

"Kill them all, Tentacruel, Ekans! Acid Spray!" A tall figure emerged from the flames, protected by a green energy shield. When stronger flames approached, a large blue Tentacruel doused them.

Tentacruel and Ekans spewed black acid, dissolving the struggling wild Pokémon into puddles. The tall young man took a purple-glowing berry from a Koffing and smiled.

"Ha ha ha! How pathetic, ninja Noah. Out so soon? That's the price of arrogance." Noah taunted the fallen Noah.

"Kill me if you want, but spare me your mockery," Noah replied, eyes dark.

"Ha ha ha! You're nothing now. I can do whatever I want." Noah sneered, stomping on Noah's stomach.

"Ah! You bastard, I'll kill you." Humiliated, Noah's face turned purple-red with anger, but he was helpless.

As his vision blurred and consciousness faded, a sharp pain in his thigh began neutralizing the poison. The purple hue on his face faded.

"Why save me?" Noah glared at Noah.

"Save you? No, I just want to know what this berry does. Don't say you don't know. If you don't, you die," Noah said, eyes gleaming madly.

Facing Noah's threat, Noah relented, revealing all he knew about the Bewitched Tree.

"Incredible! These berries can enhance Poison-type Pokémon's qualities. Perfect for me." Noah, ecstatic, looked at Noah with cold eyes.

Noah reached for his back. As a ninja, he could endure for now, but giving his life to an enemy was unacceptable. He clutched a smoke bomb.

As Noah's eyes gleamed, Noah smashed the smoke bomb on the ground.

With a "bang," smoke billowed, obscuring Noah's vision.

"Running? Dream on! Koffing, absorb the smoke! Ekans, chase him. He can't get far with that injury." Noah readied for defense, directing his Pokémon.

Koffing inhaled the smoke, revealing Noah, but Ekans quickly closed the distance.

However, just as Ekans was about to catch Noah, the swamp of Poison-type material began to quake. After two minutes, it started to break apart.

"An earthquake?" Noah, seeing the cracks, rolled away just in time.

With a "bang," a giant black tentacle emerged from the crack, smashing where Noah had been.

"What is that?" Noah stared in horror as a giant head emerged from the deep water below the shattered swamp, surrounded by countless black tentacles.

To be continued...