139 Roaring Menace: A Desperate Battle against Elite!
Upon witnessing the retreat of the various Pokémon, Kanraku and his group breathed a collective sigh of relief.
"Let's proceed and search for clues," Kanraku suggested, leading the way through the grim scene of fallen Pokémon.
Treading amidst the numerous Pokémon corpses, Kanraku couldn't suppress a sense of sorrow for the tragic fate that had befallen them.
"We should bury these bodies to prevent the spread of disease," Kanraku advised, prompting the group to start digging graves. He then turned to the others, instructing, "While we handle this, some of you should scout for any trace of Floyd."
"Understood!" The team members nodded in agreement, beginning their grim task of examining the corpses. Despite feeling nauseated by the scene, they pushed through their discomfort to conduct their search.
A few minutes into their efforts, a thunderous roar erupted from the east, halting everyone in their tracks.
"ROAR!"
"What was that?" The group was visibly startled, their attention snapping towards the source of the noise.
"It came from the east," Kanraku deduced, peering in that direction.
"Blastoise," Blastoise communicated something to Kanraku.
"Stronger than you?" Kanraku's expression turned solemn upon hearing Blastoise's implication. He hadn't anticipated Blastoise suggesting the presence of a force more powerful than itself.
"Blastoise," Blastoise nodded gravely, indicating his uncertainty but conveying that the pressure from the roar seemed to surpass his own strength.
"ROAR!" (Where is my daughter?)
Gyarados, fraught with worry, continued his vocal search for his daughter, his roars echoing through the forest.
The younger Gyarados, equally anxious, scoured the area, seeking signs of Floyd and Horsea.
"Don't worry, we're actively searching for them," Kanraku reassured the Gyarados, though his mind was still weighed down by Blastoise's earlier report.
"Li-san, could your Growlithe track Floyd-san's scent?" Kanraku suddenly proposed, turning to Li Qin with a hopeful expression.
"I'll give it a try," Li Qin responded, then communicated with Growlithe.
Growlithe replied with a nod and then a hesitant shake of her head.
Kanraku quickly understood the implication: Growlithe was familiar with Floyd's scent, but the overwhelming presence of the deceased Pokémon complicated the tracking.
"That's fine, we'll be patient. Your efforts are greatly appreciated," Kanraku said, offering a reassuring pat to Growlithe.
"Awwrrrr," Growlithe responded positively, ready to embark on her task.
"ROAR!"
The group was startled by another roar from the east, now noticeably closer than the previous one.
…
Floyd and his Pokémon were still on the run, with Floyd sensing an escalating sense of danger. Their pace was not as fast as he would have liked, hindered by the slower members like Goomy and particularly Munchlax.
"Goomys, take cover in my backpack!" Floyd instructed. The quintet of Goomys promptly obeyed, jumping into his backpack one after the other.
"Munchlax, I'll carry you," Floyd offered, gritting his teeth against the pain in his injured right arm, but knowing they had no other option.
"Munchlax?" Munchlax hesitated, concerned about burdening Floyd.
"It's okay, don't worry," Floyd reassured him with a forced smile.
"Fraxure," Fraxure volunteered to carry Munchlax.
"No, you're still recovering. I'll handle this. Yiiiip, ah…" Floyd declined Fraxure's offer, hefting Munchlax onto his back.
"Horsea~" Horsea attempted to perch on Floyd's head, but Fraxure intercepted her, aware that Floyd was already struggling under Munchlax's weight.
Fraxure took Horsea, allowing her to perch on his head instead.
"Horsea~" Horsea beamed happily, feeling secure with her dependable big brother Fraxure.
"Let's keep moving," Floyd urged, resuming their hurried escape.
"ROAR!"
Another fearsome roar erupted behind them. Though still some distance away, the sheer volume made it seem perilously close.
"It's after us! We need to move faster!" Floyd realized with regret that their predicament might be a consequence of their earlier actions. Panic set in as he recognized the dire nature of their situation.
Minutes later, another roar, louder and closer, reverberated behind them, the ground trembling beneath their feet. It was clear the pursuer was closing in on their behind rapidly.
"ROAR!"
Just as despair began to set in for Floyd and his Pokémon, they encountered Kanraku and his team, who looked on in shock.
"Get away from here! It's too dangerous!" Floyd yelled, warning them of the imminent threat.
"ROAR!"
Ursaluna, fueled by a sense of injustice and rage, had pinpointed the scent of the culprits. His eyes burned with an intense fury, his mind set on exacting revenge for the earlier grievances.
"ROAR!"
With a powerful leap, Ursaluna charged towards Floyd, his intent to harm unmistakably clear.
"Damn it!" Floyd realized in horror that Ursaluna was the one pursuing them, and he could feel the murderous intent emanating from the enraged Pokémon.
The air was thick with tension as Ursaluna closed in, his massive form casting a shadow over Floyd and his Pokémon. Floyd, grappling with the realization of their peril, braced for the imminent confrontation.
The situation had escalated beyond his worst fears, leaving him and his pokemon in a desperate fight for survival against the wrathful Ursaluna.
"Blastoise!" Kanraku called out urgently, signaling for Blastoise's immediate intervention.
"Blastoise!" Kanraku knew further instructions were unnecessary; Blastoise had been ready since he first noticed Ursaluna charging toward Floyd. With rapid reflexes, Blastoise engaged his Rapid Spin, utilizing the shell on his back as a shield while Floyd activated the Protect move.
BANG!
Blastoise reeled under the immense pressure from Ursaluna's attack. The strength of Ursaluna was overwhelming, far beyond what they had anticipated.
"Everyone, retreat to the Safe Zone now!" Kanraku commanded, quickly retrieving something from his pouch.
[Shishou?] A young voice, Ryota, came through the device.
"Ryota-kun, I can't explain now. Call all available Blastoise and come to my location immediately. Kang-san and the others also need to head back," Kanraku instructed with urgency.
[Understood, I'm on it right away!] Ryota responded without hesitation, trusting Kanraku's judgment and springing into action.
"Blas...toise," Blastoise grunted, struggling under the relentless assault from Ursaluna. In a moment, he found himself slammed to the ground with force.
Bang!
"What? Even Blastoise?" Floyd despaired, realizing the power gap. Blastoise, near the peak of Ace level, was easily overpowered by Ursaluna.
This meant only one thing: Ursaluna was of Elite status.
"Escape," Floyd decided, understanding the immense gap between Ace and Elite levels. The disparity was starkly evident in this confrontation.
"Blastoise!" Kanraku expressed his concern, witnessing Blastoise's struggle.
"ROAR!" Ursaluna, using Headlong Rush, targeted Floyd with unstoppable momentum.
"Damn it!" Floyd felt a sense of helplessness he hadn't experienced before, not even when facing Gyarados. Against Ursaluna, he felt utterly powerless.
Left with no choice, Blastoise launched an Aqua Jet at Ursaluna.
"Bang!"
The impact was enormous, but Blastoise's strength alone couldn't hold back Ursaluna. Suddenly, a strong gust of wind signaled another ally's arrival.
Bang!
Gyarados emerged, coming to the rescue with a powerful Crunch attack against Ursaluna.
"ROAR!"
Ursaluna, though slightly affected by Gyarados' move, managed to grab Gyarados by the head and flung him aside.
Seizing the moment, Blastoise stepped back and unleashed a mighty Hydro Pump at Ursaluna.
Wheeeeesh… Boom!
"ROAR!"
Ursaluna, struck by the force of the attack, roared in pain and anger.
The battle escalated with each passing second, the tension palpable in the air. Each participant, driven by their own motives and strengths, clashed in an intense struggle.
The forest echoed with the sounds of their combat, a testament to the ferocity and desperation of the encounter. Kanraku, Floyd, and their Pokémon faced a formidable challenge in Ursaluna, whose raw power and rage were unlike anything they had encountered before.
The outcome of this battle was uncertain, but one thing was clear: they were in the midst of a fierce and unforgiving confrontation that would test their limits.
