This Arbok's aura was considerably stronger than that of the wild Pokémon they had encountered earlier. Its muscles were solid, and its scales were smooth and glossy. It was clearly a minor tyrant of this region.
Looking at the Arbok hissing continuously at them, Xinhai turned his head toward Grovyle behind him, his voice calm.
"Grovyle, you handle it! This is a good chance for me to see what you're capable of."
"Cha!"
Grovyle froze slightly, then nodded firmly and quickly stepped forward from the back of the group.
Its steps were steady, and a glimmer of excitement flashed through its golden eyes.
This was its first official battle since joining the team, so naturally, it took it very seriously.
Grovyle walked to the front of the group and faced Arbok from roughly ten meters away.
It lowered its body slightly, its golden eyes locked firmly onto its opponent. Faint emerald Grass-type energy began to gather around it, sharpening the leaf blades on its arms even further. Its tail swayed gently behind it, maintaining its balance.
Eevee poked its head out from Xinhai's shoulder, its large brown eyes eagerly watching the battlefield.
"Vee vee!" (Go, Grovyle!)
Charmander and Axew also crowded around Xinhai's feet. The two little ones fixed all four eyes on the two Pokémon confronting each other in the field, excitedly cheering for Grovyle.
"Roar!" "Axew!" (Go, Grovyle!) ×2
Arbok clearly did not think much of the smaller, mild-auraed opponent before it.
A trace of contempt flashed through its black eyes. Its forked tongue flickered faster, while its body slowly leaned back and raised a third of itself upright.
This was Arbok's most classic intimidation stance, making itself look larger and more imposing.
"Hiss—!"
Arbok let out a piercing hiss. Its neck suddenly expanded, and the wing-like patterns