When the Explosion occurred, the Sandslash and Lunatone fighting the opponent had stood at the forefront. One raised a Protect Barrier while the other assisted from the side.
But now, all the boy could see were Golem, his own Marowak, and Sandslash. There was no sign of his senior brother's Sandslash or Lunatone.
Sorrel shook his head, his tone certain. "Don't worry. They should be back soon."
The boy nodded, feeling somewhat relieved.
After the boy's Sandslash took over the Protect skill's defense, Golem began to act as well.
Golem pressed both claws against the rubble overhead. A dense earthen-yellow energy surged from its body, seeping into the jagged rocks like a living thing.
Wherever the energy passed, the loose rubble slowly began to shift, lock together, and fuse.
Under the energy's effects, the sharply edged rocks seemed to turn into soft clay. The gaps between them filled in, and their surfaces gradually melded together, forming a thick, smooth dome of rock.
That was not all. Golem continued expanding upward—it controlled the rock layer as it slowly pressed upward, compacting and solidifying the unstable rubble above the collapsed area as well, making the entire space more secure.
Fine grains of sand and dirt still trickled from the gaps in the newly formed rock layer, but far less than before.
Marowak held its bone club across its body, vigilantly sensing its surroundings to prevent any Pokémon from launching a sneak attack.
Just then—
"Rumble...!"
A violent tremor surged up from beneath their feet!
The shaking came from the same direction. Fine fragments of rock fell from overhead and struck the Protect Barrier raised by Sandslash with dull thump, thump sounds.
The boy swayed, nearly slipping off the rock he was sitting on. He hurriedly reached out to brace himself against the