Had the Dark-type Mightyena really been restrained by some kind of Psychic-type move?
A miracle?
No.
Baimu understood that Chansey had at least not reached the level of violating the laws of nature. That was the miraculous power of a Legendary Pokémon.
What it had used was either Disable—the petrifying move Misty's Psyduck from the anime loved to use—or some kind of Psychic-type Status Move that could ignore type matchups.
[Telekinesis]!
That had to be it.
Clutching his wounded arm, he quickly crawled out from beneath Mightyena and got to his feet, then checked on Chansey.
The other Pokémon's eyes were covered by a blue glow. Its adorable little face showed a mixture of pain and Fortitude, as though its Inner Focus had reached its limit but it was still holding on.
Although it had not inflicted any damage on Mightyena, holding it in place was enough.
"Thank goodness..."
Baimu let out a breath of foul air, turned toward Jian, who was likewise standing there in a daze, and sprinted over without caring that blood was gushing from his arm.
Unfortunately, because he was too far away, Jian had not been caught by Chansey's move.
I should stab him once.
"You! Don't come over here!"
When Jian noticed Baimu approaching, he screamed and turned to run, his voice becoming horribly distorted.
Although the two of them were not that different in size, and Baimu had one injured arm, merely seeing him charge over inevitably filled Jian with fear and unease, as if a vicious beast were eyeing his head.
After all, even now, he still could not understand why Baimu was so difficult to deal with.
Baimu had only started training Pokémon a week ago. His Pokémon were far lower-level than Jian's, and he had even fed Mightyena and the others his emergency medicine, yet he still could not win.
"Stop right there!"
At that thought, a trace of viciousness surfaced on Jian's face. He roared and pulled a small knife from his pocket, though his expression was full of bluster masking his fear.
Suddenly,
he shouted excitedly, "Bewear! Take out that Chansey for me!"
Baimu turned his head slightly and was astonished to see Bewear, which should have still been asleep, magically rise again like someone doing a sit-up. It had clearly broken free of its Sleep status.
At the same time,
the Aron in front of it also awoke from its drowsiness.
At first glance, it seemed as though the situation was about to turn around again. But Jian's momentary excitement caused him to slow down, and the distance between the two sides rapidly closed once more.
By the time he realized that they had already run quite far away, even if Bewear defeated Aron and Chansey, it would not be able to come take care of him right away.
Baimu had already reached him.
"Disarm!"
He abruptly hurled the dagger in his hand. Driven by his powerful force, it became a streak of cold light and plunged straight into Jian's wrist.
"Ah!"
He let out a scream, and the knife in his hand immediately fell to the ground.
In his panic, Jian clutched his bleeding wrist and tried to pull out the knife. But that motion directly allowed Baimu to reach him. Baimu launched a flying kick and sent him sprawling!
"Urgh!"
Jian grunted as he was slammed heavily onto the ground, then began screaming miserably.
Baimu had landed directly on his back. Without the slightest hesitation, he forcefully bent both of Jian's arms, as if dismantling a robot figurine. Only after two crisp cracks rang out and Jian's shoulders shattered did he stop.
But that was not the end.
Baimu pulled the knife from Jian's wrist and stabbed each of the hollows behind his knees. Dark red blood quickly soaked through his gray uniform.
"AAAAAAAAAAH—"
Jian let out a heaven-shaking howl. Tears and snot quickly smeared across the face that had previously been full of arrogance.
"Shut up!"
Baimu slapped him across the face, swelling his cheek. "You're wailing like a stuck pig over a little injury. What a waste of your size!"
By rights, with Jian's build, the two of them should have been able to trade several blows.
Who could have known that this guy would be worse than a pig waiting to be slaughtered? Even the pig's struggles could give someone a headache, while this guy's resistance was pitifully weak.
After becoming a Trainer and throwing his weight around, did he even forget how to fight?
Baimu grabbed him by the hair and forced him to look toward where Bewear was. He said coldly, "Since you're so eager for a Pokémon to come save you, I'll grant your wish. Open your eyes and watch closely!"
In the distance,
Bewear shook its head after waking up, struggling to clear it a little before pouncing toward Chansey, which was restraining Mightyena with blue light.
"Bewear!"
Yet just as it leaped up, a silver light suddenly appeared and struck it like a heavy hammer. It was sent flying, rolled across the ground several times, and only managed to stagger back to its feet.
"Ugh..."
It raised its head and looked at the Aron that had ambushed it nearby.
The other Pokémon's face, like its own, was filled with signs that its stamina had reached its limit and could run dry at any moment.
But—
why were that Pokémon's eyes still so bright?
Bewear's mind was muddled after the medicine wore off, and it could not understand. After such a fierce battle, pain and exhaustion entangled both their bodies, and at that very moment, when it wished it could fall asleep on the spot,
why did Aron's eyes remain so radiant, as though none of this had ever happened?
As if all the pain and exhaustion had become insignificant for some reason. As if final victory was certain. As if an incomparably beautiful tomorrow awaited it.
Bewear inexplicably hated that look.
"Bewear!"
It roared hysterically and poured all its strength into the attack, pressing Aron down like a black wall. It then tried to lift the other Pokémon and slam it hard onto the ground.
But it failed.
Because when Bewear did so, an azure glow from the Miracle of Life lit up beneath it.
Countless fireflies circled around Aron. Its puppy-like body rapidly grew larger, its rounded head taking on the shape of a ridgeline. More spines emerged along its back, joining with fragmented Steel armor.
In an instant,
a fierce creature resembling an ankylosaur appeared beneath Bewear. Its pale-blue eyes were filled with joy and confidence!
"Bewear!?"
Bewear was stunned. Just as it prepared to do something, a tremendous force thrust it into the air!
When it landed, Lairon slammed both claws into the ground, causing the sand beneath Bewear to collapse into a depression like an underground pit. A violently spinning vortex of quicksand formed within it!
"Bewear!"
Bewear inevitably slid inside. The more it struggled, the deeper it sank, and soon half its body was buried in the sand.
It wanted to counterattack Lairon with Ice Beam, but the energy in its body had long since been exhausted. It could not even use half a move.
Thus, it could only watch helplessly as the sand and gravel gradually swallowed it.
Soon, Lairon dragged Mightyena into the terrifying Sand Tomb as well, bringing it along to keep Bewear company.
The two Pokémon looked at each other. In the blink of an eye, they lost consciousness and fell completely unconscious.
In the distance,
Jian watched this scene in despair. Only unconscious howls and moans caused by the pain escaped his mouth.
"Thank you. My Aron found its chance to evolve."
Although Baimu spoke words of thanks, his expression was cold as ice. Dragging Jian by the hair and ignoring his ceaseless screams, he walked back toward Chansey, Lairon, and the others.
Seeing this, the latter two hurried over as well.
"Lucky..."
"Aron!"
Chansey looked utterly flustered at Baimu's blood-covered arm, while Lairon also wore a worried expression.
"I'm fine. It's only a superficial wound."
Baimu smiled at them. He tore open his sleeve with his teeth and showed them the bracer beneath, which had several holes bitten into it. "I prepared in advance."
Although quite a lot of blood had flowed, no muscles or bones had actually been damaged.
Only then did Chansey and Lairon relax.
There was still the afternoon.