Although its level had only risen by two, it had learned a full four moves this time, all physical attacks! Ice Fang, Thunder Fang, and Fire Fang, which ranked alongside Farmer's Three Punches! And Crunch, the upgraded version of Bite that it had struggled to learn before!
Although the first three did not deal particularly high damage, their damage was not what mattered. What mattered were the additional effects those three moves could inflict!
Freezing! Burns! Paralysis!
Those three negative status effects greatly increased the value of the moves!
Landing a bite in battle and then triggering one of those effects-the thought alone was satisfying!
As for Crunch, it was a Dark-type move with a whopping 80 base power that could also lower the opponent's Defense. It was another move that could serve as a primary attack!
The four new moves greatly boosted Steelix's strength, especially by addressing its current lack of coverage!
This had been a huge windfall!
Moreover, Steelix's ability to learn had clearly improved! It had managed to grasp so many moves at once!
That was the benefit of a secret treasure! It was also why secret treasures of every type were so rare and precious.
And above ordinary secret treasures, there were even divine treasures left behind by Legendary Pokémon!
Looking at the completely transformed Steelix before him, Yong was delighted by its growth. As for the mysterious, totem-like patterns on its body, sparkling and clear as diamonds, he did not know what they were. Still, the system notification had stated that Steelix had undergone a mutation and improved its potential, so surely they could not be harmful. For now, he could only leave them be.
"Steelix, how do you feel?"
"Roar!"
Narrowing its scarlet eyes, Steelix nodded happily, indicating that it felt great!
Relieved, Yong looked up at its enormous body and was about to recall it when a series of explosions and Pokémon roars suddenly rang out from the distant city!
"What's happening?"
He looked toward the distant commotion in surprise. Without time to say anything more, Yong recalled Steelix and ran outside.
At that moment, in the area around the Devon Corporation in Rustboro City, large numbers of Pokémon were attacking the city in a frenzy. Numerous Nidoking, Nidorino, Venomoth, Dustox, Butterfree, Ariados, and Ivysaur seemed to have fallen into some strange state, their eyes red as they lashed out at everyone indiscriminately!
A closer look revealed that almost all of them were Poison-type Pokémon, either pure or dual-type. In their frenzy, they ignored the calls of their Trainers beside them, heard none of their commands, and blindly attacked everything around them.
Poison Jab, Poison Sting, Hyper Beam, Stun Spore, Energy Ball! Razor Leaf!
All kinds of moves flew wildly, their different energies colliding. Explosions and startled cries shattered the city's peace!
The Officer Jennys, members of the police family and law enforcement officers of the Pokémon League, sent out their Growlithe to rescue civilians in danger. Meanwhile, the many Trainers who had rushed over after hearing the news released their own Pokémon and began trying to stop the rampaging Poison-type Pokémon.
But since they could not truly use lethal force against Pokémon that belonged to other Trainers, the reinforcements and Officer Jennys hesitated as they gave their commands. Unable to mount an effective defense for the moment, they could only retreat while fighting, trying to keep the damage to a minimum!
Under the protection of these Trainers, the civilians took shelter and evacuated, leaving the battlefield.
Yet as time passed, the destruction continued. The Trainers who had come to help finally lost patience and wanted to fight in earnest, only to be obstructed by the owners of these Poison-type Pokémon. The two sides argued endlessly, making the scene even more chaotic!
Just then, a Nosepass and a Mightyena suddenly appeared. Power Gem and Dark Pulse struck in successive sneak attacks against the Pokémon providing support, and casualties began to mount!
Atop a tall building, a mysterious figure wrapped in a robe watched the destruction below and burst into deranged laughter!
"Hahahahaha! That's it! Destroy everything! Let it all go to hell! The Pokémon League! The Elite Four!"
As he waved his sole remaining arm, another bottle of purple liquid evaporated into the air.
"Taste the power of my newly developed Rage Potion, the Poison-type Enchantress! Drake!"
"My results prove I'm right! Pokémon are nothing but tools for battle! Peaceful coexistence? Humans alone should rule everything!"
"Hahahahahahaha! Destroy it all!"
"That's...!"
Arriving at the scene, Yong looked up at the crazed, mysterious figure on the rooftop and felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
"So he's the source of this riot?"
These frenzied Pokémon were remarkably similar to the rampaging Bug-type Pokémon he had encountered before!
Yong felt certain there was a connection between the two!
Many of the Trainers had also noticed the man, but the rampaging Pokémon stood directly in their path, blocking the route to the tall building. With their opponents' attacks growing ever more frenzied, they could not break away either.
Although some Trainers cleverly sent out Flying-type Pokémon to try to break through from above, they were soon driven back by clouds of Stun Spore and Nosepass's Rock Slide, suffering injuries instead!
The battle grew even more desperate!
Yong also sent out Marshtomp and his newly evolved Steelix to join the battle, using Steelix's excellent immunity to poison to charge straight in!
"Steelix, Dragon Breath!"
"Marshtomp! Water Pulse!"
"Roar!"
"Marsh!"
Yong's arrival slowed the rampaging Pokémon's offensive slightly. The other Trainers gradually began to gain ground as well, unleashing all kinds of control and status moves!
"Charmander, Smokescreen!"
"Swellow! Hurricane!"
"Breloom! Mach Punch!"
"Kadabra! Confusion!"
"Golem! Earthquake... uh, never mind... use Rock Tomb!"
Under the surrounding Trainers' Are you working for the enemy? stares, that Trainer corrected the mistaken command in time to avoid harming innocent bystanders.
Just then, a dragon's roar rang out from the sky.
"So you've finally dared to show yourself, you rat?"
Accompanied by a resounding draconic cry, a huge, imposing Salamence flew swiftly toward them and stopped to hover in midair. On its back, Drake, Hoenn's Elite Four member known as the "Emperor," stood in his captain's uniform, staring at the mysterious figure atop the building.
"Hand over the Rage Potion, Leader of the Evil Moon Organization! Dr. Anmu!"
"Hahahahaha! Drake! You've finally come!"
Throwing off his robe, he revealed the figure of a middle-aged man. His graying hair was hopelessly disheveled, his cheeks pale. His bloodshot eyes, filled with madness and murderous intent, remained fixed on the man before him-the Dragon-type Elite Four member who had single-handedly destroyed his dreams and his organization!
"Drake! Do you see the true nature of those beasts below?"
Pointing at the rampaging Pokémon, Anmu sneered and spoke mockingly.
"They don't deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as humans. Just look at my results!"
He took out another bottle of Rage Potion and displayed it before everyone.
"Only I can do this! Give me resources and time, and I can control every Pokémon! Accomplish anything!"
In midair,
Drake looked with a hint of regret at the man who seemed to have gone mad. The Pokémon League researcher who had made his name so young had now walked down a dead-end path!
"You're destroying yourself! Anmu! Stop this!"