As Lian noticed the Flying-type Pokémon gradually converging around him, he let out a sigh of relief. Thankfully, Trainers from the Sebas region were assisting him; otherwise, facing a Dark Guild executive alone would have been overwhelming. With his current abilities, he couldn't defy such odds.
Despite the help from other Trainers' Pokémon, Lian remained vigilant. As an executive of the Dark Guild, this opponent's strength was undoubtedly formidable, making it impossible for them to hold a lower rank.
Additionally, after pausing his battle with Joel's Pokémon earlier, Lian had not fully recovered from his injuries. Even taking a few more hits could potentially render him incapacitated.
Lian swiftly flew backward, trying to create distance between himself and the pursuer. However, the Dark Guild executive's Pokémon were incredibly fast and quickly caught up.
The Flying-type Pokémon rallied in front of Lian, blocking the path of the Dark Guild executive.
"Get out of my way!" Pes roared, launching a direct attack. Despite riding on Staraptor, it didn't hinder his ability to command other Flying-type Pokémon, as even Staraptor could utilize ranged moves.
The aerial battle intensified rapidly. Although Sebas's Trainers had mostly weaker Flying-type Pokémon compared to the Dark Guild executives, their numerical advantage allowed them to barely hold off the onslaught.
Seeing the Dark Guild members temporarily restrained, Lian breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at the ground-level combat. Many defenders were struggling, but overall, it would still take some time for the Dark Guild's Pokémon to breach the defenses.
This delay presented Lian with an opportunity; he needed to swiftly unleash Fire Blasts during this window to eliminate as many Dark Guild Pokémon as possible. The more he could defeat, the less pressure would be on Sebas's Trainers, making it harder for the enemy to stall until Elite Four Taro arrived, ensuring victory.
"Return Ninetales! Everyone, if your Pokémon know Sunny Day, use it now!" Kalia shouted from behind. She understood that under Sunny Day conditions, Charizard's Fire-type moves would reach maximum potency. Earlier, the Fire Blast only affected a portion of the Pokémon, leaving many still capable of fighting.
Despite the risk of causing fatalities, facing the Dark Guild left no room for hesitation; eliminating as many opponents as possible was paramount.
At this moment, most Trainers were furious, their faces filled with anger towards the Dark Guild, longing to exact retribution.
Kalia's suggestion resonated with everyone, but not all Pokémon knew Sunny Day, and some who did were already engaged in battles, unable to disengage.
With Sceptile's assistance, Kalia managed to retreat her Ninetales just in time, despite its injuries. Although limited, it could still cast Sunny Day. The effect area was small, but covering the sky above Charizard was sufficient.
Under Sunny Day, the power of Fire-type moves would not diminish due to areas outside its coverage; as long as Sunny Day was active overhead, it maintained effectiveness.
"Charizard!" Kalia looked up at Charizard and called out, clearly instructing him to position himself above Ninetales, ensuring they remained within the Sunny Day's influence.
Understanding Kalia's intent, Lian adjusted his position. Since they were airborne anyway, his Fire Blasts would accurately hit ground-based Pokémon regardless of minor shifts.
Simultaneously, Ninetales on the ground unleashed Sunny Day. Although other Pokemon also attempted Sunny Day, their effects were minimal as it cannot be stacked or amplified; the intensity of sunlight has its limits.
The exception would be the ancient Pokemon Groudon, specifically after undergoing primal reversion and obtaining the Desolate Land Ability. Its intense sunlight can evaporate seas, providing an extraordinary boost to Fire-type moves, far surpassing regular Sunny Day's impact.
Such power is unmatched, making Groudon's appearance in any city potentially catastrophic, leading to countless casualties.
"Shouldn't we really help them?" Observing the Sebas region Trainers struggling to counterattack, some Ellie region Trainers voiced their concerns.
Not everyone remained indifferent, but due to the majority's stance, they hesitated to go against the collective opinion. People often conform; even if they have their own thoughts, feeling pressured by the group, they find it difficult to deviate from the norm.
Sometimes, actions may not be inherently right, but when enough people engage in them, regardless of correctness, they become accepted as such.
With Sunny Day activated, Lian's fire energy replenished, and the Dark Guild executives' Pokemon were now engaged by Trainers' Pokemon. Lian glanced at the ground, then extended his tail once more, aiming its flame towards the area densely populated with Dark Guild Pokemon.
The battle hall wasn't particularly large, making it nearly impossible for the numerous Dark Guild Pokemon to avoid clustering together.
"Worthless fools!" Seeing Charizard preparing another move, Kentra erupted in curses, genuinely enraged. If Charizard unleashed Fire Blast again, countless more Pokemon would be incapacitated. Not only would they fail to secure the Z-Rings, but precious time would also be wasted.
Once Taro returns, it would be catastrophic; he was incredibly powerful, even among the top ranks of Elite Four members. Encountering him meant they wouldn't stand a chance, let alone have an opportunity to escape.
Kentra never anticipated needing to intervene personally. Although he had preemptively recalled his Pokemon from the dreamland, it was merely as a precaution, intending to leisurely oversee his subordinates' operations.
"You're not standing idly anymore! All of you, attack immediately. Forget about the Pokemon, just seize the Z-Rings!" Kentra turned to the executive members beside him, urging them into action. He no longer cared about anything else; their priority was to capture the Z-Rings first.
Their plan was to flee before Taro returned. Kentra doubted these Trainers could withstand their assault without Pokemon protection. Humans were incredibly fragile against Pokemon, akin to paper; as long as they got close enough, capturing Z-Rings would be relatively easy.
However, the crucial element was obtaining the Z-crystals from the Pokemon themselves. Possessing only a Z-Ring without the corresponding crystal would render it useless. Therefore, they needed to devise strategies for acquiring both the Z-Rings and the Z-crystals from the Pokemon.
In summary, once the Trainers were dealt with, subduing their Pokemon wouldn't be challenging - strike at the leader first.
By the time Kentra gave his command, it was too late to stop Lian. As soon as the Dark Guild members began their move, Lian unleashed another Fire Blast.
With his superior Control Rating, managing such a large number of diverse Pokemon proved overwhelming for the Dark Guild members. They struggled even to locate their own Pokemon amidst the chaos, as most Dark Guild Pokemon shared similar species.
The majority consisted of Dark- and Poison-type Pokemon like Golbat, Arbok, and Mightyena. These types were generally unpopular among trainers due to widespread disdain towards Dark- and Poison-type Pokemon by conventional Trainers.
Due to the difficulty of controlling Poison-type energy effectively, these Pokémon often posed significant risks to others. Numerous incidents have been reported where Trainers unintentionally poisoned themselves while training their Poison-type Pokémon.
As a result, only individuals operating in secrecy tended to cultivate Poison-type and Dark-type Pokémon. Although Pokémon can exhibit both good and evil traits, their inherent attributes make them more prone towards malevolence rather than benevolence.
Boom! Boom!
Under Lian's precise control, twin Fire Blasts shaped like giant 'X's descended towards the ground. This time, unlike before, they were amplified by Sunny Day, making their power exponentially greater compared to earlier attacks.
With two deafening explosions, a terrifying wave of heat swept across the battlefield, engulfing everything in its path. However, even more formidable was the explosive energy generated by the Fire Blasts, detonating directly amidst the crowd of Pokémon.
A substantial number of Pokémon lost their lives instantly due to these devastating Fire Blasts, but Lian felt no remorse. These Pokémon belonged to the Dark Guild, and even if they hadn't perished here, they would continue committing acts of evil alongside their trainers elsewhere.
Given this situation, Lian held no sympathy for these Pokemon; it was solely due to the Dark Guild's existence. If one day he could eliminate the Dark Guild, everything might return to normal.
The fearsome energy explosion wiped out a significant number of Dark Guild Pokemon. Compared to earlier attacks, these Fire Blasts were immensely powerful, affecting almost all the remaining Dark Guild Pokemon.
Even some Pokemon from the Sebas region got caught in the blast, but fortunately, their distance was sufficient enough to avoid any life-threatening harm.
With this sudden reduction in pressure, the Sebas region's Pokemon faced considerably less threat. Nearly half of the Dark Guild's forces were eliminated, and considering the previous losses, there were now fewer than a hundred Dark Guild Pokemon left. Given the proficiency of the Sebas Trainers' Pokemon, dealing with less than a hundred opponents became relatively easy.
"Fantastic! Thanks to Charizard!" Despite feeling the intense heat wave, the trainers' faces lit up with joy, as they knew the crisis had been significantly mitigated. Without the overwhelming numbers of Dark Guild Pokemon, the remaining force posed little concern.
Now, it was not the Sebas trainers who needed to worry, but rather the members of the Dark Guild. As long as Sebas maintained stability, once Taro returned, the situation would be under control.
"Darn it, that Charizard!" Kentra's face turned pale with frustration. His plan had been flawless, but now, due to the Charizard, it was falling apart.
Kentra descended into madness; he must secure the Z-Ring at any cost, or this entire operation would be futile. Moreover, seeing their weakening position, the Ellie region might intervene directly.
Initially, the Ellie region held back due to the overwhelming number of Dark Guild members and their Pokemon, fearing potential harm to themselves. However, once the Dark Guild displayed signs of vulnerability, regardless of their indifference, they could no longer afford to sit idly by without taking action against them.
In desperation, Kentra prepared to make his move, mounting a Flying-type Pokémon and heading straight for the Trainers at the rear, intent on seizing the Z-Ring.
Although the threat from numerous Pokemon had diminished, the presence of the Dark Guild executives and guild master remained a significant challenge. The Ellie region trainers continued to observe passively, frustrating the Sebas region Trainers who gradually lost hope in receiving their assistance.
Since they wouldn't assist, at least not causing further disruption would suffice. The Sebas Trainers were determined to overcome this crisis on their own, but the crucial priority was ensuring the Z-Rings weren't stolen; losing them would be catastrophic.
Without the Z-Rings, it was uncertain when or if the Ellie region would provide more to the Sebas region, leaving them at the mercy of Ellie's discretion.
Without the Z-Rings, the Sebas region would remain inferior to the Ellie region, especially after this incident—a situation too unbearable and absolutely unacceptable.
"Defend with all your might! Just hold out until Elite Four Taro returns!" shouted one Trainer, signaling that everyone must now go all-in. Facing the incoming Dark Guild executives, some Trainers recalled their Pokémon, realizing they needed every advantage to withstand the onslaught, as battling these powerful creatures alone was futile.
After executing his move, Lian observed the Dark Guild's actions, aware that the danger had yet to subside. However, they had initiated counterattacks, albeit enduring the side effects due to Sunny Day's continuous effect.
He felt extremely uncomfortable, having already endured damage from a Z-Move earlier. If Lian hadn't specifically increased his Stamina base stat significantly, he likely would have succumbed much sooner.
Meanwhile, Taro, engaged against Regirock near Lake of Rage, also received news of the situation.
Despite Regirock's formidable strength, Taro managed to suppress it by deploying all-out attacks from his Pokémon. Initially, he intended this encounter as training for his team.
Fighting such a Legendary Pokémon was rare, and since Regirock's power wasn't insurmountable, it presented an ideal opportunity for his Pokémon to hone their combat skills.
However, upon receiving word that the Dark Guild had attacked the battle hall, targeting Trainers in the Sebas region while those from the Ellie region stood idly by, Taro's mood shifted drastically.
The message originated from individuals in the Sebas region; many had managed to escape, as even the Dark Guild couldn't contain everyone effectively.
"Ellie region, is this your stance? Well done!" Taro expressed his fury, turning coldly towards the high-level trainers from the Ellie region who were present with him.
The high-level trainers felt awkward but unsurprised; most Trainers from the Ellie region acted similarly due to prevailing regional attitudes, not easily changed.
"The priority now is to return and provide assistance!" one of the senior trainers spoke up. As for Regirock, they had no choice but to temporarily ignore it. Compared to dealing with a Legendary Pokemon, the ongoing battle required immediate attention.
"Regirock, I'm not in the mood to continue this fight. Let's end it swiftly," Taro declared, instructing all his Pokémon to unleash their full power.
From the start, it was an unfair battle, with Regirock enduring valiantly against overwhelming odds. Taro lost interest in prolonging the game any further.
Quickly, Taro's five Pokémon charged forward. Being the Dragon-type Elite Four, naturally, all five of his Pokémon were Dragon-types. Apart from Dragonite, his signature Pokémon, the remaining four Dragon-types were equally formidable.
He only had five Dragon-type Pokémon because Taro hoped that his final addition would be a Legendary Pokémon. However, Legendaries among Dragon-types are rare, often incredibly powerful, making them exceedingly difficult to capture.