The Takan Clan, originating from ancient times, exuded a sense of mystery to Kalia. It reinforced her belief that people from the past must have been incredibly powerful; otherwise, without Poké Balls, capturing Pokémon would have been impossible.
Capturing Pokémon primarily required gaining their approval, but possessing equivalent strength was crucial. With modern humans' physical capabilities, without the protection of Pokémon, they likely wouldn't survive a single blow from wild Pokémon, let alone capture them.
The battle continued. Although William managed to damage one Avalugg's teeth, it was negligible given there were five Avaluggs, and even the ice-type Pokémon perched on their backs joined the fray.
Fortunately, the Forretress didn't withdraw due to Incineroar's entry into the fight; instead, they charged even more frenetically towards the remaining Avaluggs, unleashing Self-Destruct moves.
Their aggressive nature inadvertently made Incineroar's combat less challenging, as it now only had to face one Avalugg. Meanwhile, William swiftly retreated, evading the incoming attack from the ice-type Pokémon atop the Avaluggs, which sent a flurry of ice shards flying.
Despite William's formidable strength, as humans, they lacked the robust physical resilience of Pokémon. Being struck by these scattered ice shards was no laughing matter.
William swiftly evaded to the side, although their power was impressive for humans. With precise movements, their silver long swords deflected the incoming ice shards.
Clang! Cling! Clank!
The swings of their swords were neither too fast nor slow but accurately intercepted each ice shard, shattering them onto the ground.
William let out a relieved breath, their faces showing some ease. After all, these were just attacks from ice-type Pokémon, which they could handle with their martial skills.
"Wow, incredible." Kalia grew more impressed with the might of martial arts, witnessing humans directly challenging Pokémon. To achieve such prowess at a young age like William...
Just how powerful would the elders and ancestors of the Takan Clan be, especially the commander who served as the king's guard?
Boom!
Another Forretress unleashed its Self-Destruct move, unfortunately with limited effect, though it still caused some damage to nearby Avaluggs.
The Incineroar continued its relentless assault, with both paws ablaze, fiercely clashing against the Avalugg.
This Incineroar clearly had mastered martial arts techniques, using its tiger claws as weapons and effortlessly blocking several attacks from the Avalugg.
With the powerful strength of Incineroar combined with martial arts mastery, its combat capabilities undoubtedly increased significantly, akin to Sceptile's enhanced agility and fighting skills through combat training.
However, unlike combat training which focuses on evasion and physical conditioning, martial arts seem more adept at utilizing weapons for offense and defense.
Martial arts appear superior in this regard; William's ability to damage the Avalugg's teeth demonstrates it is primarily a lethal combat technique.
Observing the Fighting Type Gym Leader, who often spends time cultivating rather than battling, suggests that combat training mainly emphasizes physical fitness, with combat being secondary.
As time passed, William remained cautious, seizing opportunities to disrupt the Avalugg while refining their swordsmanship simultaneously.
Meanwhile, Incineroar grew increasingly courageous during the battle. Although individual attacks seemed inconsequential against the Avalugg, their cumulative effect proved overwhelming due to sheer frequency.
After reaching its endurance limit, the first Avalugg collapsed, overwhelmed by Incineroar's relentless attacks.
With one less Avalugg, the situation became significantly easier. The Forretresses initially outnumbered the Avaluggs, and despite many sacrificing themselves through Self-Destruct, there were still plenty remaining.
Having numerical superiority and with Incineroar having defeated an Avalugg, the tide had clearly turned in their favor. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, defeating these Avaluggs was just a matter of time.
However, as fate would have it, an unexpected event occurred.
Perhaps due to the commotion they caused, more Pokemon were drawn to the area. It seemed clear that Avalugges weren't limited to this number; otherwise, they couldn't have drastically altered the Northern Forest's ecosystem. The approaching creatures were likely additional Avalugges, potentially in significant numbers.
Thud! Thud!
A deep rumbling echoed, causing the ground to tremble slightly, and the surrounding temperature appeared to drop even further.
"Things don't look good," Kalia murmured, anticipating a fierce battle ahead. She knew William's Pokemon alone couldn't handle these Avalugges, which is why the League assigned two mid-level trainers for this mission.
The League must have had prior knowledge and understanding before assigning this task, as mid-level trainers represent valuable resources; they wouldn't send them to their deaths recklessly.
William also heard the commotion but remained composed. Avaluggs, known for their slow speed, might sound close based on the noise, but it would still take some time for them to arrive.
Boom!
Another Avalugg fell defeated by Incineroar, just as more attracted Pokemon came into view.
As expected, they were indeed Avaluggs.
Slowly advancing, each Avalugg carried multiple smaller ice-type Pokemon resembling baby versions atop their backs.
At a quick glance, there appeared to be at least seven or eight Avaluggs, though these likely weren't all of them. No one knew exactly how many Avaluggs had landed from the ocean along the northern coast.
However, with Forretress joining forces alongside Kalia and William, collectively facing eleven to twelve Avaluggs seemed manageable. Their advantage lay in having numerous Fire-type Pokémon, particularly Kalia's, which excelled in Fire-type Special moves.
With Charizard and Ninetales working together, eliminating these Pokémon should not be an issue.
"Shit!" Lian's eyes widened suddenly. Being taller, he had a broader view and spotted something behind the Avaluggs...a much larger version of an Avalugg.
This particular Avalugg was significantly bigger than the average ones, at least twice their size. However, due to its slower speed compared to regular Avaluggs, it lagged far behind, making it invisible to Kalia and others.
"Charizard, let's go!" Kalia commanded, releasing Ninetales and Sceptile as they prepared for a major battle.
As the Avaluggs approached, William also unleashed their remaining three Pokémon:
Talonflame, Machamp, and Scyther.
Most noticeable among them was Machamp wielding a metal sword, indicating that William likely imparted martial arts skills to this Pokémon.
Machamp, being humanoid with immense strength, would become incredibly formidable if proficient in martial arts sword techniques.
Of course, some moves would be restricted, presenting both advantages and disadvantages.
"This..."
Kalia joined the battlefield as the Avaluggs approached, revealing the colossal size of their leader.
Both Kalia and William were stunned. Although Pokemon sizes can vary individually within the Pokemon world, there are still limitations. However, this particular Avalugg had completely shattered those boundaries.