The moment Dragonite's Protect expanded over them, Silas finally allowed himself a breath ,Not a relief But stability.
Their combat suits did have emergency shielding, yes… but no one truly trusted how long that would last under concentrated fire.
Dragonite, however Was different.A pseudo-legendary at the peak of Elite-tier strength.
That was real protection.
Silas stepped forward without hesitation.His hand moved toward the pool of golden blood. The moment his fingertips got close
Crackle!!
A sharp arc of electricity burst outward, snapping through the air like a warning.
Everyone flinched instinctively.
"…Even the blood is dangerous?" one of the twins muttered earlier,those words now rang painfully true in Silas' mind But hesitation lasted less than a second.
"Collect it. Now."
All four of them activated their combat suits simultaneously. A dark aperture opened in each of their palms,compact absorption units designed specifically for missions like this.
Slowly ,Carefully They began drawing in the golden blood.Even as they did ,The pressure around them exploded.
"Don't let them take Raikou's blood!"
"Attack together! Break the shield!"
"Flamethrower! Hydro Pump! Ice Beam! Flash Cannon!"
Dozens No, hundreds Of commands rang out at once. The sky darkened again under the sheer density of incoming attacks. Fire scorched the air ,Water surged,Ice formed mid-flight and Energy beams screamed toward a single point.
Dragonite.
Inside the barrier, even Silas felt his spine go cold. This wasn't fear from weakness ,This was simply an instinct,The kind that screamed: If that shield breaks, you die.
Even so He quietly activated the backup defense system in his suit.Not because he doubted Dragonite. But because only a fool relied on a single layer of survival.
Outside The storm of attacks crashed into the green barrier ,It held But barely. The ground beneath them was already drained. The golden blood was gone.Only scorched earth remained Blackened grass, cracked soil, and faint residual sparks proving that something divine had once been here.
"Move!"
No further orders were needed.The four of them split instantly. Four directions. Four different escape paths.
Silas didn't hesitate ,He released Honchkrow.
The moment Honchkrow appeared he moved. His wings cut through the air with a sharp whoosh, Tailwind activating almost instinctively. The airflow twisted behind him, boosting his already enhanced speed.
Elite-level. Freshly broken through And now Exploding forward. In just a few breaths Silas was gone from the battlefield. Behind them Chaos continued.
Lucian stepped forward, gaze cold.
"You want to chase them?"
A faint smirk touched his lips.
"Did you even ask me first?"
Two more Poké Balls flew. Six Pokémon now stood beside him.
All Elite-tier.
All Battle-ready.
The sky began to clear ,The thunderstorm weakened. Sunlight slowly broke through the clouds, casting an almost peaceful glow over the devastated battlefield. As if nothing had happened But that illusion didn't last.
Because far away A streak of black moved through the forest.
Silas.
His breathing was steady, controlled ,Feet light and Every step calculated.
"The rendezvous point is close…"
He muttered under his breath, eyes scanning constantly ,No carelessness.Not now Then He heard it.
Battle sounds Not far ahead.Silas' expression hardened instantly. He raised a hand slightly. Honchkrow disappeared into the shadows above, its presence vanishing into the canopy. Silas moved forward alone.
Silent,Careful. Through the trees He saw them, the Two familiar figures.
The twins And their targets Nidoking and Nidoqueen surged forward, their combined Earth Power shaking the ground.
Their opponent Venusaur And above Pidgeot struggled to maintain control of the airspace.
"Venusaur, Razor Leaf! Pidgeot, Hurricane!"
Rose's voice rang out, sharp but strained. She was on a losing ground.
"Still talking about missions?" one of the twins sneered.
"Handle your own survival first."
Their attacks intensified.
"Gyarados,Ice Fang!"
"Golduck, Psybeam!"
Gyarados tore through the forest like a living disaster, snapping trees as it lunged forward, jaws coated in freezing energy. Golduck's psychic beam pierced through the disrupted winds Pidgeot faltered and Venusaur staggered under pressure.
The battle Was one-sided.
"…So that's their plan."
Silas narrowed his eyes.
They weren't just fighting. They were eliminating competition.Then The younger twin laughed.
"Heh… we thought Silas would show up first. Didn't expect you to walk into your own grave instead."
Silas' gaze turned colder.
Rose froze for a split second.
"…What do you mean by that?"
No answer. Only laughter.
"We'll report you died during the mission."
"All the credit comes to us."
Greed Simple,Ugly and Predictable And then It happened. A faint scent drifted through the air.
Sweet, Subtle, Deadly.
Silas' eyes sharpened instantly.
Poison.
The elder twin reacted fast holding his breath but Too late. Both of them swayed.
"…Sleeping agent?!"
Thud.
Thud.
They collapsed and Rose exhaled slowly A cold smile formed on her face.
"Talking so much in the middle of a fight… amateurs."
Without commands Their Pokémon quickly lost coordination Even then It wasn't easy.
Gyarados escaped ,The rest Took time. Finally Silence returned. Rose wiped sweat from her forehead, breathing heavily.
"Good work, Pidgeot… perfect wind control."
She had mixed toxins into the airflow. Invisible and Undetectable. Delivered directly through breathing.
A battlefield reversal. Clean ,Efficient and Deadly. She turned Looking down at the unconscious twins And in that exact moment A shadow moved Fast Silent.
"Who?!"
A gust of wind sliced through the air toward her head But "WHOOSH!" Pidgeot reacted instantly. Its wings slammed forward Shattering the incoming attack mid-air. The forest stilled And from the shadows Something else began to move.
Silas didn't step out yet But his eyes Were already locked onto the battlefield. Because now This wasn't just cleanup anymore.
This Was opportunity.
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(End of chapter)