Pokémon: Armaldo (Light Blue)
Gender: Male
Level: 54
Type: Rock + Bug
Ability: Battle Armor
Held Item: None
Egg Moves: Knock Off, Screech, Cross Poison, Aqua Jet
Basic Moves: Scratch, Harden, Mud Sport, Water Gun, Fury Cutter, Smack Down, Metal Claw, Ancient Power, Slash, Brine, Crush Claw, X-Scissor, Protect
Learned Moves: Water Pulse, Bug Bite
TM Moves: Earthquake, Rock Polish, Stone Edge
This was the Pokémon she truly relied on.
Cain, reviewing Armaldo's data, reflected silently. This Armaldo not only had great potential but also a respectable level of power. For a trainer who had started from scratch, obtaining the TMs for moves like Earthquake and Stone Edge wasn't an easy feat.
He also received data on her other two Pokémon: a Level 50 Beedrill with dark green quality and a Level 48 Heracross with light blue quality. Both were quite strong.
In total, she had two quasi-elite-level Pokémon and three advanced-level ones. With a team like this, she already had one foot in the quasi-elite level.
She only needed a bit more training, raising Shedinja and Ninjask to Level 50, and then she would be a genuine quasi-elite-level trainer.
The difference between advanced-level and quasi-elite-level trainers is vast, and the Pokémon League greatly values the latter, as they are the true backbone of their strength.
"It was a shame she didn't manage to hold out until the end," Cain thought with slight sadness.
However, the battle had already begun.
With Honchkrow and Weavile, who used to control the team's speed, absent, Cain now relied on Aggron, a formidable defender on the front line, supported by Steven's Shiny Metagross, which was at the quasi-elite level.
With proper coordination, their power was significantly enhanced.
Aggron was the first to act, boldly advancing to the front. The opponents were all Bug-type Pokémon, and the only real threat to him was Heracross with its Fighting-type moves.
The other moves didn't concern him at all. So, he positioned himself as the primary barrier.
At the same time, Drapion also advanced, standing beside Aggron. The two Pokémon briefly exchanged glances and greeted each other, having fought together for a long time and still maintaining strong synchronization despite their recent evolutions.
Under Cain's command, Gengar slowly faded into the shadows. With the torchlights casting shadows across the ruins, his field of action was wide.
Ninjask and Beedrill quickly flew, taking advantageous positions in the air and ready to attack at any moment.
Armaldo, on the other hand, trudged heavily toward Aggron and Drapion. As one of Kaya's strongest Pokémon, she trusted Armaldo to face and defeat those two powerful opponents.
Despite Armaldo's strength, he underestimated Drapion's power. Drapion prided itself on its strength, and in terms of physical power, no other Pokémon could match it.
Armaldo charged with all his might, but Drapion stopped him dead in his tracks. The surprise in Armaldo's eyes revealed his astonishment at Drapion's power.
"What overwhelming strength!" Armaldo thought.
However, Drapion wasn't as calm as he seemed. While he maintained the upper hand in strength, Armaldo's overall power level was much higher, and Drapion could barely hold on.
But Drapion wasn't alone. Following Steven's orders, Aggron lunged at Armaldo, his metallic horns gleaming like two giant scythes. Lowering his head, Aggron executed his special move: Head Smash.
This Rock-type move was highly effective against Armaldo, who had a double weakness to Rock-type moves.
Just before impact, a green shield appeared around Armaldo as he used the move Protect to block Aggron's attack.
In response, Armaldo used Earthquake. Though the ruins' floor was incredibly solid, a strong tremor was felt, and dust accumulated over the years began falling from above. Drapion and Aggron, being closest, took the most damage.
Meanwhile, Beedrill flew directly toward Slowking. Although Beedrill was vulnerable to Psychic-type moves, its Bug-type moves were also highly effective against Psychic-type Pokémon.
Slowking and Metagross floated together in the air. As the strongest Pokémon of Cain and Steven, their psychic powers intertwined, creating a dense energy field around them.
The combined move from Metagross and Slowking struck Beedrill before it could get close, knocking it out almost immediately.
Despite Beedrill's fall, Kaya wasn't worried. Right behind Beedrill, Ninjask was stealthily approaching. Despite the intense psychic energy surrounding the area, Ninjask managed to evade it and dangerously close in on its opponents.
At that moment, just as Ninjask was about to attack, Slowking and Metagross, under Cain and Steven's orders, focused their psychic power into an invisible blade and launched it at Ninjask.
However, before it could hit, Shedinja suddenly appeared, having been hiding behind Ninjask the entire time. Thanks to its special ability and unique nature, Shedinja completely ignored Psychic-type moves.
Both Pokémon charged directly at Slowking, who, being a Water and Psychic type, was easier to defeat than the sturdy Metagross.
Steven's expression changed upon realizing the danger, and he quickly ordered Metagross to attack Shedinja.
Kaya, seeing the concern on Steven's face, smiled. She loved seeing that expression on her opponents. Without knowing Shedinja's ability, many moves were rendered useless.
These three Pokémon, along with Armaldo, were her true secret weapons.
But what Kaya didn't notice was Cain's smile.
"I've been waiting for you," Cain thought.
The Gengar Cain had ordered to hide didn't target Kaya, assuming one of her Pokémon would be guarding her. Instead, Gengar unleashed two massive dark balls, which he had been charging all this time, directly at Shedinja.
Kaya, seeing what was happening, shouted in surprise: "How is this possible?!"
(End of Chapter)