c136: Earthquake
"Why did the signal suddenly vanish?"
Nearby residents were puzzled as their Pokédexes lost all network reception. The normally steady PokéNav Plus connection, used widely throughout Hoenn and its adjacent provinces, had gone completely dark.
Some rushed to their home wired landlines, hoping to contact the regional League office or emergency services but to their surprise, even the old analog lines were cut off.
"What's going on?"
Confusion spread rapidly among the residents.
Then
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!
A series of thunderous explosions rumbled in the distance. Simultaneously, ceramic teacups on kitchen tables rattled against their saucers.
"What was that noise?"
"Is someone battling near here?!"
"It's way too loud for a regular sparring match!"
Curious and concerned, residents stepped out onto their balconies and rooftops.
"There is a battle going on!"
"Wait, isn't that Lin Yi, the Guancheng Gym Leader? And beside him… is that Chen Xiaoxiao?!"
Many began to whisper in shock. Some even raised their PokéNavi cameras instinctively to record, but realized the signal block meant nothing could be uploaded or transmitted. Someone had intentionally jammed the network—likely to contain sensitive battle footage and protect operational security.
On the battlefield
"Damn it! They're too strong! We can't win! RUN!"
One of the poaching gang members screamed in desperation. His voice cracked as he hurled a Poké Ball into the air.
"Fearow, GO!"
The large beaked bird screeched and swooped down. The trainer leaped onto its back and took off.
His panic created a domino effect the rest of the poaching gang followed suit. Poké Balls flew into the air as they desperately summoned their Flying-types Fearow, Swellow, Noctowl, and Golbat and scrambled onto their backs to escape.
"You cowards! Betrayers never meet a good end!"
Brother Dong, locked in combat with Lin Yi, roared furiously as he watched his teammates flee in all directions.
But his threats were meaningless now. The only thing the remaining poachers wanted was escape.
"You should worry about yourself first!" Lin Yi sneered from atop his Aerodactyl. "Kartana, Sacred Sword! Venusaur, Sceptile, Lilligant, Leaf Blade, full spread!"
The razor-edged Ultra Beast Kartana sliced through the air with its glowing Sacred Sword, while the other Grass-types unleashed a coordinated wave of leaf-based attacks, striking several fleeing targets from the side.
Meanwhile
"Latias, Togekiss intercept all airborne targets!"
Chen Xiaoxiao had already spotted the mass escape attempt and responded immediately.
Obeying her command, Latias and Togekiss shot upward, trailing behind the retreating poachers.
"Gardevoir, Sunflora, Metagross use Psychic on every grounded target!"
The remaining Pokémon surged with glowing psychic energy, forming three powerful telekinetic blasts. Each wave slammed into Pokémon that had yet to be returned to their Poké Balls.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Within moments, over ten poachers' Pokémon had collapsed, defeated before their trainers could react.
Elsewhere
"Fearow, use Pluck!"
One of the fleeing poachers tried to defend himself as Togekiss closed in.
But Togekiss remained calm. Its wings shimmered with air currents, forming a sharp Air Slash that tore through the sky.
BOOM!
Before Fearow could react, it was struck directly by the Air Slash and spiraled out of control, slamming into the ground. Its trainer screamed as they plummeted alongside it.
"GYAHHH!"
From the perimeter, Xiaotian, acting Gym Leader and head of the containment team, swiftly signaled to a nearby Gym staffer on a Noivern.
"Catch that one! He's coming down fast!"
The Gym staffer swooped in and intercepted the tumbling poacher just in time. Before the poacher could recover, the officer slapped League-standard magnetic cuffs onto his wrists.
The poacher went limp. The reality had sunk in, it was over.
Elsewhere, Latias gathered energy in her mouth a glowing orb of Dragon Pulse that built with intensity.
She aimed at a Staraptor carrying another poacher in escape.
BOOM!
The Dragon Pulse exploded midair. Staraptor screeched as the shockwave blew it out of the sky. Its trainer was thrown off, stunned mid-flight by the blast wave.
Another Gym staffer dove in with a Talonflame, catching the unconscious poacher mid-fall.
"Whew," the officer muttered, glancing back at the still-smoking air. "That Latias is way too aggressive!"
But it made sense. Latias had previously been ambushed by an international poaching ring, and her twin brother, Latios, sacrificed himself to save her. To see her now relentlessly hunting down poachers was only natural.
This was restraint, for her.
With Latias and Togekiss circling above, the skies were soon cleared.
By the time the chaos ended, all airborne mounts were either downed or intercepted. Gym trainers surrounding the perimeter moved in swiftly to secure the suspects.
One by one, the poaching gang members were handcuffed. Their Poké Balls were confiscated, and those captured by Latias bore severe bruises and signs of psychic backlash nothing fatal, but enough to teach a lesson.
Back in the main battlefield
Brother Dong had been holding his own against Lin Yi, but watching his entire team fall one by one, despair finally seeped in.
His strongest Pokémon, Dragalge, growled beside him, its chemically enhanced strength fading.
At that moment, Latias and Togekiss returned to Chen Xiaoxiao, hovering patiently at her side.
"Latias, Togekiss, Sunflora let's finish this."
Chen Xiaoxiao hopped onto Latias's back, while Sunflora was lifted by Togekiss in tandem.
"Master Lin, fall back! Gardevoir, teleport to the truck with Metagross, then warp it away and have Metagross act as the replacement anchor!"
Her telepathic message echoed in Lin Yi's mind.
"Understood."
Lin Yi, riding Aerodactyl, signaled his Grass-types:
"Kartana, Venusaur, Sceptile, Lilligant pull back! Earthquake is coming!"
He knew better than to leave allies in range of a full-power Earthquake.
Following instructions, Gardevoir grasped Metagross and teleported directly to the container truck being guarded.
Another teleportation blinked them several hundred meters away just far enough for what was coming next.
Brother Dong noticed the sudden retreat and blinked. Something was wrong.
Then he turned
The truck… was gone.
And where it once stood, Metagross raised its massive metal forearms.
BOOM!
It slammed into the earth, triggering a devastating Earthquake that cracked the battlefield open and sent shockwaves blasting through the terrain.
Dust and rock exploded into the air. Even the hardened poachers nearby were thrown off balance.
Brother Dong's expression twisted in fear as he realized he had no one left.
No reinforcements.
No escape route.
And the Earth itself… had turned against him.
---
This chapter is dedicated to @[Sylvain Calcine].....Thanks for subscribing to our Gold package...There will be a bonus chapters in few hours
30+ advanced chapter on patreon....Visit patreon now to read my exclusive content... posting 5 chapters per day, Our collection is now available on PATREON
visit patreon.com/Elbertovic to view 30+ advanced chapters
Please subscribe guys