Chapter 165: Shadow of a Haunter
The Gastly was so terrified by the sight that it was practically paralyzed— but Beedrill and the others showed no fear. They instantly formed a protective perimeter around Giovanni.
He impatiently recalled the useless Gastly.
Persian, finally given its chance to act, moved to the front of the formation, its fur bristling, its fangs bared at the enormous entity before them.
Giovanni looked at the giant Haunter formed from shadows and murmured, "Haunter... at the Gym-Leader level." He stroked his chin, a faint green light flashing in his eyes as he assessed the situation.
"Night Shade, combined with Hypnosis and Double Team... a projection." He clicked his tongue. "To be able to achieve this level... it truly lives up to its reputation as a thousand-year-old ghost."
The Shadow Haunter seemed to possess a rudimentary consciousness. It glanced at Giovanni, then slowly raised a massive, spectral claw. Ghost-type energy condensed, and a volley of powerful Shadow Balls shot forth.
"Beedrill, Fury Cutter," Giovanni said, his voice flat.
"SCREECH!"
Beedrill's twin stingers glowed. Its wings vibrated, and it became a golden bolt of lightning, weaving through the barrage of Shadow Balls, its stingers a blur as it sliced each one in half.
The bisected projectiles fell to the ground and exploded, felling trees and kicking up a dense cloud of smoke.
Within the smoke, Giovanni remained calm. A Gym-Leader-level opponent was not unbeatable.
"Machoke, stay," he commanded. "The rest of you, engage."
Perhaps because it was not its true body, this Haunter's form was not entirely ethereal. Its immunity to physical attacks was nullified. This gave Giovanni a fighting chance.
"Go," he said, waving a hand.
Beedrill, Persian, Rhyhorn, and Nidorino launched a fierce, coordinated assault on the massive, mysterious entity.
"Beedrill, Fury Cutter!" Giovanni's voice pierced through the forest.
Beedrill carved golden trajectories through the air, its stingers a whirlwind of sharp, precise strikes. The Haunter responded with Dark Pulse, a massive surge of dark energy that sent random projectiles of black-purple energy flying in all directions.
"Agility, then Poison Jab."
Beedrill's wings vibrated at a higher frequency, its speed reaching a new level, leaving only golden-yellow afterimages in its wake. The Haunter's proud Dark Pulse was easily dodged.
Beedrill seized the opening, unleashing a torrent of potent venom. The streams of poison shot toward the Haunter like a volley of arrows.
The Haunter was not intimidated. It let out a deafening roar, and its enormous shadow expanded, forming a massive, gaping maw. It fearlessly opened its giant mouth and swallowed the torrent of venom whole, seemingly unfazed. It then swung a massive claw, and a huge Shadow Ball flew out at extreme speed.
Beedrill, having just completed its own attack, could not dodge in time. It crossed its stingers, bracing for the impact.
BANG!
The force of the blow sent it hurtling backward.
"Persian! Fake Out, then Pay Day!"
As the Haunter was focused on Beedrill, Persian, with its cunning and agility, had already crept behind it. At Giovanni's command, it pounced, its claws imbued with dense energy, catching the Haunter off guard and causing it to flinch.
The Haunter quickly recovered, retaliating with a Shadow Punch, its massive fist tearing through the air and grazing Persian's nose. The cat-like Pokémon flashed away, dodging the follow-up with lightning speed, and then unleashed Pay Day.
A shower of golden coins rained down on the Haunter, each one striking with powerful force. The massive shadow trembled, its form beginning to dim. It had taken considerable damage.
"Rhyhorn, Horn Attack!"
Giovanni seized the opportunity. Rhyhorn, a living war chariot, charged, its horn aimed like a spear as it rammed into the Haunter's side. The creature roared, unleashing another Dark Pulse that forced back Persian and the recovering Beedrill. It then turned its attention to Rhyhorn, launching another Shadow Ball, offense as defense.
But Rhyhorn was fearless. It met the attack head-on, its own Horn Attack slamming into the Haunter again and again, each impact accompanied by a deafening roar. The massive shadow was rocked back and forth, its form visibly weakening.
"Nidorino, Poison Sting!"
Nidorino unleashed a dense shower of toxic needles. The Haunter, however, seemed to have a limited move set. It responded with an even stronger Dark Pulse, a wave of powerful energy that threatened to engulf Nidorino.
"Protect!"
Relying on Giovanni's keen intuition and precise command, Nidorino instantly threw up a green shield of energy, successfully blocking the attack.
The Haunter could only rage, its attacks proving ineffective against Giovanni's coordinated assault.