"Damn it! Didn't you say that guy was just an ordinary Trainer!?"
After catching his breath, Woodman grabbed Teng's collar and shouted.
Kuro didn't move, but he didn't stop them either.
If Kadabra's target had been the two of them just now, they'd already be dead.
It wasn't that Gu Yuan hadn't wanted to strike them, but that he only had one chance.
If he didn't deal with Azumarill first, even taking one of them down would have been meaningless. He wouldn't get another opportunity.
That was why crippling their hearing was the key.
"How should I know!? Maybe he used some trick to hide his scent!"
"Don't forget, my life was in danger too, and I've already lost one of my Pokémon, while you two are perfectly fine!"
"And let me remind you, you were the ones who decided not to act earlier!"
Pushing Woodman away, Teng shot back without hesitation.
Anyone would be furious after losing a longtime partner, and Teng wasn't wrong either.
By logic, Kuro and Woodman were the ones at fault.
"Enough, both of you, stop talking."
"The situation is simple. Gu Yuan defeated Azumarill so Kadabra could keep attacking like before, breaking down our strength bit by bit."
"And you saw Kadabra's Teleport. Its mastery isn't inferior to Houndoom's Taunt, maybe even Expert level."
"We don't know why Kadabra's skill is that advanced, but it's no longer appropriate to continue with the mission. Otherwise, we'll end up dead too."
"I'll report this and have them send reinforcements."
"Until then, we need to stay alive."
"From now on, everyone release all your Pokémon and keep them ready. The moment anything moves, attack with your most familiar moves!"
Seeing Teng and Woodman on the verge of fighting, Kuro immediately stepped in.
After exchanging a glare, the two finally calmed down and released their Pokémon as instructed.
Watching multiple Pokémon appear on his system radar, Gu Yuan didn't stop. He didn't believe these people could stay alert forever.
The moment they relaxed, would be the moment they died.
"Let's move slowly, or we'll die if we stay here too long."
Seeing Teng and Woodman settle down, Kuro continued with the plan.
The two didn't argue. Listening to Kuro seemed like their best option now.
Quietly following them from behind, Gu Yuan began to act again.
The forest wasn't far now, and since the expected ambush hadn't come, the group moved faster, as if safety was just ahead.
"Stay sharp. Don't forget how Seiji and the others died!"
Thinking of Seiji brought Kuro back to focus. He warned the others, though it was unclear if they were listening.
Suddenly, Kadabra appeared again with Gu Yuan, far enough from Kuro's group.
Even so, Houndoom immediately used Taunt.
Gu Yuan opened a Poké Ball and released a Pokémon.
The Taunt hit its mark. The confused Rhydon roared and went berserk.
Taking the chance, Kadabra used Teleport again, vanishing with Gu Yuan.
"Go all out and take down that Rhydon!"
Kuro's voice rang out, and the others didn't hesitate. They knew if Rhydon wasn't dealt with fast, they'd be in trouble.
The battle began. Facing several Senior Rank Pokémon, including two quasi-Ace Rank ones, Rhydon's attacks were crushed almost instantly and buried under a storm of moves.
But this was exactly the opening Gu Yuan wanted.
He used Ally Switch, sending Woodman's strongest Pokémon away.
In the next instant, Charizard swooped down with Dragon Rush.
Before attacking, Charizard had used Swords Dance to raise its Attack to the maximum, making this strike devastating.
At the same time, Sylveon used Yawn.
After reaching Senior Rank, Sylveon's Yawn had become much stronger.
A wave of drowsiness washed over Kuro's group and their Pokémon.
By the time they realized what was happening, Charizard's attack was already upon them.
Kuro and Teng reacted the fastest, using their Pokémon as shields.
Woodman was just a second too slow, and that cost him his life.
Dragon Rush struck, crushing the Pokémon at the center of the blast.
Thanks to his Electabuzz's power, Kuro barely survived.
Teng's Houndoom took the hit for him, suffering serious injuries but keeping him alive.
Woodman, however, had lost his strongest Pokémon to the teleport earlier, leaving him defenseless.
That one small delay turned him into a corpse.
After landing, Charizard didn't stop. It began slaughtering with Slash.
Sylveon kept supporting, alternating between Helping Hand, Yawn, and Swift, easing Charizard's pressure.
Kadabra led the third wave of attacks.
When Kuro tried to command Electabuzz, he suddenly froze, as did Teng.
This time, Gu Yuan didn't kill them right away. He wanted information.
Kadabra used its Psychic power to pull out the Poké Balls from their belts.
Identifying which Pokémon belonged to which Trainer, Gu Yuan sealed the most dangerous one first, Electabuzz.
Even injured by Charizard's Dragon Rush, its strength was still remarkable.
Though Electabuzz hadn't mastered any move to the Expert level, its raw power made its moves even stronger. That made Gu Yuan realize Charizard still wasn't strong enough to dominate even at the Senior Rank stage.
After cleaning up the battlefield, Machoke suddenly rushed back.
Seeing its Trainer's corpse, it turned its rage on Gu Yuan.
Charizard stood ready, eyes blazing.
Gu Yuan didn't rush to recall it.
"Go, Charizard. Fight freely. Win or lose, I've got your back."
At his words, Charizard roared and charged.
Gu Yuan, meanwhile, sent telepathic orders to Sylveon and Kadabra: if anything went wrong, stop Machoke immediately.
He stayed alert, ready to recall Machoke at any moment if needed.