"Roar!"
At the same time, the Barioth activated its ability. A freezing wind materialized at the Gore Magala's feet, reducing its speed by another 10%.
"Roar!" The Gore Magala scrambled up from the ground and spat a large glob of the Frenzy Virus at Minoto.
"Flowing Spurt!" Minoto raised her lance and thrust forward.
Bang!
She was blown back dozens of steps, but she was unharmed. Flowing Spurt was not just an attack; it was also a defensive maneuver.
Tailwind!
Pidgeot spread its wings and summoned a gust of wind. The effect of Tailwind would double the speed of all allies for the next forty seconds.
"Woof!" The Arcanine used the move Helping Hand on Minoto, boosting the power of her next attack by 50%. Minoto was the main damage dealer. Zhang understood this, and so did his Pokémon. That was why the Arcanine supported her, not one of its teammates.
Yawn!
Feraligatr let out a deep yawn directed at the Gore Magala. In ten seconds, the dragon would fall asleep. However, given the massive difference in strength, the move wasn't guaranteed to work.
Scary Face!
Gengar unleashed its ghostly visage on the Gore Magala. The move was supposed to lower an enemy's Speed by two stages, a 50% reduction. Unfortunately, due to the power gap, it only managed to lower the Gore Magala's speed by 20%. Still, it was a significant debuff.
Misty Terrain!
Gardevoir used its ability, and a pink mist enveloped the entire cavern. The terrain's effect was to halve the power of all Dragon-type attacks, a perfect counter to the Gore Magala. Again, because of the level difference, the effect was reduced, but it still weakened the dragon's attacks by 20%.
Scary Face! Scary Face!
Arzuros and Great Izuchi also used the move, slowing the Gore Magala down even further. The three Scary Faces, combined with the Barioth's Frozen Wind, had now reduced the Gore Magala's speed by 70%, leaving it with only 30% of its normal swiftness.
Screech!
Rathian, Redhelm Arzuros, and Crimsondog Beast unleashed a coordinated, ear-splitting cry. The move lowered an enemy's Defense by two stages. Three uses should have been six stages, a 75% reduction. But against the powerful Gore Magala, it only managed to lower its defense by 60%.
War Cry!
Rathalos, Nargacuga, Brute Dragon, Barioth, Tobi-Kadachi, and Zhang himself all roared in unison. The effect of War Cry was to lower the enemy's Attack and Special Attack by one stage each. Six uses should have been six stages. The cumulative effect reduced the Gore Magala's Attack and Special Attack by 60%.
After the symphony of debuffs was complete, the Gore Magala's stats were crippled: Attack -70%, Special Attack -60%, Defense -60%, Speed -70%, and the power of its Dragon-type moves -20%. This was the overwhelming advantage of numbers. Before the fight even began, the enemy was weakened to a fraction of its former power.
At this moment, the Gore Magala felt a profound weakness it had never experienced before. Minoto noticed it too.
So this is the effect of fighting with a team. I feel so safe, she thought, a little surprised by how much she liked the feeling.
"Flowing Spurt!" Minoto launched a charge at the Gore Magala, shooting forward like an iron arrow.
Faced with her assault, the Gore Magala roared, activated Dragon Rush, and charged to meet her. It knew it was weakened, but with only one exit, it had no choice but to fight its way out.
Bang!
The two collided. The Gore Magala was sent flying, crashing to the ground, while Minoto only took a few steps back. Sending the Gore Magala flying was something she couldn't have imagined doing just moments ago. It was clear the dragon's strength was now far inferior to hers.
"Wang!" The Arcanine used Helping Hand on Minoto again.
"Roar!" Zhang rode his Nargacuga and closed in on the fallen dragon.
Blade Wing! The Nargacuga's sharp wing sliced at the Gore Magala's hind legs.
Slice! Its defense crippled, the Nargacuga's attack cut straight through the dragon's scales and severed the tendons in its ankle. Under normal circumstances, the attack would have barely left a scratch. But with its defense reduced by 60%, it was a devastating blow.
"Helm Breaker!" Zhang leaped from the Nargacuga's back, his Long Sword held high, and brought it down in a powerful slash. A flash of sword light, and the hamstring of the Gore Magala's other hind leg was severed.
"Roar!" The Gore Magala swung its right claw at the Nargacuga.
Swallow-Tail Flash!
The Nargacuga twisted and effortlessly dodged the attack. The Gore Magala, its speed crippled, couldn't even touch the lightning-fast creature.
"Flowing Spurt!" Minoto charged in, her lance piercing deep into the Gore Magala's chest.
"Roar!" The dragon sensed the danger and twisted its body violently.
Thunk! Minoto's lance, which had been aimed at its heart, was deflected at the last second and instead punctured its lungs.
"Roar!" The Gore Magala roared in agony, trying to activate the Frenzy Virus within it to enter its frenzied state. But it failed. The potion the Guild had given Minoto was still working.
Flame Breath!
Air Slash!
Moonblast!
Thunder!
A barrage of long-range attacks from Gardevoir, Rathalos, Brute Dragon, and the others slammed into the Gore Magala. The onslaught of different elemental skills left it battered and bruised, its scales torn and flesh scorched.
"Roar!" The Gore Magala leaped desperately over Minoto's head and limped toward the exit. It was terrified and trying to flee.
"You're not getting away!" Minoto raised her lance and charged again.
"Flowing Spurt!" She caught up to the dragon and slammed into its injured hind legs, knocking it to the ground.
"Roar!" The Gore Magala roared, opening its mouth to bite her.
"Anchor Rage!" Minoto used her defensive Wirebug skill once more.
Bang!
The dragon was repelled, rolling across the ground before collapsing.
"Zhang Tian, do you want to subdue the Gore Magala?" Minoto shouted.
"No need. It's useless to me," Zhang shook his head. A monster he didn't defeat himself would be disobedient even if captured. He had no desire to subdue it. In his view, capturing the Gore Magala would mean he had to feed it, but it wouldn't follow his orders. It would be like hiring an employee who demanded a high salary but refused to work.
He already had one disobedient Goss Harag; he didn't want a second. When he was strong enough to reach the Champion tier himself, he could just come back and catch one then.