Spore might be a non-lethal move, and Cottonee's Fairy Wind was more than enough to block it easily. However, Maki dared not linger.
The man had originally focused entirely on Lily, but when he turned around, he was surprised to see that Maki still had the strength to resist.
"Cross Poison."
He intended to keep Misty alive, but Maki — who was clearly becoming a nuisance — could be eliminated. One hostage was enough.
Left with no choice, Maki once again sent out Charmeleon, commanding it to use Flamethrower in an attempt to block the incoming attack.
"Helping Hand," Maki ordered Cottonee.
Despite the massive level difference, Parasect's Dry Skin made it five times weaker to fire. Charmeleon's Flamethrower should at least serve as a partial defense.
The man remained unfazed. In his eyes, an ordinary Charmeleon was hardly a threat — even if it used a super-effective move. What damage could it possibly inflict? Barely worth noting.
Yet, what he didn't expect was how visibly intense Charmeleon's flames became, further boosted by Cottonee's Helping Hand.
So strong?
The man furrowed his brow slightly. The flames were stronger than anticipated, but only just. At best, they would inconvenience Parasect.
Despite the fivefold weakness, Parasect pushed through the flames, its dry, cracked skin visibly uncomfortable, but the damage wasn't enough to stop it.
Maki hadn't stopped moving, keeping Charmeleon's Poké Ball in hand, ready to recall it at any moment.
Though Parasect wasn't particularly fast, a High-Grade Ball-level Parasect was still faster than Maki on foot.
"Did your sisters not give you any Pokémon for self-defense?" Maki asked Misty, who was running alongside him.
"I-I do have Goldeen, but..." Misty stammered.
"...Forget it."
In this situation, Goldeen would be no better than a Magikarp — bouncing on the ground and competing for the highest jump.
Maki recalled Charmeleon just as it was about to collide with Parasect. His hand hovered at his waist, teeth clenched. The only option left was to release Dragonite.
Using Misty as a human shield?
It might have made the enemy hesitate — the man's target was undoubtedly Misty. If he hadn't needed a hostage, Parasect could have eliminated them already.
But such an action would expose Maki's true identity, making any future within the League impossible.
Besides, Maki never saw himself as a good person — but using a girl as a shield was beneath him.
Looks like I'll have to return to being the young master.
As he silently declared the end of his undercover life, Maki's hand touched Dragonite's Poké Ball — but before he could act, a flash of red light burst forth.
Mawile had released itself, standing protectively in front of Maki.
"Mawile!"
Cross Poison, a Poison-type move, was completely nullified by Mawile's Steel typing. However, immunity still depended on strength — even Dry Skin couldn't help Parasect survive Kyogre's Origin Pulse.
Mawile was flung backward from the sheer physical impact, crashing into Maki and sending them both tumbling.
At that moment, a black figure materialized behind Parasect, snickering. Two black spheres appeared in its hands and pressed onto Parasect.
Shadow Ball.
A loud crash echoed as glass shattered overhead, and a figure descended from the ceiling.
"Finish them."
The voice was cold, devoid of emotion. The entire battlefield shifted in an instant.
Upon seeing the newcomer, the man's demeanor changed immediately. Even behind his mask, the fear was palpable.
He had no chance.
Recognizing the figure at once, his arrogance evaporated. Survival became his only priority.
"Spore, Discharge, Rock Slide!"
The three commands targeted Parasect, Ampharos, and Dunsparce respectively — a desperate attempt to distract the opponent and create an opening to flee.
He recalled his Machamp, his true ace. Losing it would cost him everything he'd worked for.
What he hadn't anticipated was that Parasect couldn't even withstand a single Shadow Ball.
The power gap was unimaginable.
"Sludge Wave, Mean Look."
The voice spoke again, detached and indifferent.
Gengar released a powerful wave of sludge, expertly controlling it to avoid hitting Maki, Misty, or the others — clashing directly with Ampharos and Dunsparce's moves.
A strange light gleamed in Gengar's eyes, paralyzing the man in place.
"Elite Four Agatha, I'll tell you everything!"
It was indeed Agatha. A tireless worker — she'd just quelled a rebellion in Saffron City and now appeared in Cerulean City.
But Agatha ignored him, turning her icy gaze toward Lily.
"With that level of strength, how did you become a Gym Leader? You've shown no improvement from a year ago — in fact, you've regressed. If you're still like this at the next evaluation, I'll recommend the League revoke your position."
Her voice was as cold as ever.
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