Thick smoke spread across the battlefield, completely obscuring Maen and Launce from view. The dark haze enveloped the Rocket Team members, leaving them unable to see their targets.
The entire area was now shrouded in smoke, and none of the Team Rocket grunts dared to attack blindly. With visibility this low, there was a high risk of accidentally hitting their own allies.
Suddenly, a Shadow Ball shot out from within the smoke. However, its target wasn't a Pokémon or a trainer—it was aimed directly at the machine in the distance, the very device that had been absorbing Zapdos's electrical attacks.
Just before the Shadow Ball could make contact, a lightning bolt streaked through the air, shattering it mid-flight.
The Pokémon responsible for the interception hovered ominously in the air—Magneton.
This was the seventh Pokémon released by Lt. Surge!
Under normal circumstances, trainers carried a maximum of six Pokémon, as official League battles followed strict six-on-six rules. However, there were no formal restrictions on the number of Pokémon a trainer could carry outside of battle. Those with significant resources often carried additional Pokémon as backups.
Unlike casual trainers, those affiliated with criminal organizations like Team Rocket frequently possessed Pokémon that weren't officially registered with the Pokémon League. In the real world, where Poké Ball instant transfer technology didn't exist, capturing a seventh Pokémon wouldn't automatically send another back to storage. Instead, trainers had to swap their Pokémon manually at Pokémon Centers.
Most trainers chose to carry only six Pokémon for practical reasons. First, competitive battles only allowed six Pokémon, and raising more required extra resources. For the average trainer, managing six was already a challenge.
Second, commanding too many Pokémon in battle could be overwhelming. Unlike video games, real-world battles required immense concentration, and issuing coordinated commands to more than six Pokémon could easily lead to confusion and mismanagement.
Maen once watched a battle video where a trainer using ten Pokémon lost to an opponent with only six. Despite having more numbers, the ten-Pokémon trainer struggled to issue precise commands, leading to chaotic, counterproductive attacks.
For this reason, most League trainers stuck to six, while only elite trainers or those with extensive resources carried additional Pokémon for backup. These backup Pokémon were typically kept at home or at Pokémon Centers and only retrieved when necessary.
As for Magneton, this was one of Lt. Surge's primary Pokémon. Unlike Weavile, which was on loan from Team Rocket for this mission, Magneton was a part of Surge's personal lineup.
"You little brats," Surge sneered from beneath his cloak. "Did you really think I hadn't planned for this? Too naïve. Once I deal with Zapdos, you two are next! Magneton, use Electric Terrain!"
Electricity surged through the battlefield as Magneton generated an Electric Terrain. Sparks crackled in the air, forming an invisible barrier that not only boosted Electric-type moves but also made it nearly impossible for Haunter to sneak up on the machine undetected.
Surge smirked. This was precisely why he had left Magneton behind to guard the machine—it would prevent any stealth-based interference from Maen and Launce's Pokémon.
Meanwhile, the Team Rocket grunts, still shrouded in smoke, had finally regained their composure. They quickly commanded their Pokémon to use Gust and other wind-based moves to disperse the haze.
Before the smoke could fully clear, another Shadow Ball flew from the darkness. At the same time, Steven Stone burst out of the smog, soaring through the air on Charizard.
"Charizard, Flamethrower!" Steven commanded.
A stream of fire roared toward the machine, aimed at destroying it once and for all.
Magneton, unfazed by the simultaneous attacks, reacted swiftly. The Electric Terrain it had set up granted it an amplified awareness of its surroundings.
With Thunderbolt, Magneton swiftly intercepted the Shadow Ball, neutralizing it mid-air. Then, it turned its attention to the oncoming flames. Electricity crackled around its steel body as it countered Flamethrower head-on, holding its ground against the blazing inferno.
Just as Magneton was preparing to strike back, something unexpected happened.
From directly beneath the machine, a shadowy figure emerged.
A black Haunter phased up from the ground and hurled a Shadow Ball at point-blank range!
Surge's eyes widened in shock. "Impossible! That Haunter should still be in the smoke! And with Electric Terrain active, it shouldn't have been able to sneak up like this!"
In a split second, realization dawned on him.
The Shadow Balls fired earlier hadn't come from Haunter at all.
Haunter had been lying in wait the entire time, hidden beneath the machine ever since Haze was first deployed.
By the time Surge understood what had happened, it was too late.
The Shadow Ball collided directly with the machine, triggering a violent explosion. Sparks erupted in all directions as the device crackled and fizzled out.
Zapdos, now freed from its constraints, let out a deafening screech.
Lightning surged around the legendary bird as its fury reignited.
Surge clenched his fists in frustration. His meticulous plan had just been completely destroyed.
Glaring at Maen and Launce, he roared, "EVERYONE, TAKE THEM DOWN! NOW!"
Team Rocket's Pokémon immediately shifted their focus. Dozens of attacks were unleashed toward the two trainers at once.
But Maen and Launce had already anticipated this.
"Haunter, vanish!" Maen commanded.
In an instant, Haunter disappeared into the shadows, slipping away from the battlefield.
At the same time, Launce took decisive action. "Charizard, get us out of here!"
Charizard flapped its powerful wings and shot forward, grabbing Maen and Launce just before the attacks could land. With a powerful burst of speed, it soared high into the sky, leaving the chaos of the battlefield behind.
From above, the two trainers watched as Zapdos unleashed its wrath.
The legendary Pokémon, now unhindered, rained down bolts of lightning upon the remaining Team Rocket forces. Even with their insulated suits, they were struggling to withstand the sheer power of an enraged Zapdos.
Surge, realizing that the situation had turned against him, gritted his teeth.
His plan had failed. He had invested a massive amount of resources into this operation, only to have it ruined by two meddling trainers.
But this wasn't over.
As Charizard carried Maen and Launce away from the power station, the storm clouds slowly began to disperse.
For now, they had succeeded in preventing Team Rocket from capturing Zapdos.
But Maen knew that Team Rocket wasn't done yet.
This was just the beginning.
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