Chapter 438: The Serpent vs. The Star
[System Notification]
Trait: Illusion Scale—Activated!
The dust settled, revealing that while both combatants had traded heavy blows,
Mega Starmie had definitely come out on the bottom. Arbok had simply shed its
outermost layer of spectral energy—the "Illusion Scale" granted by its unique
evolution—meaning it had taken zero actual physical damage.
Mega Starmie, however, was starting to feel the burn. While it could use Recover
to knit its wounds, every cast drained its stamina. In a high-speed battle of
attrition against a monster that didn't seem to feel pain, the "Warden of the
Sea" was being pushed to its limit.
Arbok didn't give the star a second to breathe. It hissed, its body coiling
before it lunged back into the fray. Mega Starmie met it head-on, its long,
humanoid legs driving it forward.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The two collided in a blur of motion. In the span of a heartbeat, they traded a
dozen strikes.
Mega Starmie fought like a galactic gladiator. Its five sharp points were
coordinated by the central core, moving with mechanical precision to strike at
Arbok's vitals. But Arbok was in a state of pure Outrage. It ignored the
defensive patterns, its tail and venomous fangs striking out with reckless,
animalistic fury.
The Dragon Pattern on Arbok's chest pulsed with a rhythmic light. This was its
greatest trump card: the ability to utilize all of its specialized Serpent
Patterns simultaneously without having to physically shift its markings. It
could cycle from the "Swift-Strike" to the "Iron-Guard" patterns in a
microsecond.
Currently, Arbok was channeling the Hydro-Null Pattern.
Between its natural Dragon-type resistance and the specialized pattern,
Water-type moves were effectively useless against it. Mega Starmie possessed the
Huge Power ability, making its physical strikes terrifyingly heavy, but its
high-pressure Liquidations were doing little more than giving Arbok a bath.
Because of this, Arbok simply treated Mega Starmie's water attacks as background
noise, focusing all its effort on dodging the dangerous Psychic-type follow-ups.
Psyshock and Zen Headbutt were the real threats.
The two traded blows for several more minutes until the strain became visible.
Mega Starmie's central gem had dimmed significantly, a clear sign that its
energy reserves were flagging under the constant pressure of Arbok's relentless
"suicide" brawling.
On the sidelines, Lawson narrowed his eyes. He realized that the standard
playbook wasn't working. Arbok was acting as if it had the Water Absorb ability.
"Starmie! Stop with the Water moves! Switch to full Psychic offensive!" Lawson
commanded.
"QIA!"
The cosmic guardian understood. It had landed multiple Liquidations, yet it
noticed that Arbok hadn't suffered a single Defense drop. It was as if the
serpent were shielded by some divine protection.
Lucky bastard, the star's artificial mind hummed. It had no way of knowing Arbok
was equipped with Radiant Quicksilver, an item that made it immune to
stat-lowering debuffs.
"Starmie! Into the water! Reset!"
SPLASH!
Mega Starmie turned on its long legs and sprinted, diving headfirst into the
deep moat surrounding the island.
Kenji watched the "Ultraman" sea star sprint toward the water and felt his
sanity slip slightly. Seeing a humanoid starfish run with such athletic form was
genuinely cursed.
By submerging, Mega Starmie hoped to gain a few precious seconds of breathing
room. If Arbok followed it into the depths, the star could use its home-field
advantage to turn the tide. If it didn't, the star could simply wait and
recover.
Arbok stayed on the shore, its crimson eyes tracking the shadow beneath the
waves. It didn't jump in. It didn't need to.
Kenji smirked. "You want to play in the water? Fine. Arbok! Use Toxic on the
entire pool!"
"SHAAAAA!"
Arbok unhinged its jaws. Instead of a spray, a thick, viscous torrent of
purple-black sludge erupted from its throat, pouring into the moat like a broken
sewer main.
This wasn't just a standard Toxic. This was a "Grandma Liu Special." Having been
trained by the world's foremost Poison-type master, Arbok's venom was a chemical
nightmare.
The moment the sludge hit the water, it didn't just dilute; it began to spread
like ink in a clear glass. Within seconds, the crystal-clear moat turned a
murky, sickly shade of deep violet. The air above the water began to shimmer
with noxious fumes.
"Starmie! Safeguard!" Lawson shouted, his voice cracking with urgency.
"QIAAAA!"
Beneath the surface, Mega Starmie flared its light. A shimmering white veil
expanded around its body, creating a thin barrier of pure energy that repelled
the toxins.
But even with the Safeguard active, the star was forced to surface. The pool had
been transformed into a vat of corrosive acid. Arbok's venom didn't just
poison—it burned. The water was now as dangerous as a pit of sulfuric acid.
Mega Starmie rocketed out of the water, its golden armor sizzling. It landed
back on the rocky remains of the island, its "Ultraman" frame shaking with
indignation. It was no longer a battle of elements—it was a battle for survival.
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