"¡Kekekeke!"
After casting the move Mean Look on Crobat, Gengar once again revealed its characteristic grin.
Crobat also felt a certain pressure. After losing all of its boosts, and facing a Gengar whose speed was no inferior to its own, it no longer had any clear advantage.
Koga's expression looked somewhat gloomy. Originally, the triple combination of Crobat, Venomoth, and Ariados was his most powerful tactic. As long as Venomoth and Ariados could stack the moves Quiver Dance and Swords Dance to the maximum, Crobat's first attack upon entering battle would be able to instantly eliminate an opponent of the same level and strength.
But there was no alternative: the Aggron summoned by Cain had completely disrupted his rhythm, forcing him to bring out Crobat ahead of time.
Although this allowed him to defeat Aggron without his side seeming to suffer heavy losses, battles were not measured that way. Cain had already seen through his strategy and found a way to counter it, so for Koga, the outcome of this confrontation had already been decided.
Crobat was his last trump card. Once it was neutralized, the final Pokémon he had left was no longer enough to change the course of the battle. It didn't matter that Cain had already lost three Pokémon and that Koga had also lost three; the situation was clear.
The battle between Crobat and Gengar was extremely spectacular, undoubtedly one of the most exciting clashes between Koga and Cain so far. After all, it was a battle between two Champion-level Pokémon, and thanks to this, the audience finally came to recognize Koga's true strength.
He was a trainer who possessed more than one Champion-level Pokémon, with the strength and capability to occupy a position among the Johto Elite Four.
In the end, it was Gengar who claimed victory. Even with the boost from Quiver Dance, Crobat could not withstand Gengar's explosive attacks. Crobat was a Pokémon specialized in speed, and once that advantage was lost, in a direct exchange of power it could not compete with Gengar.
Not only did Crobat fall to Gengar's attacks; even Venomoth, which was sent out afterward, ended up being defeated by it.
Koga's final Pokémon was the well-known Weezing. Unfortunately, this Weezing had not reached the Champion level either, and likewise was no match for Gengar.
In other words, by the end of the battle, Cain's Gengar accomplished a one-versus-three feat. Of course, this was only possible because Cain had already fully understood the opponent's cards; otherwise, it would not have been so easy.
If Koga's tactic with Venomoth, Ariados, and Crobat had found a real opportunity, not only Aggron, but even Tyranitar would have had great difficulty holding out. This kind of extremely oppressive strategy only works once; afterward, the opponent will surely find a way to break it.
While the spectators marveled at Cain's strength, they also acknowledged Koga for having been able to fight him for so long.
In truth, the people of Johto did not ask for much: they only wanted not to feel that their Elite Four lacked the strength befitting that title.
Sometimes, when one sets a minimum line in one's heart and then discovers that what one obtains is above that line, that alone is enough to feel satisfied.
Koga was precisely in such a state.
Cain and Koga recalled their Pokémon and walked toward the center of the field with smiles, giving each other a firm handshake.
"Your strength has grown very quickly. I hope you won't forget our agreement; the cooperation continues," Koga whispered to Cain, so that only the two of them could hear.
The corner of Cain's lips lifted slightly, and he replied in the same manner, "I hope there are no hard feelings... the cooperation continues."
After separating, they waved to the crowd.
Under the guidance of the League's official photographers, they shook hands once more before each heading back to their respective sides.
Koga had witnessed Cain's strength and therefore willingly accepted cooperation. As for Cain, he also had no desire to become enemies with someone like Koga, who could survive for long periods in the wild; at least for now, he did not want to encounter him as an enemy.
Even so, Cain took a precaution. During the handshake, he left a faint and concealed mark of his psychic power on Koga's body.
Unless someone with psychic power comparable to Cain's approached Koga at close range, no one would be able to perceive that mark.
Given Koga's personality, would he allow a psychic to get that close to him?
That was why the mark was practically impossible to detect. It was the final safeguard Cain left on his body: with that signal, no matter how great Koga's hidden capabilities were, he would not be able to approach Cain without Cain noticing.
After finishing this battle, which had been largely an exhibition match, although Cain emerged victorious, he did not feel particularly happy.
If he thought back to when he had just been reborn on Trial Island, he would never have dared to imagine that one day he could defeat Koga, one of the highest-ranking members of Team Rocket.
But now he possessed that strength. From the height he stood at, it was not so easy to feel excitement, because before the battle even began, he already knew that his level was above Koga's. The result was within his expectations, and there were not too many surprises.
When Cain returned to the Hoenn region's viewing stand, the challenge of Johto's second Elite Four began: the Psychic-type Elite Four, Will.
His opponent was the third Elite Four, Karen.
A Psychic-type Elite Four challenging a Dark-type one? From a type perspective, Will seemed to be courting death, and even handing himself over willingly.
But when the battle truly began, people realized that Will was not committing suicide.
Although in terms of types Karen's Dark-type Pokémon completely countered Will's Psychic-type Pokémon, in terms of brute strength, Will was clearly superior—and not by a small margin, but by a wide one.
Simply put, Karen's strongest Pokémon was at the Quasi-Champion level, while Will had two Champion-level Pokémon. In pure strength, Will was fully comparable to Koga. And if one also took into account the Psychic-type advantage against Poison-types, it was not impossible for Will to replace Koga as the first Elite Four.
More than one person thought that way.
While many were discussing who was stronger between Will and Koga, Cain's brow furrowed deeply.
It didn't make sense. Something didn't add up.
Will's talent and Karen's were similar, and during the Sinnoh Tournament their performances had not differed much either. But from any point of view, Will's talent and resources could not surpass Steven's.
And yet, Steven had only one Champion-level Pokémon, while Will already possessed two.
Cain was not surprised that Will had become an Elite Four member; what astonished him was the speed at which Will's strength had grown, leaving even Steven far behind.
In the end, thanks to the type advantage, Karen claimed victory by the margin of a single Pokémon. Even so, this battle proved that Will's brute strength was actually above Karen's.
Will, despite having lost, showed no change in expression, as if everything had nothing to do with him.
And the more he acted like that, the more Cain felt that something was wrong with Will, even though he could not pinpoint exactly what.
After all, he was not someone especially close to him.
(End of chapter)