About two kilometers to the south lay a desolate canyon of jagged stone. It seemed devoid of greenery and life, as if nothing could survive among the gray-black rocks.
Yet, this world was full of wonders. Such a barren environment was the preferred habitat for Rock types, as the mineral-rich stones exposed on the surface provided them with their best sustenance.
Tonight, however, the silence of the canyon was shattered. A bipedal, cat-like creature had trespassed into the territory of the local boss and had the audacity to injure its subordinates.
"Roar!"
A massive rock serpent reared its head and roared, its eyes burning with fury. Several Geodude lay nearby, their bodies covered in claw marks and cracks.
These were the two iconic Rock types of the Kanto region. Onix were solitary creatures that never shared their territory, and any Onix capable of claiming such a large canyon was bound to be powerful.
This Onix was over ten meters long, its body significantly thicker than others of its kind. Its pale eyes were fixed on a jagged rock where a black Pokémon with long claws stood.
"Sneasel!"
The black Pokémon let out a piercing cry. It extended its arm and curled its claws inward in a distinctly human gesture of provocation.
The already enraged Onix reached its breaking point. With another roar, its massive rock tail glowed with a metallic sheen and slammed down toward the Sneasel's perch!
CRASH! The rock shattered into a hail of stone, and a cloud of dust swallowed the area. An Onix over ten meters long and weighing more than 500 kilograms could generate terrifying destructive power just by converting its mass and momentum into an Iron Tail.
"That was easy. This Sneasel is quite the fighter!" Hisoka and Lulu watched from behind a ledge, while the drone hovered silently dozens of meters above the canyon.
As the night wind cleared the dust, the drone's infrared camera immediately picked up the Sneasel. The cunning creature had used the dust to slip behind the Onix.
Its lithe body leaped high into the air, right claw raised at a forty-five-degree angle. The same metallic glow that had covered the Onix's tail now enveloped the Sneasel's claw. With a cruel, excited smirk, it slammed its claw into the Onix's unprotected back...
CLANG! The sound of metal on metal echoed through the canyon, followed by the Onix's pained roar. The Sneasel's strike had left two deep gouges in its rocky hide.
Metal Claw! Hisoka nodded in approval. As a Steel-type move, it dealt double damage to a Rock-type like Onix.
"Sneasel~"
The Pokémon landed gracefully and let out a soft cry, a human-like smirk on its face. Its long, red left ear twitched as it nimbly leaped to the right, narrowly dodging another Iron Tail. But before the Sneasel could celebrate, a boulder the size of a human head whistled through the air toward it...
The Sneasel froze. Its sensitive ears had heard the movement, but it couldn't move fast enough to dodge the perfectly timed sneak attack.
With a desperate burst of strength, the Sneasel lunged forward, but the boulder still slammed into its right shoulder. A sickening crack of bone echoed in the silent night.
"Snea... sel..."
The Sneasel gritted its teeth, its red eyes bulging with pain as its entire body trembled. Its right arm was broken. As an assassin-type Pokémon, its defense was incredibly fragile. If it hadn't lunged forward at the last second, that rock would have hit its head.
"Incredible!" Hisoka nearly clapped, restrained only by the need to stay hidden. He never expected to see such a tactical display from wild Pokémon.
That feint from the Onix was something many elite trainers wouldn't have been able to react to in time.
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