NOVEL NEXT Chapter 162: Chapter 162: The Battle Begins
As Ron stepped out of his room, he noticed several trainers had already exited their quarters, rushing toward the deck.
Although Quint hadn't issued any mandatory orders, the trainers weren't fools.
If they didn't help drive off the pirates now, then once Quint and his crew were killed, they too would fall into the pirates' hands.
Exchanging wary glances with the others, Ron cautiously distanced himself and slowly moved toward the deck.
Unlike the others, Ron's goal from the very beginning was the pirates' ship.
The fact that this group could launch an attack on a ship in the open sea spoke volumes about their strength.
Even though Ron's abilities rivaled those of a mid-level elite trainer, his contribution in a full-scale war would be minimal at best.
Instead, he decided to take advantage of Kirlia's Teleport to infiltrate the enemy's pirate ship for a surprise attack. Striking at their base of operations could yield unexpected results.
Before doing so, however, Ron needed to report to the captain to avoid being mistaken for a pirate and attacked by Quint's team.
"Everyone, listen to me! Trainers with Water-type Pokémon, release them into the sea and have them use their moves to attack the pirate ship. Be vigilant of any Water-types the enemy might deploy against us," Quint shouted.
"For the rest of you, release all your Pokémon. Our only option is to fight with everything we have. Even if the enemy is strong, as long as we hold our ground, help will eventually come!"
Faced with this group of unfamiliar trainers, Quint couldn't devise a more complex strategy. He could only organize them into a basic defensive line to resist the pirates' assault.
After Quint finished speaking, a voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
Bright lights illuminated the night as the pirates' grim-looking ship lit up the sea with several large spotlights. Smaller boats emerged from the darkness, each carrying pirates armed and ready for battle. Surrounding them were numerous Water-type Pokémon.
"Let's do this."
Quint released his Pokémon in a flash of white light. Among them, his strongest was undoubtedly his Blastoise, a Pokémon at quasi-Elite Four level.
Compared to the hastily assembled defense line on the cruise ship, the pirates were well-prepared. Their coordinated attacks rained down, surging toward the cruise ship with overwhelming force.
"Don't just stand there! Command your Pokémon to block their attacks!" Quint's commanding voice snapped the stunned trainers back into action.
Leading the charge was Quint's Blastoise, supported by the ship's crew and sailors who worked seamlessly together. Finally, the hastily gathered trainers joined in, launching scattered attacks.
While these disorganized efforts couldn't match the pirates' coordinated assault, they managed to fend off the initial wave of attacks, which was only a test run by the pirates.
Wave after wave of attacks followed. In just two or three minutes, Quint could feel the defense line faltering.
"Move the passengers to a safe, concealed location. The rest of you, keep attacking with me! We need to buy time for their evacuation."
Quint's booming voice was full of power, rekindling the fighting spirit of the trainers, who refused to be intimidated by the pirates' relentless assault.
Even with Quint's leadership, the defensive line grew weaker with every passing moment. Some attacks breached the defenses and struck the cruise ship, easily dismantling the hastily constructed barricades.
Refusing to retreat, Quint stood at the forefront of the line, making himself a visible pillar of strength for everyone to rally around.
Hidden in the shadows, Ron suppressed the urge to join the fray.
With his mid-level elite strength, jumping into the battle wouldn't change the tide. Instead, he waited for the pirates to initiate a boarding action. That would be his moment to strike.
Having weathered countless storms on the sea, Quint demonstrated his incredible prowess, leading the trainers and crew in repelling the pirates' attack.
As the battle raged on, the trainers began working together more effectively, displaying surprising resilience in the face of overwhelming odds.
"Damn it! Assemble a team. I'll lead them myself and take out their captain!" snarled Tigran, the pirates' deputy captain. Frustrated by their inability to break through the defense line, he prepared to launch a direct assault on Quint.
Tigran had already identified Quint as the backbone of the defense. If they could take him out, capturing the cruise ship would be a simple task.
"No need. I'll handle it."
A calm yet chilling voice interrupted, sending a shiver down Tigran's spine. The voice carried a bloodthirsty edge that had long been yearning for release.
"Understood, Captain," Tigran replied respectfully to Jaxson, the captain of the pirate ship.
"Come forth, Sharpedo! Use Hyper Beam!"
A flash of white light revealed a Sharpedo radiating the aura of an Elite Four-level Pokémon. Its presence exuded a murderous intent so intense that even the pirates kept their distance.
Sharpedo grinned menacingly at Quint and his team before beginning to charge its Hyper Beam.
"Everyone, fall back! Use Protect!" Quint shouted urgently.
Facing an attack from an Elite Four-level Pokémon, Quint dared not stand at the front. He ordered everyone to retreat, using Protect in combination with the cruise ship's sturdy build to absorb the blow.
As chaos erupted on the battlefield, Sharpedo unleashed its orange-yellow Hyper Beam, a destructive beam of energy tearing through everything in its path.
The pirates, well aware of their captain's destructive power, cleared a path, fearing they might become unintended casualties—a fate that had claimed many of their own in the past.
A chorus of green light rose as Pokémon used Protect to form a defensive barrier.
"Boom!"
A deafening explosion reverberated across the sea, drowning out the sound of breaking Protect shields. The force of the attack caused the entire ship to tremble violently.
When the Hyper Beam finally subsided, it left the rear of the ship in ruins, reduced to a scene of devastation.
"Now, Tigran, lead the charge. Kill to your heart's content, and don't expect any mercy from me if you fail," Jaxson ordered coldly, a twisted satisfaction evident in his voice.
"Yes, Captain!" Tigran wasted no time, rallying the pirates for an all-out assault.
Familiar with Jaxson's bloodthirsty tendencies, Tigran knew his role: to pave the way for Jaxson's carnage.
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