NOVEL NEXT Chapter 54: Chapter 54: Extermination
Blades of verdant green shot through the air, intercepting the rampaging Primeape's assault.
Taking advantage of the opening, the ranger immediately commanded their Hitmonchan, which had been under pressure, to retreat.
"Primeape, watch your back!"
Seeing this all-too-familiar maneuver, the poacher commanding Primeape hastily shouted, but it was already too late.
A gray figure appeared behind Primeape. Machoke's Karate Chop, delivered like a thrust, struck squarely at the base of Primeape's spine.
The powerful impact made Primeape feel as if its heart was about to shatter. Its entire body faltered briefly, rendered momentarily powerless.
Seizing the opportunity, Machoke delivered another Karate Chop, this time aimed at Primeape's vulnerable throat.
Since Machoke had joined the fray, it had already claimed the lives of five Pokémon under its mighty blows.
Each of Machoke's strikes was preceded by Bellossom's Magical Leaf, which disrupted the enemy's attacks.
Unconsciously, the vibrant green of the leaves took on a sinister hue in the eyes of the poachers. What once symbolized life now heralded death.
Though there's a saying that "a bit of green keeps life serene," no one in this life-or-death battle wanted that ominous green to appear in their line of sight.
Compared to Machoke, the Persian moved even faster and with greater precision, its target clear: Kurt, hidden among the ranks of the poachers.
With the loss of Weavile, Kurt no longer held any advantage. Left with no choice, he had to command his remaining Pokémon to fight.
The moment he entered the battlefield, Kurt could feel numerous malicious intents directed at him.
After sending one Pokémon into the battle, he ordered his strongest, Poliwhirl, to guard his side, denying Persian an opening to strike.
At the heart of the battlefield, Charizard unleashed another Fire Blast.
The searing flames formed the shape of a kanji "大" as they bore down on Venusaur.
"Venusaur, counter with a barrage of Sludge Bombs!"
Explosions erupted as one Sludge Bomb after another collided with the flames. Despite being incinerated, the sheer volume of sludge eventually neutralized the fire.
Breathing heavily, Venusaur's energy was rapidly depleting under the intense offensive and defensive exchanges, worsened by its type disadvantage.
By now, anyone could see Venusaur was utterly exhausted.
If the poachers had held any advantage, Kai might have had the option to sacrifice Venusaur and make a break for it.
But with the death of Weavile, Machoke and Persian's relentless killing spree, and the morale-crushing loss of Gaven, the poachers were in a decisive disadvantage. There was no chance of retreat.
Seeing the dire situation, Kai prepared for one last gambit.
"Venusaur, Razor Leaf Barrage, followed by Frenzy Plant!"
Razor-sharp leaves shot out in rapid succession. This time, Venusaur wasn't targeting Charizard alone but aimed at every nearby enemy.
"Watch out for their attack! Keep your distance!"
"Charizard, intercept with Flamethrower! Then use Inferno!"
After a brief reprieve from Venusaur's assault, it finally unleashed its most devastating move.
Thick, sprawling roots erupted from the ground, entangling anything in their path. Venusaur, seemingly overcome with rage, attacked indiscriminately, friend or foe.
Thankfully, the rangers heeded Matthew's warning and withdrew in time, avoiding the carnage.
The poachers, caught off guard, had no such luck.
Before Venusaur could fully unleash its fury, Charizard's Inferno roared to life.
The massive roots became kindling for the blazing flames, fueling the fire's ferocity.
As the inferno consumed the battlefield, Kai forced Venusaur to consume a restorative potion and withdrew with his remaining Pokémon.
In the next moment, Venusaur's eyes turned blood-red. A wild frenzy took over its body, and it unleashed Petal Blizzard, attacking everything in its vicinity.
Thick vines lashed out wildly, striking anything nearby—be it Pokémon or human.
Venusaur's sudden rampage caught the poachers off guard, leaving them exposed.
Ignoring the chaos, Machoke and Persian focused solely on one goal: Kurt's head.
With blinding speed granted by Shave (Soru), Machoke and Persian flanked Kurt before he could react.
Persian struck first, using Hypnosis in tandem with a Fury Swipes, forcing Poliwhirl into a defensive stance.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Machoke lunged at Kurt. Under Kurt's panicked gaze, Machoke crushed his throat with a single motion.
Remembering Ron's instructions, Machoke followed through, tearing Kurt's head from his shoulders. Blood spattered everywhere as Machoke held the severed, bloodied head aloft.
Behind Poliwhirl, Persian used Leer to exploit its fear, then delivered a fatal blow.
On the other side of the battlefield, Kai used the chaos caused by Venusaur to escape.
Realizing he could not turn the tide, Kai enacted his final plan: abandoning Venusaur and his remaining comrades.
After causing such heavy losses, Kai had no intention of returning to the Ghostvine Poacher Syndicate.
With the loss of his sole elite-level Venusaur, those he had wronged in the past would never allow him to rise again.
His only choice was to disappear, to abandon his identity and leave this place forever.
"Charizard, contain Venusaur!"
"Ron, stop Kai!"
"Everyone else, finish the enemy and support Ron!"
At the center of the battlefield, Matthew quickly spotted Kai's intent and issued commands.
After the side effects of Inferno subsided, Charizard engaged Venusaur once more.
While the potion had restored some of Venusaur's strength, its mindless rage made it easier for Charizard to handle.
With Venusaur as an unwitting accomplice, the poachers' defeat was sealed. Surrounded, they were systematically eliminated by the rangers.
Hearing Matthew's orders, Ron commanded Machoke and Persian to pursue Kai.
Thanks to Soru and the poachers' inability to intervene, Machoke and Persian caught up with Kai in no time.
"Stop them!"
Kai had no intention of fighting. After abandoning Venusaur, his remaining Pokémon were disposable.
He released an Arbok to cover his retreat.
Sharing a glance, Machoke used Leer and Karate Chop to engage Arbok, while Persian disappeared into the forest.
Labored breaths echoed through the woods as Kai ran, oblivious to Persian lying in wait ahead.
With a burst of speed, Persian emerged, using Hypnosis followed by Fury Swipes. Kei didn't stand a chance as Persian's claws tore through his chest.
Thus, the leader of the poachers' squad, Kai, fell at Persian's feet.
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