Chapter 135:

Cain could call forth either Slowpoke or Sneasel as both of them could counter Golbat, a dual Poison and Flying-type Pokémon.

However, revealing Slowpoke right now wasn't an option, so Sneasel became Cain's prime choice.

Although the middle-aged man had said Cain could use any number of Pokémon, his level 19 Gastly stood no chance against the level 32 Golbat. Moreover, his Miltank wasn't fit for this battle either.

Cain tossed a Pokéball, and after a flash of red light, Sneasel appeared on the battlefield with crossed arms and a haughty tilt of its head.

Seeing Sneasel, Milan and the middle-aged man both showed surprise. Given their experience, they could tell that this Sneasel was no ordinary specimen.

"Murkrow, Sneasel, you're up," Cain announced.

He was confident in Murkrow, but Sneasel had only recently been caught, and they lacked the rapport needed for battle. Sneasel's performance would be crucial to the outcome.

"Golbat, use Confuse Ray on Murkrow," Milan calmly ordered, initiating the attack.

As Milan spoke, a strange, glowing orb emerged from Golbat's mouth.

"Murkrow, use Tailwind for speed! Sneasel, use Agility!" Cain countered.

Even though Golbat was fast, Murkrow and Sneasel would outpace it once their speed increased.

Tailwind boosted the entire team's speed, so both Murkrow and Sneasel benefited. With Sneasel's added Agility, its already impressive speed now surpassed Golbat's.

Cain had also removed Murkrow's weight prior to the battle, so it was now at its peak speed.

Golbat's Confuse Ray was fast, but as a Ghost-type move, it had limited effect on the Dark-type Murkrow and Sneasel. Although Murkrow didn't dodge it, the move failed to confuse the Pokémon.

Milan remained unperturbed, having only used Confuse Ray as a test.

"Sneasel, use Taunt! Then follow with Quick Attack! Murkrow, close in and use Wing Attack!"

Sneasel pointed at Golbat, and a dark aura enveloped the Flying Pokémon, turning its eyes red and making it crave battle.

The stage was set for an intense showdown between these powerful Pokémon.

"Then let's use Wing Attack too!"

Taunt forced the opponent to use only attacking moves for a short period, disabling the use of any status-altering moves. Golbat collided with Murkrow in midair, their energy-charged wings striking one another fiercely.

The difference in power was evident. Murkrow was sent flying, while Golbat only swayed slightly, retreating just a bit. As Murkrow was knocked away, Sneasel rushed forward with a flash, its sharp claws aimed at Golbat.

"Sneasel, Ice Punch," Cain commanded.

At Cain's order, Sneasel's arm was imbued with an icy energy. The punch connected, and the super-effective Ice-type move inflicted significant damage on Golbat, far more than the earlier collision with Murkrow.

"Golbat, use Swift!" Milan ordered, unfazed by the damage sustained by Golbat and initiating another attack.

Golbat's movepool consisted of many Ghost-type moves, which were not very effective against the two Dark-type Pokémon. Consequently, it was somewhat restricted in battle. Sneasel was grazed by the Swift attack and had to abandon its next move to evade further damage.

Cain analyzed the flow of the battle, a strange glint flickering in his eyes. The middle-aged man's claim that there were no rules wouldn't make things that simple. If the battle continued like this, Cain couldn't guarantee a win.

If Sneasel had spent more time with Cain, the situation might be different. But for now, they were still slightly off sync. Cain had commanded Sneasel to use Ice Punch earlier, and although it responded quickly, something was still amiss.

With a truly harmonious partnership, Sneasel would've been prepared to execute the move before Cain's command, so the trainer's signal would coincide with the completion of the move, not the beginning. If that were the case, the damage Golbat suffered would've been much greater.

As if he understood something or made a decision, Cain coldly said, "Murkrow, use Hidden Power. Sneasel, Icicle Crash. Target the human!"

Since there were no rules mentioned, attacking the opposing trainer was fair game, right? This would force Golbat to choose between continuing its assault or defending its trainer. Either way, it wouldn't be easy for the opponent since Cain had two Pokémon.

The middle-aged man, who had been observing the battle with interest, paused while stroking his mustache before breaking into a delighted laugh.

Murkrow gathered electrical energy for Hidden Power in midair, while Sneasel, upon hearing Cain's command, conjured icy currents around its body.

Milan, on the other side, heard Cain's order and, instead of getting angry, smirked. As a member of Team Rocket, one must do whatever it takes to achieve their goal. If they fought like a Pokémon Association trainer, it would be like playing house.

In no time, Murkrow's energy ball and Sneasel's massive icicles formed, bypassing Golbat and aiming straight for Milan.

"Boom!"

The attack kicked up a large cloud of dust, but Cain frowned as he watched Murkrow and Sneasel complete their assault.

He noticed that Golbat hadn't moved to defend or attack, simply standing dumbfounded on the battlefield.

The middle-aged man, who had been sitting like a boss on his chair, laughed and walked to the edge of the arena, clapping enthusiastically.

"I thought you might have forgotten how to fight after leaving the island for a while, but your reaction was quite good. No wonder you caught Sir Umbra's eye," he said.

Cain's eyebrows raised at the man's words. Was he testing whether Cain had the killer instinct?

As the smoke cleared, Milan approached with a Weezing by his side. Evidently, he had summoned Weezing to defend against the attacks from Murkrow and Sneasel.

Cain's eyes narrowed as he looked at the Weezing. According to the system's scan, this Weezing was level 39 and possessed a dark green aptitude, making it much stronger than Golbat. So even with Murkrow and Sneasel's combined power, they were no match for Weezing.

"Allow me to introduce you to your 'senior', a previous trial participant of Purgatory Island and currently a Team Rocket Captain, Milan!" The middle-aged man patted Milan's shoulder as he introduced him.