Chapter 163: Boarding Battle

"Haah… haah…"

Quint gasped heavily, struggling to stand.

After a brief rest, he noticed the pirates boarding the ship.

"Blastoise, quick! Use Flash Cannon!"

Quint's roar echoed as his Blastoise, possessing quasi Elite Four-level strength, swiftly recovered and fired its dual cannons toward the pirates, unleashing a powerful Flash Cannon.

Blastoise's offensive and Quint's bellowing seemed to awaken everyone aboard the ship.

With multiple Pokémon using Protect, especially the formidable Blastoise, the Sharpedo's Hyper Beam caused only limited damage, breaking down the defensive line that Quint had painstakingly constructed.

Now, inspired by Quint's leadership, the trainers who had recovered from the initial assault began to join the fight.

"Avoid direct confrontations with the pirates. Use the ship's layout to force them into the rear section!"

As more pirates boarded, Quint abandoned the idea of rebuilding the defensive line. Instead, he directed the trainers to exploit the ship's terrain advantage, engaging in skirmishes to hold back the attackers.

Quint reminded himself of the mission: stall for time until reinforcements arrived.

Even so, the battle-hardened pirates, forged through countless sea skirmishes, quickly overwhelmed the relatively inexperienced trainers, resulting in casualties.

Screams, roars, and the sounds of bodies hitting the ground filled the air.

At some point, Jaxson appeared on the back of his Sharpedo, savoring the chaos like a symphony.

The scent of blood only deepened the maniacal look on Jaxson's face, mirrored by his Sharpedo.

"Let's go, Sharpedo. It's time for us to make our move."

Carrying Jaxson, Sharpedo moved steadily closer to the ship.

"Kirlia, it's our turn. Use Teleport."

Hidden in the shadows, Ron noticed Jaxson leaving the pirate ship. He immediately commanded his Kirlia to teleport him aboard the enemy vessel.

With Kirlia's psychic detection, no pirate or Pokémon aboard the ship could escape Ron's notice.

"Machamp, charge in and use Shave-Thunder Lance!"

Vanishing in an instant, Machamp combined Finger Pistol and Thunder Punch, turning into a blinding streak of lightning that tore through the darkness of the pirate ship.

A streak of electricity passed, and two pirates and their Pokémon collapsed lifelessly on the deck.

"Now it's your turn, Nidoking. Use repeated Fire Blasts!"

Scorching flames erupted. Facing Nidoking's overwhelming Fire Blasts, the pirate ship quickly became engulfed in flames.

On the edge of the ship, Quint had just intended to let Sharpedo create a battleground suited for it by damaging the ship when he saw the enemy vessel ablaze.

"Those fools can't even guard the ship properly."

"Tigran, take some men and flush out that rat. Bring them to me—I want to skin them alive!"

Amid the fierce battle, Tigran quickly disengaged from his opponent and headed back to the pirate ship with his Pokémon.

The other pirates who had boarded the ship also retreated, and moments later, a massive wave surged as Sharpedo carried Jaxson onto the deck.

Two trainers and their Pokémon, unable to react in time, were swept away by the wave. Sharpedo's tail lashed out, and it quickly closed in on them.

Using Crunch, it painted the waters crimson with their blood.

Elsewhere, chaos erupted as the remaining pirates frantically tried to locate the intruder who had set their ship aflame.

With Kirlia providing a tactical advantage, Ron moved through the vast pirate ship like a fish in water, evading searches while attempting to locate the hidden gunpowder stores.

At this moment, Tigran also led his crew back to the pirate ship and began a thorough search.

Before proceeding, Tigran had immediately stationed guards at the gunpowder storage area to prevent it from being used as a potential weak point by their adversaries.

Afterward, he commenced the search methodically. Tigran wasn't in a rush—his goal was simply to locate the target before the captain finished his spree of slaughter.

Back on the ship, Jaxson directed Sharpedo to repeatedly use Surf, creating massive waves to confine Quint and the trainers to a smaller area.

With support from other pirates, casualties among Quint's side quickly mounted.

Watching the enemy ship burn, Quint hoped that Ron's mission would succeed. Destroying the pirate ship was their only chance to halt the relentless assault.

When Tigran saw the flames rising, he smirked.

"So, the rat finally shows itself."

However, as he identified the direction of the flames, his expression froze.

"Hurry and put out that fire! And find that rat—I want them alive!"

Tigran's roar echoed as he rushed toward the flames.

What caused his panic was the realization that the fire originated from Jaxson's quarters.

Ron's method was simple—target the most opulent room, where wealth was likely hoarded. He struck Tigran's weak spot perfectly.

While Tigran scrambled, Ron ordered Kirlia to teleport them directly to the gunpowder storage.

In an instant, they appeared before three guards.

Before the pirates and their Pokémon could react, Machamp, employing Shave, swiftly closed the distance.

Blood sprayed, followed by the dull thuds of bodies hitting the floor.

Without sparing the fallen a glance, Ron quickly began rigging the gunpowder with fuses.

When Tigran finally realized Ron's plan, it was too late.

A deafening explosion echoed, halting even Jaxson's carnage.

Turning back, Jaxson saw his pirate ship engulfed in flames and sinking into the sea.

"Beautifully done."

Jaxson's voice, deep and haunting like a specter from the abyss, sent chills down the spines of all who heard it.

"You, find that rat. Leave this to me."

He commanded the remaining pirates, then turned his gaze to Quint and the others.

Only a bloodbath could quench Jaxson's rage.

On the distant ocean, Ron rode atop a Gyarados, circling the wrecked pirate ship before heading back to the main vessel.

The battle was far from over. Ron knew his part was not yet done.

With the pirate ship sinking, Quint could feel the morale of the trainers surging.

But Quint also understood that the true battle was just beginning.

An enraged Elite Four-level trainer was more terrifying than anything these trainers had faced before.

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