Chapter 136: Marshadow Appears
The enormous Tentacruel, as if responding to the desperate cries of its leader, shifted its gaze downward. It saw its fellow Tentacool and Tentacruel being overwhelmed by the Pokémon under human command.
Its massive eyes narrowed in fury. A deafening roar erupted from its mouth, shaking the very air and sending shockwaves rippling outward. The sheer force of its voice was unbearable, forcing Trainers and Pokémon alike to cover their ears in pain, halting their movements.
Yet even as the piercing sound faded, the giant Tentacruel's attention returned to the thunderclouds looming above. It hesitated only for a moment before making a decision—if this was truly an act of divine intervention, then surely the gods would not stand idly by while their kind was attacked!
In its mind, the storm above was the work of the gods, but now it would test their will.
"Poison Stinger!"
A surge of Water-type energy erupted from the giant Tentacruel's body, its immense form glowing with raw power. Though its strength was only at the champion level, the sheer pressure it exuded made it feel far beyond that.
The ocean, which had briefly begun to settle, now churned once more. The energy within Tentacruel's body merged with the sea, forming an even greater tidal wave.
This new wave towered over the battlefield, rising 20 to 30 meters high—a massive, destructive force that looked like something out of myth, as if a legendary flood had come to wipe the world clean.
The moment the giant Tentacruel made its move, the thunderclouds above roared in response. A swirling mass of lightning coalesced into a thunderball, crackling with energy as it streaked down from the sky.
In the blink of an eye—
BOOM!
The lightning sphere detonated upon impact, engulfing the enormous Tentacruel in a towering pillar of electricity. For a moment, all that could be seen was a charred silhouette within the crackling storm.
"STINGER!"
A roar of pain echoed across the battlefield. As the blinding light of the thunderstrike faded, the Tentacruel's blackened form emerged from the lingering smoke.
It was injured but still standing.
The sight sent a chill through the gathered Trainers. Despite the sheer force of that attack, the giant Tentacruel had only lost part of its stamina—it had not even been brought to the brink of collapse. Worse still, the massive wave it had summoned was still surging forward!
The Tentacruel's pain quickly turned to elation. The "godly" attack that had struck it down was powerful, yes—but not as overwhelming as it had first believed.
In truth, that lightning blast had the strength of only an elite-level Pokémon's full-power attack. Though formidable, it was far from divine punishment.
Understanding this, the giant Tentacruel's rage reignited.
This so-called divine power had sided with humans.
The same humans who had destroyed their home.
Unforgivable.
With a single thought, it unleashed the full force of its wave, sending the towering wall of water crashing toward Yuding Wharf.
This time, the protective wall wouldn't hold.
This time, there would be no stopping it.
A Moment of Despair
"It's over..."
Officer Jenny's voice wavered as she stared at the incoming disaster.
This was beyond them. This wasn't just an attack—it was a natural disaster.
Even Elite Four members and Champions would struggle against such raw devastation.
Some Trainers panicked and began to flee. They knew they had no chance of resisting the incoming colossal wave.
Alliance soldiers, who had been desperately holding the line, lost their will to fight. Some simply sat atop the protective wall, watching the water advance with grim acceptance.
Misty gripped Ash's hand tightly, her skin damp with sweat.
Brock, standing beside them, could only sigh in frustration. They were powerless before this overwhelming force.
"It's not over yet!" Ash suddenly shouted, clenching his fists. "We still have a chance!"
His determined gaze landed on Pikachu.
But Pikachu, already drained from using the Lightning Bomb, could barely stand. It lacked the strength to summon another attack.
Ash's other Pokémon hadn't given up either. They were throwing every ounce of their power into stopping the wave.
But how could their strength compare to a tidal wave 30 meters high?
Charmeleon, desperate to turn the tide, unleashed a blazing Flamethrower. The golden-orange flames struck the base of the wave, instantly evaporating a section of water.
But the sea simply replenished itself. The wave surged forward unchanged.
Charmeleon growled in frustration.
It had inherited the power of a god, yet it couldn't stop this?
"Fire..."
Its claws clenched tightly. If only the true Sun God were here—this wave would be nothing before its might.
The sheer resentment and unwillingness in its heart reactivated the divine inheritance within its body.
A golden flame flickered within Charmeleon's eyes.
Its power surged.
Its flames grew wilder.
Just as Charmeleon was about to reach its limit—
A shadowy figure appeared before the incoming wave.
Instantly, the surge of energy within Charmeleon vanished.
The figure was small, its dark form almost blending into the stormy sky.
Few noticed it at first.
But Ash and Charmeleon did.
Marshadow had arrived.
The Shadow Warrior
Suspended in midair, Marshadow's body radiated an aura of absolute calm.
Despite the massive tidal wave before it, its expression was unchanged.
"Marshadow?!"
Ash's gasp of surprise caught Misty and Brock's attention. They followed his gaze, their eyes widening as they spotted the mythical Pokémon.
Marshadow raised one hand slightly, aiming toward the wave.
A pulse of Fighting-type energy erupted from its palm.
Then—
BOOM!
A shockwave blasted outward, colliding with the monstrous wave and shattering it instantly.
Not a single drop of water remained.
The force of the impact sent strong winds howling across the battlefield, yet somehow, not a single person behind Marshadow was affected.
A stunned silence fell over the crowd.
"This... this is... Force Palm?!"
Someone in the crowd finally broke the silence, their voice trembling with disbelief.
A weak, low-tier Fighting-type move—had just obliterated a disaster-level wave?
The realization sent shockwaves through everyone watching.
Who was this Pokémon?
And what kind of power did it truly possess?