Chapter 66: Monstrous Shadow

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After agreeing with Bill, Liam mounted Arcanine once more. With a few agile leaps up the slope, they ascended the cliff. 

He then instructed Arcanine to stay below and guard Bill, ensuring no wild Pokémon would attack him again.

Standing atop the cliff, Liam watched Bill, who was playing happily with Arcanine, entirely forgetting his initial purpose. Liam chuckled inwardly at the sight, thinking, Kids will be kids. With that, he turned on his flashlight and entered the decrepit lighthouse.

The interior of the lighthouse was a chaotic mess, with piles of junk scattered everywhere, but Liam only needed to stay for a night, so he cleared a space on the first floor, setting up a portable lamp that illuminated the area brightly.

Liam spread out two makeshift bedding arrangements for sleeping later, then began preparing dinner for himself, Bill, and their Pokémon.

While Liam was busy inside the lighthouse, night had fully fallen. 

Suddenly, Lulu, the Pokémon residing dormant within Liam, emerged cautiously, her expression alert.

"Hm? Lulu? Hungry already? Want to try my cooking? At this rate, eating and sleeping like this will turn you into a chubby little fairy," Liam teased when he noticed her.

But to his surprise, the usually sharp-tongued Lulu didn't respond. 

As Liam wondered if she had changed her personality, Lulu turned around and issued a system task.

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[Ding!]

[Emergency Mission Released: Mysterious Unknown Creature!]

[Mission Objective: A massive unknown creature is approaching. Obtain a sample from its body—blood, fur, or scales—to identify it!]

[Mission Rewards: 1,000 exchange points, plus a mystery gift box.]

[Note: This mission is entirely up to the host and has no penalty conditions. The host may ignore it without any consequences.]

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Liam's eyes narrowed as he read the mission details. Although the rewards were tempting, it immediately reminded him of the giant Dragonite from the Pokémon TV series. 

That Dragonite had immense destructive power, making it far from easy to collect samples from it.

"Wait a minute... I feel like I forgot something..." Liam murmured, his face tense as he struggled to recall.

"ROAR!!"

"AH! A monster!!"

"Damn it! I forgot about Arcanine and Bill! They're still outside!" Liam exclaimed, realizing too late as the roaring sound confirmed that they had encountered the giant creature.

Without hesitation, Liam bolted out of the lighthouse, with Lulu re-entering his body to stay hidden.

What met Liam outside stunned him. 

Thick fog had enveloped the area around the lighthouse, reducing visibility drastically. Amid the haze loomed a towering shadow, its low growls echoing ominously.

"Arcanine!"

From below the cliff came a familiar roar, followed by a Flamethrower streaking out and striking the massive figure. However, compared to the shadow's size, the flames were as insignificant as a toothpick against an adult. 

They caused no visible harm.

Instead, the attack enraged the creature. It opened its massive jaws, letting out a deafening roar as golden energy began to gather in its mouth—Hyper Beam! 

The enormous figure aimed its devastating attack at Arcanine and Bill.

"This is bad!! Go, Sneasel! Use Protect to block the Hyper Beam!" Liam yelled, tossing Sneasel's PokéBall. 

Sneasel dashed at full speed, positioning itself between Arcanine and the boy. With a growl, it cast a green shield, enveloping the three of them just as the Hyper Beam struck, causing a massive explosion.

The aftermath was catastrophic. 

The beach below the lighthouse had been vaporized, leaving a gaping crater. Much of the sand had turned to glass from the intense heat, with the area radiating suffocating waves of heat.

At the center of the devastation, Bill was barely conscious from the heat. 

Sneasel had collapsed from exhaustion after using Protect to its limit. Only Arcanine remained standing, growling slowly, its head lowered as it prepared to retaliate.

"Don't act recklessly! Arcanine, bring Sneasel and Bill back now!" Liam commanded, sweat pouring down his face as he issued the retreat. 

Arcanine glanced back at him, reluctant but obedient. It nodded, grabbed Bill with its mouth, then carefully picked up Sneasel before leaping back to the cliff.

Liam placed a hand on his belt, his eyes fixed on the enormous shadow looming in the mist. Its overwhelming power had already exceeded his expectations. 

Yet, as terrifying as the situation was, the creature was already gathering energy for a second Hyper Beam.

"Everyone, come out!" Liam shouted, releasing his Pokémon. 

"Arbok, use Glare! Arcanine, evacuate with Sneasel and the boy! Gabite, trap it with Sand Tomb! Nidoking, summon a Surf! Push it back into the sea!"

Arbok's instincts screamed danger as it faced the towering figure. Yet, despite its fear, it coiled itself and unleashed Glare. 

The giant shadow froze momentarily, its energy dispersing as faint electrical currents sparked across its body, indicating paralysis.

Gabite roared, summoning a swirling vortex of sand that wrapped around the shadow's leg. Although the creature was colossal, the Sand Tomb managed to ensnare one of its legs, slowing its movements.

Nidoking stomped the ground, creating a massive wave that merged with the sea, forming a towering surge of water. 

The wave slammed into the shadow, forcing it to stumble and take a few steps back.

"The paralysis is working! This is our chance—get out of here now!" Liam yelled, glancing back at Arcanine. It hesitated briefly before retreating with Bill and Sneasel.

"Big brother, I... I don't want to leave you!" Bill murmured weakly, struggling to stay conscious.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Just go!" Liam reassured him with a determined smile. Bill's eyes fluttered shut as he fainted.

After ensuring their safety, Liam turned his gaze back to the shadow. Taking a deep breath, he yelled, "Hey, big guy! This road is closed! Leave quietly, or things will get ugly!"

The creature roared in response, unleashing a Dragon Rage that lit up the night sky.