CHAPTER 17

017: The Power of Shaving! Each Has a Ghost

The plan was working. Each attack struck with precision, dealing twice the expected damage.

Charming Voice had a base power of 40, but with the Same Type Attack Bonus (STAB), it effectively reached 60. Given the weakness of Dark-types to Fairy-type moves, the total damage output skyrocketed to 120. If it landed a critical hit, the damage would be even greater.

Qin Yun held his breath. Houndoom's keen sense of smell made stealth difficult. Time was running out.

"Kirlia, use Teleport to get behind the distracted Houndoom, then unleash Charming Voice at full strength. After that, use Shaving to lure the other Houndoom away."

What worried Qin Yun most was whether Charming Voice would be enough to incapacitate Houndoom. After all, Houndoom's Special Defense stat was a solid 80 far superior to its low 50 Defense. If the attack wasn't enough, escape would be their only option.

"If things go south, use Teleport and get out. Don't worry about me."

Kirlia nodded, fully aware of the risk.

There were two Pokémon hunters. Qin Yun had no idea if they carried stronger Pokémon, but if they did, things could turn ugly fast.

"Now!"

Seizing the perfect moment when one Houndoom let its guard down, Qin Yun gave the order.

Kirlia acted instantly.

"Teleport!"

In a blink, Kirlia vanished from sight, reappearing behind the unsuspecting Houndoom.

"Charming Voice!"

Kirlia waved its arms, releasing a mesmerizing, melodic attack that sent powerful sound waves crashing into the Dark-type Pokémon's mind.

Houndoom howled in pain, its legs shaking as it struggled to resist the mental assault.

"Shaving!"

Kirlia accelerated, dashing away before the second Houndoom could react.

"Grrr!" The remaining Houndoom let out a furious roar, quickly locking onto Kirlia's position.

They had been discovered.

The Pokémon hunters turned their heads sharply, eyes narrowing. One of them wasted no time throwing a Poké Ball.

With a burst of light, Golbat and Arbok appeared.

Qin Yun exhaled, relieved. Entry-level Pokémon only.

Golbat was mid-tier entry-level, while Arbok was stronger, at the advanced entry level.

No elite Pokémon. No entry-peak opponents.

Good.

"Arbok, use Poison Sting!"

"Houndoom, use Ember!"

Kirlia's reflexes kicked in. The agile Psychic-type evaded both attacks with a graceful leap.

"Who's there?!"

The first Houndoom, still reeling from Charming Voice, collapsed. One down.

"Kirlia, use Finger Gun!"

The remaining Houndoom was on full alert now. Charming Voice was too slow to land on a prepared opponent.

A Finger Gun attack was faster and could work in close combat.

"Golbat, take down that human!"

"Houndoom, Arbok, pin down the Kirlia!"

Qin Yun tensed as Golbat rushed him. The Pokémon hunters had no intention of fighting fair.

They had recognized Kirlia's rarity and potential. A Kirlia with such exceptional control over Teleport was a goldmine.

If they realized its true potential, they'd stop at nothing to capture it.

Pokémon hunters… as ruthless as ever.

Qin Yun had anticipated this outcome from the start.

Hunters didn't play by the rules. They didn't care about sportsmanship or fair fights.

In their world, victory was all that mattered.

But Qin Yun wasn't worried.

"Kirlia."

At his soft call, Kirlia instantly Teleported to his side. Before Golbat could react

BANG!

The Finger Gun attack struck point-blank.

Golbat screeched, wings spasming before it crashed to the ground, unconscious.

The hunters cursed under their breath.

"Damn it! That Kirlia's Teleport is too fast!"

"Arbok, stay close and defend us! Houndoom, use Bite!"

Their paranoia showed. They feared Kirlia could simply Teleport behind them and strike directly.

Qin Yun smirked. Good. Keep worrying.

Everything is going exactly as planned.

"Now for the real challenge defeating this Houndoom in a direct fight."

Qin Yun didn't order Kirlia to attack the trainers. That would leave himself vulnerable.

Houndoom was at the peak of the entry-level stage, a single step away from reaching elite status. If it evolved further, its strength would increase exponentially.

"Kirlia, this won't be easy."

Houndoom's trainer issued a new command.

"Houndoom, use Inferno!"

Qin Yun's breath hitched.

Inferno.

Power: 100. With STAB, that increased to 150.

Kirlia's frail defenses wouldn't withstand a direct hit.

A blazing inferno erupted, roaring toward Kirlia.

"Kirlia, use Shaving!"

Teleport took a moment to execute. Too slow.

But Shaving a technique that utilized high-speed footwork allowed Kirlia to evade just in time.

"What the?! That's not Quick Attack!"

The Pokémon hunter's face twisted in confusion.

"No… it's something else."

Kirlia's speed was astonishing.

Normally, Kirlia's Speed base stat was 50, while Houndoom's was 95 a clear gap.

But thanks to Norman's speed potion and Qin Yun's training, Kirlia had learned Shaving, dramatically boosting its agility.

Now, Kirlia was faster than Houndoom.

The battle had reached a stalemate.

The Pokémon hunters frowned.

"Young man, leave now, and we won't pursue this further."

They weren't offering mercy. They were stalling.

If the fight dragged on, law enforcement or stronger trainers might show up. That was a risk they couldn't afford.

But even as they spoke, they signaled Arbok to launch a sneak attack.

A novice trainer might have fallen for the deception.

Qin Yun wasn't fooled.

A cold glint flashed in his eyes.

"Alright," he said, voice calm. "But first, return your Houndoom to its Poké Ball."

The Pokémon hunters hesitated.

Both sides were playing mind games.

Both sides were scheming.

The real fight was just beginning.

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