Noticing the change in everyone's expressions, Cain smiled.
"Kommo-o, it seems none of them know you. Show them your strength and teach them what it means to open their eyes to the world."
Hearing Cain's words, Kommo-o narrowed its eyes and snorted, expelling two streams of hot air from its nostrils.
That was when Steven reacted.
"Cain... is that Pokémon... Kommo-o? I've never seen it before. Is it Dragon-type?"
With the resources and knowledge of Steven's family, it was rare for him to encounter a Pokémon he didn't recognize.
But that Pokémon—it was not only the first time he had seen it, it was also the first time he had even heard its name.
Seeing his companion's confusion, Cain explained, "Kommo-o, a Dragon and Fighting-type Pokémon. It's a pseudo-legendary."
"Although I caught it, our relationship is more of a partnership. I can't give it direct orders in battle; everything depends on what it decides to do. Anyway... get ready for a surprise."
The explanation only left Steven even more bewildered.
A pseudo-legendary?
Dragon and Fighting?
How was it possible that he had never heard of it?
And what did he mean by not being able to command it?
But just looking at Tabitha and Shelly's faces made it clear that he wasn't the only one astonished.
They didn't recognize Kommo-o either.
However, judging from the reactions of their own Pokémon, they could feel it—fear.
Fear?
Kommo-o pounded its scaly chest with force, producing a metallic thud!
It lowered its head, taking in a violent breath of air.
Then it opened its jaws, which began to glow white. Instantly, that glow turned into a circle of sonic energy.
"ROAAAAAAR!!!"
In an instant, the Pokémon facing Kommo-o felt as if the whole world had fallen into absolute silence.
And the next moment, a deafening roar exploded.
Massive sonic waves burst out from Kommo-o's mouth.
Wherever they passed, the tunnel's rocks shattered from large chunks to small fragments, and then to dust.
All that dust and debris floated in the air, shaken by the vibration.
And those were merely the secondary waves.
The ones who took the full force of the attack were Tabitha and Shelly's Pokémon, along with Maxie's Crobat and Archie's Sharpedo.
Without exception, all were violently blown away.
Even Maxie's Crobat, after tumbling dozens of times through the air, barely managed to stop itself, staring in horror at that unknown Pokémon.
Tabitha and Shelly managed to resist thanks to the protection of their own Pokémon.
But the soldiers and Pokémon behind them weren't so lucky.
Blood streamed from the ears, noses, and eyes of many. Their minds buzzed, unable to react, collapsing to the ground one after another.
It was like harvesting stalks in a field.
When the waves ceased, those still conscious were only just beginning to regain their hearing.
BOOOOM!
An explosion shook the entire tunnel, which seemed to widen under the force of the impact.
Clang!
"ROAARRR!"
Kommo-o struck its chest again with pride, roaring arrogantly.
As if shouting: "I am Kommo-o, a pseudo-legendary Dragon-type! Listen well, all you ignorant Pokémon and humans!"
"Gulp!" Steven, standing behind Kommo-o with Cain, swallowed instinctively.
He turned to his companion with difficulty, unsure what to say.
After a long silence, his voice came out rough: "Is that... your trump card? Do you have more like that? Because if you do..."
He trailed off, staring at Kommo-o, dazzled by the shimmer of its scales.
Cain grinned broadly. "This is something unique, impossible to replicate. If I could use Kommo-o in all my battles, I'd already be a member of the Elite Four."
In truth, the magnitude of its attack was partly due to the terrain.
In a closed tunnel, the sound couldn't dissipate—it concentrated in the confined space, amplifying its destructive power.
Though Kommo-o was strong, it wasn't quite as overwhelming as it appeared in that moment.
Even so, seeing such a display, Steven relaxed. He recalled his Pokémon, confident that with Kommo-o there, there was no immediate danger.
It was like having a guardian capable of stopping thousands on its own.
Tabitha and Shelly's faces were pale.
They had withstood the attack, but their subordinates had not—they lay unconscious on the ground.
Sound was inescapable; even they had taken damage.
And beyond that, they didn't know how to fight back.
They could feel their Pokémon were simply on a different level.
But Kommo-o had no intention of staying still.
It scratched its nose lazily, satisfied with having intimidated the enemy.
Then it slammed its armored tail against the ground with a crash and shot forward with brutal momentum.
Curiously, though its scales usually clattered when it moved, once it entered battle they tensed and aligned, falling completely silent.
The only sound was that of its footsteps pounding through the tunnel.
Seeing it charge, Tabitha and Shelly gritted their teeth. They knew they couldn't keep avoiding the fight.
They gave their Pokémon the order to brace for impact.
Boom!
BOOOOM!
Kommo-o's fighting style was simple: punches and tail strikes. Straightforward moves, no frills.
But his opponents couldn't withstand them.
As the battle went on, Tabitha and Shelly were overwhelmed, though they soon discovered that Kommo-o wasn't quite as invincible as they had first feared.
It was incredibly strong, yes—but not to the point of "one-hit annihilation."
At least they could barely hold on.
And with that sliver of resistance, their fear began to fade.
The unknown was what terrified them most.
They were certain the commotion would draw Maxie and Archie at any moment.
They just needed to hold out a little longer...
Boom!
Boom!
Tabitha and Shelly's two Pokémon were sent flying, collapsing in defeat.
On Kommo-o's scaly fists shone flashes of ice and electricity.
It had begun using moves.
Against that, its opponents had no way to continue resisting.
(End of chapter)