Hearing Gible's words, Type: Null froze hard.
'Wait, bro, do we even know each other?'
'How did I suddenly become your target of hatred?'
He really wanted to say, 'This is all my trainer's fault, don't blame me!
But obviously, it was too late for any explanation now.
The General was furious.
Just moments ago, he had finally gotten himself a new little underling who might actually listen to him, he'd even been mimicking Glastrier, bragging about how brave and mighty he was.
And then, out of nowhere, a giant rock fell from the sky and slammed into his forehead.
If he didn't beat the culprit into the ground now, how would he keep any respect later?
Baring his teeth, he had to bare them hard.
The moment he saw Type: Null, Archaludon's bulky body leapt into the air, glowing with a fierce red light as he smashed down toward Gladion and his Pokémon.
As he jumped, fighting-type energy spread wildly across Archaludon's body.
At that instant, his metal body seemed to gain glowing metallic lines, his entire frame radiating violent power.
At the side, Gible clapped his little fins furiously, ["Go, General, go!"]
"ROAR!", Archaludon nodded midair.
'Of course!'
Gladion finally reacted, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Null! Back up now, use Air Slash to block him!"
Seeing the opponent use a fighting-type move, Gladion decisively ordered Type: Null to use a control move.
His Type: Null might look special, but it wasn't the perfected form the lab had envisioned. Right now, it was only Normal-type.
If that fighting-type attack hit head-on, the battle would be over fast.
Seeing the movement, Archaludon smirked, utterly unafraid.
Under Axel, he wasn't exactly first-tier.
But because he wasn't strong enough for high-end fights, Archaludon was often sent to participate in beginner cups, meaning he had tons of combat experience.
He was one of Axel's most field-tested Pokémon.
Facing the flying-type attack, Archaludon didn't even bother to dodge; his body curved into a perfect arc as he crashed down toward Type: Null, colliding with the Air Slash.
A dull thud echoed, the Air Slash left only a white mark across the General's armor before fading completely.
At the same time, a glowing ring rose around Archaludon's body.
Thanks to his Endurance, his defense increased.
And because Body Slam's power scales with the user's defense, a chain reaction occurred, Archaludon's already-dense fighting-type aura grew even stronger.
The next moment—
A storm of raw force erupted around Archaludon, the sheer pressure making Type: Null struggle to breathe.
Right now, Type: Null felt as though, one moment he was facing a slightly muscular opponent, and the next, that same Pokémon had gone from a local street brawler to freaking Mike Tyson.
BOOM!
A massive sound rang out.
The two-hundred-kilogram Type: Null was sent flying like a kite with its string cut.
As the dazed Pokémon tried to stand up again, Archaludon blinked in mild surprise.
'Huh, not bad, both level and training seem decent.'
'I used that much strength and you're still alive?'
"Roar!", Gible cheered from behind, ["Go, General!"]
Type: Null: o((⊙﹏⊙))!
'Little bro, if you cheer any harder, I'm gonna die!'
"Roar!", The General roared back in response, holding fast to his principle, never hold back in a fight.
He slammed forward again with another Body Slam.
Another loud BOOM!
Before Type: Null could even get up, Archaludon rolled over him like a speed bump.
All stamina gone, the Pokémon's eyes spiraled into dizzy swirls.
Right now, he only wanted to sing "We're all trying so hard to live," but didn't even have the strength left to sing.
Standing beside Archaludon, Gladion was completely dumbfounded.
His once-proud expression vanished, he looked just like a college student who hadn't graduated from Blueberry Academy yet.
'Where's my Pokémon?'
'It was just right here, how did it suddenly go flying?'
At this moment, all his pride vanished like smoke.
'So those "draws" I have been proud of?'
'They were just the others going easy on me.'
"So that's how it is... Compared to these Elite Fours, I'm just trash. Absolute trash."
"No wonder the butler mocks me. With my current strength, I still think I can escape my mother's control?"
"With this level of strength, I think I can defeat the Ultra Beasts that are about to come?"
The more he thought, the more bitter he felt, he could hardly accept it.
Back at Aether Paradise, though his ideals clashed with his mother's, everyone else had always respected and feared him.
His sister Lillie, frightened by Pokémon since childhood, had always been terrified of them.
Without peers to compare against, Gladion's opponents had always been the adults of Aether Paradise.
Over the years, Gladion had come to believe he was truly powerful, capable of influencing many people and decisions.
But now, he saw clearly, those people had never truly feared him.
They had only ever feared and respected his mother.
He, Gladion, had always just been a supporting role.
Suddenly, a powerful, magnetic voice came from within the courtyard.
["Young man... do you desire power?"]
Gladion's pupils constricted instantly.
'That tone? That line?'
'Isn't Flint supposed to be straightforward, hot-tempered, and honest?'
'Why does the person inside sound more like a villain?'
Inside the yard, Cynthia lightly patted Axel's shoulder.
"You really had to scare him like that? That's Lusamine's son, the Aether Foundation's young vice-chairman."
"Why use such an evil, manipulative tone?"
"Someone who didn't know better might think you're about to corrupt Gladion and seize control of the Aether Foundation~"
Axel grinned, "Do you remember what I borrowed your Champion credentials for yesterday?"
Cynthia, ever quick-witted, instantly understood after his reminder.
Ever since Axel learned about the Sun and Moon Research Institute, he'd searched extensively online, even using Cynthia's Champion-level clearance, yet still couldn't find a trace of it.
That research institute had simply vanished about a year ago.
"You suspect our parents' research institute disappearing has something to do with the Aether Foundation?"
Axel shook his head, "Not suspect, almost certain."
"To hide a research facility even from Champion-level access... only another region's Champion or League could pull that off."
"And in all of Alola, only two powers could possibly control the League itself."
"To find out who hid the institute... we just need to ask Gladion."
At that, Axel raised his voice.
["Hey, out there! Do you want to solve the Ultra Wormhole crisis or not?"]