Pokémon: Above the Top

Fire was highly effective against Victreebel, and once it realized that Houndoom wasn't going down easily—and that it was in danger of being defeated itself—it fled without hesitation.

Sato recalled Houndoom, deciding not to pursue.

Ambushes like this were common in Mount Silver, and there was no need to waste time chasing every opponent.

However, this also meant he couldn't recklessly ride Houndoom through the forest anymore—traveling alone required constant caution and readiness for unexpected dangers.

"Houndoom, return. Gengar, Ariados, I'll be counting on you!"

Since he didn't need a mount, Grass and Bug-type Pokémon were far better suited for traversing the forest.

Gengar sank smoothly into Sato's shadow—for it, staying in the shadows was far preferable to being inside a Poké Ball.

With his two Pokémon, Sato continued toward Luminous Swamp.

Along the way, he encountered many wild Pokémon blocking his path.

Since he had just entered the inner region of Mount Silver, most of them were Low Elite level, making them perfect for training his team.

After a long journey of walking and battling, it took Sato two and a half days to finally reach his first mission site—Luminous Swamp.

Luminous Swamp was a murky marshland, its surface covered in dense reeds as tall as a person.

Beneath those reeds lay thick layers of mud, where an unlucky step could mean sinking completely into the swamp, never to escape.

This environment was a haven for Poison- and Water-type Pokémon.

Large numbers of Grimer, Koffing, and Marill lurked among the reeds, waiting for the right moment to ambush unsuspecting prey.

----

Sato arrived at Luminous Swamp just as the sun was setting.

The orange glow of dusk spread across the gently swaying reeds, their shadows flickering against the trees.

The scene was stunningly beautiful.

Finding a raised area of solid ground, Sato released all six of his Pokémon. A beautiful view like this was best enjoyed together.

He set up his tent quickly, built a campfire, and prepared a simple meal with hot soup.

Around him, his Pokémon quietly ate with him as they watched the scenery unfold.

By the time night fully fell, the campfire was the only source of light, making it stand out sharply in the darkness of the swamp.

Faint rustling sounds echoed around them.

Perhaps the fire kept the wild Pokémon at bay, or maybe it was the intimidating presence of his team—either way, nothing dared approach.

In the distance, the chirping of cicadas and croaking of frogs filled the air.

At night, Luminous Swamp truly came alive!

Tiny fireflies emerged from the marsh, their greenish glow floating gently in the darkness, creating a dreamlike spectacle.

Fireflies weren't Pokémon, but their presence had made Luminous Swamp famous.

If not for the dangers lurking beneath the beauty, this place would have been a perfect lovers' scape.

"Ssssss—"

"They're here!"

Sato's ears twitched slightly—the sound of hissing tongues flicking in the air was clear as day.

Around the campfire, his Pokémon immediately tensed, subtly adjusting their stances into battle positions.

The chirping of insects and croaking of frogs had completely vanished. The only sound left was the cool night breeze rustling through the reeds.

"Cha!"

Suddenly, a massive purple serpent lunged from behind Carvanha, its eerie belly markings transforming into a ghostly face, locking eyes with Sato's team!

Glare—area effect—guaranteed paralysis!

A moment later, countless Arbok slithered out from the darkness, their venomous fangs gleaming coldly as they struck at his Pokémon!

"Zor!"

Zoroark reacted instantly. Since it had kept its eyes closed from the start, it was the only one unaffected by Glare!

Even Sato had momentarily been affected by the special paralysis effect, though his Dark Energy quickly purged it—leaving him a fraction too slow to react.

Night Daze exploded outward in an instant, not aiming for damage, but simply to force the enemy back!

All the Arbok were blown backward, while the Arbok leading the ambush was sent flying into the reeds!

Sato quickly pulled an item from his bag—a Full Heal.

The generous Rose Joy had provided him only these, capable of removing almost any status condition instantly—a luxury item.

Zoroark unleashed Night Daze once again, driving back the Arbok and Arbok leaders preparing to attack.

As Sato fed Full Heals to his paralyzed Pokémon, he quickly assessed the number of enemies around him.

His scalp tingled.

Four Arbok leaders each commanded a separate squad, and each Arbok was surrounded by dozens of Ekans, their bodies coiling together densely.

Countless cold, reptilian eyes locked onto Sato.

Even with his strong mental fortitude, he couldn't help but feel a wave of goosebumps crawling over his skin.

"Gengar!"

The first Pokémon to recover was Gengar—and it was furious.

After spending so much time cultivating patience, this was the first time in ages that Gengar had been this enraged.

Glare worked by exploiting a snake's natural cold-blooded, predatory nature, mentally overwhelming the target into paralysis.

Unlike Stun Spore from Grass-types or electric paralysis from Electric-types, this was a psychological paralysis.

For a Ghost-type like Gengar, this ability was its natural enemy—and the fact that it had been affected made it completely furious!

A rage-fueled Psychic exploded from Gengar, striking every Arbok and Ekans in range!

Weaker Ekans immediately fainted on the spot, rolling onto their backs without resistance.

However, because the attack was too widely spread, and the number of enemies was overwhelming, its overall effectiveness was reduced.

"Gengar! Calm down! Focus on single targets!"

Sato's cold, commanding voice snapped Gengar back to its senses.

Turning toward its Trainer, Gengar's rage quickly dissipated. It locked onto one of the Arbok leaders and attacked without hesitation!

Pupitar engaged another Arbok leader, and despite its limited mobility, it had a clear type advantage. Against an opponent of the same rank, it felt no fear!

Meanwhile, Houndoom and Zoroark took on the remaining two Arbok leaders.

After the initial ambush, none of them held back—every attack was unleashed with full force!

Ariados remained beside Sato, skillfully using Sticky Web and String Shot to restrain the Ekans swarm.

Carvanha darted through the battlefield, weaving between the Ekans, and with each swift attack, it sent multiple flying into the air—ruthless and relentless!

Ariados and Carvanha's coordination improved drastically.

Sticky Web trapped the larger groups of Ekans, while String Shot bound any attempting to escape—just in time for Carvanha's Aqua Jet to strike them down!

Despite their overwhelming numbers, the Ekans were completely suppressed, unable to approach within three meters of Sato!

The four Arbok leaders were only Low Elite level. Their strength came from ambush tactics and deception.

Now that Sato's team had regained their footing, in a direct confrontation, the Arbok had no chance to fight back!

----

Over half an hour later, all four Arbok leaders were slain, their corpses sprawled across the battlefield.

Realizing they were no match, many of the surviving Ekans slithered away into the reeds, escaping into the darkness.

Sato retrieved the venom sacs and fangs from the Arbok leaders before instructing Gengar to gather all the fallen Arbok and Ekans into one place.

"Pupitar, bury them deep."

Pupitar glanced at the two-meter-tall pile of snake corpses, then silently scanned the exhausted Pokémon resting nearby.

I'm a pseudo-legendary Pokémon…Why am I the one cleaning up the battlefield?!

But without complaint, it began shifting the soil, skillfully disposing of the remains.