Pokémon: Above the Top

Bang! Bang! Bang!

All the Ice Shards hit their mark, instantly reducing Gengar to critical health! It was sent flying for quite a distance before barely managing to stop, panting heavily.

Although Ice Shard wasn't powerful, Weavile's Peak Elite level STAB bonus, combined with the environmental boost, made it devastating.

And Gengar's weakest stat? Its physical defense! With this difference in advantage, Gengar was left utterly frustrated.

The next second, Weavile launched another swift attack. This seamless and fluid maneuver left Gengar's scalp tingling!

As the second Night Slash approached, Gengar found itself unable to muster the strength to dodge!

Whoosh!

A scorching Flamethrower shot out at the critical moment, forming a barrier between Weavile and Gengar!

Weavile, sensing the danger, instinctively retreated to avoid the flames.

"Wea!"

Weavile's attention instantly shifted to Houndoom. Gengar, now at critical health, was no longer a concern for it!

Suddenly, Weavile began moving rapidly around Houndoom, who had stepped out of the ice cave. Its speed kept increasing!

A speed-boosting move: Agility!

"Gengar, Clear Smog! Then use Mean Look again! Houndoom, Odor Sleuth!"

A pale gray Clear Smog spread across the area. Even with the raging blizzard, it lingered like a thick layer of dust, refusing to dissipate.

At the same time, Mean Look activated once more, preventing Weavile from escaping!

Within the lingering Clear Smog, Weavile's rapid movement gradually slowed. Its Agility boost was fading!

Whoosh!

Another scorching flame burst forth from the smog, suddenly striking toward Weavile!

With Odor Sleuth, Houndoom could accurately locate Weavile even at this close range!

However, even with this surprise attack, Weavile relied on its incredible speed and explosive reflexes to narrowly dodge Houndoom's strike!

For a Pokémon to not only survive in this harsh environment but also grow to Peak Elite and even acquire a Razor Claw to complete its evolution. this Weavile was overwhelmingly strong!

Sato's heart was set. He had to capture it!

"Wea!"

The next moment, Weavile dashed toward Houndoom, following the path left by Flamethrower!

Seeing this, Sato could only marvel once more at Weavile's incredible battle experience, he wanted it even more!

However, Houndoom had already repositioned itself. With Odor Sleuth active, it was constantly aware of Weavile's exact location!

A flash of electricity sparked, Gengar rejoined the battle. Thunderbolt struck fiercely, not aiming to hit but to force Weavile to hesitate!

The next moment, Fire Blast roared toward it. No matter how strong Weavile was, the prolonged battle had left it fatigued. As the Fire Blast neared, it could no longer muster the energy to dodge a second time.

Boom!

Fire Blast landed directly, taking Weavile out in one hit!

Weavile had outstanding speed, attack power, and burst potential, but ultimately... it was too frail.

A red and white Poké Ball swiftly flew out, hitting the fallen Weavile. Perhaps due to the overwhelming damage from Fire Blast, it barely struggled before being successfully captured.

Sato stepped forward and picked up the Poké Ball, feeling an indescribable mix of excitement and joy.

However, he also realized that capturing Weavile in a two-on-one fight, combined with its obvious independence and strong will, meant that future communication with it would be a major challenge.

That said, a Peak Elite Weavile instantly became a core member of his team.

As for whether it was stronger than Zoroark... only a battle would tell!

With its typing and role countered, Gengar had no choice but to step back as the third in command, just like how a mage always fears a close-range assassin.

Traveling overnight was out of the question. Sato shivered slightly and quickly led Houndoom and Gengar back to the ice cave, sealing the hole Weavile had cut open.

Sato released Weavile from its Poké Ball and saw its body covered in severe burns. Houndoom's flames were not to be underestimated.

During the battle, Sato had unconsciously tapped into the Fire Orb's power slightly, making Fire Blast overwhelmingly powerful!

He carefully applied Burn Heal to Weavile's wounds and fed it a few energy supplements to help it recover.

After tending to Gengar's injuries and ensuring its condition had stabilized, Sato returned both it and Houndoom to their Poké Balls.

Throughout the entire process, Weavile never woke up.

Having been busy most of the night, both Sato and Houndoom were exhausted. He then released Zoroark to stand guard for the night.

Satisfied, Sato soon drifted into a deep sleep.

---

The next morning, after packing up his bag, Sato stepped out of the ice cave. Seeing the sun hanging high in the sky, he felt a sense of contentment.

Last night, he had been too excited and forgot to check, but today he finally examined Weavile's potential, both its Dark-type and Ice-type potential had reached Pseudo-Elite Four level!

That was an exceptional talent!

While descending the mountain, Sato deliberately chose a rugged, less-traveled path to avoid running into that dead-fish-eyed man.

After reaching the port town's Pokémon Center, Sato immediately handed over his Poké Balls to Nurse Joy and also transferred Ariados and Pupitar over.

With Pokémon in his hands, his heart was at ease. Though, for the time being, he still refrained from stepping too far outside the Pokémon Center.

Once all of his Pokémon had fully recovered, Sato temporarily transferred Cacnea, Eevee, and Pupitar back.

He kept Zoroark, Gengar, Houndoom, Ariados, Sharpedo, and Weavile as his current strongest lineup.

Then, after confirming the Pokémon Center Headquarters' location with Ria Joy, he snuck onto a cargo ship and quietly left Seafoam Islands.

"This is all I can do, Master…"

Disguised as a rookie deckhand, Sato diligently scrubbed the ship's deck, lost in thought.

After several transfers and another three days of travel, Sato finally arrived at the Pokémon Center Headquarters.

North of Goldenrod City, there was a small town unknown to outsiders. Most of the people living here were related to the Joy family in some way.

Strangers rarely ventured in, and the community shared a harmonious bond.

As Sato walked through the streets, he caught whiffs of subtle medicine scents lingering in the air. Everywhere he looked, there were pink-haired girls, women, aunts, and elderly ladies.

This was the "stronghold" of the Joy family in the Johto region: Joy Town. It was also the final destination where Sato's Pokémon had been transferred.

There were no skyscrapers, no congested roads. The rows of houses, though old-fashioned, were well-maintained, exuding a rich sense of heritage.

Yet, despite being just a small town, it had continuously produced and supplied countless outstanding doctors to the Johto region: The Joy family!

At this moment, Sato was being led around by a young Joy whom he didn't recognize. As he took in the sights, he couldn't help but marvel...

"The genes of the Joy family are seriously dominant!"