Hill felt like he was going to break.
He could only watch as the mist within the Black Forest was being absorbed nonstop by that Froslass!
After observing for some time, he had confirmed that this Froslass was completely unaffected by the Abyssal Mist. At this rate, the entire mist would be gone!
"No! If the Abyssal Beast Tide ends like this, Marina City will lose its chance to strike at Aspiration City!"
Countless thoughts raced through Hill's mind.
In the end, he made a decision. He pulled out a whistle and blew it sharply, the sound echoing through the mountain range behind him.
A moment later, a Staraptor swooped down from the distance and landed beside him.
"Staraptor, take that Froslass down!" Hill hesitated briefly, then gritted his teeth and gave the order.
The sky over the Black Forest was still blanketed in the gray, corrupted mist. Sending Staraptor in was dangerous—but he had no choice.
Staraptor raised its head and glanced at the Froslass floating above the forest, then shot into the air, wings spread wide, and charged!
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Froslass had been leisurely gliding through the mist like she was swimming.
But suddenly, a powerful gust of wind stirred. She turned in confusion—only to see Staraptor closing in fast.
Startled, she quickly dodged.
But Staraptor was aiming straight for her. As its wings flapped, it launched a barrage of Air Slash blades!
It's targeting me...
Froslass recognized the threat instantly. Raising her hand, she summoned Ghost-type energy.
In response, the mist below churned and swirled upward, pulled by the ghostly aura, forming a shield that blocked the Air Slashes.
Normally, she would have followed up with a counterattack immediately, but then she remembered what Aven had told her:
The gray mist was essentially Ghost-type energy corrupted by chaotic forces.
Because no one was sure what effects absorbing it might have, Aven had warned her not to use her Ghost-type powers actively for the time being.
I don't want to become that... thing again.
Thinking of that, Froslass withdrew her instinctual use of Ghost energy and instead channeled her Ice-type energy.
With a wave of her hand, a blizzard of snow formed and swirled into a Snowstorm, roaring toward the approaching Staraptor!
Feeling the overwhelming chill, Staraptor stopped in midair and flapped its wings fiercely, summoning a Twister!
The two attacks collided in the air—both laced with wind energy.
Snowflakes and wind swirled together, clashing and tearing at each other before exploding in midair!
"That Froslass is strong!" Hill's eyes narrowed.
His Staraptor was a high-tier Pokémon, second only to the City Lord's pseudo-legendary in Marina.
And yet this Froslass was holding her ground!
Granted, the snowy weather weakened Staraptor's power considerably, and this terrain clearly favored the Froslass.
Still, even as she fought, Hill noticed Froslass was still absorbing the Distortion Mist—which was absolutely not what he wanted.
"Sneasel, you go assist too."
Hill's expression darkened as he turned to the Pokémon beside him.
Sneasel resembled a black feline walking upright, with gleaming silver claws and gold gems on its forehead and chest.
At his command, the armored Sneasel hesitated briefly, then nodded and dashed down the mountain.
Sneasel was an Ice/Dark-type, skilled in stealth and ambush—exactly why Hill had brought it along. The snowy terrain was its domain too.
With a leap, Sneasel moved fluidly through the snow and quickly reached the edge of the Black Forest.
Though the gray mist loomed ahead, it didn't hesitate. It dove in, heading straight for Froslass.
The mist did erode the soul, but not immediately—if it could finish the job quickly, it'd get out unscathed.
Up in the sky, Froslass continued casting Ice-type moves.
Since absorbing the mist, she could feel her strength growing.
Moves she had once struggled with while wandering Mount Coronet as a Snorunt now came to her naturally.
She even felt like she could defeat the Torterra she once feared—easily this time.
If I went back to Mount Coronet now, I could probably rule a whole area...
She smiled at the thought.
But the moment Aven came to mind, she shook her head vigorously.
She didn't want to go anywhere—she just wanted to stay with Aven.
I need to finish this fight fast... and absorb the rest of the mist.
Eager to return, Froslass raised her hand and launched an Ice Beam straight at Staraptor!
Staraptor flapped hard, rising higher. The chill in the air pressed in, making it flinch—it was starting to feel the pressure.
Ice-type attacks were just too effective against it.
If this were a different location, Staraptor felt confident it could take Froslass down, even if it cost some effort.
As it pondered its next move, its keen eyes caught sight of a figure hidden among the forest trees below.
It was Sneasel—perched silently on a branch behind Froslass. Noticing Staraptor's gaze, Sneasel gave a small nod.
Understanding immediately, Staraptor ascended higher. With another powerful flap, it conjured a second Twister, this time with full force—its goal: create the perfect opening for Sneasel.
The same move again?
Froslass narrowed her eyes and raised her hand, casting Powder Snow.
Snowflakes filled the air, carried by biting wind. Trees below froze and shattered into icy shards as the snowstorm swept through.
The two attacks clashed and spiraled together again.
Froslass focused, pushing her psychic energy to amplify her Powder Snow attack—determined to crush the Twister entirely.
That was exactly the opportunity Sneasel had been waiting for.
Its form slinked into place beneath Froslass, blending perfectly into the mist and shadows.
Then, like a ghost, Sneasel vanished in a flicker of light—reappearing right behind her.
Its claws shimmered with Night Slash, slashing down in a deadly arc—silver light flashing across the air!
(End of Chapter)