Paragon

Hisui Incursion [27]

PARAGON

Hisui Incursion Arc [27]

Chapter 79 : The Four Clans of Hisui

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Hisui Region - Alabaster Icelands

A sour scent filled the air as a long, violet feather whipped in the wind.

Fiery gravel fluttered to the snowy ground with the shake of a rocky hide.

Arcanine and Sneasler glowered at each other, neither showing a hint of fear or submission in the face of the other. Arcanine's nostrils flared and a cloud of embers snorted out. At the same time, Sneasler raked her claws together, releasing a high-pitched keening. She pulled her foot back and smirked.

A low roar echoed through the icy slopes as a column of fire ripped toward Sneasler, pouring out of Arcanine's maw in a merciless stream. Sneasler hissed and leaped just as the flames screamed past her, leaving a crater of snow in her wake as she somersaulted over Arcanine. Once she was right above him, she twisted in the air and jammed her spiky fist into Arcanine's back. The ferocious lion-dog growled as his hindleg buckled beneath the assault, blood-red poison seeping down his dark back.

However, before his knee touched the ground, he suddenly rolled away, spraying snow as his massive body tore up the landscape. He glared at his assailant and blitzed forward. Sneasler's eyes widened as Arcanine careened into her like a truck, sending her barreling across the snow. Her claws found a handhold in the ground, and she flipped back to her feet, licking her lips as she wiped her face with her arm.

"Stand down, Arcanine!" Rei commanded.

"That's enough, Sneasler!" Akari said.

Their pokémon kept their eyes trained on each other several seconds longer, before breaking it off and lowering their guards.

Ash started to clap, and the others soon joined him, leaving both Rei and Akari blushing in embarrassment.

"Their strength has multiplied," Laventon said in awe. "Not only are their attacks stronger, but they can also endure far more punishment."

"Their Auras are burning like fire," Riley agreed. "The push to evolve them has clearly paid off." He glanced back at Sabrina and nodded approvingly.

Sabrina smiled and looked down, though she glimmered proudly.

"Now it's Pikachu's turn!" Yura declared.

Upon Ash's shoulder, Pikachu's ears drooped and he chuckled timidly, not wanting to rebuke the young girl as forcefully as he usually would when someone suggested that. Ash grinned at his partner's unease.

"Nah, Pikachu doesn't need to," Ash said, scratching behind his ear. "What do you say, Rei or Akari? Do either of you want to battle me now?"

Both young trainers suddenly found the surrounding landscape very interesting.

"Oh, ha ha, I don't know..." Akari said, kicking up a bit of snow.

"Maybe later..." Rei offered.

Sneasler rolled her eyes and Arcanine's eyes narrowed in annoyance. But before their pokémon could protest any further, their trainers recalled them.

Ash shrugged. "I'm down whenever you are."

As they started moving again, Sabrina rapped him gently on the arm. "Leave them be."

"Overprotective of your students?" Ash smiled, and an embarrassed smile broke across Sabrina's face.

The perpetual drizzle of snow in the northern Icelands had long since covered the tracks they'd made when they first crossed the mountains to reach Raphael's abode, so an unbroken expanse of white stretched out all around them, rolling over hills and short mountains. Spruces trees crowned in snow and sleet pocketed the rocky plains, standing tall amidst various wild pokémon who were wise enough to avoid the powerhouse group.