A Certain Unfortunate Trainer

by NeoShadows

Kamijou Touma was your average Pokemon Trainer in Academy City. Except he had no Ability or Pokemon as a lowly Level-0 with a weird right hand that brought him misfortune. But upon meeting Index, a girl who memorized a library of forbidden books on Pokemon myths and legends, that normal school life would change. When Science, Magic, and Pokemon meet, a story is told.

10. Victims of An Unfair World

NeoShadows has returned!

Alright, after finally ripping myself away from playing Genshin Impact and getting a few days off, at least, I'm back to writing and editing!

It's been a pain trying to find time to get any writing done. At most, I got five hours a day to get anything done for myself. And my days off I tend to play games or get to other matters that need my attention; talks with my financial advisor, chores, family outings, and all that jazz. Due to my busy schedule, I tend to hesitate with buying new games or even starting a new anime. I just don't have the time!

Which is gonna be worse come November as Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are released. GAH! My favorite generation second to Unova! Why the hell do you do this to me, Game Freak? Thank god, Pokemon Legends Arceus doesn't release for another year. And yes, I will be taking it into consideration as I write this crossover.

But despite all the distractions, I'm still here to release that long-awaited update. Even as I have work in the morning and I should really be going to sleep.

We're only a chapter away from the end of this toxic side arc! So, let's get them reviews done with!

DNWorks: Yumiya was an interesting character to write here. As a Pokemon lover since I was just a naive five year old, I was hesitant to write gruesome scenes as the one where she was maiming and killing Pokemon. But I knew I had to in order to properly show just how cold-blooded she was. She really does embody a Lycanrock in Wooloo's clothing. Poor Sauia, or Hidoi as we learned. We're going to learn why she decided to involve herself in such a toxic group. Also, lucky bastard. Even during high stakes like this, Touma's ability to activate lucky lecher events isn't dampened at all. Is this truly misfortune?!

: Thanks for your support! I know I don't update that often but it's thanks to readers like you that I can happily upload without a worry. If Touma did have Pokemon of his own, I'd like to think that's a nice roster to start off with since they fit his personality; Spinarak is a strange addition.

Craytherlay: Gomi truly does fit his name; Trash. The between the lines do help in giving some insight on how he became such a bastard but that doesn't excuse his actions. Even as the person who created his character, I couldn't help but cringe in how he was written and came off as a complete bastard. Hm? What do you mean Pokemon gaining a new move? Do you mean Spinarak's Psychic? That's an actual move that they learn naturally, ya know? Oh, I can't wait to further involve Yumiya into the story. You can bet this won't be the last time they meet and interact in the story.

TheNotSoFantisque: When it comes to the original Touma, you're right. I think his experiences with his misfortune is what gave him empathy and the desire to save others besides his selfish desire to not feel disgusted at turning his back to others. Ideal girl? Ya think his misfortune won't ruin it? Ha!

MrQuestionMark: Adding in Kumo the Spinarak wasn't something I was sure others would get behind. But he's a playful little guy that I adore; I'm a fan of Bug-types. When it comes to partners though, I still prefer Zenchou due to how he messes with Touma and adds to his misfortune. Yumiya's cold-blooded ruthlessness in her battle was a subject I had some trouble with since I would be writing the deaths of Pokemon; how soft am I? But the scene really did help to show how she wouldn't hesitate to even put a bullet in the head of Pokemon or humans. This story is rated M for a reason. And don't worry, I do have a Pokemon central arc planned later involving a certain group of Level 0s.

Doomqwer: Gomi may(is) a piece of shit that makes Muk come off as pleasant, but that's not to say he doesn't have his own charisma. It may be false charisma but charisma is charisma nonetheless. You wouldn't be part of such a gang if you weren't looking for some way to compensate for your lack of power or were a bastard who made excuses for hurting others. God do I love the decision to add Yumiya to the story. Her personality is like a Morpeko with her personality; a sweet normal/fairy and a deadly normal/dark. She's basically a yandere; she is a yandere.

WSarcasm: Yes, yes I did get my lovely Raiden. And I've never been happier. Even though I haven't grown her artifacts or grown her talents as she is at Lvl65, she's still insanely strong; she's at C1. Sadly, I haven't had much time to even finish the Archon Quest, so I only know bits and pieces about her thanks to others. I've been busy farming items and materials to grow her and Mona, who I also recently just got. Hell, I got to take some time to finish the Moonchase festival event too while I'm at it. And as a fan of the game but not too deep into the rabbit hole, I don't really have complaints about characters or rewards like others have. Damn, the fanbase has really been catching itself on fire lately. I just enjoy the game. But while I'm not too addicted to the game, it has been one of the many reasons why I don't update frequently. Don't worry about it, the last thing I have in mind is following the original canon storyline with Pokemon stamped here and there. That's not a proper crossover to me. We got some new arcs to replace ones we know to better fit the setting. Kumo-Desu? Oh! I get it! Definitely an anime I want to watch when I have the chance, or possibly read since I find reading easier than watching. I'm still unsure about changing the colors of the official shines but there are cases of why I understand your opinion; Garchomp. I know what you mean about Pokemon's themes still being fit for the younger crowd. I mean, I still love it but I do wish it could grow a bit more mature. Oh, speaking of fan games or regions, have you heard of Gnoggin on Youtube's fanmade game? It's awesome!

That should be it. Let's get this show going! We're only a chapter away from the climax of this toxic arc! Get to to scrolling!

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Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to either A Certain Magical Index or Pokemon. All rights are reserved to Kazuma Kamachii and Game Freak.

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Chapter 10: Victims Of An Unfair World.

Crowned_Destruction.

"I see. To think those under the label of science could create such a detestable odor to harm their own out of selfish desires no different than we magicians. Cruelty such as this appears far more atrocious when observed so closely."

Nothing but a veil of mustard-colored mist could be seen to those within the walls of Kokyu Tower. It had become increasingly difficult for the human and Pokemon eyes to pierce through the clouds of toxin overtaking everything in sight. The most anyone still conscious after falling to the effects of Level Toxin was five feet ahead of them and no more. Only specially made fiber optics such as the Scope Lens would be able to overcome the vision hurdle presented in the form of the flooding gas snuffing out all of the clean filtered air. A heavy and vile atmosphere created a terrible pressure bearing down all those trapped within the steel coffin.

Even those unaffected by the damaging and dampening effects of Level Toxic, adults, could do little more than fumble about as they tried to do their best in calming down the panicking students who were at risk with each passing minute to a gas designed to eventually kill them like Bug-types to pesticide.

Despite the facts presented…

One lone woman walked through the mustard fog born of science without ever so much as fumbling in her confidant steps.

As she made one step, she gracefully overstepped the knocked-out Toxic Hazard thug littered in bruises and the occasional cut on his body.

The many children who fell under the label of failed espers unconscious and strewn about her in various blunt and cut up wounds didn't so much as cause her to falter even once as she continued to walk ahead and breathe in the foul gas enveloping every corner of the luxurious tower of steel.

The woman was actually younger than she appeared despite how curvaceous she appeared coupled with her mature aura and manner of speaking.

She was eighteen.

A beauty with dark purple hair swaying behind her every step and tied into a ponytail that slipped through the back of her white and blue sports hat.

Even as she was dressed in what was believed to be the latest Pokemon Trainer attire said to be in style among those who played a popular Pokemon catching app, the woman with large breasts carried a certain scent to her which conflicted with those who were known as espers.

Despite how her body appeared as something found only in adult fantasies and doujin…

Despite how young she actually was…

Despite how much she tried to blend in with those raised in a city brought up by steel and science…

She possessed a certain saintly quality to her.

The obviously Kantonese woman stared ahead of her chosen path, her gaze stern yet soft to those who caught a lingering sight of her as she made her way through the mustard cloud of deadly poison without a hint of being harmed by the odor that would burn the eyes and disorient the sight of even adults who weren't seriously affected by the specially created toxins in the air.

If one were to fight against the poison messing with their thoughts and vision, they would discover an odd hint to the young woman talking to herself.

A talisman associated with the occult would have been found in the woman's ear like it were a bluetooth device.

"Yet you're willing to go this far for those heretical beings who've created such a sickening display of their science that harms not only humans but Pokemon as well? They have nothing to do with the mission. You're only focus should be on her. Everyone else is just a bother better left forgotten when compared to her safety."

The stern voice heard only to the breathtaking woman wasn't pleased.

She couldn't hold it against him. Not after the humiliating loss he had suffered at the hands of one boy who fell under the label of those currently suffering. She understood her partner's feelings. She too found the methods of those who had twisted God's people into devils who could not be seen as either humans or Pokemon displeasing and an affront to their kind teachings.

One could say the current situation was karma.

A punishment from the heavens upon the heretics.

And yet…

The woman with deep purple hair with a busty chest, curves in all the right places, and a saintly element to her being wandered into an abandoned store offering various beauty products with interesting and clever names tied to Pokemon. Due to the mustard gas, the staff and shoppers had left in a haste to somehow escape the deadly poison gas filling into their lungs, so she had no worries of anyone happening upon her. Those who remained could do little as they passed out under the effects of the gas.

If anyone had, they would steer clear of her.

She carried a weapon strapped to the back of her waist.

An eastern blade known as a nodachi was slung in a holster by multiple leather belts to safely secure the fatal steel.

It was not a piece to a cosplay made for fun. It was a tool born out of violence and death to match against extraordinary beings who were capable of manipulating elements into various spells. Once unsheathed, the finely forged steel would carve away even steel hides.

The woman finally arrived at the spot she sought and stopped.

What she saw in front of her was a large open glass window for shoppers to peer out and gaze upon the city. Knowing the standards of Academy City, the glass was no doubt tempered to withstand even impacts of explosive shells crafted by humans and the overwhelming blast of a Hyper Beam. Not even the steel-hard fists of a Lucario would be able to so much as to cause the screen to shudder.

Currently, the fog of Level Toxin was obscuring the outside world.

No one could see in; no one could see out.

The purple-haired woman glared at the screen as she spoke to her partner through the magical talisman relaying their voices back to one another.

"Heretics or not, affronts to Arceus or not, abominations or not;"

A click was heard.

A gentle hum of scraping metal was lost in the silence of a second as a blade was drawn.

Countless flashing gleams of steel were seen crisscrossing in random patterns in front of the conditioned panel screen of glass designed to withstand explosive RPG shells and Hyper Beams.

The eastern blade wasn't drawn.

Or, at least, no one had seen it drawn.

Either way,

"As the name carved into my heart and soul dictates, I will not even abandon those heretical figures to suffer so long as I breathe."

Salvare000.

Be The Salvation To Those Who Can't Be Saved.

Not a moment later, an explosive shock wave swam past the Trainer in reaction to the numerous thin gleaming lines crisscrossing over the tempered glass panel violently erupting.

Like hot knives scoring through butter, the faint and hardly visible lines as thin as wires utterly dismantled what was theorized to be a material capable of withstanding an RPG missile or a Hyper Beam. Resistance was not to be found as the glass panel was cut apart with an explosive bark similar to a grenade detonating. Large pieces of glass were cleanly cut as the sheer force applied to slice the panel apart created a cloud of smoke and wind obscuring the ponytail Trainer who had punctured a hole from within the toxic gas filled building.

A rush of the mustard-colored gas quickly reacted to the new hole in the steel body it was housed in. Like a steel can of carbonated liquid, Level Toxic found itself spilling out into the outside world.

Outsiders standing in both worry and curiosity at the unfolding events transpiring in the locked-down mall/battle facility bore witness to the sudden sight of one of the many windows of Kokyu Tower being destroyed before a stream of ugly and foul scented gas leaked out like a bleeding wound.

Foul as the gas may be to even her, the Pokemon Trainer didn't so much as grimace as she watched the poisonous gas swim past her to leave the new window she cracked open.

She knew this wouldn't be enough.

Whatever this gas may be, the current torrent exiting the sliced open window panel was only the volume found in the current floor she found herself in. Multiple levels made up this steel behemoth modeled to satisfy those with many desires. One window being forced open wouldn't guarantee the sickening 'blood' infecting the steel and concrete body would depart so easily.

Numerous gaping wounds would need to be inflicted if she had any desire to cure this sickening air of science. Or a miracle would have to be conjured to prevent further tragedy from clenching a terrible end.

"...You know, we could take her now. In all this ensuing chaos, she's been separated from that boy and is in the hands of one those espers. Whatever esper power they may have, whatever Pokemon they may possess, none of it will matter when confronted by a being such as yourself whose body can't be any different than those mythical creatures regarded as children of Arceus. All you would need is less than a second to take out any troublesome obstacles separating us from her and all this nasty business in Academy City will be behind us."

There was truth in the words spoken by her colleague.

Without a doubt, she could go straight for that most treasured girl who was held in her heart with utmost warmth. That illuminating smile radiating nothing but innocence and a sweet tinge was ingrained in her memories even if the smile would never turn its way to her again.

The Trainer clenched the eastern blade holstered like a western gun with enough strength to nearly snap the sheath in two like it were a twig.

"Just a little longer."

"…?"

A pained, regretful, and strained smile could be found on that beautiful face.

"I know we must take her back. I know we have to kill whatever happiness she is experiencing right now. I know we have to once again play our part as the Wild Pokemon intent on ambushing her at every corner. But...for just a bit more..."

The silhouette of a figure unidentifiable from either a human or a Pokemon standing at the edge of the punctured window releasing a foul and deadly mustard gas vanished from the few gazes who caught the shadow with high-end cameras and video recorders.

It was as if the odd shadow had slipped out from existence.

Or perhaps she had simply been a figment of their imagination.

The Trainer with a foreign air when compared to those gifted with talents left the scene without a sound.

Words were said silently in her heart as she went about protecting that most cherished of people to her from harm from the safety of the background.

She had been watching Index from the moment her bloody body was carried to safety by a plain-faced boy with spiky hair. There had never been a moment where neither Stiyl nor herself hadn't keep eyes on her as she recovered in the apartment of the spiky boy's teacher from their vantage point close by. Even as the little silver-haired nun had left this morning with her guardian and came across a dark pig-tailed girl being harassed by delinquents, Kanzaki had been a part of the background characters who had seen the commotion.

And as Index had walked into the extravagant building with a busty girl and a hooligan-like boy, she had been observing from afar. She'd even bumped into Index earlier as she was only accompanied by the dark pig-tailed girl. Just so she could once again see that innocent smile.

It had been a surreal scene to see.

The sight of a young nun with an innocent smile accompanied by a boy close to her age and an older girl. It had been a scene so very sweet and kind, one she herself had taken apart of long ago. Surely Stiyl must have seen the small resemblance from wherever he was stationed at ready to move if he had to.

Because of that all too familiar and lovely scene…

Kanzaki Kaori couldn't do it.

Not yet.

Just...not yet.

For just a bit longer...even while chaos was running rampant before her very eyes and she could save Index from any spray of violence from the ugly commotion created by espers…

Just a little more. Kanzaki would allow those two the honor and memory of being able to protect that friendly and kind nun from harm with their own hands.

She would allow them that last treasure before she was forced to rip the beautiful and warm scene as the True Villain of the story.

[-]

Let it be known that this simple-minded Kamijou-san was no doctor.

"FUCK! What are you, some kind of sadistic freak who gets turned on by screaming woman?!"

"You're the last person I want to hear that from, ya dominatrix. What else would you expect? Alcohol has a tendency to sting the greater the wound. Just bear with it and stop giving me a Mean Look."

True, he was often caught in back alley fights with either arrogant espers or Skill-Out thugs praying on students with higher social status with their Pokemon. As a result, he was found being beaten black and blue far more often than not. He knew what constituted a sprain and not a broken bone. He could tell the difference between a gash and a laceration. Because of his long history of injuries, he had gained some knowledge in simple matters as first-aid to treat his own wounds without having to visit the hospital.

At this point, he was simply waiting for a certain Politoad faced doctor to reward this ever unfortunate Kamijou-san a gloomy trophy for most visits to the ER in a single year. One he would, of course, use Fling to throw out the window of his ever-familiar hospital room, only for said misfortune to kick in with a physics-defying action of said trophy bouncing back to smack him in the head.

Point was, he had scrounged a bit of first-aid due to his many, many, and many injuries he had suffered at the hands of misfortune, espers, and Pokemon and could deal with even a deep wound such as the gash on the side of a certain dominatrix Toxic Hazard girl he was treating.

Back growing damp with red from the slightly pale-faced bad bitch he was carrying, everyone's caring big brother Kamijou Touma decided it would be better to treat the crude mouth woman first and foremost.

Fun fact: your typical shopping retailer is required by law to provide, in some form, first-aid medical equipment in case of work-related accidents or injuries brought up due to random disasters; ie. misfortune. Don't ask this ever unfortunate Kamijou-san how he could possibly know of such a little fact when he had never had a job to support himself.

In order to treat the still bleeding woman's wound, Touma decided to venture into one of the many abandoned shops close by in the mustard fog sea. Since he wasn't an employee and had never been harmed in here, it had taken him some time to search for the first-aid kit hidden in the employees-only back room. Searching for the medical kit was the easy part.

Performing first-aid on a man-hating dominatrix who was repulsed to be touched by the opposite sex was truly the real battle of the entire day.

Hands stained by the blood of someone else for a change, the spiky teen was currently cleaning off his handiwork on the Toxic Hazard Admin's side. From what he had seen, the gash was just below the ribs on her left and inches from her waistline. Luckily for her, no organs had so much had been grazed by whatever attack had opened up an 8-inch long and 1-inch deep gash severing skin, fat, and muscle cleanly. Stitches would be needed but this high schooler wasn't exactly adept in stitch work.

A certain green spider Pokemon made himself known when Touma was sweating at the open wound needing immediate attention, taking over to both his and the Toxic Hazard woman's surprise.

Scientifically speaking, spider silk could be said to be stronger than stainless steel due to the proteins making up of said gossamer material being far superior to alloys in metal. Yes, spider webs are actually easy to break but it was only due to how thin the silk was spun to capture small prey. When spun with a thickness of actual stitching thread, it could hold up fairly well, if not stronger.

To the Poison/Bug-type who was an expert in spinning complex patterns in his webs, the only difficult part of performing simple thirteen-fifteen stitches on the foul mouth woman's gash was needling the wound. Helped by the spiky teen, it had only taken close to fifteen minutes to patch Hidoi up amid her threats.

"At least you have the energy to say several hurtful comments to this Kamijou-san's heart; I suppose." Touma sighed as moved to apply more disinfectant to the wound.

"FFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCKKKKKKKKK!"

"If it hurts too much than simply bite down on this clothe and bea-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW! What are you, Index!? I said the clothe, not my damn hand, you growling Poochyena!"

A teary-eyed, glaring Hidoi decided to chomp down harder onto her savior's dirty hand; teeth bit down between the thumb and index finger like a fussy dog Pokemon keeping their toy away from their master.

Touma swallowed a whimper as he finished with the disinfectant.

Stitching the wound and cleaning the wound had an immediate effect on the college girl. Her pale face had regained some color and her body had stopped shivering. Obviously, she had regained her old rebellious and cruel spark against all mankind since she was chewing his hand with nasty stares. So long as she didn't open her stitches and bleed further, she would pull through just fine.

The Toxic Hazard girl would need to behave from here on out and stay out of trouble.

Snatching his bitten hand from his patient with a small yelp, Touma stood back up and turned away from the topless college girl who weakly sat up.

Yes, topless.

How else was he suppose to properly treat such a wound if she was wearing her loose top?! Not to mention the threat of her wound being infected by sweat, dirt, and blood soaked into the fabric coming into contact with the now disinfected wound. D-Don't stare at this innocent Kamijou-san as if he was some filthy degenerate seeking whatever chance he could to see jiggling flesh hills! And yes, he'd already suffered a fist to the face by the livid pale-faced girl with an ugly gash on her side in need of immediate amateurish first-aid.

He could hear a slight rustle of clothes from the college girl, no doubt picking some clothes they had found lying around for her to use instead of the bloody top she had preferred. An annoyed click of the tongue was heard, telling the spiky boy she was done making herself decent.

Upon glancing back to the Toxic Hazard girl, he found the dominatrix personality girl glaring...oddly at him with something in her green eyes he couldn't for the life of him understand. Did it have to do with having to be seen in a girly pink blouse designed after a Blissey that barely fit over her bountiful breasts and left her midriff exposed?

Was it a strange mix of being grateful, loathing, and pouting?

"Why?"

What the Toxic Hazard girl said next instead of the useful insults was said in a hiss of general confusion.

Touma didn't really understand the simple one-word question being asked by a girl who had been in pretty bad shape. In Pokemon standards, she was in the blaring red after her HP had crossed the threshold of yellow.

He wasn't naive, stupid, dimwitted, or dull enough to not comprehend what she meant. He had heard such confusion before. So, he simply smiled a simple smile as he answered without having any need to think much of what he needed to say to a girl who was no doubt an enemy given the current situation.

"Why not? You were bleeding, your face was pale, your body was beginning to tremble, you couldn't even call out your Pokemon for help, and those who are apparently on the same side as you were more than willing to ignore your state and push you towards something you wanted no part of. I'm not sure what the real story behind what I just saw was." he crossed his arms over his chest, wincing slightly as the bruises and aches from his last brawl decided to speak up.

A lot was currently playing out at the moment. No doubt there were far more incidents he wasn't even aware of escalating since the release of Level Toxic into the twenty floors of commerce below the restricted facilities that were the Battle Facilities reserved exclusively for Level-3s.

This story wasn't solely focused on Kamijou Touma. Many more were playing as this normal high school student went about his own means of putting this unfair and tragic tale to an end.

Index, Yumiya, Aogami, even that asshole, Zenchou; there was a spot he was planning to return to with everyone present and able to walk with this unfortunate living bad luck charm.

So, in order to reclaim his normal life, he was charging straight ahead to the Boss room without the ever-important Boss Key to the chambers leading to the climax.

No Pokemon, no Ability, not even the newly discovered miracles known as Spells; nothing but his cursed fist riddled with misfortune far surpassing any kind of myths revolving around Dark-types.

Far too much was on his plate, so he wasn't planning on prying into the matters of someone who was apparently his enemy who had needed his help without having asked.

"You were hurt. I helped. What more needs to be explained? I don't expect thanks or anything cliches as owing me a dept. At that time, at that moment...even an idiot who failed to protect those close to him in the past could reach his hand out to someone who needed it."

As of late, since meeting Index...why where they constantly coming to mind?

Two faces flashed in his eyes glinting with fleeting bitterness.

The face of a big-toothed Water Pokemon and a fluffy-haired middle school girl.

Something, a face, blurred in his thoughts, scrambled like static, distorted, and faded away without another thought.

He clenched his fists and shoved those past regrets deep into his heart.

"You really expect me to believe you helped me out of nothing more than...what? Because you could?" Hidoi spat venomously. From the look on her face, she was expecting any moment now for his kindness to devolve into something ugly and cruel.

Someone who involved herself with poison expected to feel the burning, acidic, corrosive bite of fangs seeping with venom from a human Serviper. Her eyes were those of a girl who had fallen for the false smile of human men promising kindness. She had suffered from some naive hope of being saved or of being protected by those with power.

Beneath his false modesty and boyish innocence, he was expecting something in return. So? What was it the selfish boy wanted from a girl like her? As if it wasn't fucking obvio-!

"Of course it's because I could. What other reason would anyone have in stepping in to save anyone?"

Green eyes drowning with hostility and fear paused, growing still as Hidoi found her thoughts going numb as the spiky teen fully faced her.

Again, the simple smile that could be found on any boy on the street greeted her.

Just...just what the hell was she seeing?

Where the hell was the lurking evil and selfishness she could spy a mile away that she could find in almost any man who found themselves in this situation?!

"I can't understand what else anyone would need to do what any high school boy without any talents or gifts can. There's no hidden agenda at play here. I don't expect anything from you, not even a thanks. From here on out, we never have to see each other again or cross each other on the street with pleasantries. I don't expect anyone to befriend this miserable Kamijou-san; let alone a pretty girl to fall for this human Dark-type devoid of fortune. I'm used to people and Pokemon keeping me at a distance."

S-She was vulnerable…

She wasn't confident she could even stand straight…

Her mind was struggling to push back the darkness…

Anyone...anyone with darkness and depravity in their male hearts could...could...could take advantage of the frail woman who was wearing a tight hideous pink blouse with buttons ready to pop off!

So why?

Why wasn't she detecting the carnal hunger of all men in those dark blue eyes swimming with compassion and grief?!

On the shoulder of the spiky-haired boy, the Spinarak who had helped to stitch her up chittered as if to speak up himself, causing the smile on the boy's face to widen as the Bug/Poison-type seemed to gesture to her.

"Kumo-san also seems to think you aren't as bad as the rest of the Toxic Hazard's punks we've crossed. Especially his previous Trainer; Byoki-san, if I remember right?" he mused in thought as Hidoi's eyes grew wide in disbelief.

Byoki? Her fellow Admin? Did the spiky boy just admit to having beaten up one of the pillars of Toxic Hazard as if it wasn't some big deal? Wait, was the Spinarak accompanying the boy one of Byoki's 'tools'? Why would one of the Pokemon their beloved Breeder had entrusted to them turn against them?

Hidoi felt a shudder in her chest, a powerful emotion she wasn't sure she could understand as she tried to wrap her head around the abnormal student standing before her.

"H-How can you expect me to possibly believe you?! You're a man; a filthy boy with depraved thoughts of undressing every woman who ever passes you by and bending them over with your tongue lolling out like some Growlith in heat! How could I possibly believe you won't attack me right now?!" she cried in both confusion and refusal to believe a word coming from the boring-faced boy.

"Whether you believe me or not, it doesn't matter. Nothing I say can prove to you I'm telling you the truth. I can't force you to believe me either. Honestly, it doesn't matter if you keep the image of this lousy Kamijou-san as some dirty-minded creep with you until the day you die. As I said, we don't have to become friends or acquaintances after this. I'm happy so long as you're safe: nothing more needs to be done or said between us."

It was said so simply, so calmly, so accepted by the spiky-haired boy who didn't seem himself as something as big as a hero or savior.

This was the admission of a boy who felt he wasn't deserving of anything more from the person he saved from a horrible situation other than the assurance of her safety. Acceptance as nothing more than a fleeting memory, a faceless stranger on the street who anyone would admit deserved a great reward for doing what he did. Because he truly believed he didn't deserve anything in return.

Because he was not accustomed to ever being rewarded or thanked for being a miserable creature who was seen as a plague of misfortune.

Teeth stamped down in frustration, anger, and confusion.

Despite the turmoil of emotions she was processing, she felt as if she had gleaned something from the simple smile on the spiky teen standing right in front of her. She had found something into those deeply blue eyes.

'He seems...so...lonely.'

Hidoi's ears perked up, catching feet stepping away from here. She hadn't even noticed she had been glaring at the floor of the abandoned shop catering to what she believed was cosplay(?) until her head swung up to notice the first-year high school boy walking away.

"Where are you going?" she couldn't help but ask.

Touma glanced back, eyes carefully observing the college girl who was in no shape to be moving anytime soon.

"Right now, there's some idiot who's long overdue for a repeat of an ass-kicking. All of this, the poison gas, the thugs running around attacking students, adults, and Pokemon, the people cowering in fear with tears in their eyes; it's stemming from the Final Boss awaiting in the Boss Room down below. If I want to make it back to her and reassure her I haven't abandoned her, I need to overcome this poison and force the idiot to drop the doors so those more qualified to treat those poisoned by Level Toxin can save them. So, I'm going to charge straight in and smash my face deep into that bastard's pudgy face!"

The Spinarak on Touma's shoulder chittered in agreement with a fierce expression on his face. For the first time in a long time, Hidoi found herself giggling softly at the eager and cute face the bug was making before she froze and scowled angrily.

Final Boss, pudgy face? The stem of all this chaos?

Gomi Gio; newly and self-appointed Boss of Toxic Hazard.

From the sounds of it, it almost sounded as if the high school boy was familiar with Gomi. Had the two fought before?

As an Admin of Toxic Hazard, it was only natural she reach for her Pokeballs. It was her job to protect the Boss of their gang of Level-0s until the bitter end. She was as loyal as they came to her leader. No matter how hurt she was, Hidoi swore she would ensure no harm or threat ever came close to her beloved Boss.

But Gomi Gio was not her boss.

There was only one kindhearted boss she would ever protect.

Like hell Gomi was such a person!

Gingerly, Hidoi made her way back to her feet, unsteady as they may be. Out of instinct, she had to fight back the urge to snarl and insult the high school boy as he ran over as she nearly stumbled on her weak legs. She swallowed her aggressive nature against men, gesturing for the boy to stay back a few spaces while she tried to steady herself. Sadly, no matter how hard she tried to stand still, she found herself falling back against a shelf of designer shoes.

Hand carefully placed over the new web stitches on her side, Hidoi spoke softly with eyes lingering with hostility to her savior.

"And how do you expect to get to that waste of human garbage? Gomi should already have taken control of all pieces of security and machinery in the tower. I should know, I helped to give him control after all." she said with a bitter smile, "Knowing him, he's stopped all the elevators from working. The only ones who have a chance of reaching him will be the Head Researcher of the Battle Facility and possibly our original boss. As if some high school boy has any chance of barging in."

Touma scratched the back of his head sheepishly as the Spinarak on his shoulder titled his head naively.

Idiots, she scoffed.

"Do you even think you stand a chance against Gomi? He's not a fighter, far from it. He's the kind of thug who relies on violence through his poisons, weapons, and Pokemon instead of natural skill. It's because he knows he doesn't stand a chance fighting himself that he always picks out the best and most efficient weapons to fight for him. While he's nothing more than a Level-0 like the rest of us in Skill-Out, when it comes to his battle talent as a Trainer, he's good. His Pokemon can take on Espers up to Level-3. If you really are a Level-0, what makes you think you can beat a bastard like that on your own?"

Hidoi wanted to know. This was far more important than her current state of health by far.

Because...because what she would do next would be heavily influenced by whatever the boy who carried a hint of loneliness in his normal smile said.

A right hand was raised to her surprise, an ordinary hand she noticed had been cut up and bruised by the day's events.

"Whether I stand a chance or not doesn't matter. I'm going to face that Final Boss even if it means he's some all-powerful Trainer with a team of Legendary Pokemon at his command. Even if I beat him once before, it doesn't guarantee me a 100% victory rate. Like before, I'll face him with no confidence in standing in the light of a Victini's blaze and simply focus on drilling my fist into the bastard's smug face!"

Hidoi wasn't sure what to say in response to the boy's proclamation.

He wasn't promising he would win. Even after dropping the fact he had already defeated Gomi previously, he wasn't boasting he would score a complete victory just as before. He was charging in with doubt, uncertainty, and belief he would face misfortune.

As if he used to this stroke of bad luck in a city that disproved such a concept.

He still hadn't answered her on how he would make his way to the Final Boss room's locked chambers protected by advance technology commonly found in Academy City. All he really knew was that he was going to fight the boss of Toxic Hazard no matter what.

The only fact to be found was his desire to fight.

Hidoi shook her head with a mirthful scoff at the boy.

Typical boy. An idiot through and through. A being who could only solve his problems through brute force and a clenched fist. Honestly, the sight in front of her was nauseating.

Made her wonder why her stomach was churning like usual.

"Stop standing around like some dull-faced Slowpoke and pick me up."

"Eh?"

Hidoi rolled her eyes at the confused high school boy. Did the boy whose dull face appeared no different than a Slowpoke not understand the picture? A girl was struggling to stand with an ugly patched wound on her side.

"Do I really have to spell it out for you? I'm a Toxic Hazard Admin, I'm literally the one to have handed Gomi the controls to the tower's lower security and broke into the tower's private server. If you're going to charge into the boss room than you're going to need a key. And I'm no different than a Klefki you've stumbled upon on the wild who can get you to the waste of human garbage. Instead of having to open the door through thoughts not unlike a Primape, you've gotten your hands on the Key Item you're missing."

"Are you saying, you want to help me? Aren't you part of Toxic Hazard though? Isn't this all going according to your plan?"

"This isn't my Toxic Hazard; not even close." Scathingly spat Hidoi in disgust, "The real Boss would have never authorized the use of fatal poison upon even higher level espers. No one was supposed to be harmed any more than some poisoning inducing vomit and headaches. As always, Gomi has gone too far. Once he intended on this plan including casualties of even men I despise, he became irredeemable; not like he wasn't already in my eyes. But by taking advantage of the boss's lax nature and absence to takeover, he threw away any chance he would be saved by the boss ever again. He's the enemy and if this is his plan? Than obviously, I want to do whatever I can to lend a hand in tearing it down!"

She was done.

The last straw had been broken by the lard of shit with the mug of an Emboar lacking the fierce machismo.

Even if the real boss begged Hidoi to forgive Gomi, pleading that the overweight thug was their best friend going back as far as middle school, she wouldn't hold back in punishing the human Muk until he was a broken mess babbling stupid in a puddle of his own blood.

Whatever it takes, she would ensure the false boss's plans would crumble all around him. Even if it meant…

"Let's make this clear, Slowpoke; I don't like you. I'm not some weak-hearted woman easily swoon by a boy who saved her and I don't want to become your friend either. But right now, our goals align in a perfectly straight line. I can't walk straight and wouldn't be able to properly command my Pokemon in battle due to my swimming thoughts; you don't have any other way to reach Gomi, let alone use the elevator. Without another, we won't be able to kick Gomi's ass. Until we've burned some talking human-shaped lump of fat, we have to work together. Now, stop staring at my bouncy and firm tits and carry me on your back. I refuse to be carried like a princess again!"

Touma's face scrunched up at the thought of taking an obviously wounded girl with him. The Toxic Hazard Admin was in no condition to be tagging along and it would be far better for her to stay here where it was safe. It wasn't like she would be alone without protection. She still had Pokemon to watch over her in case her old comrades decided to attack her.

But she was right. He would be wasting time if he decided to go through the Primeape method of pummeling the steel door with his powerless fists until he put a dent into the frame. As fast as possible, he needed to end this mess before anyone in the building starting suffering from the fatal effects of Level Toxin. He'd already suffered its effects first hand and he was a Level-0. Anyone at Level-1 was surely puking their guts out with tears running down with the bile on the floor. Just the thought of what others were suffering from made his fists tremble painfully.

He wasn't one to ask for help but he wasn't one to deny it when it appeared before him like this. No matter how unsightly it was of him, he would take whatever tools or opportunities available to him to resolve whatever troubles a lousy and weak high school boy was faced with.

"Are you certain you can help me bypass any Boss Key to the Final Boss room even in your wounded and exhausted state?"

Weak and brittle it may be, but the smirk on that venomous and vengeful woman's face was still capable of sending a shiver down the spiky boy's spine as if he was struck with Glare.

"I was the very one who crippled this mighty glamorous tower all on my own without anyone's help and take control of the functions of every piece of security belonging to the twenty floors below the Battle Facility's upper levels like a haunting Rotom; don't underestimate a woman simply because she's got a rocking body, you piss Durant."

It made him sick to his stomach.

He wanted nothing more than to reject the sadistic woman's help to put an end to this cruel story playing out before them by a selfish idiot seeking to harm innocents for his demand like some king.

It was shitty of him but he would have to drag the wounded college girl with him through the poison fog to break down the doors of the final boss's chambers.

"Fine."

He bit out the frustrated words of weakness, knelt down, and gingerly, as carefully as possible, picked up Hidoi and fixed her so that she rested on his back. The slender arms of a college-aged woman hesitantly wrapped around his neck, securing themselves for stability with tension and the whiff of cool minty perform. Spinarak adjusted himself with their newest passenger on the Kamijou Express, deciding he would be better off resting atop of the head of Toxic Hazard Admin. Hidoi appeared annoyed but held back any comments as she grimaced from the ache of her wound as Touma stood back up to his full height.

Whatever this dilemma was, whatever the new Boss of Toxic Hazard wanted, whatever deep and underline meanings to this plot were abound; it all had to end.

Kamijou Touma had no confidence that he was the one who had to put an end to this entire crappy event centered on elements of Poison. He didn't believe he was the main character with incredible power, chosen by destiny to fend off acts of evil spun by villains. He was by no means a hero fighting for justice and peace. Those childish dreams of being a superhero fighting crime and adored by the world had long since crumbled before he even graduated kindergarten.

He was simply a normal high school boy who was fed up with the current situation playing out in front of his eyes and decided to stand up and bare his fist as his only means of confronting the ebbing destruction.

He knew he didn't stand a chance.

He had failed before to save so much as one measly life who had trusted their safety and future to him twice before. He was still haunted by the failures of his hand slipping when it mattered most.

Yet he stood up nonetheless and took a measly step forward into the ugly mustard fog with a wounded older girl on his back and a rebellious spider Pokemon.

A deep and powerful rumble shook the entirety of the luxurious tower like the base of a tree had been struck by an SUV. Furniture, displays, monitors, trinkets, and light fixtures swayed or trembled from the almost explosive force shaking everything within the building like leaves in a storm. If Touma hadn't planted his feet at the last moment of feeling the forewarning tremble to crawl up his legs, he would have most likely been tripped up due to the increase in weight he was now lugging around.

Touma frowned at the sudden explosive shock hitting the tower, growing anxious with every step he took as he ran through the mustard fog.

'Index, Zenchou, Yumiya-san, Aogami, Brittany...please, please, be safe. I promise I'll find you once I've put an end to this. Just...just wait a bit longer. Please!'

The college girl who's large and soft chest was pressing firmly on his back and the green horned spider accompanying them couldn't see it.

But there was desperation in the eyes and actions of the spiky-haired boy who desired to clear this event as fast as possible.

[-]

The art of battle in this world was commonly enacted through a popular sport that was all the rage throughout every corner of this planet. In order to solve disputes, troubles, selfish wants, desires, promises, and even political actions, there was only ever one sort of resolution found in the age-old practice between humans and Pokemon.

Pokemon Battles.

"Dokurin, Rock Polish!"

"Kirakin, Leg Sweep!"

It appeared as a lump of fat with sickly bright colors in layers atop a grayish-green. It was a lump of foul substances, appearing as if it was melting yet never losing its volume, giving life with what appeared to others as claws and fangs growing in the disgusting pile of squirming muck but were actually potent and venomous crystals. The creature(if it could be called such) narrowed its eyes, its lumpish and gooey body suddenly gaining a brilliant sheen of that of a polished diamond.

Alolan Muk; The Sludge Pokemon, wasn't known as fast. It couldn't even be said it had legs. It was a living pile of sludge, so it wasn't known for its impressive speeds.

And yet the living, breathing lump of cruel and reeking sludge moved, its fatty and gooey body appearing as if it was flung across the room to evade the large and powerful sweeping tail swipe of the Shiny Krookodile's Leg Sweep. In the eyes of the desert hunter crocodile, the sickly bright fatty muck almost appeared to be stretching as its large gooey body evaded his muscled tail swing capable of denting steel with an imprint. The hues of pink, yellow, grayish-green, and blue hurt his eyes, causing the intimidating beast to blink rapidly as he felt nauseous.

"Keep it up! Keep applying Rock Polish until your body's hit the limit of optimal Speed it can attain! Run around the bastard in circles and keep flashing those sickly colors at him! Don't allow a single move to trip you up!"

The Alolan Muk, Dokurin, growled softly to his master's instructions. The sickly bright sludge composing its body once again gained a diamond polish-like hue, contradicting its composition as the Pokemon's body grew as refined as artisan stones.

Rock Polish, a Rock-type move that increased the Speed of Pokemon by one stage. It was a self-support type ability taking after the polishing of rugged stones to make them more appealing, refined, sharp, and optimal in not just its body but its functions.

It was said self-supporting move which had allowed the normally average speed stat Pokemon to evade the attacks of the snarling Krookodile's claws.

It was like sticky taffy repeatedly slinging itself across the battlefield.

Kirakin's narrowed eyes watched in growing frustration as the Alolan Muk slung itself in odd angles and circles, never attacking in its evasion. Without the command of his Trainer, the desert hunter refused to strike with his tense claws even as it found an opportunity to do so. There were two reasons why.

One, Kirakin was loyal to a fault to his beloved Trainer. He was her Enforcer, her Muscle, her Weapon, her Anger. From his teeth, capable of shearing through the muscle of and blubber of tough Pokemon like Wailords, to his claws, capable of puncturing even tough steel-bodied Pokemon like Skarmory, were tools designed and purposed for her instructions. A knife did not act on its own but on the will of whoever wielded it.

That was his role, one he believed and affirmed with all his heart for the sake of his beloved Trainer.

And second…

"Color Psychology. The scientific phenomena detailing the various effects to the human mind spurned by various coloration in objects ranging from intimidation, fear, excitement, arousal, despair, and..."

Sickly yellow, grayish-green, deep blue, shocking pink, eggshell white, and underline black.

A swirl of bright and sickly colors continued to zip around the softly growling Krookodile who found himself feeling ill all of a sudden.

He had not been hit by a devastating attack aligned with one of the fourteen elements wielded by Pokemon.

It wasn't a negative status effect sinking it.

No, it was a normal sense of dizziness and nausea even humans would be subject to when staring too long at the sickly and bright colors dancing around their vision. The very sight of those unnatural colors stabbed at Kirakin's eyes. No matter how many times he blinked to rid himself of those ugly colors, he still found himself suffering from what could only be called a migraine mixed with revulsion.

Kirakin swore his very vision had begun to sway.

And he had never been hit, let alone scratched, since the start of their battle.

"Confusion and nausea. If the colors are carefully placed and painted in the calculated form, one can also be tricked into seeing false images. The mind can be easily tricked by something being colored green in the right context. For a Level-0, you're rather clever."

No one but Kirakin heard the impressed thoughts of his master who had already dissected the unsaid strategy of the heavy-bodied thug with an Emboar's face sans the machismo.

Even if she herself may have succumbed to the dizzying and nauseating effects produced by the Alolan Muk's pigments flitting all over the battlefield, the Unova born Ground/Dark-type Pokemon knew his beloved Trainer was analyzing every move their opponent was playing onto the field.

Mabushii Hoseki was a brilliant woman, unlike her other self.

Kirakin had nothing against the forever young and hip woman known as Brittany. She may gush over cute Pokemon like any other middle school girl(she was in her mid-twenties) but she still treated the large reptilian Pokemon no differently than a Lillipup. The soft, bubbly, energetic, and beaming side was a side he dearly cherished with all his heart.

But Brittany wasn't here at the moment.

"It's a vision-based tactic, so the solution is wonderfully simple."

Who stood facing Kirakin's back was far more reliable and efficient than the ditzy and cute half he adored.

Standing at what one would consider the south of the large battlefield was a rather plain-faced woman wearing a crisp and clean white lab coat with not a wrinkle in sight. The lab coat touched just below her kneecaps to cover her white pencil skirt, hiding her simple soft gray blouse. Gone was her fashionable attire that revealed plenty of tantalizing tan skin for teasing. Her clothes were switched out for what a professional researcher would be caught wearing on any other normal day.

This was Mabushii Hoseki; a plain-faced woman with nothing remotely eye-catching about her. She was not ugly, she was not pretty, she was, by all means, ordinary in the beauty department, no different than a background character found blending into the scene of the main story. From her face, to her chest, to her hips, to her waist, to even her rear, she was average. Not even her brown eyes were anything to speak of.

She was not a woman who cared for her outward appearance or found herself interested in the latest trends.

"Kirakin, drown everything in a Sandstorm."

A thin, cold, cutting smile no different than the very paper-thin razor edge of a medical scalpel sliced across the unassuming woman's face.

Yes, this was the true Mabushii Hoseki hidden beneath all the glamour and false gold.

The Head Researcher of Level-3s Battle Facility.

The Brain of Kokyu Tower.

A feral grin spread across Kikarin's jaw at the command of his beloved Trainer.

Yes, this was the true woman who commanded The Desert Hunter, The Killer Gold, The Alpha of The Dunes with the efficiency of a master swordsman with an elegant blade.

Grains of pulverized earth were conjured from the body of Kirakin, swarming around his body like a cloud of buzzing Combees. Ignoring how sick he was feeling from the colors of the dodging Alolan Muk, the Ground/Dark-type commanded the countless grains of sand to spread out from his body and reproduce.

It was like a twister of earth erupted from the body of the golden-colored crocodile Pokemon's body. A rush of sand was unleashed to overflow the battlefield, creating a fog far greater than the ever-present yellow mustard gas of Level Toxin.

This was an unnatural sandstorm summoned by a Pokemon attuned to the earth.

With its creation, Kirakin could no longer make out the taffy stretching ooze of grayish-green, bright yellow, shocking pink, deep blue, crystal white, and hints of tar-black. The feral grin on his face only grew crueler.

On the north of the battlefield, the self-appointed boss of Toxic Hazard, Gomi Gio, clicked his tongue in annoyance. A strange mix of yellow mustard gas interwove itself with the rushing gusts of sand to completely blind everything in sight.

"Of course a Krookodile would know one of the most basic and annoying of moves out there for every fucking Ground-type!"

The overweight boss swallowed another curse, saving his energy to deal with the sandstorm raging wildly a few inches from his face.

Like espers who derived their ability to use a special superpower through their mind, the sandstorm was carefully calculated by the Pokemon to only consume the battlefield the two Pokemon were clashing within. Normally such a widespread move would envelop the entire room entirely. But it seemed the Krookodile took careful consideration of his Trainer.

"Dokurin, I don't care what it takes, strike that bitch's Pokemon down! Use whatever attacks you believe will get the job done! Go on a fucking rampage!"

The boss of Toxic Hazard perfectly understood he was at a disadvantage Type wise. His Alolan Muk was a Poison/Dark-type going against a Ground/Dark-type. For all his Pokemon's high Attack and Defense, the Sludge Pokemon's Move Pool was sorely lacking in anything to deal devastating damage to the desert hunter. If he could, he would have had one of his other Pokemon deal with the ferocious Krookodile.

Would have, if not for the simple fact each one of his Pokemon had been brutally defeated.

Each one…

Pummeled…

Crushed…

Beaten black and blue…

Every last one of the six highly valued tools he had one of his grunts delivered to him upon his release from their lovely Breeder(sans Dokurin), had been destroyed by Kokyu Tower's Brain via her only companion. Never once had she switched out her Krookodile for any other beast who might be more advantageous in Typing. The fearsome desert crocodile proved to be more than just a gold-painted piece sought out by collectors for his distinct coloration.

Within the funnel of spiraling desert winds churning with sand, Gomi caught glimpses of Dokurin's bright and sickly colors in motion.

Taffy-like limbs of grayish-green, bright yellow, shocking pink, and navy blue stretching with the elasticity of gum. White crystals glinted like claws on the limbs of living sludge preying upon the golden variant Krookodile. The crystallization of over a hundred distinct toxins built up from within its body gained a cruel purple glow as the claws rushed at their target like venom-soaked spears.

Poison Jab was a highly poisonous move with a moderate infliction rate to cause Poison to whoever was struck. Coupled with Alolan Muk's Ability, Poison Touch, the success rate in inflicting Poison with every successful hit rose drastically.

Just a strike or two was that would be needed to chip away at that deadly hunter's health.

Kirakin eyed the racing spears of poison-made claws locked onto him. The desert hunter leaned his head to the right, evading the first jab rushing past him like a bullet. Bulky he may be, but he wasn't so dull as to allow himself to be hit by such a deadly barrage.

Though the poison-tipped spears were fired with almost machine gun-like velocity through the veil of sand, he acted accordingly to dodge every taffy stretching limb honed on his form.

As a partial Ground-type, Kirakin could move about the unnatural sandstorm without suffering the ill-effects of the buffeting grains of pulverized earth with ease. He was the Desert Hunter, after all.

He ran ahead amid the barrage of strangely colored spears tipped with the crystallization of over a hundred unique toxins. He skipped to the far left, evading a Poison Jab aimed for his chest. The foul stench of the gooey limb caused him to grimace before watching the limb snap back like an elastic rubber. Three more spears of poison rushed forward in its place with great speed.

In actuality, there was no need for Kirakin to avoid the Poison Jabs. He didn't need his beloved Trainer to tell him of his own advantage with a Poison/Dark-type. Attacks aligned with the element of Poison could hardly deal much damage. But there was the trouble with being Poisoned to be considered.

Not that this battle would continue on long enough for poison to force him onto his knees if he was indeed affected.

Like every other strangely colored spear, Kirakin evaded the rushing jabs like a linebacker rushing to the field goal with twists, leaps, charges, and ducks.

He continued charging forward at the center of where the spam of Poison Jabs was centered. To the heart of the machine gun like fire.

Sensing he was growing closer, Dokurin paused his attacks with an anxious snarl. It searched the many maneuvers and tricks he could use to compete with the brutish monster barreling straight at him without a chance to properly dodge.

It already knew of something uniquely terrifying about the Bully of The Sands.

Moxie.

A rare and unique ability possessed by few Krookodiles at birth. An ability that raised the Attack of the bearer by one stage upon the defeat of their opponent. A special gift bestowed upon by the almighty Arceus to the strong to cement their victory and strength so long as they continued fighting.

At the moment, Dokurin already understood a simple fact.

If that brute of the desert hit him once…

Landed a Ground aligned attack even once…

It would be over.

The upper limits of the Bully of The Sands Physical Attack had been struck after trampling over the defeated forms of Dokurin's previous allies. For every one the Ground/Dark-type had trashed with a satisfied smirk on his face, his power grew. By the time he had taken out four opponents, the cruel reptile could knock out a Galarian Weezing with one hit no matter the disadvantage his attack may possess in regards to Typing.

Bile bubbled from inside the Alolan Muk's gooey body.

His opponent was ready to steamroll him any moment now. Dokurin could see the smirking Krookodile ready his fist as a dark and foreboding darkness coated the claws of the Pokemon.

Claws tensed with the intention of tearing through the sludge hide were ready to gouge out chunks due to Power Trips buffed potential.

A glob of bright and sickly dark purple was hurled from Dokurin's jaws, slamming directly into the path of the Power Trip infused claws. An explosion of sickening colors erupted once the two attacks met, further blinding the sights of anyone wishing to see within the sandstorm.

Black smoke clouds shrouded the two Pokemon before Dokurin leaped back. Bits of its gooey body appeared to have been torn off, one of its eyes refused to crack open, and several of the toxic crystals had been shattered in the explosion of elements. A harsh buffet of sandy winds slammed into the Poison Pokemon's body, damaging him further.

He was in pain. Incredible pain. Though humans thought little of his body's form due to being a mass of sludge, he still possessed organs and nerves beneath all the toxic matter that made up his being. You could not heedlessly rip a small piece of his sludge without believing it was no different than if he ripped off a small piece from a human.

Still, he had no choice but to continue the fight.

It was what he was bred for.

"If that gaudy Krookodile's Attack is too much for you, just Haze him when you have the chance!"

Certain chemicals went off, creating chain a reaction to produce a unique fog to be released from the gaping mouth of the sickly colored sludge.

Another rushing set of claws empowered by Power Trip were halted as the chilly fog enveloped the surprised Krookodile just before he could tear off another chunk from his prey.

The raised stats of Dokurin's opponent were nullified, robbing the Ground/Dark-type of his incredible attack.

And yet Kirakin did not pause as he slashed his claws down upon the surprised pile of brightly colored sludge reminiscent of a sickly rainbow.

Blinded by the sand in his eyes at the worst of times, Dokurin failed to evade and suffered the tough and vile essence claws slipping between his face. It was like an ax going through goo. A combination of the damage inflicted by Sandstorm's rage and the sharp white thorns severing flesh caused Dokurin to howl in agony.

At that moment, the raging storm of sand ceased, vanishing with only small traces of soft earth abandoned around the battlefield.

Gomi gnashed his back teeth in frustration at the sight of his Alolan Muk slinking back with a new bluish liquid running down his face.

"You fucking, useless, sorry excuse for a pile of festering garbage! Is that really all you got?! I thought you were worth over 10,000 Pokeyen for your unique Speed and move list! Suck it up and kill the bastard already!"

From across the battlefield, a cool-faced Mabushii observed the red-faced, sweating, and nervous Boss of Toxic Hazard.

"Is this truly all you have? Are you truly the leader of Toxic Hazard? Are you really the mastermind behind hacking into my security system in less than an hour? Was it honestly you who concocted this unique gas of toxins designed to target individuals, including Pokemon, who have undertaken the Power Curriculum Program through the specific drugs authorized by the Board of Directors?"

Boring and plain brown orbs gazed at the stiff postured Boss of Toxic Hazard. Those unassuming windows of the soul peered into the unsure and anxious college boy's own, picking apart the unseen layers of his being with a terrifying degree of understanding.

"You're a Level-0. A boy who has failed to sprout after everything this city has done to nurture you into something far beyond the realm of humanity through scientific theory and the bonds between humans and Pokemon. It's understandable why you would seek revenge against people like me who have promised you superpowers uniquely different than Pokemon. But this?"

Mabushii shook her head, her face conveying an almost bored yet pitying expression to the boy who appeared to have a Poliwag lodged in his throat.

"This is just sad. I was expecting more from the Boss of useless boys and girls who overcame their perceived weakness and had the audacity to snap back with demands. To think I was impressed beneath my livid anger; Level-0s are known to be crafty but this was simply ingenious and took me by surprise. But as it turns out, you're simply a parasite feeding on the fruits and labors of its host body, no different than one of those highly sought out and rumored UB's: Nihilego."

Gomi's face twitched.

"I admit, the toxins you've developed are fascinating. It must have taken hundreds of hours of study to discover what chemicals and drugs would cause such a slow burn in espers. I'm sure even Level-4s would be left in a deathly state in a matter of an hour at best if they were left prolonged in the sickly fog of unpleasant odors. But any toxicologist could have come to such findings if they bothered. I'm sure it would only take researchers in Academy City a few hours to create their own antidote as well."

Toxic Hazard's boss trembled, growing a deep red as his chest heaved.

"I don't even need to hear your reasoning for this sudden attack or your cause for taking the students and adults in my tower hostage. Days ago, a few of my special packages had been stolen under the cover of random accidents and incidents; Anti-Skill and Judgment weren't informed of what exactly had been stolen or that anything important had gone missing. I detected a breach in my security and found several files touched; no matter how good your hacker may be, I can still expertly detect those unseen digital fingerprints with the help of a Rotom. You specifically targeted me and left the upper floors of Kokyu Tower, the floors reserved specifically for Level-3s and containing all research material pertaining to their development, alone. I'd like to think even a kindergartner and their baby Pokemon can connect the dots."

"Dokurin, Giga Impact!"

Desperation could be heard in his voice, commanding his Pokemon to unleash everything the living sludge could fire.

"Stone Edge."

No matter how much power the high Physical Poison/Dark-type poured into his reckless charge, it was incapable of completely breaking through the rising row of rugged stone spines rushing to collide with the Alolan Muk's attack. Rock fragments the size of Joltiks burrowed into Alolan Muk's damaged body with every destroyed spine before he found himself being pushed back and further injured by the spearing teeth. The white glow faded, failing to provide the Pokemon the strength to overpower Stone Edge.

Once again, the Shiny Bully of The Sands displayed his vast superiority. Jagged teeth born of stone rushed the bright and psychedelic colored sludge, piercing the Pokemon's gooey body with the sounds of slapping goop. Nerves were sliced through beneath the slimy hide, causing the Alolan Muk to screech in pain.

Spines of hard earth trapped the Pokemon still, Alolan Muk's body squirming as every small movement brought him pain. It was the same as having multiple knives stabbed into one's body. If one ripped out even one, even more damage would be dealt.

In other words, Gomi's last remaining tool had been crippled.

"You're after the technology and research I've kept hidden from both the public eye and The Board of Directors, locked away at the uppermost floor of my lovely tower of glamour and research. My vault of forbidden accessories capable of rivaling even the Level-5s in destructive capability. From Kalos, Hoen, Alola, and Galar, the region locked and forbidden research concerning special stones and energy linked to Pokemon that allow sudden metamorphosis, spikes of power capable of obliterating cities, and spatial distortion can be discovered at the tip of the heavens of my spire. Countless international laws would be trampled if even one of my lovely research items was discovered. It's those illegal treasures that you're after for your own selfish wants; correct?"

She said it.

The unsaid revelation would lead to Gomi Gio's victory.

The Sword of Destruction.

The Proof of Victory.

His Crown.

An untold number of glorious treasures fit to grant a Level-0 the power and might he deserved was locked away at the very top of this tower. Each one held destructive power capable of rivaling a Level-5 in firepower alone. Not one of those treasures of great and terrible power had any requirements that needed to be met by even a Level-0, allowing anyone to pick one out and use it to its fullest extent.

No manuals.

No training.

No effort.

Swords could be brandished by anyone, no matter the skill level. Even a child could cause devastating damage by simply swinging it around. Even a child could make threats and demands with a sword they had little to no knowledge of using correctly.

Mabushii Hoseki was one of the four recognized Battle Facility Head Researchers of Academy City. She was the Brain most knowledgeable in the growth of Level-3s and their potential. Every experiment, training regiment, prescriptive drugs, battle routines, and suitable Pokemon crucial to improving and developing a Level-3s unique ability and refinement of their Personal Reality was born from her research. She was the heart of this tower and the one most likely to help a Level-3 break their limits and attain status to Level-4.

But she wasn't simply knowledgeable in espers and their Personal Realities.

Before Mabushii Hoseki was the top researcher of Level-3s growth, she had been researching forbidden material concerning unique stones and energies native in certain regions which were closely guarded by each region's government and scientists for national security and 'preservation'. She had dabbled in numerous fields of study concerning Z-Energy, Mega Evolution, Gigantamax and Dynamax, traveling the world in her younger years to glean as much as she could from simply observing the supernatural phenomenon whose subject matter and official documents were guarded tighter than a Master Ball's design.

She had been caught several times.

She had broken the law.

Due to these national laws being broken, she had been blacklisted.

Only one region would ever accept such a curious woman with her past.

The smile on the plain and boring-faced woman's face held a chilling element as it cut across her face.

"You know, normally punk's like you catch my fancy and make me hot and bothered. But you're obviously the desperate sort of Emboar lacking in even an iota of machismo I'm usually fawning over like a middle school girl labeled as boy crazy. You're plan caught my interest, I was honestly curious to get to know the kind of big bad who had gone to so much trouble to stir up such panic and hysteria in my domain, and even wished to discuss how such a person created such a unique gas capable of targeting both espers and Pokemon who had undergone the Power Curriculum Program. Now that I've met you though..."

Mabushii's face wrinkled as if she had been expecting a sweet vanilla scent from a treat she had come upon only to find it had turned sour and rotten.

"You're just trash waiting to be burned to cinders and smoke."

"SLUDGE WAVE, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWW!"

A livid, blistering, furious roar burst from the throat of the raging Toxic Hazard boss.

Damaged as his Alolan Muk maybe, he demanded his tool to go out with one large-scale attack to swamp everything in a massive wave of toxic sludge.

"Earth Power."

Before the churning crushing tidal wave of purple poison could be manifested from the severely damaged Pokemon, a lava-like coat of energy was conjured onto the fist of the cruelly grinning Kirakin who proceeded to slam his knuckles into the earth.

It was a simple brutish gesture.

Even so, it had the power to create a miracle of supernatural violence in the form of a geyser of geothermal energy rising to swallow the stunned Alolan Muk whole.

A pillar of what could only be assumed was fire produced from the eruption of a volcano's tip burst from beneath the Pokemon's footing. Psychedelic pigments were devoured by the colors of red, orange, and yellow piercing above the earth like a lance born by the earth's inner core.

This was not an attack aligned with the element of Fire. It was an attack aligned with the Ground, an effective weapon of spearing geothermal energy conjured using the supernatural power all Pokemon could control to put an end to the sentient blob of viscous ooze.

Searing heat aligned with the very earth tore the strange species of Muk's very being. All he could do was screech in pain until the pillar of earthly flames ceased.

The geyser of geothermal flames died away, allowing the Alolan Muk to collapse.

Having been brought to the brink of death, the Pokemon's gooey body slumped and appeared to deflate into a mushy puddle of sickly colors.

If this were a game created on a battle system of two supernatural creatures battling head-to-head, this would be where the opposing Trainer's beast fainted and was returned to their capsule device.

Game Over.

You Lose.

Defeated.

Said words repeated in a grating loop within the sweating and trembling red-faced Level-0. He stared at the pile of sickly colored and vicious goop who was supposed to be fighting for his dreams and goals until the very end. Nothing more could be done if his last tool had quit on him.

Pokeball in hand, Gomi had no other action to take than to return the failure of a poisonous weapon he had left.

And fall to his knees.

"It's...it's not fair."

"You're done: it's over."

"It's not fair!"

"I'll reward you points for putting up a fight as long as you did, but you were clearly at a disadvantage due to your team being compromised of Poison-types. Leave it to a Level-0 to fail to understand the basics of basics as the Type Advantage System. Are you really the mastermind behind this entire operation?"

"IT'S NOT FUCKING FAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"

Gomi Gio screamed in frustration, anger, and despair as he slammed his pudgy fist into the dirt of the battlefield.

He lost. Even with a Pokemon he had his grunts hand over from their talented Breeder who offered their services to prominent members of Academy City's underground, Pokemon whose Stats were above average and attained hard to breed moves and abilities, and having taken hostage of over a hundred of civilians and Pokemon whose lives were on the line, the newly appointed boss of Toxic Hazard had been soundly defeated.

Gomi Gio was a Level-0.

He did not possess a Personal Reality, let alone one crafted for fighting or anything to give him the advantage in any specific situation playing out before him now.

All he had were his Pokemon, a few weapons, special poisons, and his weak fists.

Against such a brutish and overpowering Pokemon as Kokyu Tower's Kirakin, none of his tools or natural talents could so much as inflict a scratch. It would be suicide to try and put up a fight.

Before his very eyes, clouded with tears of despair and anger, the dream of fulfilling his role and the merits of his name were shattering to pieces. All his efforts had achieved him nothing.

Zero.

Once again, he was reminded of how pathetic and worthless he was in this toxic world.

Footsteps could be heard drawing closer, the sound of the vicious Krookodile approaching alongside his master creating a slight tremble of the earth beneath his knees. Fear took a hold of his shriveling heart.

"It's not fair! Why am I so powerless?! Why have I gained nothing!? Aren't I intelligent enough? Aren't I worthy? Didn't I study the same material, take the same exams, and take the same drugs as those monsters known as Level-5s?! If so, why haven't I discovered my own Personal Reality?! Was it because of a mismatch of partners? Were the Pokemon who were supposed to inspire and influence the superpower I would have attained through my studies to blame? Just what the hell had been the loose screw to jam my development of an Esper to interfere with what should have been rightfully mine from the start?!"

Dirt was crushed ruthlessly by the golden colored foot belonging to the battle talented and cruel Krookodile stopping in front of Gomi's kneeling form. He heard the claws of the Bully of The Desert click in anticipation and the slight creak of the Ground/Dark-types jaws unhinge in what he pictured was a nasty grin found only in Dark-types.

A devastating and taboo secret had been dug up by his nosy hands.

Yes, Gomi Gio knew of the forbidden knowledge Mabushii Hoseki had kept hidden beneath the foundation of her glitzy tower of glamorous steel. He knew of the many international laws she had stepped over and ground beneath her ritzy heels with a cute tilt of her head. She would be locked away for breaking countless violations and treaties by the representatives of the many regions of this world of Pokemon who saw her as an overly curious threat to the stable balance in power between all the nations of this battle-loving planet.

Such secrets had to be buried.

Deep into the earth where no one would ever be able to dig them up by mere accident or through the advanced power of technology.

No different than the many and numerous Swords of Destruction, a corpse wouldn't be any stranger among them.

Someone who possessed immense knowledge on espers stood beside the killing tool ready to bury him into the blood-soaked earth. Desperation and defeat possessed him to understand what it was that had led him to this bad end when he believed wholeheartedly he had been robbed of a life of greater meaning and wealth.

Mabushii didn't hesitate to answer.

"It's not about fairness or entitlement, you worthless test Mankey. You simply failed from birth to give the world any meaning in giving you a shred of power. If this is you without power, isn't obvious why the system would think twice about offering you any shred of hope for anything more?"

Not fair.

It wasn't fair.

Unfair.

How could this be fair?

At his knees, without a suitable weapon to fight back, empty-handed of any tool to turn this bad end around in his favor, Gomi Gio hung his head with his teeth planted firmly against another to the point of chipping a back tooth.

The battle had been decided and he lost.

Krookodile's jaws were aglow with a dark power eager to snap his overweight body in half.

It truly, without a doubt, surely, been an unfair ending to this Level-0s story.

DING!

"Hmm?"

The sound of a chime from the arriving elevator shuttle was heard in the now silent battlefield. While everything from the electronic doors allowing people entry to the tower and even the smallest of light fixtures to the bathroom was under Gomi's control via his smartphone, thanks to the hacking of Toxic Hazard's computer expert, it did not mean there weren't other ways to make certain pieces of technology work.

Another hacker could have rested control from him, if only it were something as small as a locked door to a manager's office.

A Pokemon could have used its miraculous abilities and powers to aid them.

An espers power could trump over a Level-0s meager hacking no matter how talented they may be.

However the case, numerous options were available to those who didn't give up when they met a seemingly dead-end.

Case in point: someone could have worked tirelessly to bypass whatever bugs or tendrils were preventing them from using one of the elevator shuttles for themselves through the use of their Pokemon, their own talents, the help of others, or their own esper power. This was a city well known for the students carrying numerous tricks on their persons to overcome whatever troubles presented themselves.

Someone had found their way to the battlefield between the boss of Toxic Hazard and the Brain of Kokyu Tower. An unknown element stopped themselves on the 9th floor after hearing of the challenge proposed by the mastermind of the Level Toxin fumes devouring the clean air to slowly poison and kill every living being trapped in the steel body of glamour.

"Long time, no see, Gomi-san."

Stepping out of the elevator door that had opened like a cracked egg giving birth to a mysterious creature, a new player introduced themselves to the stunned onlookers observing them.

"Y-You?!"

"Oh? Is this a friend of yours, newly appointed Boss of Toxic Hazard?"

He was a college boy.

He was probably between nineteen to twenty-one.

Vermilion eyes gazed at the defeated and kneeling obese boy known as Gomi Gio with a mix of mirth and disappointment.

His clothing reminded those of the color schemes and patterns of a Scolipede with the exception of the cross-bones stamped on his back. His purple eggplant hair had a loose bang similar to the fang of a venomous snake falling over his right eye. He was a strange mix between a punk rocker and a typical school delinquent with the exception of his pretty-boy features reminding girls of the lead singer of a pop-rock band.

The mysterious boy smiled thinly, Pokeball in hand, and a chuckle in his voice.

"Looks like you were already defeated, Gomi-san. So much for your reign of terror, you false figurehead. Now, doesn't that make the woman standing over you in victory the newly appointed boss of Toxic Hazard? You did say whoever defeated you would basically attain control of the organization. So, in theory, doesn't that mean I'll become Boss of Toxic Hazard if I defeat her? Sounds like a rocking good time to me to rest control from the one capable of bringing you to your knees, ya traitor."

Conflicts were resolved through battle.

Desires were attained by battle.

Purpose was found in battle.

Whatever it may be, in this world of Pokemon, humans, espers, and other supernatural figures, the needs and wants of many could only ever be discovered in one word.

BATTLE.

[-]

Somewhere...

In a place swimming with strange and bizarre toxins...

A chilling smile ebbing with darkness cut across the yellow fog...

And evolved.

[-]

Back resting lazily against the cool surfaced wall of eggshell white and silver, Kamijou Touma leaned his head over to eye the college girl leaning over the control panel connected to the main elevator on the 9th floor.

Through an unlikely partnership, an ordinary boy and a man-hating delinquent had joined forces for the purpose of beating up an obnoxious thug who commanded a gang of poison-themed delinquents. Both were wounded, both were weak, and both knew that neither one alone could make it to the final boss room without help. So they had put aside any hostility either may have had to come together and achieve a shared goal.

Being careful with Hidoi's stitched side, Touma had carried the Toxic Hazard Admin princess-style in his arms to the large elevator shuttle. He had abandoned piggyback despite her fists knocking against his head for her health to ease the tension on her wounds. Thankfully whatever Toxic Hazard members remained on the floor weren't running about close to their proximity. Ignoring the knocked out members, he had taken the silently fuming and glaring girl to the busted elevator door so that she would work her magic on getting them to Gomi's position.

Being an idiot, he couldn't help but curiously gaze at the busty dominatrix tap away on her phone through a series of confusing letters and numbers jumbled together. Was this coding?

"Can you really hack into the mainframe of the elevator to force the doors open and get us to the floor below with only your phone? I would have thought you would have to use a technology possessing Pokemon like Rotom to cheat your way through. Can something as simple as a phone really compete with such a ghastly electric spark so easily?"

He was curious. Kamijou-san was your average high school who had trouble in matters concerning his education. He wasn't an idiot as many would have said(specifically a certain forehead girl with fists performing Thrash onto his body and a jiggle of their chest), but he wasn't any smarter than most high school boys either. He was the type of boy who would resort to trying to fix a problem by A.) Punching it, or B.) Talking to it.

Machines were incredibly tough so plan A was out.

Machines couldn't be talked to so plan B was also out.

Situations like this would have been enough to defeat a boy who apparently had the power to completely dismantle the systems of god with a simple tap of his right finger. It was hilariously depressing to find such a person who could erase even a Hyper Beam fired by a Legendary taken out by a locked set of ordinary doors.

"Eyes to yourself, you Slowpoke. You may fool anyone else that you're simply observing a programmer in how they go about hacking into pieces of hardware with such precision and skill out of curiosity, but I really know you're taking the opportunity to sneak a peek down my open chest collar of this frilly blouse. And did you just say mainframe in regards to an elevator? Are you the type of idiot who thinks hacking, in general, is all about randomly tapping away on keys with dramatic music playing in the background?"

An exasperated sigh was heard from the spiky boy who decided it would be better if he left his newest 'comrade' to do her own thing. While her usual scathing remarks weren't as cruel and coated with hatred as when they first met, they still were capable of hurting his pride.

Resting atop Hidoi's head, the rogue Spinarak chittered in what could roughly be translated as a laugh. The rebellious spider had now found a new comfy nest as his home, much to the Toxic Hazard Admin's chagrin. To Touma's surprise though, she hadn't commanded the bug Pokemon to get off or coldly threatened him. Other than what he believed was a pout she tried to hide, she had let the critter nestle himself at the top of her head as she went about her work.

'Is she really...a part of Toxic Hazard? Just like Byoki? Just like Gebi? Just like Gomi?'

Touma found his gaze softening as he gazed at the hostile girl helping him. The person who was bloodied, wounded, had insulted him and accused him of being the type of people he couldn't stand, was part of the gang who attacked the tower with a bio-weapon and taken both people and Pokemon hostage? She was his enemy?

If it hadn't been for whatever had led to her being attacked by her own comrades, than would it mean that they would, at some point, be fighting until one of them was knocked out?

Just as when they first exited the abandoned cosplay retail store, a lulling silence was found between the high school boy and the college girl. Neither one said much to another as the Admin of Toxic Hazard went to work on breaking into the system hardware of the main elevator shaft. The older girl with raven hair and streaks of toxic bright green in her hair remained tight lip, focusing solely on whatever program she was running into the bashed open control panel hidden from sight via the cable connected to her smartphone. Even if they had agreed to work together, she still treated him coldly and did her best to say as little as needed.

They were far from friends, less so acquaintances. Comrade was a bit of a stretch.

Really, there was no reason for those two who lived in two separate worlds to make idle chatter before charging into the final boss's dungeon. Especially when one of them was struggling as is to keep their eyes open after losing an alarming amount of blood.

Hidoi would rather the boy who saved her life and talked her into helping him dethrone the newly appointed boss of Toxic Hazard keep his mouth shut. At this point, she didn't even care if he ogled her fine figure so long as he was discreet and left her to get this tiring and frustrating day over with.

So, why was he even bothering to speak to her as if she was a normal girl untainted by the vile poison administered by this city of science?

"Can I ask you something?"

Blowing a stray lock of green-streaked hair from her face, Hidoi clicked her teeth in annoyance as she waited for her custom hacking program to finish its job.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I've been turned off from men in general. No matter how many times you beg on your hands and knees, I will not step on you, you sick freak."

"What the hell kind of response is that?! Just what kind of boy do you take me for? Dorm Manager Onee-sans! Dorm Manager Onee-sans are what this simple Kamijou-san desires, you freaky Dominatrix chick! I don't care if you do have a killer body with tantalizing curves, a busty chest crossing past the impressive realm of D, or an ass that compliments your thighs! If you don't have the caring personality of an older woman who makes it her life's purpose to take care of idiots and delinquents who are down on their luck with a sisterly aura of a Fairy-type than you have no place in the heart of this unfortunate high school boy!"

"Ah, so you were looking me up and down if you noticed my tits, ass, thighs, and curves; Muk."

"Grk!"

Hold yourself together, Kamijou-san! Don't lose yourself to anger! You are not some violent and thick-headed Primeape!

"I'm serious, I just want to know something is all."

Having nearly completed her program's download into the hardware of the massive cylinder of rotating and changing metal transporting shuttles, Hidoi glanced over at the serious faced boy who had come to her rescue.

Kidding aside, it really did appear as if he wished to ask something apparently important to him regarding herself.

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously before shrugging, wincing beneath her breathe as her wound stung with every slight action of her body.

"Spit it out. Fair warning; anything dealing with Toxic Hazard, the real Toxic Hazard and not the one propped up by that fat Pignite, is off-limits. I don't care if you torture me for information, I won't rat out the Boss's identity."

Toxic Hazards boss, the real and true boss, was held high above all others in Hidoi's heart.

Whatever hell may prey upon her, whatever vile hands may capture her, whatever agony would sink its teeth into her, whatever poisons were injected into her, she would never betray the trust and compassion of the one who had saved her when on the brink of self-destruction so long ago.

Touma shook his head, the thought seeming to have never crossed him.

"I've only ever dealt with Gomi, so I don't have any beef with whoever the previous boss of Toxic Hazard may be, let alone their identity. I'm not some hero of justice intent on dismantling their entire organization. This entire event playing out right now is between the idiot who failed to get his shit together after being dealt a Mega Punch and a Level-0 who refuses to accept his sense of fairness."

Dark blue eyes connected with the corrupt and twisted green. Hostility found itself under the eyes of compassion.

"I just wanted to know why you would go through so much destruction, enough to become part of a group of self-righteous thugs who would go as far as stomp all over a random stranger's pleasant day for their own goals?"

Hidoi found herself momentarily stun by the odd question. She stared at the boy, someone who had must have had his own grievances against her gang and had even been hurt by them, who had no reason to be speaking to her so freely. Or looking at her so softly.

"I guess...I was curious to see why you, or anyone really, would want to become a part of all this." he gestured to the ever present mustard fog flowing throughout the metal tower with a look of frustration and disgust, "I can understand being frustrated with being a Level-0, a large majority of this city feels the same way since they've got nothing to show for all their hard work as well. But I'm not naive enough to believe that just because we all felt the same way in that regard that it's that simple. To have gone down this road, a road where you don't think twice about endangering the lives of countless innocent people and Pokemon for your own selfish agendas, there must have been something to push you this far."

"Why would it matter to you?" Hidoi spat venomously, her green eye burning an acidic hole into the blue orbs challenging her.

Those blue orbs didn't so much as singe as they gained a strange mix of steel and warmth.

"Because I can't accept anyone like you, who has at least shown some compassion to a random Pokemon like Kumo-san and treats them as actual friends, not tools, could be possibly cruel and vicious deep down in their core."

…

…

…

An innocent chitter of feelers was heard from the naive Spinarak on Hidoi's head.

Once again, Hidoi found herself taken back by the spiky boy and his words. Her biting and sharp words, her scalding glares, her toxic nature; it was all shrugged off. The very image of the dominating woman who found pleasure in demonizing men and stepping over them with a sneer was utterly rebuked by a mere first-year high school boy who stared at her as if she was just some ordinary girl.

The deadly and bold colors she painted herself in were no more than a facade he pierced through to search for something hidden beneath the sickly venom she was drenched in.

She should have told him to piss off. What right did he have to pry into her history or reasoning? He wasn't a friend, a lover, or family. He had no right to ask such a question nor did she have any reason to answer him.

She was Admin of a splinter cell of Skill-Out.

He was a high school boy.

As if the two of them could ever come to an understanding.

And yet…

"...I was tired of being helpless and weak."

The download was a success. The special hacking program Hidoi designed herself to worm her way into various pieces of hardware and machinery to take control of like a Rotom possessing a smart fridge or smart oven dinged a pretty little chime to signal all functions were at ready. In no time at all, her smartphone's screen began to display various functions regarding the main elevator shaft while batting away the tendrils of corruption she had implanted and handed over to Gomi's personal use.

Amid her tweaking and adjusting of the motors and safety locks of the elevator she wished to board, she found her words slipping out without restraint to the surprised spiky boy. All while the rebellious spider nestled in her hair gently rubbed his legs as if to ease the tension she was feeling.

"Level-0s are considered failures in the eyes of the top brass of this damn city which values results, potential, and gain over everything else; humans and Pokemon included. Because of our failure to discover a Personal Reality, to gain a superpower influenced by our bond with our Pokemon partners, we're seen as no different than Dunsparce who are the weakest of Pokemon and have no other evolution to achieve no matter how much effort they make. The weak don't have power and just like the wild plains in any other region not born of steel and science, the weak are preyed upon by the strong. Fact is fact. If you're a Level-0, you're going to be pecked at by a predator who can do whatever they want with their wonderful powers, gifts, and talents."

Green eyes reminiscent of jades were locked onto the smartphone screen, ignoring the gaze of the plain-faced boy who made no move to do anything more than to listen to her as she worked.

"I wasn't any different. A girl like me, with a body like mine? Of course, I was going to be preyed upon by those who were stronger. It didn't even matter if they had an ability, so long as they had something a weak, nervous, and cowardly girl couldn't resist or push back against, they could do as they wish. Men are all the same, taking whatever they want by force when what they desire is out of their reach. It was only a matter of time until I took a wrong turn while on my way back to my dorm with my roommate when the inevitable happened."

Shivering slightly at the memory of hands latching onto her naked shoulders, pushing her down, and greedily feeling her up in a dark, cold, and filthy alley, Hidoi bit her bottom lip and fought back the ghostly phantom touches she had yet to forget.

"It wasn't even just a couple of Level-3s either. It was Level-3s and Level-0s with their Pokemon, boys I recognized from an after school club for programming and development of apps. In their eyes, I was just some shy girl with a sinful body responsible for egging on their imaginations and leading them on with her cute demeanor; I was at fault for what was about to happen for being so easy to attack. I understood that, I already knew they were always leering at me from behind my back, I always heard their hushed whispers about my tits and curves better reserved for a high school girl rather than a second-year middle schooler, and I always knew they were always a bit too touchy when working with me during assignments. I knew I was easy, I knew I would be attacked, and I knew I would probably be too weak to fight back even with my Pokemon!"

Cracks were found in the damn which had always served to contain the overbearing emotions the college girl known as Hidoi Airisu had maintained for years. She had evolved from the weak girl who had to be saved by Anti-Skill at the very last moment before an unrecoverable piece of her innocence had been trampled on, to become a woman who would bear her deadly fangs back at those who so much as eyed her and would gleefully tear them apart. She had abandoned the sweet, shy, cowardly, and frail girl and gained a toxic nature like any other predator would to overcome her shortcomings for survival.

"BUT!"

Perhaps she was tired.

Yes, she was tired. Exhausted. After everything she had gone through, the original plans agreed upon by the Admins who had overtaken leadership role as their boss was preoccupied with other matters falling to pieces in a coup, the attack of grunts she had believed worked for her and feared her, the serious wound which had drained her of a large amount of precious red fluids, and having to be saved by some nobody…

"Why did they have to fucking involve Utsukushi-chan with their bullshit!?"

What other reason would explain the crack in her voice?

"If I had been the one to be violated, to be used, to be treated as some fucking plaything they could toss aside with snickers and giggles, I wouldn't have cared! But they decided to touch my best friend, the only person who ever gave me the courage to face the day and ignore the lustful gazes of boys, and had her share the same hell as I did! Our Pokemon were knocked out, they ganged up on us and held us down as they eagerly began to undress us, and ignored our crying and begging with filthy fingers shoved in our mouths! And even though Anti-Skill and Judgment made it, even though only our clothing had been torn off, even though we were spared the shame of the incident being leaked to our school, she was still broken! Despite being the stronger one, she was the one who came out far more scarred and traumatized by those disgusting Pignites! She suffered an emotional breakdown, growing fearful of everyone, afraid that those boys would come back at any moment to finish what they started, and relives the stomach churning event over and over again! Not even her Pokemon could bring her once lively and bright smile back!"

Hatred was not natural.

It was created.

Spurned.

Planted.

A disease or poison was born by the actions or failure of others.

All hatred had its origins no matter how petty it may be.

For Hidoi, her hatred for men was spun by the lustful monsters who had terrorized her best friend in front of her eyes. Because someone precious to her was being forced into such a sickening experience, revealing the ugliness and depravity of the opposite sex, an equally ugly and vile emotion had rooted itself in her heart to infect her view of men.

She had her reasons for being who she was. And she didn't give a damn what anyone would say to change her mind.

Only the true Boss of Toxic Hazard could ever simmer the hatred bubbling in her heart.

"Toxic Hazard is a gang of Level-0s who want to punish Academy City with poisoning its student body with chemicals and drugs which have forced us into being labeled as failures. If they poison us, we poison them however we can. But me? I just want revenge."

"Against who?"

"Everyone."

Hidoi spat her desire clear as day to the lightly frowning spiky boy leaning against the wall next to the elevator.

"I want to make the boys who molested Utsukushi-chan feel equally terrified and scarred by what they've done. I want to destroy the very adults who protected those boys from criminal charges just because one of those boys was related to one of The Board of Directors of Academy City. I want to dismantle the very system which gave birth to such boys and nurtured their cruelty all because of their powers or status. Even if I have to work with men to achieve my goal of avenging Utsukushi-chan's innocence, to annihilate everything that would terrify her just so she could regain her bright smile again, I will do whatever it takes to sow whatever venom can kill those bastards who broke my friend's heart!"

Hidoi's intentions were ugly. Undeniably, they were truly something no person should ever seek.

But they originated from an innocent place in her damaged and wounded heart.

'I just want to protect my friend and make her smile again!'

To make up for her powerlessness and attack the very people who had a connection with the trauma her best friend had suffered from and continued to suffer from, she had joined a gang she believed would help her achieve her revenge. Even if she had to swallow back bile when she had to cooperate with men who were alike with those who attacked her, she would grit her teeth to achieve her goal.

All so that she may wipe out everything unsightly which would so much as tinge the smile on her best friend's face ever again.

It was a beautiful, tragic, wish.

Honestly, what could anyone say in return for such tragic desires of a girl who only wanted to save her friend?

"You're doing it wrong."

"What?!"

It was like he was being leered down at by a hissing Arbok. Hidoi's head jerked to face Touma, delivering a truly dark and violent glare capable of inflicting Paralysis in any other normal situation.

He didn't bow down, choosing instead to fight the intimidating hood of an Arbok with his own words.

"I get it. You want revenge. But this? Throwing aside your own feelings, your own disgust, your own sense of right and wrong, all so you can achieve some pointless sense of revenge? Just what the hell would attacking nobodies not even worth your time accomplish either you or your friend?! Don't you think your time would be better spent standing by Utsukushi-san's side, helping her through her trauma, helping her heal and overcome her nightmares, rather than traveling down this lonely path of violence for something as stupid and worthless as destruction? All your doing is hurting yourself and your friend, you're not fixing anything, you idiot!"

"And what the fucking hell would you know?! I don't expect some random nobody to understand my pain! I don't expect you to understand wanting revenge against people Level-0s have no chance of so much as scratching without resorting to ugly and cheap plays!"

Hidio's furious yell had her standing up to meet Touma's eyes, towering over him by a few inches as she bared her fangs with every intention of striking.

"Just who the hell do you thi-"

"Matsuo Ryuusuke and Kihara Gensai."

"...Eh?"

A sudden chill traveled down Hidoi's spine as if she had been struck by an Icy Wind.

Something...dark and equally vicious as the shadow which had loomed over her own face had fallen over the unassuming high school boy's face at the mere mention of the two names he had spoken as if he had just spat out something utterly foul and rotten from within.

Her temper was stalled by the spiky boy whose dark-tinted eyes fell upon his right hand with a sense of loathing.

"I know...I know exactly how it feels to have to watch someone you cherish be broken by the selfish wants and delusions of others. I've seen the damage and I know it can be irreparable. Trust me, I've felt the loathing, the livid anger, the consuming rage even after the friends I tried to protect were rescued. But they weren't saved. I was too late to save them from the darkness of those two men who got in the way and tainted their innocent smiles even in their failure."

Was he reliving some past event right now?

Just as Hidoi had been overcome with the memories of being molested alongside her friend, was the boy known as Kamijou Touma currently replaying the scene of his own hatred locked away in his heart?

"And what's worse? I can't do anything about this frustrating anger when those two can't even be reached by a Level-0 who failed to be the hero in time! One of them is already dead, and I can't even remember why I despise the second one or even know his name! All I can tell is that something precious is missing and it's all his fucking fault!"

Pain deeply lanced straight through Touma's arm as he banged his right fist to the side, denting the wall as the skin was torn off in a bloody patch. Hidoi jumped slightly at the sudden act of violence, her old instincts warning her to put as much distance from herself and the boy she didn't trust.

The rage in his eyes seemed just as deep as her own. Intense and corrosive to the very soul.

But…

As if doused by a spray of Water Gun, the blistering anger shadowing his face had been killed, leaving him tired and bitter as he rubbed his torn up knuckles.

When he spoke again, a soft crack could be heard in his heavy yet fragile words that quivered.

"I wanted revenge just as strongly as you. But what then? How much more was I willing to lose just so I can drink in a short-lived sense of satisfaction? Nothing would have changed. No one would be healed or saved. I could never regain what I lost at the hands of monsters who already won. This isn't even the first time I've been dealt such losses either. I've already lost someone close, my best friend, my Pokemon, who had tried to shield me from my own misfortune and paid the price. I already knew back then that seeking revenge wouldn't fix the damage and wouldn't make me feel any better. In the end, I would find myself just as alone as before. I would still be missing something I can't get back. I would still be a plague who could only ever be surrounded by misfortune."

A tragic smile speaking of loss and acceptance of something he could never repair, no matter what sort of miraculous powers or connections he found, was found on the face of the exhausted boy standing in the fog of toxins he was ingesting with every breathe.

Hidoi bit her lip in frustration.

She didn't want to admit it.

She didn't want to say it.

She didn't want to give some boy the satisfaction.

But…

'You...you really do understand what it's like, don't you?'

Empathy was a strange emotion.

Between those who were cast in different lights, different backgrounds, different worlds, different beliefs, and different roles, it was the sole thread capable of connecting even the bitterest of enemies.

To see through the eyes of another was difficult.

To walk in the shoes of another was difficult.

To feel the same emotions as another was difficult.

But when the faint and slim thread was cast and found itself connecting the hearts of others, even if it were for not but a brief second, a sense of understanding could be found. And when one is capable of understanding another, the wonderful phenomena can occur.

Hidoi could see the tragedy and grief flash in those dark blue mirrors. Eyes that had never seen her as anything to be hated, to be blamed, to be punished, or exploited and abused. No matter if she was responsible for having a hand in orchestrating the malice flooding the once bustling tower built for students, adults, and Pokemon to relax and have fun, he didn't seek any shred of vengeance. Instead, he had tried to reach out to her and understand her situation.

Even though she didn't have the strength to fight back any of his wicked attempts to give in to the deep and sickening lust all men possessed, he had chosen to protect her.

Whoever this random spiky-haired high school boy was, he had understood what it felt like to be helpless.

To be abused.

To be struck with misfortune.

To see someone he cared for deeply harmed because of him.

And to fail in saving a friend due to being powerless and weak.

So, why was it he hadn't fallen onto the same tragic and violent level as Hidoi herself?

If someone such as him could understand her pain even a bit, why hadn't he become a member of Skill-Out like every other Level-0 causing mayhem under the orders of a selfish and lustful bastard like Gomi?

'Could...could I have turned down the same path as this idiot?'

Had things been a bit different in how she handled the horrific and traumatizing tragedy which had befallen her and a dear friend, had she decided to overcome her anger and grief, had she decided to seek another way to cure her best friend's scars etched in both mind and heart...could Hidoi have found herself on a path where she lived by the very words spoken of by someone who had felt similar tragedy as she had?

She nearly pierced her lip as she bit down harder to such a dangerous quandary. She shook her head stubbornly(nearly throwing off the big green horned spider on her head), her glare growing softer yet remaining stern to the boy.

"I can't take back the things I've done. And I refuse to apologize for punishing those who deserved to be brought to their knees. Nothing would change if I suddenly flipped my moral compass and became a kind and gentle figure like a Blissy. Even if I've only made things worse for myself...this is still the path that led me to be saved by the Boss."

Yes, without a doubt, this dark and toxic road littered with poison spikes was where she had been discovered by the person who had soothed her despair and self-loathing.

The True Boss of Toxic Hazard.

To have regrets now would be no different than regretting having such a person in her life. And she refused to have such thoughts to someone so dear.

A slender yellow finger patted Hidoi's head, taking her by surprise. She blinked and found her eyes glancing up to see the rogue Spinarak, a tool once belonging to the envious Byoki, comforting her. The Bug/Poison-type seemed to smile brightly at her attention.

She wasn't sure why but a small smile grew on her face at the actions of a used weapon.

"I can't agree with your methods, and I can't accept them either, but you aren't a bad person either."

The spiky high school boy seemed resigned with how their conversation led to a stalemate. Neither had the free time or energy to continue their conversation for longer. Both realized what was more important as a cruel and dangerous figure was threatening to unleash an even greater brand of malice upon everyone involved.

So, he accepted there was no steering her onto the same path as he treed despite the thread of empathy they had found in another.

But he also come to find such a dominating and man-hating woman as herself wasn't a villain. Nor was she deserving of the wounds she had been inflicted in what others may call karma for her actions and rhetoric.

The tragic smile on his face became brighter, illuminating a strange warmth that caused a numbing sensation in Hidoi's weary legs.

Her jade-colored eyes fluttered.

Against her better judgment, she began to teeter like a Spindel.

She suddenly became aware of just how much blood she had previously lost as she heard a worrying sort of chittering from the bug on her hugging her head like a pillow.

"You aren't a bad person. You aren't a villain in this story either. You're just some girl who found herself in a miserable and cruel situation you never deserved; even now. You've been through a lot, you've put up with a lot, and you've struggled a lot, but you don't need to poison yourself any further right now. Even if I can't ever agree with how you accomplish returning the smile on your best friend's face, I can at least understand what led you down such a lonely and cruel road. But-"

15% to 30%.

When calculating how much blood loss would result in the human body symptoms of alarm, it is believed about 15% to 30% would result in mild negative effects such as an increase in respiratory and heart rate, paling of the skin, anxiety, and temperature.

Once the percentage reached over 30%, the mind would slip away into unconsciousness.

Hidoi had fought desperately to bat away what was a natural reaction to the alarming amount of sticky dark crimson seeping from her side, but she couldn't continue the fight, no matter how stubborn she was to see this final battle through.

No matter how hard she fought, her weak and quivering legs stumbled.

And she would have collapsed onto the hard, cold, unforgiving tiled floor amid the sea of mustard yellow clouds if it hadn't been for the kind arms of some random high school boy catching her.

Her cold body shivered at the contact with the giant beacon of warmth embracing her.

"You can rest easy for a bit. Even if the touch of a guy revolts you to your core, I only ask you to endure this ugly sensation for now. I promise I'll put an end to Gomi's nonsense in your place. You have someone waiting for you after all; so do I. I have someone precious who I've stumbled on while traveling this lonely and cruel road too. So, take a nap, Dominatrix-chan! We can both go back to those special people once this nightmare is over."

Against her better wishes, Hidoi's body relented and gave up the long, hard-fought fight. Muscles relaxed, her eyes shuttered, and her body sunk in against the normal boy's chest, her light forehead kissing the center of the boy's tattered chest.

She wouldn't admit it, but it was easier than she would have ever believed.

It was easy to relax with some lustful boy she despised with her entire being.

'I should keep my eyes open, I shouldn't pass out, if I lose sight of everything while being cared for by some stranger who could do whatever he wants to my unresponsive body, I'll surely...'

Troubled and paranoid thoughts were silenced once her eyes were fully shut.

Whether she liked it or not, she would have to place herself under the care of some random high school boy.

And trust in the slight warmth soothing her fears from the boy.

[-]

'They're swaying.'

For all intents and purposes, despite the atmosphere and the situation at hand, let it be known that Kamijou Touma was an adolescent normal high school boy. He was no saint, not some wholesome hero with a heart of justice, and certainly not pure of heart.

'I knew she had a large chest, but I didn't think they really were on the border of crossing into the infamous realm of double Ds!'

Forehead planted on his rapidly beating chest from the sexy dominatrix, Touma found himself anxiously sweating as he had yet to move an inch after Hidoi succumbed to her injuries. The poor young woman was exhausted, bloody, dirty, and had suffered a great deal at the hands of those she believed she could have trusted. She deserved this moment of respite without being peppered by anxiety, stress, and pain.

Still, though, Touma wished the toxic young woman, dressed as a rough and tough punk chick in black and now wearing a tight frilly blouse, would have had the decency to wear a bra.

He gulped as he tried to adjust Hidoi. Just the slightest touch to the raven-haired woman with green highlights caused a certain impressive part of her anatomy to sway. If he peered down, he would find the neck of her blouse revealing a creamy valley of her cleavage. At his touch, she squirmed with a grimace on her face and sought warmth from the human-sized heater soothing her aches. In her unconscious state, she forgot about his gender and her hate for males and pushed her body closer to his own.

Instead of swaying, the lovely firm nigh double D's were now squished against his own hard and sweaty chest.

Forget dying to this foul-smelling yellow fog! If this dominatrix chick continued pressing her intoxicating boobs against him, he was going to die from a heart attack!

There was one good side to this, he supposed.

"At least there's no one around to misunderstand the situation. That's something, right?" Touma sighed as he now found Hidoi's face nuzzled into his neck.

When did this Kamijou-san become some giant stuffed Ursaring?

An unpleasant odor struck him once again, causing Touma to cough harshly. He felt his lungs rasp as more of the toxic gas was absorbed into the folds of his twin pink filters.

The mysterious antidote he had taken had done its job in preventing him from suffering the worst of the poison gas known as Level Toxin, but it wouldn't mean a thing if he continued breathing it in.

Many of those trapped in the steel towers of luxury and development were suffering far worse than him. Fellow Level-0s were feeling ill as they were struck by terrible headaches and became short of breath. Anyone higher would be feeling aches and pains, vertigo, queasiness, irritation, sickness, and eventually organ failure.

One hour.

By the end of one full hour after the announcement made by Gio, newly established leader of Toxic Hazard, someone would die because of the mustard-colored gas designed to harm espers.

And the source of all this toxicity, this poison, this rot, was the head Honchkrow who resided down below his feet.

Now that the elevator was working again, Touma could now make his way through the Final Boss Door and begin his trek to the main event. Even if he was by himself with a wounded girl in his arms, he would go down this road and seek the source of all this tragedy.

Chitter!

Small legs walked along Touma's forearms to make their way back to the nice spiky perch that was his head. A familiar chitter of feelers reminded him of a certain someone who had tagged along for the joy ride.

Smiling, Touma reached his left hand over to his head and patted the ready to rumble Spinarak who decided to fight alongside him.

"I guess it's just you and I, Kumo-san. There's nothing kind awaiting us; we're going to get hurt. We're diving straight into the heart of misfortune here, so it's not too late to turn back now. No one's forcing you."

The rogue Spinarak shook his head, one of his legs pointed to the unconscious Toxic Hazard Admin whose face was buried in his neck. Somehow, the Level-0 who failed at everything involving improving his grades at schools or seeking the attention of girls, was able to comprehend the actions of the Bug/Poison-type.

"You wanna protect her, huh? Even though she's part of the same organization as the bastard who treated you as some disposable tool? Did you already take a shine to her?"

A happy chitter was heard from the green buy with a horn on his forehead.

Another yellow leg moved and pointed itself to Touma's surprised face.

"Eh? Don't tell me you've also taken a shine to this weak Kamijou-san too? Jeez, you really do have some poor taste, Kumo-san."

Chuckling lightly, Touma began to try and fix Hidoi's posture so he could go on ahead.

Sadly, he couldn't leave the Toxic Hazard Admin behind. Even if he was heading straight into more chaos and violence, it would be dangerous to leave her passed out body out in the open. Toxic Hazard members were no doubt searching every corner of the floors for hostages. Now that the Dominatrix-chan had snapped back, they would no doubt harm her for her rebellious actions.

She wasn't safe. She would be hunted down by those she had considered comrades in arms. She would hurt further.

Even if she was rude, hated him for his gender, and threatened him…

Touma clenched his fist.

Like hell, he would abandon her because of something as stupid as a toxic personality!

Careful to be mindful of her stitched up wound, Touma maneuvered the young woman so that she now rested on his back again. He set his eyes to the elevator door, narrowing his gaze as he prepared to charge ahead.

The Spinarak on his head tensed up, the little bug's own gaze becoming firm and ready for whatever may await them.

Two useless figures faced the unlocked Final Boss Door.

DING!

"Eh?

Chitter?

Both Touma and Spinarak blinked stupidly.

The malfunctioning elevator being controlled by the false leader of Toxic Hazard, now free of corruption by Hidoi's hacking skills, let out the familiar beep of now being in service. Not only in service but it seemed as if someone had already beaten them to the punch and decided to take a trip down.

It could be anyone stepping out of the elevator doors about to creak open.

A student.

A teacher.

A worker.

A member of Judgment.

A member of Anti-Skill.

A Toxic Hazard thug.

Threat or ally.

Whatever awaited him, he had to prepare himself to defend the cargo he had picked up.

Slowly, painfully slow, the double silver doors of durable steel and electronics split apart to reveal the two strangers who wandered into the scene with unknown intentions.

[-]

Surprised green eyes met equally surprised dark blue.

And the world around them seemed to lose meaning if only for a small moment of time.

"Touma?"

"...Index?"

Two separate worlds were once again reunited amid tragedy and toxic fumes.

And a brilliant, pure, innocent, and sweet smile shed away all the building tension in a normal boy's aching body.

"Touma!"

White fabric fluttered as the stunned high school boy found the flying habit tackling him with the very force of the most basic and simple of Normal-type moves. He grunted but smiled at the silver-haired nun who began performing Nuzzle against his chest sans the Electric damage. The small body of a girl he had recently met a simple three days ago proved to be a rather nifty remedy for the various aches and sores he had collected from his encounters against both thugs and Pokemon.

Something...something within his isolated heart painted in pigments of misery throbbed at the simple embrace.

'...Thank god.'

In all his life, in the past fifteen years composing Kamijou Touma's miserable and unlucky life span, not once had this boy who seemed to encounter and suffer from all manner of misfortune ever said those two simple words; not even in his thoughts.

But the sensation of the random girl he had picked up like a wild Pokemon on the field, embracing him after being apart for nearly an hour, was honest to god miracle even his despicable right hand hadn't shattered.

"...Touma?"

Fingers trembled, nearly digging into the back of the confused and naive-eyed Sister who found herself receiving an even stronger hug from the spiky high school boy.

Spiky locks shadowed facial features Index couldn't even see from the embrace. What kind of emotions was currently playing on that normal boy's face? And why?

'You...you weren't swallowed in the darkness. Your eyes haven't gained a malicious tint. There's no darkness in your smile. You...you're still the same gluttonous Munchlax who appeared out of nowhere on my balcony.'

He had been in a situation like this before. Where he had met a new friend, an innocent girl he should have never met, let alone spoken to due to their status, and had spent a wonderful few days getting to know the sweet girl who confided in him about her troubles.

When the cruelty and selfish desires of adults, of those who shrugged off the sight of tears on a girl's face, bared their fangs to take said innocent girl away, he said something stupid.

Kamijou Touma would defeat whoever was after you and save you.

In the back of his mind, something fuzzy, a broken static of an image, flickered in his brain and only made the tension in his fingers tighter. A forgotten scent disappeared as quickly as it came.

Honey...

He had wanted to be a hero because he was tired of being a miserable child who only knew misfortune. Because he thought he longed for excitement in a life full of misery, he had begun to grow desensitized and bored of the plain old routine of his pathetic life. The dreadful rails of misfortune he traversed had become dull and boring.

He was sick of being compared to an Absol, a Pokemon who attracted nothing but disasters and catastrophes and wanted to be seen as something heroic like a Lucario.

He had wandered back alleys commonly known to have a high RNG rate of spawning Delinquent-type students so that he could save someone, anyone, who found themselves in a horrible situation. And he had stumbled upon a fluffy chestnut-haired girl from Tokiwadai who was being harassed by a couple of thugs from some low-level Skill-Out gang.

From the second he had met a girl known as Mitsuari Ayu, he had promised he would save her from whatever troubles were chasing after her.

But he had failed and lost someone who had wormed herself into his lonely heart and shown him what it was he was truly after in the seedy darkness.

Because he wasn't there when he needed to be, because that bastard was the one to speak to her instead of him at the very end of the horrible incident because Kamijou Touma hesitated when he saw crimson splattered on her eerily smiling face next to a corpse because he refused to accept a Pokemon of his own to help him make up for what he lacked and been too injured from his fighting to take that last step…

'I'm not good enough. I'll never be good enough. If I had been stronger, if I had been the one to be chosen instead of that honey-eyed bitch, if she had been the weaker one; none of this would have happened, right, Kamijou-san? ...What's with that look? Is something wrong, Kamijou-san? Why are you backing away like a Wimpod coming across a Haunter? Are you afraid of the rest of those under L.S.S coming after us? Don't worry; I'll save you.'

Touma didn't want to remember.

If he could be affected by Pokemon moves without his right hand interfering, he would have placed himself in the firing range of Amnesia to forget the sickening, broken crescent moon slicing across her once innocent face.

Because he had lost sight of her, saved someone else, and felt fear prickle his heart, he had lost someone special to the toxic malice of adults.

This time though, despite losing sight of another sweet girl he promised to save, he hadn't found her again to be stained by cruelty and misery.

A smile as sweet and pure as a Milcery had greeted him instead.

"Caw!"

"Kamijou-san! We were looking everywhere for you! Are you alright? The poison gas seems to affect espers depending on their level, so are you feeling any ill effects yet?"

Thank God?

Thank Arceus?

Touma almost laughed bitterly at such a thought.

If such a high and mighty idol did exist, than by Index's own theory based on over a hundred thousand magical texts, didn't it mean he would never receive anything so gentle because of his cursed right hand?

No, if he wanted to thank anyone for the young Sister being shielded and protected by the toxicity overflowing in the metal tower they were locked in, there were only two individuals who deserved his sincere gratitude.

Touma loosened his arms around the still puzzled Index who had grown a small blush at the close contact. He turned his blue eyes to regard the busty dark pig-tailed girl in a Shidarezakura school uniform and the dark feather bird with mischievous crimson red eyes who reminded him of a witch. Both of whom stood behind Index as they exited the now functioning elevator as they too were forced to breathe in the noxious mustard fog; was the big breasted middle school girl wearing a creepy raven mask?

He never asked them. It had never crossed his mind. But he had hoped they would watch over Index despite both of them lacking concrete reasons to risk their lives for her.

"Thank you, thank you for protecting her."

What else could he say for this small miracle left untainted by the cruel and malevolent mustard fog?

Red dusted the timid Shidarezakura girl's face in the face of such honest and genuine words from a high school boy. Zenchou the Murkrow, being the ever cool-faced and nonchalant miscreant he was, shrugged his shoulders as if it was no big deal.

"Caw!"

Translation: Someone had to take care of the little fairy lady while you were goofing off.

"I-It was nothing, Kamijou-san! I was simply watching out for a-a friend is all." Yumiya muttered softly through her odd mask.

Why did such a fair and shy maiden even possess such a creepy thing on her person?

And where did she hide it; shouts the high school boy with a healthy libido!

"Hmm? What's this? Is...this someone's arm?"

Touma blinked.

Suddenly, he was just reminded of his situation and the extra cargo he had picked up between the time he had left Index's side and their blissful reunion.

A feminine groan was heard from his back. Black tresses with strands of bright neon green highlights fell over his shoulder as the rather busty weight squirmed and nuzzled his neck. Attention was brought to the older punk girl he was supporting on his back while he hugged Index with one arm and held a certain Toxic Hazard Admin's plump rear with his right.

The mood instantly fell as fast as a Flying-type struck by a Rockslide.

Green eyes full of innocence quickly narrowed. As she finally noticed the feminine and curvy figure attached to the high school boy, she did not let go even as she came to realize her arms were grazing the slim waist of the older girl snuggling into her friend. Index tightened her embrace, her fingers digging into the nervously sweating Touma who winced.

"Touma...have you been sinning behind my back this entire time?! Is that why you're clothes are disheveled? Did you actually ditch me to indulge in carnal desires while we were being attacked by hoodlums?!"

Appropriately so, innocent and pure Kamijou-san's jaw dropped in disbelief.

He suddenly felt two new glares aimed at him from the judgmental Murkrow and now scary-faced Yumiya.

"Caw, caw, caw."

Translation: You really disappoint me sometimes, ya filthy sex-starved Poochyena.

"I see, I see. Kamijou-san is that kind of friend. Maybe it would be better if he were to disappear in an accident after all. Index-chan's innocence must be protected after all."

"What the hell's with those stares?! Look at the picture a bit more before you go jump the Sharpedo, you idiots! A-And Yumiya-san, w-what's with that oddly Yandere-like response? Aren't you suppose to be Kuudere-type?! Ya can't just change archetypes on the flip of the hat, you wannabe Morpeko!"

With Hidoi('s chest) pressed firmly on his back, time continuing to tick on with no regard to himself, and the mustard gas designed to debilitate and harm espers with each breath, Touma realized he didn't have the free time to go into detail about his side of the current story.

Down below his feet, bubbling with vicious malice and toxicity, was the origin of all this chaos.

Gomi, Boss of Toxic Hazard.

"Look, I can explain what I can about Dominatrix-chan being treated to a piggyback ride later. Right now, I need to head down to the next floor. If we want all this poison air banished than I have to strike at the cruel heart of all this mess. A certain overweight thug needs to be treated to Kamijou-san's own patented Payback for pissing me off for the second time this week."

"Hmm? Why does it sound like you're charging ahead into a fight?"

"Because I am."

A stern glare was found on Touma's face as he faced the elevator, the Final Boss Door, leading to the battlefield where two Level-0s would once again clash. Letting go of Index, he faced the gaping mouth of the beast to dive into the belly of the beast with nothing but a battered right fist.

In this world of Pokemon, there only ever was one accepted way to resolve matters. Whether via Pokemon or themselves.

BATTLE.

[-]

Having just been reunited with Index, and also Yumiya and Murkrow, Touma knew he couldn't simply leave them behind. What would await him wouldn't be anything kind or sweet. Nothing but violence would erupt onto the field once Touma stepped onto the scene. It was no place for a Sister, a shy middle school girl, and two random Pokemon.

But it wouldn't be any better to push them away and send them into hiding.

Kokyu Tower was a trembling powder keg about to explode. An unknown number of Toxic Hazard thugs were roaming every level of the mall with the exception of possibly the Battle Facility reserved for Level-3s. People were being hunted down to be used as hostages. No matter where those three hid, it wouldn't change the risk of them being spotted and harmed.

Touma had already left Index's side.

And he had already seen the kind of consequences to occur when he wasn't around before.

No, it was better if he kept Index and Yumiya at his side. So long as they were on the sidelines, protected by Zenchou and the rebelling Spinarak, they would be safe.

Just as every other time, he would absorb all the violence. Not a single shrapnel of agony would harm them.

With Index and Yumiya riding along with the elevator down to the 8th floor, Touma did his best to explain everything that had transpired since he had waited for their return from their shopping trip.

Running into Aogami.

Being chased by Magnemites for fighting with his blue-haired and pierced friend.

Meeting the Battle Facility Brain/Head Researcher in charge of all of Kokyu Tower, Brittany.

If it wasn't for the female Toxic Hazard Admin protecting him from her position, Index would have performed Crunch on his head once he got to the part involving a luxury lunch with another girl.

The battle with Byoki and the addition of Spinarak.

Fighting Toxic Hazard grunts.

Being saved by the lovely Onee-san, Yuri.

And finally, saving the female Toxic Hazard Admin from her fellow comrades and treating her wounds.

By the time Touma had finished the abridge telling of the past half-hour, the metal capsule shuttle shuttered and came to a gentle stop. Twin silver sheen doors dinged to signal their parting. Once open, all Touma would need to do is charge ahead toward the path of the Final Boss of this foul event.

With Index and Yumiya beside him, he felt anxious about what form of misfortune would be awaiting him. He had come out of his last few fights with a few injuries, he had been poisoned and would have collapsed if Yuri hadn't provided him with the antidote, and found himself feeling the weight of the stressful day starting to drag him down. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't tired of all the running, fist-fighting, and evading from various attacks.

All he had wanted to do was take Index out to see a bit of Academy City and buy her some panties and bras! Was something so mundane too much to ask?

He let out a battered sigh. Idly his weary blue eyes wandered over to his right hand, tensely clenched at his side.

Imagine Breaker.

A power he would have never discovered if his parents hadn't sent him off from their home in Johto to the scientific marvel full of next-generation technology known as Academy City. An utterly useless gem lacking anything positive to his already unfortunate life. All it could do was reject the supernatural abilities of both espers and Pokemon alike. Only in Academy City was such power be useful so long as he was facing off against Espers and their Pokemon.

Because of the rather violent nature hidden behind all the wondrous technology and promise of superpowers, he had stupidly tried to shield himself from the attacks of both espers and Pokemon. One random encounter had led to the discovery of his right hand's ability to utterly crush the special gifts used in vain.

Now, he had discovered such an ability lacking in flash or force was responsible for all the misfortune he had ever faced. From what Index had explained, his right hand was constantly erasing the blessings of Arceus, the God of both Pokemon and humans, leaving him to suffer a life without miracles or protection from tragedies.

A stray thought came to mind.

Was...was this entire situation where innocent people and Pokemon were being slowly poisoned with each agonizing breath...his fault? When he believed the God of Pestilence's curse had weakened to inflict misery solely onto him...had he been naive to think everyone was safe?

Had his misfortune only evolved into its next stage like certain Pokemon who could only ever evolve based on specific locations? Had Kamijou Touma's potential to stain the peace of everyone around him been strengthen because of a change of environment feeding him something he lacked in the outside world? Was this simply the next stage of his rot?

'I...really don't know if I can play the innocent victim here. I've already known what I am; a plague seen worse than Absols or Murkrows. If I was a Pokemon, I'd be a pure Dark-type capable of nasty and violent attacks. Even when I try my hardest to be a regular student who fails at test scores, lacks the charm to attract girls, fails to make any meaningful connection with Pokemon, and can't think of any other better solution to his problems other than fighting, I can't shake off that dreadful moniker responsible for three holes in my life.'

Three? Why...why did he think about three when he only knew of the two?

Amid a slight ache in his temple that felt like a microscopic bug twitching in the folds of his brain, Touma clenched the cause of the maelstrom of disaster.

'But even though anyone who comes to understand what Imagine Breaker is, what I really am, connects the dots to place the blame on me, even demand I have to be punished for all the pain and suffering wrought by my hand; I won't care. I've already come to terms with my lousy past of misery and failure! I already know I can't play the part of the hero! All I can do, all I can ever do!'

BATTLE.

When the double steel doors opened, the party of three humans and two Pokemon found themselves in a creamy yellow lobby reminiscent of vanilla-flavored cake batter. The area they were dropped off to seemed to act as the center of the floor where shoppers would decide where they wanted to visit on the 8th floor. Having already learned from Hidoi of where Gomi was holding himself up, Touma ignored everything in the spacious room abandoned in the chaos and followed the directions on the large floor map behind the lobby desk to make his way to Section-D; The Battle Zone.

With the girls behind him and Murkrow and Spinarak on his shoulders, he rushed ahead. Having never visited said floor, let alone the mall itself, he had to search for more directions to lead him to the path to the battlefield itself and not its spectator seats. Several rooms made up of a weight room, a locker room, and a chatting space. The final hurdle blocking his way from the main event was a waiting-like room suited for Trainers to await their turn to participate in a match.

The room was painted an eggshell white with various circuit-like blue lines running along the surface, a total of five blue cushioned seats for guests to sit around a circular table. Near the door leading to what he assumed was where various Pokemon battles would be set was a reception desk where a staff member would check with Trainers to prepare them for their match, provide rules and restrictions, and offer any other forms of information. A large widescreen, twenty-inch screen was displayed above the receptionist desk to display various information about the upcoming match; now a black and white static mess.

Touma breathed a sigh of relief before carefully sitting the Toxic Hazard Admin on the luxurious cushioned and well-furnished seat. A small groan of discomfort was heard before the toxic college-age girl settled in.

At least this little safe space would help to lift some anxiety off his aching back.

"Hey, Index, Yumiya-san; can you do me a favor?"

Behind Touma, Index frowned in confusion as the spiky boy patted the wounded girl's head.

"What is it, Touma?"

"Can you stay back, stay here, and watch over Dominatrix-chan? I don't want to leave you again, I don't want to go through wondering if you're safe from the clutches of those idiots who give Level-0s a bad name. But I can't drag you into the heart of this mess. I refuse to risk any of you being harmed by so much as a stray spark of the friction behind those doors. So, please, stay and wait for me to come back; okay?"

"You're going to leave me again?"

Touma clenched his teeth at the sound of sadness in the Sister's voice.

He couldn't explain why, but since meeting Index, she had become something special in a short amount of time.

Was it a sense of wanting to make up for his past failures?

Or...

Had he really been so lonely that he clung onto this random bond he had deepened without knowing it? Had she become someone like Ayu had once the promise to be before she had evolved into something tragic and cruel?

Without realizing it himself, had he grown to realize he was missing something to his mundane life that Index's constant presence had filled?

After only knowing of the strange religious girl with silver-blue hair known as Index Librorum Prohibitorum, just the hint of something sad in her sweet voice was enough to prick at his heart.

He should have been upset such a random girl who lacked everything the image of a dorm manager onee-san possessed was able to pull at his heartstrings so easily.

Instead, though, he turned around with a mirthful smile to the worried eye Sister.

For only the slightest second, his right hand hesitated to pat her head. The childish action brought a cute pout from the green-eyed nun-in-training.

"Don't worry, this Kamijou-san isn't going to leave you. No matter where I go, I'll come back so long as you have the patience to wait."

Was he being a little dramatic? After all, this time together...wasn't permanent. Wouldn't they have to go their separate ways once this mess, the trouble revolving around her perfect memory containing over a hundred-thousand grimoire detailing myths and legends to Legendary Pokemon and the magicians hunting her down, was resolved?

Such a truth was shoved down into the deepest pit of his mind.

Both teens chose to forget such a timely occasion to smile at one another. He was happy to see it was enough to calm her fears as she nodded happily to his request. Once again, he patted Index's headdress, rubbing it with a pleased smile as he felt another weight lifted from his tired shoulders.

There was someone else he needed to speak to before he went on a warpath. Someone else was innocently dragged into this mess.

Yumiya jumped slightly as she found blue eyes belonging to a high school boy now focused on her. At such attention from an older boy, one whose very gaze seemed intense yet compassionate, she couldn't help but blush as she fidgeted in place. Her heartbeat sped up like the beating of a Bunnelby's foot on the earth.

"I apologize for dragging you into all this, Yumiya-san. If I could, I'd like to make it up to you for everything a normal girl like you has had to see and experience simply because you decided to help out two strangers with a shopping trip. I don't know what a poor high school boy who lacks popularity, talent, smarts, or connections could ever possibly do to balance the scales, but I swear, I'll do whatever you ask once this is all over. But if I could be selfish, if I could beg; could you continue to watch over Index and protect her from any harm for just a bit longer?"

'...Normal girl, huh? You're apologizing for all the trouble and violence an innocent middle school girl like me has had to see?'

A flicker of something cold and cynical flashed by Yumiya's eyes.

But those intense, kind, gentle, and open blue eyes squashed the darkness in her gaze. For some reason, the gaze of a plain-faced high school boy was enough to silence the hunter hidden behind Wooloo's clothing. She found herself reverting to her own normal facade: the timid Yumiya Rakko who struggled with making friends or even speak to boys.

With a nervous smile, Yumiya nodded her head.

"Don't worry, Kamijou-san! You don't even need to ask! Index-chan is my friend, so of course, I'll protect her. Don't think I'm some useless middle school girl who lacks an ability; I'm also a Pokemon Trainer too! Together, we'll blast them full of bloody holes until they're resembling swiss cheese!" she cutely proclaimed.

"Remember your kuudere archetype! Don't just throw in a slip of yandere into the mix, you idiot! You're not a Dual-Type Esper!"

Yumiya giggled at the upset boy's outburst.

'Hmm, I suppose I should save that favor for later. You never know when such a rare golden ticket could prove useful. Even if he's a Level-0, he could still have some uses if I used him right. B-But he is a friend, so I should hold off on anything dangerous such as activities involving SCHOOL.'

Sweet as she acted, the hunter and member of the darkside of Academy City wouldn't let such a goodie offered to her be forgotten. A Rare Candy was never to be tossed aside.

"Are you sure though? You don't have Pokemon of your own, do you? From what Index-chan has said, you're a Trainer without a Pokemon of his own to battle with. And Zenchou-san is a Wild Pokemon who doesn't care for following orders. Can you really charge ahead without even a weapon to level the playing field?"

Unlike Yumiya, Touma wasn't a deadly sniper capable of firing lethal rounds via air pressure tubes hidden underneath her clothing. Without a weapon, let alone a Pokemon, what could he possibly do against the boss of a gang?

Touma crossed his arms over his chest, his face speaking of contemplation to the note provided by the worried middle school girl.

"Honestly, this isn't anything new to me. I've never really had the advantage in any of the fights I've found myself in. Other than knowing how to throw a punch with all my weight, a few judo throws I picked up back in middle school when I was obsessed with seeking out trouble, and dirty tricks fit for Dark-types; I got nothing. But it doesn't mean I'll throw my hands up and run away. I just have to overcome this, brace whatever blows come my way, and land one good hit. I've already beaten Gomi in a back alley before, so I know I can knock him down if I can reach him. Besides, it's not like I'm going in alone."

He gestured to both of his shoulders, pointing out to the dark feathered bird commonly known for spreading curses and the green spider with a single horn atop its head with a face on his abdomen.

"Kumo-san seems to want to go along and reap some vengeance against the head Honchkrow of his old organization. For a cute little bug, he's awfully vengeful."

Spinarak chittered in agreement, jabbing his yellow legs at the door with a mean glare he couldn't properly pull off.

"And Zenchou-san is the kind of bastard to go along just to see me flail about and nearly get killed for his own amusement. He might help out but he's mostly in it to watch me run around like a headless Torchic."

Zenchou for his part didn't hide his intention as he snickered behind one of his wings. As a Dark-type, his very nature was one of deriving pleasure from negativity and simply causing trouble. In other words, he was an asshole.

"Whatever might await behind those doors, I'll pull through. I have to. I made a promise after all."

How he was able to smile so freely without a hint of doubt or fear took Yumiya back.

She barely knew a thing about Kamijou Touma. All she had known of said random high school boy was bits and pieces she had gleaned from Index during their little shopping trip. By all accounts, nothing about him really stood out. Other than his gelled spiky hair, he was the kind of boy you would pass by without a thought on the street. If he was a Pokemon, his typing would be Normal.

So how was such a plain and uninteresting boy capable of running straight into the heart of violence without shaking like the leaves on a Shiftry?

Back turned to those girls watching him as he fiddled with a few buttons behind the receptionist desk, the spiky-haired boy found the button he was searching for and unlocked the final barrier standing in his way.

A pleasant ding similar to the chimes heard from Chimechos was heard as the white door began to slide into the wall.

"I promise, I'll come back. And than, maybe we can all finally find a nice place to eat? We can all sit down and just chat, have fun, and go back to a nice afternoon spent between friends."

All that Touma needed to say was said. He had no reason to turn around now. Whatever expressions they were making would have to wait.

With one leg stepping past the door, Touma entered the scene.

[-]

"GGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

Pleasantries could go fuck themselves.

Introductions were wasted.

Whatever explanations were ready to be tossed out could be saved once someone hit the floor.

All he wanted to do was punch someone.

Clenching his right fist, Touma ran into the Pokemon battleground with a roar on his lips to announce his entry. Zenchou and the rebellious Spinarak held on tight to his shoulders with firm gazes. In the silent arena as large as a school football field, the only sound heard in the wake of his roar were the sounds of sneakers running across the dirt-themed stage of combat.

For once, Touma's surroundings fit the situation.

But not a moment later did he introduce himself to the boss of Toxic Hazard for a reunion match, he was stopped.

"Hmm? Haven't I...seen you before?"

The voice addressing Touma did not belong to the overweight Gomi.

It was smoother, calmer, and stoic. It reminded him of the voice of a slacker who was constantly dozing off in class and recently woken up to a pop quiz question. It was the voice of someone who could care less if he failed and had to repeat a grade.

Standing in the middle of the damaged and scarred arena was a college-aged boy with eggplant-colored hair styled in a bob cut and a striking bang resembling the fang of a poisonous snake over one of his eyes. His clothing reminded Touma of a punk rocker due to the red, black, and purple colors of his clothes that appeared similar to a Scolipede. The visible vermilion eye regarding Touma appeared mildly surprised but otherwise bored.

The unknown college boy gave off a weird sense of de ja vu. Had Touma met the punk rock boy before?

A hazy memory of the very night Touma had fought a magician who conjured flame without a Personal Reality came to mind. It was on the tip of his tongue.

And he would have remembered meeting the strange boy who had helped him with a malfunctioning vending machine it wasn't for one thing.

"K-Kamjou...s-san?"

Mabushii 'Brittany' Hoseki.

The Brain of Kokyu Tower.

The Head Researcher.

A young woman in her mid-twenties who loved to dress in gaudy clothing like some ganguro beauty to cover up her bland appearance that lacked the exotic flare she adored.

Said woman, having parted with her persona, was pinned to the dirt with a sneaker firmly planted on the side of her skull. Her face was bruised, her lower lip was bleeding, her lab coat was torn in various places, and her Pokeballs were laid out around her beaten body, silent and motionless to their master's plight.

'Brittany?! Wasn't Aogami suppose to watch over her? Where is he? What's she doing all the way down here?'

Cold sweat formed onto Touma's trembling body. The very sight of the bright-faced and cheery scientist forced to the ground by some stranger's cruel foot twisted his insides.

He had questions. He wanted answers.

But…

"I don't know who you are, and I don't give a damn! But if you don't take your fucking foot off Brittany-san this instant, I'll break every god damn bone in that lazy-eyed face of yours!"

Sharing his sentiment, both Zenchou and Spinarak bristled angrily with glares aimed at the bored college boy.

Amusement mixed in with the eggplant boy's uncaring eyes.

"Seems you got a bit of an ego if you think you can speak to me like that, kouhai-kun. Especially considering who it is you're speaking to with your fists bared like some unruly Primeape."

An accent could be heard from the boy, one Touma found strangely familiar.

Galarian?

"Kaminari, leave the idiot alone. I think he's learned his lesson for now. I got someone else for you to bang up."

Out of the corner of his eyes, Touma finally found the origin of the toxic cloud of mustard filling just about every orifice of Kokyu Tower.

The creator of Level Toxin.

The newly minted boss of Toxic Hazard.

A perverted bastard who had the audacity to molest two girls in a dark alley with his Pokemon.

Gomi.

"G-ggwaauh!"

Wearing a new outfit since last Touma saw him, the bald leader of Toxic Hazard let out a weak groan of pain as a Low-Amp Toxtricity dropped the overweight boy to the ground. Just like Brittany, the boss of poison-themed Level-0s splintered from Skill-Out was covered in bruises and even burns from electrocution. As he hit the ground, Gomi let out a haggard gasp from the impact. He shut his eyes tightly from the beating he suffered at the hands of a Pokemon.

Just like that, the boss of Toxic Hazard was soundly defeated off-screen.

As the Low-Amp Toxtricity walked over to his Trainer, Touma noticed the eggplant-haired college boy reach into the pocket of his jacket. An Oran berry was pulled out and tossed back at the low-energy Pokemon.

"Belch."

Warning bells were heard inside Touma's head.

Swallowing the blue-colored fruit in one gulp, Kaminari the Low-Amp Toxtricity's cheeks ballooned dangerously. Within the lizard's lower intestine, several chemical reactions began to clash like fireworks in the night sky. Something unnatural was introduced via the ordinary berry coated in an eggplant coat provided a spark.

It came faster than Touma could have anticipated.

An explosive burp erupted from Kaminari's mouth, producing a foul stench accompanied by large shock waves in the form of purple rings. The sheer force and volume of the belch were powerful enough to break the sound barrier and create a destructive, toxic force plowing straight ahead at its target.

Such an attack scooped up dirt below its path as if it was a shovel. It moved as if it was a bullet with tremendous velocity no human could react without the aid of supernatural ability.

A shell of condensed sludge and a rush of jumbled dark-colored rings intercepted the venomous sound waves before Touma could properly react.

There had been no clash once those Pokemon moves crashed into another. Only a detonation of pure destructive elemental force rang out. Like a grenade, a shock wave was released in the explosion that buffeted both sides. Clouds of dirt lingered in the air, settling to reveal both Trainer's unharmed and untouched other than a rustle of clothing.

"Impressive. Even with two 1st Stage Pokemon, you were able to stop Kaminari's Belch with no problem. Than again, two-on-one isn't exactly fair. It wouldn't be a proper battle if we fought at such a disadvantage." commented the now intrigued eggplant bobcut college freshman.

"Quit screwing around! I don't know who you are, but I don't have any business with you! I just want you to get your fucking foot off of Brittany-san. I'm not here for a fight with some punk butting in where he doesn't belong like some Optional Boss." Touma shouted furiously, "In case you haven't noticed, this entire building is being flooded with a deadly slow-acting poison designed to harm espers no matter their level. And the only one who can put a stop to all this is would be the bald-headed idiot groaning behind you!"

"You mean Level Toxin? Right, I almost forgot about that nasty little gas. It doesn't really affect me since I've already taken the antidote. Gomi-san's really got a knack for poison, even concocting antidotes to drop the rate of toxins accumulating into the body. Apparently, he had gone as far as to create a way for the specialized toxins to bounce off the muscle cells and blood cells for a time too. If it hadn't been for the dumb-ass acting up like some ungrateful brat demanding more and pushing buttons, I wouldn't have even had to get involved. Oh, well." the stranger casually shrugged before lifting his foot off of the beaten Brain's face.

The action did little to settle Touma's nerves as the college freshman stepped away and walked towards him. The sleepy-eyed Toxtricity known as Kaminari followed closely behind, scratching his now full belly with a smack of his lips.

"I've already punished the false-boss, even had a little fun with the Brain of Kokyu Tower. All my priorities have been accomplished. All that's really left is to tie up some loose ends. I don't really know why you're here, what your connection with the Brain is, or if you're some talented Trainer or Esper with an ability ranked at Level-3 or Level-4; I just want to kill some of the boredom I've been feeling with a good old fashioned rumble. My day was ruined, I didn't get Roxy-chan's latest single, and I need something to make this entire ordeal worth it. Seriously, waste of my fucking Thursday."

A Pokeball was brought out and tapped, returning the equally unmotivated Toxtricity back to his capsule without a complaint. Another red and white ball was exchanged and tossed in the air to be released.

"Seeing as Kaminari is a beast by himself and would make this rumble boring if he went all out, how about I level the playing field? All of my other Pokemon aren't as strong as my curriculum partner, so I think just one of them should do the trick. Some action is better than none."

"You're not my priority, you cool-faced punk!"

Every minute wasted, every second wasted, was just further piling up the despair and agony the people and Pokemon in Kokyu Tower had to endure.

Touma wasn't interested in a fight with some random punk who decided to take the stage because he was bored. All he wanted was to grab Gomi, force the boss to shut off his noxious gas, and drop the barrier trapping everyone within the mall/battle facility. Nothing else mattered at this moment!

"My fight is with the boss of Toxic Hazard! You have nothing to do with any of this, so get lost already! If you're so eager for an ass-kicking, wait in line until everyone else in the tower is properly treated and saved!"

The college freshman with eggplant-colored hair and vermilion eyes tilted his head with an off-putting smirk of amusement.

"I'm not your priority? Your fight is with the boss of Toxic Hazard? I got nothing to do with this? Is that really anything you should say to the Boss of Toxic Hazard standing before you?"

"W-What?"

A full-blown grin made its way to the stranger's face as he snatched his standard Pokeball out of the air.

"I defeated Gomi-san in the manner we usually resolves things, so that makes me the Boss of Toxic Hazard as per his rules. His time as the boss was short-lived but not at all surprising since he's only talented in mixing up chemicals; nothing else. Than again, it was the Brain who had already brought the moron to his knees, so I guess she was the new Boss before I beat her down. She was actually a real fighter before I brought out my trump card to stomp that killer Krookodile of hers. But now that they're all taken out, I'm now in possession of the title of Boss among all of Toxic Hazard again. Everything to do with their operations, their intentions, their wants and needs, all falls back onto me. So, if you have a bone to pick, ya rowdy little Manky, ya got to speak with the real big boss and give him a hell of a show."

The True Boss of Toxic Hazard. The shadow ruler who stayed behind the scenes and let his Admins take care of everything in his place in order to never be connected with any of their problems. A beloved leader who the vengeful Byoki and man-hating Hidoi swore their allegiance to over all others. The founder of Toxic Hazard who gathered Level-0s under the label of Skill-Out to strike back at Academy City's unfair system with poison seeping fangs and claws.

Everything wrong with this situation, all the pain and tears, the sounds of violence and cruelty, all stemmed from the nonchalant figure seeking a battle for his own amusement.

"Names Garrick Flynn, the Boss of Toxic Hazard, and the final obstacle in the way of saving everyone in this glamorous tower of glitzy commodities. If ya want to save anyone than there is only ever one way to settle things in this Pokemon world of ours, right?"

In the end, everything would come to one end.

BATTLE.

[-]

Between The Lines-8

In an artificial forest crafted by steel and artificial light, there lived a Pokemon. A lonely, weak, fragile, and soft Pokemon.

Toxel was a small creature, one who was easily moved to tears by others and held little strength to fight back against predators that preyed on the weak and helpless. Despite being fed the same lovely fruits as those bigger beasts, Toxel found that they had failed to evolve like the rest. They did not gain sharp claws, terrible fangs, great muscles, or intimidating features. No, they had gained nothing but ridicule by those who could breathe fire, conjure spines of earth, create spears of ice, lift objects five times their weight with their mind, and shatter concrete with steel fists.

Like many other Pokemon, they failed to evolve onto the next stage of their evolution.

So, Toxel had cried. They had sobbed. They could no longer decide what it is that they wanted to do in this unfair world. They lacked the confidence to even complain or fight back. Because they were weak and helpless, they had given up and accepted their label as worthless. They became lethargic and lost their original passion for eating the strange fruits of the artificial forest. Like a Drifloon, they floated along with other Pokemon listlessly.

That is until they met Trubbish. And another Pokemon.

Toxel had found friends who shared their sadness, their grief, their weakness. In this cold and lifeless forest with a scent of steel, the Baby Pokemon came upon a circle of fellow children who were let down by the world crafted by stern-faced humans.

In the cowardly and unsure heart of the crybaby, they found their loneliness melting away.

Eventually, that circle of friends grew. They had gathered more Pokemon who shared their feelings and desired a place where they could be safe.

Toxel came across a wounded and fearful Ekans and helped to mend the wounds of the toxic snake who despised the opposite sex.

Toxel came across a wrathful and furious Croagunk and helped to aid the violent toad in protecting the younger Pokemon from predators.

Without even realizing it, the lethargic and sullen crybaby was growing. They had grown courage by helping others and providing other Pokemon a place where they felt they belonged. Some said they had evolved.

But Toxel was still but a Toxel.

And as their circle of friends grew, they found themselves stepping back.

Toxel had been made into a leader, a boss. The responsibility of dozens of Pokemon was thrust upon them despite how little they desired such a title. Especially as their circle of friends began to dwell into violent actions against even their fellow brethren who were not in their circle of friends. Even as one of their own, Toxel's second-best friend alongside Trubbish, had evolved under the artificial forest's fruits and had been cast out, they remained. As leader, they failed to reign them in or so much as steer them away from the violent path they were eager to walk.

In time Toxel had found they could no longer remain within such a group but was too cowardly to abandon them either. They had left all matters concerning the group's decisions to her friends, believing that they would do what was right.

Cowardly and weak.

Toxel hadn't grown at all. Not even as they found a new purpose and returned to the artificial forest.

But than something happened.

Something wonderful.

And Toxel finally evolved.

The crybaby disappeared.

What replaced that weak child was a predator far more deadly and vicious than the toxic Garbodour.

---

Flashes of yesteryear cloud your thoughts.

Where there is darkness there is corruption.

Poison.

The true show is about to start with an explosive bang. How is that we evolve? What stimulus is missing for you to undergo a metamorphosis? Is it battle? Environment?

Or encounters.

When you evolve...will you be happy with the person you become?

No more stalling! No more obstacles!

The climax to the Toxic Hazard's sub-arc is on the horizon! When we see each other again, the final battle will begin. And what an ending do we have. I have half a mind to release it right now! But we got to do the usual edits and clean before we can get there. Plus, I got to upload another story before I do so; looking at you A Certain Maelstrom of Misfortune.

Now, for this chapter we have a few revelations that have probably made people stop, stare dumbly at their monitors or phones, and mutter 'Wait, what?'.

Yes, yes indeed, you heard right. Matsuo Ryuusuke and Kihara Gensai.

What? Did you honestly believe the events of Biohacker would stick to what was already seen in canon? In a Pokemon world? As if! Without a doubt, the incident had changed and even the climax was different. I had already hinted that Mitsuari hadn't killed herself when it was all over and that Touma does realize that there is something missing from his memories, like a certain someone he can't recall. That one major incident had helped to cement how he is now; a high school boy who fights for others but keeps them at a safe distance, choosing solitude over company.

Because of how similar the matter with Toxic Hazard is to the incident with Mitsuari and a certain honey-blonde esper, there had been an underline fear simmering in his heart. Because the moment he took off to handle the situation and left the girl he had been protecting, he had been unable to protect the once sweet girl from being poisoned by the adults. Ever since he found Index, he's been reminded of his past failures.

In the future, there will be an arc revolving around that forgotten past showing itself to be continued.

We even got a little insight into Touma's first Pokemon too.

Seeing as this is a Pokemon story, I decided to throw in an actual Pokemon battle. One that was more technical than what many are use to. That has to do with it being played in Academy City where battles are more thought out and strategies are more complex. It shows how even a Level 0 like Gomi took advantage of his Pokemon's coloration to confuse his opponent's Pokemon. He may be trash but he's actually clever.

Pokemon battles will be brought up more as we move ahead with the story. I even have a tournament arc in the making concerning a certain school event! And it won't be long until we dive into our first Pokemon centered arc either.

As this chapter's title suggests, it focused on those who have been treated unfairly by the world. About the damage the victims have received and what they became because of the artificial forests environment. Touma and his ever-present misfortune that has led to the loss of people close to him. Hidoi and the trauma of being preyed on by others that led to her best friend losing her smile and sanity. And while Gomi is all too deserving of his ass kicking, he too was once a naive boy who had hopes of being special but found himself falling victim to false promises and hopes that would led him into being toxic and cruel. Everyone involved in this situation is just another victim of this unfair world.

Oh! And we've also got Kanzaki finally making her appearance! In order to blend in, I thought to dress her up in the same clothing as the avatar of the female Trainer of Pokemon GO. I just felt such a design would fit her body type. But don't worry, we'll go back to her usual cowboy them later on. Though I am thinking of keeping that outfit for later arcs. She also has a role here, an important one.

And finally! We meet the boss of Toxic Hazard! Garrick Flynn, a college freshman who loves rock music, love battling and loves to have a wicked good time. Apathetic at first, uncaring at first, lazy at first, but the type who turns into a completely different person once his engine gets revving.

Not much to say about him other than the fact we already met the guy in Chapter 4. More will be explained as we get into the climax of the battle to come. For now, the final Between The Lines tied to this mini-arc has said enough about the boss of Toxic Hazard.

One more battle to go before we find ourselves on the shaky rails of the Magic side once again.

That's all for now. I got to be heading off to work for a late shift. Hopefully, I can get some more writing done this week so I can update again; likely not happening until the end of the month.

Read and Review! It's common courtesy.

NeoShadows fading in and out.