"Mismagius, are you ready for your first battle?" Aoki asked.
"Mismagius~~" The Mismagius called softly. Though her voice was gentle, her eyes burned with determination.
"In that case, Gengar, use Role Play to mimic Drapion's Sniper ability, then use Skill Swap! Gengar, play your part!" Drapion's Sniper ability could provide the greatest advantage for Mismagius in this battle.
Gengar nodded, a strange energy flickering across his body as he executed Role Play flawlessly.
Once Gengar had copied the ability, Mismagius used Skill Swap, trading her Levitate ability for the Sniper ability now held by Gengar.
Mismagius, a Ghost-type Pokémon, shared the same typing as the opposing Cofagrigus, making them mutually weak against each other. The battle would come down to raw skill and strategy.
In a direct confrontation, triggering the Sniper ability even a few times could turn the tide.
Aoki would command Mismagius against the strongest Cofagrigus, while the weaker Cofagrigus would be handled by Slowking and his team. The remaining Yamask could be left to Larvitar and his group.
However, Aoki repeatedly warned them to avoid direct physical contact.
With so many Pokémon in play, even Aoki's Telepathy couldn't coordinate every move. At times, the Pokémon would have to rely on their own instincts and training.
If they could defeat the strongest Cofagrigus, the rest would fall into place.
And if things took a turn for the worse, Aoki could always call upon Altaria for backup.
For now, the situation was manageable.
The opposing Cofagrigus wasn't about to wait for Aoki to finish strategizing. Sensing the threat Mismagius posed, it acted immediately.
Its shadowy form condensed into two Shadow Balls, hurling them straight at Aoki.
This Cofagrigus was intelligent—it knew that despite Aoki appearing vulnerable, he was the linchpin of the battle. Not only did it target him directly, but it also commanded the other Cofagrigus and Yamask to focus their attacks on him.
"Mismagius, intercept with Shadow Ball!" Aoki remained calm despite being marked.
"Mismagius!!"
Though this was her first real battle, Mismagius had trained extensively. The three red gems on her chest glowed as three Shadow Balls formed—one large orb flanked by two smaller ones.
Under her control, the two smaller Shadow Balls shot out first, curving through the air to intercept Cofagrigus' attack.
The larger Shadow Ball, moving slower, passed through the explosion caused by the collision and suddenly accelerated—
BOOM!
A direct hit!
This was the difference between wild Pokémon and those trained by a skilled Trainer. Wild Pokémon fought on instinct, but Aoki had honed Mismagius's techniques to perfection.
As a speed-oriented Pokémon, Mismagius couldn't afford to trade blows head-on. Since Cofagrigus was fixated on Aoki, the best strategy was to overwhelm it before it could act.
Mismagius vanished in a flicker of light, closing the distance in an instant.
The Cofagrigus, momentarily stunned by the impact, saw her approaching and grinned darkly.
The lid of its coffin-like body creaked open, releasing a freezing Ominous Wind straight at Mismagius.
"Mismagius, Mirror Move!" Aoki commanded sharply.
A faint brown film enveloped Mismagius as the Ominous Wind struck, dealing damage—but failing to trigger any stat boosts for Cofagrigus.
Now, it was Mismagius's turn.
The film shimmered with eerie patterns before coiling into a dark sphere and launching back at Cofagrigus.
BANG!
Mirror Move, when used after enduring an attack, doubled in power. Normally a physical move, Aoki had trained Mismagius to modify it into a ranged strike. Though weakened, it was enough.
"Mismagius, Confuse Ray!"
The largest gem on Mismagius's chest flashed, releasing a swirling orb of disorienting light that struck Cofagrigus' face at point-blank range.
At this range, the slow Cofagrigus couldn't evade.
Illusion-based techniques were Mismagius's specialty, and Confuse Ray was her most mastered move.
The moment it hit, a prismatic haze clouded Cofagrigus' vision, leaving it dazed and disoriented.
"Now! Hex!"
"Mismagius!!"
Her eyes glowed violet as a spectral eye formed above her, unleashing waves of ghostly energy that pummeled the confused Cofagrigus relentlessly.
Hex, a move that dealt double damage to afflicted foes, combined with Sniper's critical boosts and Confuse Ray's lingering effect, was devastating.
Cofagrigus, battered by the onslaught, finally collapsed.
Mismagius's first battle—and a decisive victory.
Aoki didn't spare much attention for the remaining Cofagrigus. Slowking and the others could handle them.
Instead, he led Mismagius toward the shadowed chamber where the strongest Cofagrigus had stood guard.
Inside, an empty coffin lay in the darkness.