Pokemon: Spiritual Master

"Miss Cynthia's final Pokémon is—her ace Pokémon, Garchomp!!"

The ace's entrance brought cheers from the entire venue.

"Garchomp!!"

"Vicious Garchomp, tear Teacher Johan to shreds!!"

"Now it's—Miss Cynthia's Champion Time!"

Cynthia's ace Garchomp was well known, and many people had fallen for Cynthia because of Garchomp's existence.

Those who had known Cynthia early and become fans knew very well that Cynthia had more than once faced powerful opponents and forced her way through with Garchomp alone.

It wasn't an exaggeration to say.

Cynthia commanding Garchomp in battle and Cynthia commanding other Pokémon in battle were two different levels!

The bond between Cynthia and Garchomp was absolutely no less than that between Leon and Charizard.

The existence of Mega Evolution as an enhancement method further brought out the potential of Cynthia and Garchomp.

Her coat fluttering, Cynthia placed her hand on her slender waist, gazing intensely at Johan with a curve on her lips.

"Come on, Johan!"

Johan could naturally feel Cynthia's aura change—that oncoming confidence, that heroic bearing—this was the Champion Cynthia that people truly adored!

"Chomp!!"

Garchomp roared at Johan without any courtesy, the resulting air waves making Johan feel as if his cheeks stung.

This guy...

Johan bared his teeth slightly.

Its "hostility" toward him was really great.

But no matter, Ninetales would teach it a lesson for him.

Whether it was Lance's Dragonite or Cynthia's Garchomp, his Ninetales was their absolute "nemesis."

"Ka-kaah!"

Just as Johan was about to grab Ninetales' Poké Ball, Gengar floated out from Johan's shadow on its own, grinning and sticking out its tongue, bouncing on the ground like a balloon with an eager expression.

When Johan held Ninetales' Poké Ball, Gengar looked over.

One person and one Pokémon stared at each other.

"Ka-kaah?"

The purple fatty tilted its head, dark mist floating to form a question mark.

Eh?

Johan blinked, confusion passing through his eyes.

Hm?

One person and one Pokémon stared at each other for three to four seconds.

Then they spoke almost simultaneously.

"Ka-kaah?" (You're not thinking of not sending me out, are you?)

"Gengar, you're not thinking of battling, are you?"

Johan & Gengar: "..."

This scene made the entire audience burst into laughter.

"Internal conflict! Internal conflict! Teacher Johan and his Gengar are having internal conflict!"

"Is this an ace? Is Gengar really Teacher Johan's ace? This coordination..."

"Haha—Gengar is too cute!"

One person and one Pokémon, staring wide-eyed at each other.

Johan indicated that Garchomp was a Ground and Dragon-type Pokémon with quadruple weakness to Ice, and Fairy-type could also nullify Dragon-type moves—Ninetales would "demolish" it!

Gengar indicated that ace versus ace was perfectly fine, right?

Johan further indicated that this wasn't about ace or not, and besides, who said anyone in their family was an ace?

Gengar laid it all out: I don't care! I'm going up! This "good brother" Garchomp can only be "killed" by me! Don't you trust me?

Good... good brother?

The opposing Garchomp, hearing Gengar's words, narrowed its already fierce eyes and bared its sharp, cold teeth.

Heh...

Feeling Garchomp's gaze and aura change, both Johan and Gengar stiffened simultaneously and swallowed in unison.

Gulp—

"Ka-ka-kaah!" Gengar stood up and waved its hands.

Forget it, forget it, I won't compete! You guys handle it!

With that, it prepared to dive into the shadows but was grabbed by the quick-handed Johan by its head spike, who said "fiercely":

"Then it's decided—you, Gengar!"

He forcefully threw Gengar toward the field.

"Ka! Kaah—" Gengar, drawing out a long note, landed in the field.

"Tea-Teacher Johan's substitute Pokémon is—his... his ace, Gengar!!" Even the commentator wasn't confident after the scene just now... Was it really an ace?

"Chomp! Chomp!"

Garchomp called out to the Gengar that appeared in the field, almost word by word.

"Ka-kaah..."

Gengar got up and dusted off its bottom, giving Garchomp a sheepish smile.

Listen to my explanation, actually... actually Johan is the real "villain"! I'll help you teach him a lesson together!

Garchomp looked disdainfully, glancing sideways at both Gengar and Johan.

Cynthia smiled gently.

Who said the relationship and bond between trainer and Pokémon had to be obedient submission and command like limbs?

But after smiling, Cynthia's expression immediately became serious again.

Perhaps...

In the entire Pokémon world, she was the person who understood Johan and Gengar's strength best.

But even she couldn't say she understood completely.

"Garchomp!"

Cynthia raised her arm, golden hair flying, taking out her Key Stone-embedded lipstick and saying boldly: "Mega Evolution!!"

"Chomp!!"

Garchomp raised its head and roared freely. Seven-colored rainbow light connected from the Mega Stone on its body to the Key Stone in Cynthia's hand, turning the power of bonds into substance as evolution light suddenly appeared.

Terrifying air waves rippled outward. Crimson scythes cut through the evolution light, and the more menacing-looking Mega Garchomp appeared in everyone's sight.

"Chomp—!!"

The audience couldn't help but be awed by Garchomp's presence, subconsciously forgetting to breathe.

"Here it comes!" Flint excitedly waved his fist. "Big sister's invincible Mega Garchomp!"

If anyone understood Cynthia's Garchomp's strength most clearly, it definitely wasn't Johan, not Lucian, not Steven, but him—"the explosive-haired fire player" Flint!

Over a hundred consecutive defeats, and more than seventy percent of those battles were lost to Cynthia's Garchomp!

Being hung on trees time after time was his "proof" of understanding Garchomp!

At the same time.

Having completed Mega Evolution, Cynthia showed no hesitation and immediately shouted: "Use Dragon Rush!"

Mega Garchomp spread its two menacing scythes and roared again, shooting up like a cannonball. When it reached the highest point, it immediately dove straight down like a jet fighter, trailing long air streams.

Blue-purple Dragon-type energy formed a giant dragon coat, completely enveloping Mega Garchomp as it dove down with fierce momentum!

"Stop playing around."

Seeing Garchomp's Mega Evolution, Johan's expression tightened. After "scolding" Gengar, he said: "It's attacking!"

"Ka-kaah!"

Gengar immediately put away its previous playful expression.

No matter what.

Mega Garchomp was an existence that Gengar had to take seriously. That overwhelming presence—one careless moment could lead to a crushing defeat.

Cynthia's Mega Garchomp was worthy of the word "legendary"!

"Shadow Sneak!" Johan called softly.

"Ka-kaah~"

Gengar stuck out its tongue and gently swiped in front of itself. A crack immediately opened in the void, and Gengar dove in with a fish leap.

Boom!!

Mega Garchomp fell like a meteor, causing a huge explosion in the center of the field and raising large clouds of dust.

But obviously, it hadn't hit Gengar.

However, Mega Garchomp wasn't discouraged. Standing on the ground, it opened its crimson eyes and looked around sharply, searching for where Gengar might appear.

"Garchomp!" Cynthia's eyes also swept across the field.

"Chomp!!"

Found it!

The void rippled slightly—there was Gengar, sneaking around carefully with a shifty, thief-like appearance.

Hehe~

Gengar covered its mouth and chuckled wickedly.

Just then, Cynthia's voice suddenly came again: "Use Earthquake!"

No matter where Gengar would come out from, or how it would emerge—

"Chomp!"

Found you!

Mega Garchomp roared and swung both scythes, slamming them into the ground with half their length buried in the field.

The next second.

Rumble rumble—

Earth-colored Ground-type energy surged, with Mega Garchomp as the center. The stadium floor began terrifying vibrations, waves rippling outward in rings!

The terrible tremors swept over, and Gengar, who had just emerged from the void, showed surprise.

Really found?

Gengar pushed off the ground with its stubby legs and floated up.

Only then did Cynthia and Garchomp finally locate Gengar.

"Garchomp!"

"Chomp!"

Mega Garchomp whipped its head around, crimson eyes locking onto the floating Gengar. It stomped the ground hard, and the originally scattered earthquake aftershocks actually converged toward Gengar.

At the same time.

The ground beneath Gengar bulged up as earth-colored Ground-type energy surged out.

Really should have switched Gengar's ability back to "Levitate," Johan couldn't help but complain internally.

If it had the "Levitate" ability, Gengar wouldn't need to worry about these Ground-type moves—

But in the current situation...

Staring intently at Gengar, Cynthia caught sight of the black-suited young man unbuttoning his jacket and taking out that brilliantly shining Key Stone from the corner of her eye.

Key Stone!

Cynthia took a deep breath. Johan's Gengar was one of the few Pokémon that had already reached legendary level in its normal state. If it Mega Evolved—

After a brief moment of distraction, Cynthia's expression sharpened.

Let us see how strong you really are!

"Garchomp, full power Earthquake!!"

Rumble rumble—

The entire Wyndon Stadium shook with "rumbling" vibrations.

"Gengar—"

Johan held the Key Stone.

Although he and Gengar could perform Bond Evolution without relying on the Key Stone, doing so would consume more energy from both him and Gengar—there was no need to do that unless absolutely necessary.

The Key Stone in his hand burst with brilliant light, connecting him and Gengar.

"Mega Evolution!!"

"Ka-kaah!!"

Dazzling white light emerged from Gengar's body. Its form sprouted sharp spikes, the golden eye on its forehead slowly opened, and a smile full of eeriness and evil appeared on its face as large amounts of dark mist immediately poured out.

Some people even faintly heard horse neighing from within the dark mist, quite amazingly.

Mega Gengar!

Hum—

The dark mist instantly spread like a curtain, covering the entire field in an instant. The ground raised by Mega Garchomp's Earthquake was also swallowed by the dark mist before reaching Gengar.

Although it couldn't completely block the earthquake's shockwaves, it bought Gengar time to create distance.

"What move is this?"

"Did you guys hear horse neighing?"

"This couldn't be a Ghost-type field move, could it?"

"Teacher Johan, is this move legal?"

Cynthia, also witnessing this scene, had a serious expression.

Mega Gengar, Johan's strongest combat power, had finally appeared...

That rolling dark mist like a curtain gave her an extremely strong sense of oppression, as if... as long as that dark mist existed, Mega Gengar was an invincible being.

But...

When Garchomp and I are together, we're also invincible!

"Garchomp, Crunch!"

Boom!!

From the earth layers raised by the earthquake, the fierce Mega Garchomp burst out, lunging to bite at Gengar.

When did Garchomp burrow into the earth?

All the audience was stunned.

Too focused on Gengar's Mega Evolution, they had all ignored Mega Garchomp's movements.

Dig plus Crunch?

Swish swish—

Crimson scythes swung, opening a gap in the dark mist created by Gengar.

"Gengar!" Johan suddenly smiled.

Didn't Cynthia want to see us going all out?

Then—

He suddenly raised his hand: "Dark Void!"

"Ka-kaah~"

Mega Gengar faced the lunging Garchomp directly and playfully winked at it.

Tired? Take a rest~

It threw the black hole in its hand toward the approaching Garchomp.

Endless drowsiness accompanied by an increasingly unresponsive body.

"Garchomp, hold on!!" Cynthia's voice came.

"Chomp, chomp!!"

A glimmer of struggle flashed in Mega Garchomp's increasingly drowsy eyes. It forced itself to resist the drowsiness frantically assaulting its mind and still lunged at Gengar.

Bang—

Mega Gengar was sent flying, its bottom sliding on the ground for some distance before stopping.

"Ka-kaah! Ka-kaah!"

The grimacing Gengar quickly got up and patted its bottom.

Hiss—hiss—

Going to smoke! Going to smoke!

The playful scene made the stunned audience laugh.

Bang—

At the same time, Mega Garchomp crashed to the ground, snoring gradually rising.

Truly worthy of our little Cynthia... Johan secretly admired.

He knew all too well how strong Gengar's hypnotic ability was, or he wouldn't normally restrict Gengar's use of hypnosis.

It wasn't an exaggeration to say that Mega Gengar's Dark Void would make even the legendary "first-class gods" take a nap if they were hit, let alone ordinary Pokémon.

He hadn't expected Cynthia and Garchomp to actually endure until the attack finished through sheer willpower before falling asleep.

"Gengar, Dream Eater!" Johan said softly.

"I thought Teacher Johan was already inhuman enough before, but I didn't expect Gengar's entrance to be the killing blow."

"Is Cynthia really Teacher Johan's girlfriend? I feel like I might have a chance again."

"I can already see Teacher Johan's 'funeral'..."

The audience was already feeling uncomfortable with the tactics Johan and Gengar were displaying.

However—

Cynthia obviously hadn't given up.

As Garchomp's dreams were devoured by Gengar, becoming Gengar's stamina, Cynthia said sternly: "Garchomp, Sleep Talk!"

"Chomp—!!"

The sleeping Garchomp suddenly rose.

Though its eyes were closed, its presence was undiminished as it roared skyward. At the same time, a clanging metallic sound emerged from around its body, and Mega Garchomp's aura rose again.

Swords Dance!

"Sleep Talk rolled Swords Dance? Miss Cynthia's luck has arrived!"

"What does this represent? This represents heaven wanting Miss Cynthia to beat up the 'heartless man'!"

The audience cheered.

In Johan's mind, scenes suddenly flashed.

It seemed like long ago, when Cynthia was discussing tactics with him, they talked about... how to deal with sleep teams.

At that time, Johan hadn't considered that he would ever battle Cynthia.

So he had jokingly said to have every Pokémon master Sleep Talk.

And consciously train their move selection while using Sleep Talk.

He hadn't expected this would be used against him...

Wait!

Could it be that I'm the biggest traitor in our team?

Gengar: Aha! Case solved!

As the metallic clanging gradually faded, Johan immediately gathered his scattered thoughts and quickly said: "Gengar, Thief!"

"Ka-kaah!"

Gengar grinned wickedly and reached toward Mega Garchomp.

Give it here!

Two "bats" representing physical attack boosts flew from Mega Garchomp and landed in Gengar's hands.

For a moment.

Garchomp's rising aura fell back, while Gengar gained two levels of physical attack boost!

Seeing this scene, the audience was stunned briefly before immediately "cursing."

"Holy crap! Teacher Johan, you really %￥#@&%..."

"Inhuman! Completely inhuman!"

"Referee! I want to report! This Gengar isn't legal! I want to report!"

Hypnosis plus Dream Eater was already unbearable enough, and now it could steal stat boosts too?

Report! Must report!

"Cough." Johan avoided looking into Cynthia's eyes and spoke again: "Gengar, Icy Wind!"

Whoosh—

Eerie, cold frost swept over. Mega Garchomp's body was immediately covered with a layer of frost, its speed drastically reduced.

However, the cold air finally woke Garchomp from its slumber.

But just as it woke up, it saw—

Several ghostly blue Will-O-Wisps appeared before it.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Mega Garchomp immediately entered the burn status.

"I seem to see Teacher Johan's old battle style..."

Some old fans suddenly realized—this was Teacher Johan's real battle style!

What hot-blooded, type disadvantage, overwhelming—was that Teacher Johan?

This! This was the real Teacher Johan!

The legendary "Gentleman" returns to the arena!

"Garchomp, Dragon Rush!!"

"Gengar, final Shadow Ball!!"

Cynthia and Johan spoke simultaneously again.

When all the curtain-like dark mist gathered in Gengar's hands, forming a black sphere.

When Garchomp launched its final charge despite all its debuffs.

When the two Pokémon collided again.

Boom—!!!

Terrifying roaring, raging aftershocks.

"Ka-kaah~" Gengar grinned wickedly and stuck out its tongue.

"Chomp..." Mega Garchomp, breathing heavily, had its Mega Evolution light fade as it glared fiercely at Gengar, expressing only one meaning.

We're not friends anymore!

Gengar: Σ(дlll)

Bang!!

Garchomp crashed heavily to the ground and fell unconscious.

After a brief silence.

The referee immediately raised the flag and announced the result.

"Garchomp is unable to battle!"

Then both flags crossed and waved, representing the end of this battle.

"All six of Cynthia's Pokémon have lost the ability to battle!"

"Therefore, the winner is—Johan!"

The venue immediately erupted in cheers.

There were cheers, and also... "curses."

Johan rubbed his nose lightly.

This victory somehow didn't feel quite satisfying...

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Powerstones?

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