Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command!

"Hail, Icicle Crash, Icy Wind…"

Luo Yuan quickly scanned the list of moves the opposing Beartic had. There were plenty—most were Ice-type, with a few Normal, Water, and Fighting-type moves mixed in.

It was clear Jun had poured significant effort into training his Beartic.

But...

"Now, these moves are mine."

Luo Yuan raised his hand. Before Jun's Beartic could recover from its initial shock, the shiny 'Beartic' transformed by Ditto launched its attack first!

"Icicle Crash!"

A frigid breath escaped Ditto-Beartic's mouth, rapidly condensing into a massive, sharp icicle that shot straight at the opposing Beartic.

The commentator's voice escalated to a fever pitch.

"Jun's Beartic seems momentarily stunned, giving Luo Yuan the perfect opening! Ditto-Beartic strikes first with Icicle Crash!"

Jun hadn't anticipated such a swift counterattack.

Unova was home to Ditto, so Jun was well-acquainted with its strengths and limitations.

Even though Ditto could transform into an identical copy of its opponent, trainers often struggled to communicate effectively with it, leaving Ditto to act independently or mimic moves it had observed.

But with Luo Yuan, these conventions didn't seem to apply.

Jun had no time to dwell on this anomaly. The speeding icicle demanded his full attention.

"Beartic, Brick Break!"

Beartic raised a powerful arm, its paw glowing with white energy. It swung fiercely at the incoming icicle.

Bang!

The icicle shattered midair, sending shards of ice flying.

But the sheer force of the impact left Beartic's arm slightly numb—a fleeting but exploitable weakness.

Ditto-Beartic wasn't about to let this opportunity slip.

It unleashed another move, blowing a freezing gust toward its opponent.

"Icy Wind!"

The icy blast barely harmed Beartic, its thick fur absorbing most of the attack. However, its movements visibly slowed.

Luo Yuan had no illusions about Icy Wind's damage potential. The goal was simple: to reduce Beartic's speed.

The chill seeped into Beartic's muscles, momentarily stiffening its movements.

Jun was quick to counter.

Despite the speed debuff, Beartic managed to summon its own freezing breath, condensing a sharp icicle identical to the one Ditto-Beartic had just used.

Another Icicle Crash!

"Luo Yuan's Ditto-Beartic has slowed Beartic down with Icy Wind, but Jun counters with an Icicle Crash of his own!"

"With both sides having access to the same moves, the outcome will come down to the trainers' skills."

The commentator's assessment was clear: this battle was a test of command and strategy.

Luo Yuan's response? A subtle smile.

As the Icicle Crash hurtled toward Ditto-Beartic, Luo Yuan avoided Jun's brute-force approach of smashing through the attack.

Instead, he extended his mental connection to Ditto, swiftly calculating the icicle's trajectory and point of impact. He relayed the information instantly.

Ditto-Beartic sidestepped gracefully, the icy projectile grazing its shimmering lavender fur before crashing harmlessly behind it.

But Ditto-Beartic wasn't done.

With its legs pumping, it charged at Beartic in a lumbering sprint. Its arm began to glow white.

"Dynamic Punch!"

Ditto-Beartic's glowing fist slammed into Beartic.

Slowed by Icy Wind, Beartic couldn't dodge in time and raised its arms in a defensive cross.

Thud!

The punch landed with a resounding impact, forcing Beartic to stagger backward several steps. Pain etched across its face as it tried to shake off the blow.

Beartic was resilient, though. Its high defensive and stamina stats ensured it remained in the fight, albeit winded.

As Beartic steadied itself, it lunged forward, claws glowing ominously.

"Brick Break!"

The close-range attack was swift and dangerous. With Fighting-types holding an advantage over Ice-types, a direct hit would deal massive damage to Ditto-Beartic.

Despite the threat, Luo Yuan's mental command reached Ditto-Beartic without delay.

Instead of retreating, Ditto-Beartic mirrored its opponent, its claws gleaming with the same light.

"Brick Break!"

Clash!

The two powerful strikes collided in midair, sending shockwaves rippling through the battlefield. Dust and shards of ice flew everywhere as both Pokémon recoiled.

Ditto-Beartic and Beartic stepped back simultaneously, their faces reflecting the shared pain of their encounter.

Jun's Beartic, still reeling from the earlier Dynamic Punch, winced in visible discomfort.

But Jun grinned.

This was going exactly as he hoped.

Although the two Beartics appeared evenly matched, Jun knew Ditto-Beartic didn't share his Beartic's stamina.

If the battle dragged on, his Beartic's superior endurance would secure the victory.

However, there was one critical detail Jun failed to consider.

If this was so obvious to him, how could it escape Luo Yuan, Ditto's trainer?

Why would Luo Yuan command Ditto-Beartic to engage in a drawn-out clash if he knew it would lose in a stamina-based battle?

Blissfully unaware, Jun doubled down on his strategy.

"Beartic, Brick Break again!"

He was determined to wear Ditto-Beartic down with his superior endurance.

But Luo Yuan's smirk deepened.

As Jun issued his command, Luo Yuan's eyes gleamed with mischief. With a subtle gesture, he gave Ditto a knowing look.

Ditto-Beartic charged forward fearlessly, once again ready to clash.

The battlefield became a spectacle as the two Beartics—identical except for their coloration—engaged in relentless close-quarters combat.

"Luo Yuan's Ditto has been forced into a war of attrition. With its inferior stamina, the odds are looking grim for Luo Yuan," the commentator announced.

Unbeknownst to Jun, Luo Yuan was just getting started.

---

"Gar~de! Voir voir."

- Gardevoir

(End of Bonus Chapter—If you like my work, consider supporting me at [patreon.com/WiseTL]!)