"You're really putting on a show, huh."
Watching his Electivire exuding pride and theatrically maintaining a 'masterly' air, Paul couldn't help but chuckle inwardly.
He hated when his Pokémon got cocky or smug over minor victories, that kind of behavior was unacceptable. But this? This was different. Electivire had displayed overwhelming strength. This kind of proud flair was something Paul couldn't quite bring himself to dislike.
As far as he was concerned, if his Pokémon could keep surprising him like this—flaunting their power in every battle, then let them boast all they want.
Still, what came out of Paul's mouth was something else entirely:
"Well done. I can tell your progress over this period has been substantial..."
"Vireeee!"
Just as Electivire puffed out its chest in triumph, Paul's tone shifted:
"However, the only reason you won this battle was by catching your opponent off guard. This doesn't fully showcase your true strength."
"Raaaa!"
Torterra roared in support, glaring at Electivire with unwilling eyes. It knew exactly why it lost, it had underestimated Electivire's speed. Had it anticipated the sudden boost, it could've established its forest terrain in time and forced a prolonged battle. And in a drawn-out match, its growth potential would've tipped the scales in its favor.
"Vireee~"
Still defiant, Electivire responded aggressively—it didn't matter if Paul was baiting it. It wasn't just faster now or packing a stronger Ice Punch; its growth had been holistic.
"Very well. Let's go another round. Give Torterra five seconds to prepare."
"Vireee~"
Electivire folded its arms indifferently.
Five seconds? Take thirty. It could wait.
Truth be told, Electivire had grown arrogant since reaching Champion-level. But Paul knew better, Torterra wasn't like most Pokémon. While typical stat boosts maxed out at six stages, Torterra's forest-based abilities allowed near-infinite scaling.
In half a minute, Torterra could raise its stats sixfold. Even if Electivire pushed itself to the limit, it would be facing a Torterra that could keep going.
In that kind of battle, Electivire was bound to lose.
"Raaaa~!"
But Torterra wasn't without honor. After prepping its terrain in under five seconds, it roared, signaling readiness while locking onto Electivire with razor-sharp focus. This time, it wouldn't be caught off guard.
"Vireee~"
Electivire glanced at the seemingly unchanged terrain, then activated its magnetic field—a special electromagnetic aura of its own design.
The field crackled with electricity, dealing minor damage to Torterra. But that wasn't the real danger.
Now, the twin antennae on Electivire's head began to glow faintly, as if charging—it was initiating its breakthrough technique: Magnetic Amplification.
This was a new move Electivire had developed during its evolution past the Champion threshold, merging electromagnetic control with its innate abilities like Motor Drive and Self-Motivation. The particles within the field converged on its body, initiating a chain reaction.
Its five core stats—Attack, Special Attack, Defense, Special Defense, and Speed, all began to rise simultaneously.
A full charge complete, Electivire now radiated an aura even more terrifying than Torterra's.
With both hands raised, it hurled a condensed Thunderball toward Torterra.
Yes, Torterra was Ground-type and thus immune to Electric attacks but Electivire wasn't aiming to deal damage. It was asserting dominance.
Even though it knew it wouldn't be hurt, the sheer presence of the massive thunderball made Torterra's heart pound.
"Raaa~!"
Unwilling to yield, Torterra unleashed a frenzy of plants from the earth, a flurry of vines whipping at the incoming thunderball.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
But with Electivire's full charge behind it, the thunderball plowed through the plants like a football crashing through goalkeepers.
Accepting it couldn't stop it, Torterra ceased defense and braced for impact.
BOOM!
The explosion swept across the battlefield in a cloud of smoke. But Electivire made no follow-up attack instead, it hovered overhead, smirking.
Soon, a whirlwind of green leaves scattered the smoke, revealing Torterra barely harmed, but charred all over.
"A fusion of magnetic control and psychic-like amplification... to produce a new ability from multiple boosting moves. Incredible."
Paul was genuinely stunned. He had only shown Electivire the magnetic control technique in hopes of refining its field manipulation.
But this result went beyond anything he expected.
"And that's not even the full extent." Came Mewtwo's voice, watching nearby.
"What are Torterra's odds?" Paul asked bluntly.
"Eighty percent chance of losing. Ten percent of being outright crushed. Ten percent draw."
"...That strong?" Paul's eyes narrowed.
"It challenged me once, shortly after mastering its new powers... I lost."
Whether through carelessness, luck, or miscalculation, Mewtwo had been defeated.
"Raaaa~!"
Yet Torterra didn't waver. Staring up with calm, burning resolve, it summoned a glowing orb from the tree on its back, rising into the sky.
Sunny Day began.
Electivire didn't flinch. It knew prolonged battles were to its disadvantage, but it remained eerily calm.
Torterra made the first move, again.
With a roar, plants surged from the ground, leaves stirred into a violent storm, and a Solar Beam launched forth. Torterra unleashed its trinity of Grass-type might: Frenzy Plant, Leaf Storm, and Solar Beam.
There was nowhere to dodge.
But Electivire didn't plan to. Not even Protect was activated.
Instead, golden lightning engulfed it. Electric currents formed a radiant Thunder Armor, a divine-looking powered armor of pure plasma.
Electivire had become like a lightning god—unseen, yet unmistakably awe-inspiring.
Plasma Fist + Giga Impact, combined assault.
Charging headlong, it clashed into the triple Grass barrage.
BOOM!
The explosion rocked the entire Tree of Beginning area. Even Regigigas stirred beneath the earth.
A certain pink puffball's bubble and lollipop were both burst.
Through the smoke, a streak of lightning lunged at Torterra.
"Raaaa~!"
Torterra summoned rocks and vines in desperation, hoping to block but Electivire smashed through with chilling fists.
WHAM!
One Ice Punch landed, but on a Protect barrier.
"Vireee~"
Electivire feinted and broke through. The second Ice Punch struck true.
"Raaaa!"
The response: it bit Electivire's arm and summoned Life Dew.
WHAM!
Another Ice Punch but thanks to Life Dew, Torterra wasn't frozen and could still fight.
One fist stuck in Torterra's jaws, Electivire activated Thunder Armor and Ice Punch simultaneously, defending and attacking, hammering Torterra's head repeatedly.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
It felt like the old days when Electabuzz and Turtwig would brawl like this. Only now, Torterra had evolved.
Plants lashed out, vines restrained, while beams of green and red struck Electivire , Giga Drain and Strength Sap sapping its energy.
Even with Thunder Armor, Electivire began to buckle.
But with a roar, it detonated its armor—a shockwave blowing the vines away.
It soared up, then dived toward Torterra's life-giving tree, unleashing its strongest punch.
Ice bloomed. The light of life began to dim.
"Raaaa!"
Torterra roared, releasing a massive storm centered on the tree, pulling Electivire in but a new Thunder Armor formed, blocking it.
Blow after blow followed. Torterra, running on fumes, activated Overgrow.
"Raaaaa!!"
In its last stand, it summoned an endless sea of plants to crush Electivire.
"Vireee~"
Electivire stayed calm. Its antennae resonated with the magnetic field, distorting Torterra's mind.
Dizzy and disoriented, Torterra's final blow was weakened.
Electivire dodged into a sparse spot, then activated Protect.
BOOM...
For a moment, silence. Then—golden light.
The plant wave vanished in lightning. Electivire soared upward and launched a massive Aura Sphere into the mist.
BOOM!
Silence fell.
When the dust settled, Torterra lay unconscious on the battlefield.
"Vireee~!"
Hovering triumphantly, Electivire howled in glee, basking in its glory until a pink blur, Mew appeared and punched its head.
"Vire?!"
Electivire scratched its head, confused. What did it do wrong?
"Mii?! Mii!"
'Battle's fine, but why'd you wreck my house?! I'm still living here, you know!'
With each shout, Mew gave Electivire another smack—furious over the damage to her Tree of Beginning and her candy.
"Viree~"
The poor Electivire could only dodge and yelp pitifully.
It wasn't faking—Mew's level was so high, even her tiny fists hurt.
Fighting back was unthinkable. Unlike the cheerful little Zap Plate courier, Mew was terrifying when provoked.
Electivire still remembered when Mew, enraged once before, transformed into Groudon and flattened it with a Precipice Blades warning.
It had been blasted nearly a kilometer into the air, only to be skewered mid-fall.
The molten lava, the crushing force, the overwhelming Ground energy, Electivire would never forget it.
Precipice Blades. Terrifying beyond belief.
(End of Chapter)
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