"What a terrifyingly strong Garchomp… it actually defeated Togekiss so easily!"
From the stands, Dawn gasped in awe.
"This shark's gotten that strong already?! Hah, no wonder I lost back then. Guess I can't complain."
Barry muttered, watching Togekiss lying unconscious. To his own surprise, he felt a strange sense of comfort in the sight.
"Keep going, keep going! Best-case scenario, it sweeps Cynthia's whole team six-to-zero!"
Excitement flashed in Barry's eyes. If Paul's Garchomp could defeat Cynthia's entire team after beating Togekiss today, didn't that mean he and the Champion were on the same level?
"Not likely." Lucas shook his head, analyzing calmly: "Paul already recalled Garchomp after Mega Evolution. That means he doesn't intend to let it fight Cynthia any further."
"Well done. Return."
As if to prove Lucas' point, before Cynthia even recalled Togekiss, Paul withdrew Garchomp to its Poké Ball.
"Come back and rest, Togekiss."
Cynthia's tone was unusually serious as she returned her Pokémon. She didn't quite understand Paul's choice.
If it were her Garchomp that had just taken down one of the biggest threats on the field and still had stamina left, she would never switch it out so easily. At most, she'd wait until the opponent revealed their next Pokémon.
For a moment, Cynthia couldn't quite read Paul's intentions. Their gazes met—hers was sharp and puzzled, while his was calm and unreadable. Then, she made her move.
"Let the petals dance—Roserade, battle!"
"Roserrrr!"
The elegant Bouquet Pokémon twirled gracefully as it landed, like a masked ballerina, confidence glimmering in its smile.
Paul didn't hesitate. He tossed his Poké Ball casually.
"Monferno, it's your turn."
"Waa-chaa!!"
With an energetic cry, Monferno leapt from the ball, landing with lively curiosity. It looked around at the stadium, then at Roserade—its wide-eyed expression giving off anything but a battle-ready vibe.
"Now? He's sending in Monferno now?"
The entire audience froze in confusion.
Paul's Garchomp had just shown overwhelming strength, taking down one of Cynthia's top battlers without effort. Even if he didn't want to overuse it, he could've sent out another powerhouse.
But instead… he chose a Pokémon that hadn't even reached its final evolution when most people first saw it, and was widely regarded as the weakest on his team.
What was he thinking? This was Cynthia, the strongest Trainer in Sinnoh!
"Looks like Paul wants every one of his Pokémon to experience the atmosphere of this decisive battle," the announcer speculated, trying to explain it away. "but… by not pressing the advantage with Garchomp and instead sending in a relatively weaker Monferno, it also shows just how confident Paul is in his overall strength."
The explanation only left the crowd more baffled.
So in the most critical battle of his career, Paul was wasting a slot just to give Monferno some battlefield experience? That confident? Or that reckless?
Paul ignored the puzzled looks around him and spoke firmly:
"Go—Overheat, Flame Wheel, and Flamethrower—all at once!"
"Waaa-chaaaa!!"
Monferno roared, eyes flashing crimson as Rage activated, boosting its strength.
A massive Overheat erupted from its mouth, immediately followed by its body igniting as it spun into a blazing Flame Wheel. In mid-charge, it unleashed a torrent of Flamethrower.
The three attacks fused seamlessly into one.
From the fusion emerged a colossal fire wheel, nearly three meters across, surging toward Roserade with unstoppable momentum.
Though Monferno's raw power wasn't on par with Paul's elites, the synergy of three moves combined with Rage's amplification made this fiery assault strike with the force of an Elite-level attack.
If it hit, Roserade would almost certainly take serious damage.
But… Cynthia knew she couldn't let her guard down for even a moment!
"Hyper Beam— now!" She commanded sharply.
"Roserrrr!"
Roserade lifted both arms, unleashing a devastating beam of energy. The destructive ray collided head-on with the blazing wheel of fire that Monferno had hurled forward.
BOOM!!
The instant they clashed, an explosion shook the battlefield, smoke billowing thick and fast, obscuring everything inside.
Cynthia didn't wait to see the result. Her voice rang out again, crisp and decisive:
"Leaf Storm!"
"Roserrrr!"
Roserade raised its arms again. Countless sharp leaves swirled into a violent storm, tearing through the smoke in an instant. But when the haze cleared, Monferno was nowhere to be found.
Roserade's sharp gaze quickly caught the newly formed tunnel in the ground. Without hesitation, it directed the raging storm straight into the hole.
FWOOOSH!
But just as Leaf Storm poured in, Paul's voice rang out coolly:
"That's enough. Return."
At the same moment, Monferno burst from the tunnel, only to be caught midair by the flash of Paul's Poké Ball and recalled.
"???"
The entire audience was dumbfounded.
What was that? He sent Monferno out, had it attack once, then immediately withdrew it?
"What's going on here?"
The announcer tried to make sense of it:
"Judging by its current strength, Monferno clearly isn't a match for Roserade. My guess is that Paul just wanted it to feel more involved in the match—"
"..."
The explanation fell flat. Most people rolled their eyes in disbelief. But Paul's lips curved upward faintly. With deliberate calm, he tossed another Poké Ball high into the air.
"Let the world witness your power—Mewtwo."
BOOM!!
The ball burst open. Instantly, an overwhelming pressure engulfed the entire stadium.
It wasn't just Roserade and Cynthia who felt it. Everyone in the audience—inside the arena and even outside, suddenly felt a crushing weight on their chests. Breathing became difficult, as if an invisible mountain pressed down upon them.
Before they could even adjust, the figure emerged:
Floating silently above the battlefield, Mewtwo appeared.
It made no sound. Yet its presence shone brighter than the sun, like a radiant beacon piercing through eternal night. Every pair of eyes was drawn to it.
"What the heck?! What kind of Pokémon is that? I've never seen anything like it!"
"Mewtwo? That's its name?"
"It's… it's so cool!"
"I can't breathe… it feels like there's a mountain crushing me. That pressure is terrifying!"
"What's the deal with this Pokémon? I've never seen one that can make so many people feel suffocated… without even attacking!"
At first, there was silence. A stunned, breathless quiet.
But within seconds, whether online or in the packed stadium, calm collapsed into chaos.
Paul, the Trainer most likely to become Sinnoh's next Champion, had just revealed, in the most critical battle of his life, a Pokémon never recorded before.
And more than that—this mysterious Pokémon radiated a power so overwhelming that it hadn't even lifted a finger, yet its very aura alone crushed both Trainers and Pokémon alike under unbearable pressure.
The entire world knew at once: something extraordinary had just stepped onto the stage.
(End of Chapter)
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