"Power Whip!"
Thick, emerald-green vines—formed entirely of pure Grass-type energy—lashed out from Venusaur's sides, slicing through the air with deafening cracks.
Even with its resistance to Grass-type moves, Ceruledge knew it absolutely could not afford to get hit. This attack wasn't just powerful—it was devastatingly strong.
Like a shadow dancing through an intense waltz, Ceruledge weaved between the wild, sweeping strikes with minimal movement, dodging by the narrowest of margins. Then, seizing the perfect opening—
Bitter Blade!
Its flaming greatsword sliced straight through the incoming vines. However, since Power Whip was made of pure energy, rather than Venusaur's actual vines, the attack didn't allow Ceruledge to drain any HP.
But that hardly mattered.
With relentless speed honed through endless battles, Ceruledge's blade moved like a blur, shredding the remaining energy whips into nothingness. Then, without hesitation, it launched a crescent-shaped Psycho Cut, tearing through the air as it screamed toward Venusaur!
Can't let this hit!
That single thought consumed Kukui's mind. With a sharp command, he shouted—
"Petal Blizzard!"
The massive flower on Venusaur's back erupted, unleashing a swirling storm of pink petals, filling the sky like a blizzard. Every petal pulsed with concentrated Grass-type energy, converging into a radiant shield that blocked the incoming Psycho Cut.
For a moment, even Geeta found herself momentarily captivated by the sheer ferocity of the exchange.
And yet—
Kai smirked.
Kukui had fallen for it again.
"Shadow Sneak!"
A chill ran down Kukui's spine.
He instantly snapped his focus back to the battlefield—only to realize that Ceruledge was gone.
His heart sank. This is bad!
"Grassy Pledge—stop it before it gets close!"
But he was too late.
Shadow Sneak was only a feint. Kai and Ceruledge had been planning this moment all along.
By the time Kukui issued his command, Ceruledge had already completed its real attack—one that had been charging all along.
The cursed armor adorning Ceruledge ignited, bursting into an all-consuming inferno of violet-blue flames, wrapping its entire body in scorching energy.
Then—
The ground beneath it shattered.
Moving like an unstoppable comet of fire, Ceruledge rammed straight into Venusaur's back with devastating force!
The raging flames twisted into a massive fiery tornado, swallowing Venusaur whole. Rooted to the ground from its previous attack, it had no way to escape.
All it could do—was endure.
But the relentless lifeforce-draining flames burned on, stripping away Venusaur's energy without mercy.
Its vision blurred.
And then—
Thud!
The massive Pokémon collapsed.
A brief silence fell over the battlefield.
Then—
Geeta raised a hand and declared the result.
"Venusaur is unable to battle!"
---
"In the end… you're the only one left."
Kukui gripped a Poké Ball that had long since lost some of its paint, worn down by time. Inside was the partner who had been by his side since childhood, growing with him through every battle, every challenge, all the way to this moment.
His gaze, burning with determination, locked onto Kai. He had made up his mind—he would fight with everything he had, honoring the spirit of Royal Battles, and show Kai the full power of himself and Incineroar.
Kai, puzzled by Kukui's intense stare, tilted his head slightly. After recalling Ceruledge, he muttered to himself, "Guess I'll try that for once."
Then, as if in perfect sync, both trainers threw their Poké Balls into the battlefield.
"Incineroar!"
"Mimikyu."
A towering, black-and-red feline radiating raw power landed on one side of the field. Opposite it stood… a small, seemingly harmless plush-like Pokémon.
Incineroar vs. Mimikyu—A Generation 7 Mirror Match!
Before Kai could even issue a command, Kukui suddenly let out a sharp gasp, his eyes widening in disbelief.
"Mimikyu!? You have a Mimikyu on your team!?"
Kai blinked, then quickly realized what was happening.
Right—he had never actually introduced Mimikyu to Kukui.
And Mimikyu's unique nature made it unnaturally easy to overlook, unless it was actively battling or someone specifically pointed it out.
No wonder Kukui looked so shocked.
Outside the battlefield, Geeta clapped her hands, smiling. "Oh my, it's that Mimikyu. It's been a while~"
Hearing this, Mimikyu—overjoyed to finally be acknowledged—began emitting little bubbles of happiness from beneath its cloth disguise. Its Shadow Claw peeked out, waving enthusiastically toward Geeta and Kukui.
Meanwhile, thanks to the fierce battles between Swampert and Ceruledge, the effects of Stealth Rock had finally dissipated.
That meant Mimikyu had entered the battlefield unharmed.
Kukui, still rubbing his head in disbelief, decided he couldn't waste time overthinking Kai's mysterious team choices—if Mimikyu was a surprise, then what the heck was the deal with that Moltre—?
No. No time for distractions. Focus on the battle.
He took a deep breath and shouted—
"Darkest Lariat!"
"ROOOOAR!!" (#`O′)
With a mighty bellow, Incineroar's roar shook the battlefield, unleashing a wave of Dark-type energy that surged forward. At the same time, its Intimidate Ability activated, rippling through the air toward Mimikyu.
And yet—
Mimikyu didn't flinch.
It simply stood there, waiting patiently for Kai's command.
Because, after all—
It was just a harmless, innocent little Ghost-type Pokémon.
Kai's voice cut through the battlefield.
"Take it… and then—Curse."
…Curse?
---
Kukui furrowed his brows. To be honest, he was well-versed in most Pokémon moves—so much so that he had even considered pursuing further research to earn the title of Professor.
But Curse…
That was a move he rarely encountered.
Most trainers wouldn't even consider using it.
Because—the drawback was enormous.
Suddenly, an eerie, ghostly energy rose behind Mimikyu, its sinister presence sending a chill through the battlefield. In an instant, the energy crossed the distance, latching onto Incineroar like a spectral parasite.
At the same time, Mimikyu's own vitality plummeted—from full strength to nearly half in the blink of an eye.
And yet—
Incineroar seemed completely fine.
Aside from a brief flicker of confusion, it simply stretched its limbs, testing for any effects. When nothing happened, it turned back to Mimikyu with an infuriatingly smug grin.
That look alone was enough to make someone want to punch it—exactly the kind of face you'd expect from a Dark-type.
Meanwhile, Snarl finally landed, just a moment too late to interrupt Curse. The sound-based attack struck Mimikyu's disguise, and with a sharp snap, its Pikachu-like doll form drooped limply.
Geeta, watching intently from the sidelines, tapped her chin in thought.
Kukui, however, felt like his mind was shrouded in fog—he was so close to understanding Kai's strategy, but the full picture eluded him.
With no other choice, he called out, "Flamethrower!"
"Grrrrahaha!"
With a wicked cackle, Incineroar unleashed a massive column of fire from its flaming belt, the searing blaze roaring toward Mimikyu's small frame.
Kai's voice was calm.
"Dodge it—Pain Split."
Mimikyu's tiny body moved with unnatural agility, its hidden true form manipulating Shadow Claw to swipe at the ground, using the momentum to leap high into the air—narrowly avoiding the stream of flames.
Then—another wave of strange, ominous energy began to ripple.
A chill ran down Incineroar's spine. It sensed something was very, very wrong.
Instinct kicking in, the Incineroar immediately broke into a sprint, trying to escape the eerie sensation creeping toward it.
But it was too late.
A sudden, crushing force struck Incineroar's chest.
Its pupils shrank—its stamina was draining at an alarming rate.
Worse yet—
The lost vitality transformed into shimmering green orbs, which then flowed into Mimikyu, restoring its health.
What the hell!?
For a moment, Incineroar nearly cursed out loud—but before it could, a horrifying icy sensation flooded its entire being.
That ghostly, malevolent energy—the one it thought had disappeared—had returned in full force.
Like an uninvited guest, it rampaged inside Incineroar's body, tearing through its essence.
And that's when it hit them—
Both Kukui and Incineroar finally realized just how "filthy" Kai's strategy was.
They had stepped onto the battlefield ready for a straightforward, honorable fight—but instead, they had been played like fools.
----
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