Marshadow was a rather special Pokémon.
This wasn't just because of its status as a Mythical Pokémon, nor because it was Ho-Oh's messenger.
It was because it was a rare Pokémon capable of mimicking—or rather, learning—others' abilities.
It is said that Marshadow can slip into the shadows of others, mimicking their movements and strength while understanding the emotions of those it inhabits.
In the process of imitation, it becomes even stronger than the original, achieving what is known as surpassing the master.
If translated into game mechanics, this manifests as Marshadow's signature move—Spectral Thief.
[Spectral Thief]: Slips into the enemy's shadow to attack, stealing any stat boosts the enemy has gained.
This attack first steals the opponent's stat boosts before determining the damage dealt.
Not only does it use the enemy's enhancements to strengthen its own attack, but it also transfers those boosts to itself.
This move is utterly unreasonable and domineering—it simply takes what it wants.
It's especially effective against enemies who rely on buffing strategies.
After the opponent painstakingly boosts their stats, a single Spectral Thief hands all those efforts over to Marshadow.
For example, Ging, who previously battled fiercely with Tyranitar, employed stat-boosting abilities.
If he had faced Marshadow, it could have stolen them outright.
In reality, Marshadow's abilities aren't limited to just moves—they extend to all aspects.
It possesses an incredible aptitude for comprehension. As long as it slips into someone's shadow and witnesses the entire process of them using an ability,
it can replicate it, even surpassing the original in power.
Akira had seen a similarly unreasonable talent before.
That was Ging's learning ability!
Ging was a jack-of-all-trades—it seemed that as long as he was interested, he could master any field in no time.
Beyond miscellaneous skills, his absurd learning ability also applied to Nen Abilities.
As long as someone struck him with an offensive-type Nen Ability, he could quickly analyze its principles.
Then, he'd learn the opponent's Nen Ability and could execute it himself.
With his deep understanding of Nen, he could even refine the ability, performing it better than the original user.
Marshadow's talent was of this nature, but far more formidable than Ging's.
Because the abilities it could learn weren't limited to a specific category, nor did it require being struck first.
All it needed was to slip into a shadow and witness the ability's execution to replicate it—again, with even greater power.
If Akira had to describe it, Marshadow's talent was like an enhanced fusion of Ging and Ditto.
Ging could learn offensive-type Nen Abilities and wield them with greater strength.
Ditto could use others' Nen Abilities without type restrictions, but their power remained identical to the original.
Marshadow had none of their weaknesses while retaining all their strengths, truly living up to its title as a Mythical Pokémon.
At this moment, countless wisps of black smoke swirled before Marshadow, vibrating with faint ripples.
Under Don's disbelieving gaze, the inky black smoke wildly intertwined, forming six massive clusters.
Like lumps of clay, they continuously morphed, taking on humanoid shapes.
In an instant, six fully formed humanoid Aura Beasts materialized around Marshadow, as if paying homage to it.
And these six Aura Beasts were identical to Don's own six.
The only difference was that Marshadow's Aura Beasts exuded a stronger presence and were visibly larger in size.
Anyone could guess which side would prevail if the two clashed.
This was a foregone conclusion.Don narrowed his eyes.
Though the sweat on his face had already vanished, he felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine.
His sharp gaze swept over the six Aura Beasts, and he instinctively compared them to his own six.
The result was clear—his were inferior.
[Is this an ability that can replicate others' powers?]
[Or perhaps...]
Don frowned and immediately activated the Aura within him.
Relief washed over him when he confirmed he could still use his abilities.
It seemed things weren't as extreme as he had feared. For a moment, he had worried his ability had been stolen.
That sounded absurd—how could an ability be stolen?
But Don, with his vast experience, knew well that Nen Abilities were incredibly versatile, capable of producing all kinds of effects.
Over the centuries, he had encountered many inhuman beings in the Dark Continent—creatures that, in ancient times, might have been considered the same species as humans.
They had little contact with one another, scattered across the Dark Continent like isolated tribes.
Their differences in every aspect had shaped unique ability systems among them.
Yet the Nen system possessed by humans from the Six Continents ranked among the strongest even among these inhuman beings.
In fact, it was no exaggeration to say that his own growth to this level was largely due to Nen.
Moreover, during his travels in the Dark Continent, he had witnessed instances where abilities were stolen.
This meant that while rare, it wasn't impossible.
[If it's not stealing... then it must be imitation.]
Don muttered to himself, casting a surprised glance at the imposing figure of Marshadow in the distance.
So… that Aura Beast's ability is to mimic others' powers?
Such an ability should come with significant restrictions—it shouldn't be so easily activated.
Yet, the opponent had replicated his technique shortly after he used it.
When had the conditions for its ability been met?
Don racked his brain but couldn't recall anything the opponent had done to fulfill the requirements.
Hadn't they just been fighting normally?
Could it really be as simple as seeing a technique once and copying it?
Don chuckled wryly and shook his head, dismissing the absurd thought.
Unbeknownst to him, he had just dismissed the correct answer—Marshadow's innate talent was simply that unreasonable.
His expression shifted before finally settling into a resigned sigh. There was no time to dwell on it further.
Because the enemy was attacking.
"Swish—swish, swish—"
Phantom-like figures darted across the battlefield, charDon straight at Don without hesitation.
Perhaps Marshadow intended to retaliate in kind, as its formation mirrored Don's earlier setup.
Four close-combat Aura Beasts rushed toward Don, while the remaining two stayed by Marshadow's side.
Facing the oncoming smoke-like Aura Beasts, Don's expression hardened. His previously subdued Aura flared back to life.
Suddenly, a sharp whistling cut through the air.
Don's archer Aura Beast fired another arrow, aiming straight for the approaching enemies.
Unexpectedly, one of the Aura Beasts—wielding a long blade—casually swung its weapon.
The hardened blade struck the arrow with precision.
"Clang!"
A metallic clang echoed as the arrow was cleanly split in midair before dissolving into wisps of black smoke.
The next moment, the four Aura Beasts flashed and simultaneously bypassed Don's own Aura Beast, appearing in four directions around him—front, back, left, and right.
Marshadow had decided to fight fire with fire!
Not only was it using Don's abilities against him, but it was also countering with the same combat tactics.
Don's internal alarms blared.
Facing four Aura Beasts whose presence matched his own, he dared not take them lightly.
His arms, strong as steel, shot out and struck the limbs of two Aura Beasts with precision, instantly reducing them to plumes of black smoke.
With a push of hidden force, the two Aura Beasts were sent flying.
Bang! Bang!
Don swiftly bent down, dodDon the spear's thrust, then pressed the spear downward before wrenching it away with a forceful tug.
He had initially thought to split the spear in half, but it proved unexpectedly sturdy—too tough to break in a short time.
So, he decided to use it as a temporary weapon instead.
Gripping the spear, Don spun around and thrust it straight into the body of the spear-wielding Aura Beast, causing it to explode into countless tendrils of black smoke.
Thick Aura enveloped Don's eyes, ensuring that even the dense smoke couldn't obstruct his vision.
With a casual flick of the spear, he stepped forward, evading the slash of the longsword-wielding Aura Beast, then stabbed its arm in retaliation.
Guided by his Aura, the arm shattered at the root, sending thick smoke billowing upward like scorched embers.
Meanwhile, Akira watched Don's martial prowess with admiration.
The others would have liked to appreciate it too, but the gap in their abilities made it impossible for them to follow the action.
It was clear that Don's martial skills were no less impressive—undoubtedly honed through years of grueling effort.
In fact, the reason Don had manifested weapons like the spear, staff, and longsword was precisely because he was well-versed in their use.
Of the six Aura Beasts, aside from the unique recovery-type, the other five all possessed his combat techniques.
Thus, he wielded these weapons with equal familiarity.
After a few simple exchanges, Don sensed the timing was right. A surge of white Aura erupted from his body.
In an instant, he became even more conspicuous, encased in a shell of pure, milky-white Aura like an egg.
When an Aura Beast tried to strike him, it was repelled by the outer layer of white Aura, stumbling backward.
Visibly, Don's Aura grew more intense, the overwhelming white light shooting skyward like a radiant pillar.
Akira observed quietly as Don unleashed one technique after another, committing each to memory.
[It seems the white Aura isn't simple either—it likely includes an enhancement effect.]
After watching a while longer, he silently added to himself:
[High consumption. Best used for decisive strikes or desperate situations.]
To others, Don might have appeared unstoppable, his momentum unstoppable as if he could bulldoze through anything.
But Akira saw clearly—though Don's presence was generally rising, the Aura covering his body was gradually thinning.
This meant the expenditure was enormous. He likely couldn't maintain this state for even half a minute before reverting to normal.
However…
If this was an enhancement ability, wasn't it practically tailor-made for Marshadow's specialty?
Akira glanced at Marshadow in surprise and, as expected, found it practically vibrating with excitement.
Its childlike body wore an "innocent" grin, like a kid about to play a prank.
He could only Hope Don would be able to withstand what was coming.
...
A few breaths later,Don's breath came to a complete halt, and the circle of eggshell around him melted away like snow meeting a warm stove, disappearing entirely.
Suddenly, Don's figure was fully exposed.
Though his appearance hadn't changed much from before, his aura had become far more piercing.
Just being near him felt like being sliced by countless sharp blades, causing unbearable pain.
His aura, tempered through countless trials, was already extraordinary, and when he activated his ability, it grew even more formidable.
"Boom!"
Don suddenly clashed his fists together, the terrifying Nen-imbued fists colliding with an explosive sound.
Just as he intended to end this spar quickly by bulldozing through and defeating Marshadow in one go...
A pair of golden-yellow eyes abruptly appeared within his shadow, staring directly at him.
The next moment, Don shuddered violently, his pupils contracting to pinpricks as he desperately tried to counterattack.
But it was too late!
With full power, Marshadow suddenly leaped from the shadow, delivering a fierce flying kick towards Don.
The stance was identical to Marshadow's first move earlier.
Yet despite the same posture, the power behind it was entirely different.
This was Marshadow's full-powered [Spectral Thief].
Instantly, the glow of Nen around Don receded drastically, reverting to its previous state as he was forced into retreat.
His aura plummeted from its peak to the depths in an instant.
In stark contrast, Marshadow's aura surged dramatically, its presence growing even more intimidating.
Because [Spectral Thief] first steals the opponent's buff effects before determining the attack's outcome.
Thus...
All of Don's earlier efforts had merely paved the way for Marshadow's advantage.
Feeling the scorching wave of energy behind him like searing flames, Don's expression changed drastically as he frantically channeled his Nen to defend his back.
In that critical moment, Don pushed the advanced Nen technique [Flow] to its absolute limit.
If an average Nen master's [Flow] resembles rivers coursing through the landscape of their body,
Then Don's [Flow] was like an ocean—capable of directing vast amounts of Nen to precise locations almost instantly,
While simultaneously circulating massive quantities of aura to protect himself at crucial moments.
"BOOM!!"
Don's figure was completely engulfed in eerie light as a thunderous explosion erupted, sending dust swirling in all directions.
The onlookers stood frozen in shock, watching the scene unfold without daring to breathe.
A single thought echoed through all their minds—
Did that attack just kill him?!
---------
Read 40 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator