"Espeon, use Psychic!" Sabrina commanded.
Espeon's eyes flared wide, releasing a purple glow that radiated with majestic power.
In that instant, Machoke felt as if he had been struck head-on by a speeding truck. His body was hurled backwards, crashing hard to the ground—completely unable to continue battling.
That Espeon's level was far too high—Lord-tier at its initial stage. A single move was enough to one-shot Machoke.
From their previous battle, Sabrina had already noticed Machoke's Berserk talent. Against Pokémon with such overwhelming traits, brute force was the best solution.
Sabrina was indeed unconventional. She sent out a Lord-tier Pokémon right away—something ordinary challengers could never withstand.
Thus, many Trainers who challenged the Saffron Gym ended in failure… reduced to nothing more than dolls in Sabrina's collection.
"Come back, Machoke." Yozora recalled his fallen Pokémon, then tossed out another ball. "Charmeleon, you're up!"
A blazing roar split the air.
"A Lord-tier Charmeleon… impressive," Sabrina admitted with a nod. "For someone your age, raising a Pokémon to this level is quite remarkable."
Sensing the powerful aura radiating from Charmeleon, she smiled faintly. "But tell me—does it truly stand a chance against my Espeon? Espeon, Psychic again!"
Another Psychic!
Unlike most Psychic-type techniques, Psychic was formless and intangible, yet undeniably real—a transparent strike carrying immense destructive force.
Yozora only chuckled. "Formless, but hardly invisible to me."
Within his Aura field, he could clearly "see" Espeon channeling energy through its eyes, a concentrated beam surging straight toward Charmeleon.
Linked by their bond, Charmeleon sensed it as well. With a swift sidestep, it evaded the unseen force.
BOOM!
The ground where Charmeleon had been standing exploded as though struck by a bomb, leaving a charred crater with smoke curling upward.
That was the true power of Psychic—unseen, yet devastating.
Machoke had sensed it too, through his bond with Yozora. But instead of dodging, he had taken it head-on… and paid the price.
Charmeleon, however, was far more agile. The instant it dodged, Yozora shouted, "Charge in—use Flame Charge!"
Charmeleon roared, its body igniting as it became a blazing fireball. In the blink of an eye, it slammed full-force into Espeon.
The fiery explosion sent Espeon shrieking as its body was thrown back.
"Keep the pressure on—Dragon Claw!" Yozora followed up without hesitation.
With a sharp shing!, draconic energy surged. Charmeleon's claws swelled to three times their size, glowing a fierce emerald green.
Those claws were now condensed dragon power, sharpened into lethal blades.
BAM! BAM!
Charmeleon struck twice in rapid succession, both claws raking deep across Espeon's body. Then, with a swift pivot, it lashed out with its tail—imbued with draconic force—smashing Espeon into the ground.
Espeon lay battered, glaring defiantly at Charmeleon. It tried to rise, trembling… but collapsed after two futile struggles. Its eyes swirled into unconscious spirals.
"Return, Espeon."
Sabrina recalled her fallen Pokémon, her gaze lingering deeply on Yozora.
That boy… could he actually see Psychic?
According to her knowledge, only Psychics, Psychic-type Pokémon, or Aura Guardians could perceive Psychic energy.
There was another possibility—the martial arts state of Mind's Eye. But that level was beyond ordinary people or Pokémon. She dismissed it.
Which means… either this boy is a Psychic himself, or he wields Aura. And on top of that, he shares a mental bond with his Charmeleon…
Her eyes gleamed. A genius of this caliber was rare enough to impress even her.
"How interesting. Let's see just how much strength you're hiding…"
A crooked smile tugged her lips as she drew a Luxury Ball from her belt, enlarged it, and tossed it forward.
"Come out, Alakazam!"
With a flash of light, an Alakazam emerged.
The evolved form of Kadabra, Alakazam stood upright in humanoid form, resembling a cunning, aged fox. Its psychic presence was immeasurably stronger than its pre-evolution, commanding great weight among Psychic-type Pokémon.
As the Gym Leader of Saffron, and one of Team Rocket's three highest commanders, Sabrina's power was terrifying—Elite Four level.
No—her strength wasn't that of a typical Elite. Among the Elite Four, she would rank near the very top.
And as a specialist in Psychic-types, her team was far from ordinary.
Naturally, she owned more than one Alakazam.
But this one—released from a Luxury Ball—was clearly exceptional. Its very aura screamed untapped potential.
[Alakazam] (Psychic): Lord-tier Peak, Elite Four potential.
"A Lord-tier peak Alakazam… with the potential of an Elite Four." Yozora's expression darkened as he read its stats.
Sabrina was indeed extraordinary, unlike any other Gym Leader.
To field such overwhelming power in a Gym battle… how many Trainers could possibly overcome it?
What's worse, unlike Kadabra, Alakazam held two spoons in its hands.
Yozora's Aura senses picked them out immediately. Both were Twisted Spoons.
Unbelievable.
Two held items, both amplifying psychic power. One Twisted Spoon raised Psychic strength by 50%. Two meant doubling its power outright.
Its abilities were effectively multiplied twofold.
Though still "only" Lord-tier peak, this Alakazam's destructive force rivaled that of a Gym Leader-level Pokémon.
If Sabrina pulled this kind of stunt at a League Conference, the referees would issue an instant yellow-card penalty.
But here, in the Saffron Gym, no such rules seemed to apply.
In fact… this Gym didn't even have a referee.
The pressure bore down heavily on Yozora.
If he used Beedrill, the battle would be far easier. But he didn't want to reveal Beedrill—not against an opponent as special as Sabrina.
That left only Charmeleon and Gengar. Both still stood a chance, but against an Alakazam like this, the fight would be brutal.
"Go, Charmeleon—Flamethrower!" Yozora shouted.
"Alakazam, Protect!" Sabrina countered instantly.
…
…
(End of Chapter)