Master Craftsman of the Pokémon World Chapter 546 - 544

The second gahorn launched Torterra straight into the air. The brutal damage punched right through the defenses granted by Iron Defense, and Torterra crashed to the ground with a thunderous boom.

Compared to raw attacking power, the joyful buffalo still had the upper hand. And Sap Sipper had perfectly sealed off the offensive options of Hikaru's two Grass-type Pokémon.

But that did not an nothing could restrain it.

In the next instant, Riolu burst out of its Great Ball.

"Wuff!"

The little blue dog surged forward with overwhelming montum.

Terastallization, activate!

"Tera Fighting, Agile Power-Up Punch!"

It was the sa kind of move with less than 60 base power, but after Terastallizing, it was forcibly raised to 60, then doubled to 120!

And in an instant, it struck four tis.

A four-hit combo!

"Power-Up Punch raises the user's Attack by one stage every ti it lands!"

"By combining ancient combat techniques with the Terastal system, you can boost four stages all at once!"

Brilliant Tera crystal wrapped around the little blue dog, and its heavy punches rained down like a storm from the sky, slamming into Bouffalant and driving it into the ground under the force of the impact.

"Moo?!"

Even though the joyful buffalo had fortified itself like a fortress, buffs still had their limits. Riolu's Attack might not have been especially high on its own, but with Power-Up Punch and Terastallization stacked together, once it landed a critical hit...

Hikaru said, "A critical hit ignores stat changes that are unfavorable to the attacker!"

Bouffalant's Sap Sipper was ant to trap Grass-type Pokémon, but if the attacker was pure Fighting and had truly refined combat technique...

Then the Ability was completely useless.

"Hm! Bouffalant!" Alder stared at the scene, his expression turning fully serious, with not a trace of carelessness left.

In ecological terms, its fluffy coat could absorb a lot of damage.

But if the damage exceeded expectations, that was another matter entirely.

"Still..." Alder suddenly exhaled, and Bouffalant, which Riolu had nearly battered into fainting, suddenly snapped its eyes wide open.

"MOOOOOO!!!"

Alder said, "Have you heard of the move Rage?"

"If the user takes damage after using it, Rage causes its Attack to rise. And your Riolu is really incredible... it can attack four tis in an instant."

"What I an is, Bouffalant's Attack has also risen to the limit."

"So if it hangs on in that mont, there's only one move it can use!"

Bouffalant's aura exploded upward, like a final all-or-nothing counterattack before death.

And in truth, that was exactly what it was.

"Reversal!" Alder shouted.

The entire battlefield floor was ripped apart, tiles blasting outward in all directions as Bouffalant's last desperate attack charged toward the little blue dog.

Its horns glowed with a crimson, blood-red light.

And yet, Riolu's eyes flashed.

"Agile Vacuum Wave!"

One second, four breaks.

"Wuff!"

Riolu's拳 blasted out an aura shockwave, and the instant Bouffalant charged in, the heavy strike hit it squarely in the forehead.

The force of the impact split the airflow itself into two massive white waves.

In Alder's eyes was reflected Bouffalant's unyielding figure, still refusing to fall.

But...

"All things co to an end."

"A single instant of four consecutive attacks. It can hold through one. It can hold through two. But by the third and fourth, there will always co a point where it can't endure anymore."

"So that's how it is, Bouffalant. You did all you could. It was just a little short."

Riolu's actual fist never touched Bouffalant. It was the Vacuum Wave that fired out, and by the narrowest margin, it brought Bouffalant down.

The tension of the battle only intensified at that mont.

The little blue dog was sweating coldly too. It could feel just how astonishing the Pokémon of the old man before it truly were.

Even after taking four Vacuum Waves, Bouffalant had still not fallen imdiately. Even after losing the ability to fight, it was still frozen in a charging posture.

And if Riolu had taken a 6 Reversal head-on, defeat would have been certain.

Then Riolu saw Alder pull out his fifth Poké Ball.

Hikaru thought, in theory, that Poké Ball should have contained Escavalier.

However...

A crimson eagle appeared instead. With a posture like a Native chieftain, it symbolized the bravest of raptors.

"Braviary! Brave Bird!"

Alder had adjusted his roster. He had brought out the Braviary that originally only appeared in his Black 2 and White 2 team.

Hikaru said, "In theory he has twelve Poké Balls, nine is the common count, and eleven Pokémon have actually appeared in battle!"

Of course, every Champion had caught more than just six Pokémon, sotis even more than twelve. Their lineups changed with ti. Lance, for example, had enough Dragonite and Dragonair to build an entire team out of just those.

And Alder's roster had always been so Bug-heavy that making adjustnts like this was perfectly reasonable.

Riolu looked at the incoming Braviary. The fierce gale around it and that savage cry made even a Fighting-type Pokémon feel instinctive fear.

Flying was super effective against Fighting.

But the good news was that Normal/Flying Braviary did not resist Fighting either.

The little blue dog's eyes narrowed sharply.

Strong aura gathered around both fists, and then brilliant light erupted from its body.

No matter what enemy ca, it would strike them down.

All the power it had built up was unleashed in one burst.

Braviary ca crashing down with Brave Bird, but the little blue dog, glowing all over, t it head-on with a thunderous block, electricity flashing across its fists.

"Strong Thunder Punch!"

Braviary's eyes widened in shock as Riolu's body suddenly grew larger.

And that punch nearly looked strong enough to blow Braviary's blood and feathers apart.

"Evolution... Lucario!" Hikaru shouted.

"Grab Braviary's talons! Hit its chest with Agile Vacuum Wave!"

After evolving, Lucario looked even more handso and fierce.

The big dog's steel-hard claws slamd against Braviary's body.

One, two, three, four.

It happened in an instant.

Aura blasts like artillery shells struck four tis in succession, punching straight through Braviary's chest.

The Vacuum Wave roared like an explosive barrage, as if it could rattle the target's organs to pieces.

[Lucario learned "Bone Rush"!]

[Lucario learned "Water Pulse"!]

[Lucario learned "Final Gambit"!]

"Seriously, what kind of battle style is this, using four moves in an instant? Incredible!" Alder was staring, nearly dumbfounded. The Terastallized state fascinated him, and Riolu - no, Lucario's battle style was even more unlike anything he had ever seen.

At first glance it was dazzling.

Now the longer he watched, the stronger it seed.

Hikaru said, "Mr. Alder, in the distant inheritance of your ancestors, Strong Style and Agile Style were long forgotten. But now, through the combination of different battle systems, the power unleashed by restoring those ancient techniques is beyond imagination!"

Braviary's HP bar was not especially thick.

And yet this one also held on.

It was not a Berry. It had used Endure.

No matter how violent the attack, it could survive for one turn. As long as ti had not passed, as long as the breath of Endure remained.

Alder said, "Amazing. Truly amazing! But as long as there's still one breath left, no matter what kind of move it is, you can endure it and wait for the chance to turn the battle around."

"Sky Drop!"

Lucario was abruptly seized and lost control of its own body.

On the first turn, the target was carried high into the air. On the second, it would be slamd down for damage. While carried aloft, the target could not move.

Braviary was one of the few Pokémon that could naturally learn this move.

Like a planetary throw, it hauled Lucario high into the air and then hurled it downward.

Just as it was about to smash into the ground, fierce lightning erupted from Lucario's body. Thunderlight flashed, and Magnet Rise activated again.

"Oh! It's flying! That's really interesting!" Alder was visibly surprised to see Lucario floating in midair.

Marshal might have ntioned this before.

But seeing it with his own eyes still felt unbelievable.

Taking advantage of that gap, Alder looked at Braviary. Feathers swirled around it as it entered Roost status.

Landing on the ground restored its HP, and at the sa ti...

"In Roost status, it loses its Flying type! Right now it's beco pure Normal!"

Hikaru gave the order imdiately.

"Perfect chance. Agile Vacuum Wave!"

The four-hit Vacuum Wave had proven itself again and again. Once a priority move reached truly absurd power, it could brute-force even bad matchups, not to ntion when the opponent had just opened a weakness.

Aura surged around Lucario's fists once more.

Four cannon-like Vacuum Wave blasts, dragging shrill sonic booms behind them, shot straight at Braviary.

Braviary calmly watched the four Vacuum Waves rushing toward it.

Then its body suddenly burst into radiant light.

"The item I gave Braviary was... Power Herb." Alder answered, as if he had already foreseen the outco.

"The wind has already begun to blow. The wind of victory."

"When it landed, did you feel it? The mont Braviary beat its wings?"

A violent cyclone suddenly tore through the battlefield. In the next mont, a fierce sacred strike slamd directly into Lucario.

Maximum power, instant Sky Attack.

Boom!

Crack... crack!

Lucario's fists had beco as hard as steel, but Braviary's ultimate blow made those iron-hard bones creak and scream.

Hikaru said, "In Tera Fighting form, Lucario loses the Steel typing that resists Flying. But even so, its Steel-type moves still get STAB. That's the incredible part of Terastallization!"

"That last move was... teor Mash!"

A brutal Steel-type technique that hit like a blazing cot and could defeat an opponent in one strike.

As Braviary finally fell, Alder closed his eyes for a long mont, then burst into booming laughter.

He was in a wonderful mood.

"What a heart-pounding battle! I can feel the joy in every one of my Pokémon! Too close to call, too close to call!"

"Braviary! Lend your will!"

"Let this joy be carried to the world! Like a gospel!"

Unmatched, overwhelming flas suddenly engulfed the entire Champion's chamber. The air turned scorching in an instant, and Alder's Volcarona descended into the room like a seraph, blazing with light.

Looking back, it was like seeing a sun floating before him.

"In ancient tis, it was called the god of fire. It was my first partner, and it's been with ever since it was just a Larvesta."

"It's proud, brave, and kind. It chased strength with like a fool. If not for you, its soul surely would never have found peace, and I would surely have been left in sorrow."

"So this power is my thanks to you. Volcarona is thanking you as well. Now then, let's go all out!"

"You noticed that gale just now, didn't you?"

Alder's Volcarona was monstrously strong, especially this original partner that had grown up alongside him. Its firepower scorched the whole Champion's chamber until it felt like it had beco a sea of flas.

Scales of fire. In battle, it scattered burning scales everywhere from its six wings, turning the surroundings into an inferno.

Then Volcarona began to beat its wings.

That was Quiver Dance.

A graceful, mystical, beautiful dance that raised Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed.

Once, twice, three tis.

Alder's Volcarona had only spun through the air three circles, but its power had already skyrocketed.

"It's that fast... the gale is Tailwind!" Hikaru realized. The violent wind sweeping across the whole battlefield was Tailwind, the move Braviary had used when it landed. It doubled the Speed of all Pokémon on Alder's side.

Lucario looked around sharply, then gathered aura.

"Vacuum Wave!"

The barrage of aura blasted the rising flas apart, and Hikaru suddenly realized sothing astonishing.

Volcarona hurled out a Big Fire Blast with unimaginable force.

Lucario fired back with aura, shattering the Fire Blast in one shot.

And yet the flas kept rising, boiling higher and higher.

"This is a Sea of Fire!"

That was right. Just as Chi-Yu's lore described, Volcarona could freely scatter scales to create a world of fla. In ancient tis, people had feared it as the wrath of the sun.

His own little bug had not yet tried anything like this.

But could this also be the Sea of Fire effect caused by a pledge move? If so, then Volcarona and Chi-Yu really were the sa type of creature after all.

Because of Terastallization, Lucario's typing had changed, so it was not actually weak to Fire.

But Alder's Volcarona's stats were simply too high.

This Volcarona... sothing was off. It was even more absurd than his own partner.

Lucario staggered. The blazing heat was beginning to shake even its spirit. Then it suddenly realized sothing and looked down at its own arm.

Alder said, "Fire Spin. It traps your Pokémon in raging flas. Of course, not only does it take damage while trapped, but besides that..."

"My Volcarona's flas will make you unable to move."

"This is all of my respect and joy!"

Within the world of fire, serpent-like phantoms of fla coiled around Lucario. Its Vacuum Wave could not blast away the burning coils, and it beca trapped inside the Fire Spin.

Blue ripples gathered in Lucario's hands.

Water Pulse!

But the Water-type move had only just fired before the scorching flas evaporated it completely.

"It's harsh sunlight right now. Water-type moves are reduced to half power. Water Pulse is useless... and the status is Helpless!"

Hikaru abruptly understood what he was seeing.

It was similar. Very, very similar.

This was a field move.

Not the standard terrains, but sothing just like the field destruction techniques he had once trained Ting-Lu and Torterra to use.

"The Ranger battle style. Burn level 4. A Pokémon surrounded by that much fire falls into the Helpless state! In that state, the Pokémon cannot move!"

There had once been rumors that Generation V was supposed to get another Pokémon Ranger ga, but for unknown reasons it had been canceled.

And Alder, with his Native Arican motif, lived and acted almost exactly like a Ranger. The longer one stayed in contact with nature, the more one could understand field moves and use different types to inflict extra abnormal conditions.

This was not a standard status condition.

In Ranger, many field effects and Pokémon assists were derived from moves in the mainline series. Ground effects ca from Earthquake, Steel effects from Flash Cannon, Dragon effects from Draco teor, and so on.

Lucario's body could no longer move. Volcarona's light looked as though it might illuminate the entire world.

The angel of fire, in a pose of gratitude, unleashed a massive inferno.

"Switch!"

In the Helpless state, Lucario could not even use Extre Speed. If it stayed there and kept taking Alder's Volcarona's attacks, defeat was inevitable.

And Tailwind was still up, which ant Volcarona's Speed had climbed above 200.

Looking at Lucario, wrapped in flas and bracing itself with one hand against the ground, Hikaru imdiately recalled it.

"Take a short rest, Lucario."

Lucario panted hard.

Battle breakthroughs: two.

The astonishing old man really was astonishing.

"Wuff!"

But it was not over yet.

Lucario turned its head, and pink light rose in its hand.

"Heal Pulse!"

It used Heal Pulse on itself. Theoretically, that move was only supposed to be used on others, but soone had done exactly this in the ani before. After all, it was still just a pulse.

If self-healing worked, then it could be bundled together with Heal Bell and Recover for the full deluxe package.

Lucario nodded at Hikaru.

Even if its HP was restored to full, it still could not defeat that Volcarona.

So there was only one move left to use.

Unable to move?

Not necessarily.

"I understand..." Hikaru grasped Lucario's intention. Looking at the extrely fast Volcarona, he hesitated not at all.

Foresight.

Lucario's eyes glowed, seeing through Volcarona's true body.

Then the light in its eyes focused even further.

"Mind Reader!"

"It locks onto the target's position. The next attack will absolutely hit!"

"Foresight is the Baton Pass we hand over to the next teammate. Mind Reader is our final strike!"

"Trapped in the flas..." Hikaru raised one finger in front of him. On Alder's deeply surprised face appeared the first signs of real shock as Hikaru used the forbidden finishing move Lucario had just learned.

"Until the end of life!"

"Use Final Gambit!"

Lucario turned its own life into a fla of the soul, just like the battle animations from Scarlet and Violet - a blazing gray-white spiritual fire.

Offer up this burning soul to the life that sleeps.

Volcarona tried to evade the Final Gambit, but under Mind Reader, this move could not miss.

Lucario: 70 HP.

Volcarona: 85 HP.

The user consud all remaining HP, fainted, and dealt damage equal to the HP it had lost.

"U... rr!"

Even with a level gap of around ten or more, the move still nearly brought Volcarona down in one blow.

Lucario looked at the wavering god of fire with a solemn expression, then turned toward Hikaru.

Rember this failure and this pain.

It will be used well next ti.

That was true.

Just let learn Stone Edge next ti.

Then I'll show you a rock-type finisher that never misses.

"Parting is sad, of course..."

"From here on, it's up to you all!"

Lucario's aura carried that emotion. Even if Volcarona had recovery moves, that Final Gambit had already drastically weakened it.

In Pokémon battles, it was not only about HP. Stamina mattered too.

The big blue dog turned into red light and returned to its Poké Ball, adjusting its condition.

Alder watched Volcarona after it had been struck by Final Gambit. He remained silent for quite a while, and his gaze seed to waver.

A strike that abandoned one's own life, offering that life to a sleeping soul.

So that was it.

Alder felt sothing. He had already faced life and death once before. Death was terrifying, and life was magnificent.

But he also knew what had happened at Celestial Tower. So even if one died, there could still be reunion.

"Hah!"

The astonishing old man steadied himself again.

"The battle state is now two against two, but the advantage is yours!"

"Still, Grass-types fear fire. And Steel-types, unless blessed by the gods, do too."

"My Accelgor doesn't have much HP left... but Recover is still usable."

Alder said with genuine feeling, "Just what kind of person are you?"

Hikaru said nothing. He closed his eyes.

Then he sent out Aegislash.

Aegislash returned to the field, and this ti it began in its King form. Golden lightning wrapped around its body. Its size increased, and it entered an even more ferocious state.

Alder's spirits rose too.

"So it's finally here, the King among Pokémon!"

He looked genuinely excited. Volcarona was the sa, flapping scales and wings as the surrounding flas surged higher and higher. But because Aegislash carried a blessing from the gods, the fire had little effect on it.

Aegislash even swung its blade through the flas itself.

The fire had been lit, yet the king's shadow was nowhere to be seen.

The encirclent had begun.

A chance encounter with the astonishing old man. Defeat him with everything on the line.

"Head Smash!"

There was nothing more to say. A Rock-type nuke right from the start. Volcarona was four tis weak to Rock. If it got hit even once, it would go down imdiately.

Even if Alder's Volcarona was far above level 80, it would not matter.

This was not the ga's inheritor Volcarona. But even that inheritor had been level 77, absurdly high already. So the strength of the original Volcarona that never died was impossible to asure.

Aegislash charged forward through the fire. Ordinary flas ant nothing to it. Its massive shield swung, shining with intense Rock-type light.

Even field moves could not inflict Helpless on it.

Yet Alder closed his eyes once more.

"Hidden Power!"

Back in older battle tas, before Hidden Power beca effectively exclusive to Unown, countless players taught it to their Pokémon.

They did it to patch movepool gaps. Because Hidden Power's type could vary, it was very easy to use Special Attack investnt to catch the very Pokémon ant to counter you.

Just like now.

This had once been the kind of old-generation move that could reverse everything and steal back a match.

Lightning gathered before Volcarona.

Hidden Power Electric.

Alder said, "Water and Electric attacks can hit that King effectively. In Blade form, it can unleash power that ordinary Pokémon can't interrupt, but actual lightning still deals trendous damage."

"The power of thunder cannot be underestimated. The legendary fla and lightning that once destroyed Unova are the very forces this land feared."

As Alder spoke calmly, Aegislash clearly had not expected to take a lightning strike. Electricity crackled over the great blade.

But in the next instant...

The turning point arrived.

"Split the lightning!"

"The battlefield has changed! Under Volcarona's influence, the surroundings have beco a sea of fire. Stance Change: Volcano!"

"Use Secret Power!"

Natural force ignited across Aegislash's body.

This natural fla beca a barrier, one that did not fear lightning. And this fire was not ordinary fire either.

It still took damage... but it could endure it!

"Falling thunder from the heavens turned into power across ten Pokémon. That is the strength of the original kings!"

The fierce flas were absorbed by Volcarona.

But in that sa instant, sothing on its body was burned away.

"In Volcano terrain, Secret Power becos Incinerate. Of course, its base power stays the sa. That's the difference between it and Nature Power. If the target is holding a Berry or Gem, the item is burned away. That kind of held item can no longer function!"

"Volcarona is four tis weak to Rock. So of course the held item it brought was... Charti Berry!"

Aegislash's great blade swung forward violently.

Alder reacted at once. "The Berry burned up! Volcarona, use Morning Sun! Recover a large amount of HP under the harsh sunlight!"

"And then use that!"

Under Alder's command, Volcarona bathed in both sunlight and fla, restoring a large amount of HP. After that, countless fiery feathers drifted down around it.

Its second recovery move besides Morning Sun: Roost.

Normally Volcarona could not learn Roost.

However, through the Black 2 and White 2 tutor system, it could.

Roost that did not strip Flying type.

Roost that did not even require landing.

Volcarona would not lose a Flying typing anyway, because Volcarona was not Flying-type to begin with.

Alder said, "At this kind of extre Speed, how are you going to catch Volcarona?!"

Hikaru answered imdiately.

"My answer is... Block!"

He had Aegislash use Block again, preventing Volcarona from escaping.

The great blade shot upward. Aegislash used telekinesis to control its shield, entering a completely unguarded Blade form. The sword began spinning wildly, and the shield spun just as violently.

It discarded defense entirely and charged in recklessly.

"This move... it looks so slow, but once it starts spinning, the force is incredible!" Alder stared at the rotating sword-and-shield slash with undiminished astonishnt.

It was fascinating.

This battle had shown him so many things he had never seen before.

Hikaru said, "The body spins at high speed and crashes into the opponent. The slower you are compared to the target, the more power it gains. It's also affected by paralysis, Iron Ball, stat changes, Unburden, Tailwind, and similar effects!"

"The move is called Gyro Ball!"

"Volcarona is still under Foresight! A Pokémon under Foresight cannot benefit from raised evasion. In other words, if you can't dodge... it looks like this!"

Aegislash's coordinated assault left Volcarona caught from both front and back.

Then Aegislash created a shadow with its shield.

Shadow Sneak.

In the next instant, the spinning great blade transford into a rigid drill that seed to pierce the heavens.

Gyro Ball landed.

"It resists Steel twice over. Even with absurd power, it still won't go down that easily!"

Alder raised a hand and looked at Volcarona, which was still blazing fiercely. Volcarona beat its wings, and a tough mbrane ford over its body. It was a technique it had known ever since its Larvesta days, a move even weak insects could use.

"Harden. Ah... that takes back to my youth. Young man, legendary artisan, my life has already beco a candle in the wind. How much of yours remains?"

Hikaru said, "The undefeated god of fla, ruler of fire, light, and wind!"

Alder answered, "Your endless fighting spirit is astonishing! To battle the King itself is truly an honor!"

"The light of the sun and the light of fire have set this whole field ablaze, and because of that there are no shadows. The range Shadow Sneak can reach is limited now. No matter what, it can't strike my Volcarona."

"Co then! Let see your final gospel! What is it you wish to say to , and what are the words of gratitude your Pokémon wish to convey? Along with your power!"

Volcarona stood like an unbreakable angel. Without a Rock-type finisher, it was impossible to knock it down in one hit. Even a Steel spin strike landing critically had still not taken it out.

And because Aegislash had made contact with Volcarona, it was now afflicted with burn.

"Burn. Physical damage halved. An incredibly nasty status."

Then in the very next mont...

"Hidden Power Electric!"

Brilliant lightning crashed down once more onto Aegislash like thunder beneath clear skies.

And Aegislash raised its heavy shield. Intense silver light locked onto Volcarona's position.

"Again, Morning Sun-"

Before Alder could finish speaking, he saw Aegislash make a humble bowing gesture toward Volcarona.

The aning of the motion was unclear, and Alder instantly raised his alertness to the highest level.

Then fierce silver light blasted out like an alien beam, erasing huge sections of the columns as it thundered into Volcarona.

"Steel Beam!"

Hikaru said, "My Aegislash used After You!"

"How could Morning Sun and Roost be used together? So right before the previous move could be followed up, using After You to cut into the sequence was perfect."

After You supported either ally or foe by forcing their action to occur imdiately after the user's move.

Alder had never imagined a move could be used like this.

"Hm! None of the challengers or Trainers I've faced have ever used that move in such an ingenious way! Yes, ingenious!"

"Sliding into the tiniest gap... so that's your answer! It fills with joy!"

Alder swept out his cloak.

"My old partner and I are going to unleash every last bit of power we have!"

"Special Defense raised four stages, and it resists Steel twice over, but this is still the strongest ranged move my Pokémon has. Of course, the move effect still remains!"

"Once more, After You!"

Volcarona used Roost, and Aegislash moved right after it.

Air Slash.

The bleak north wind howled fiercely. Even with Special Defense raised four stages, Volcarona still had to struggle when facing a move of a type that checked it. Power gathered into intense flas around Volcarona, and a devastating Overheat smashed into Aegislash.

Its own offensive power fell after the move.

And that was exactly what Aegislash had been waiting for.

Alder said, "Both sides have been driven into a corner now. Next cos the question of who collapses first, and who loses first. We've entered the final deciding ga."

"Hm. Your talent is still continuing to shine... but even so, this is already an extraordinary battle. You and your Pokémon both are!"

Alder ant every word. He had been the one to invite Hikaru to challenge the League. To bring out everything in the final fight was the proper respect due to a challenger.

"But I'm in danger too. A little more and I could have failed. Undefeated victory isn't sothing easily maintained..."

"It's not over yet. I'm not at my limit yet, Mr. Alder."

Hikaru suddenly interrupted Alder's reflection.

"You and I both still have two Pokémon left."

"Even though Aegislash, stuck in Blade form and unable to switch stances in ti, got outsped and struck by lightning and is now like a dying candle in the wind... your Volcarona has also suffered massive damage."

Alder said, "Hm. Those are all factors from just now, yes. But what exactly are you trying to say?"

Hikaru answered, "I an that even though the odds of failure were high, I had already expected that. I even anticipated the possibility that all of my Pokémon might be defeated."

"But there is one situation where even when all your Pokémon are down, you can keep fighting. In other words, my Pokémon have two lives."

"And right now we're still nowhere near a full wipe. But now is the ti to use it!"

"I want all of them to enter that hall of history in perfect condition! Aegislash, it's ti to use the precious item!"

Alder's pupils contracted sharply. Both his hands spread in alarm.

At that mont, Aegislash was already reaching into its shield and pulling sothing out.

Hidden Power Fire.

As Aegislash burned itself with fla, Alder looked stunned.

"Self-immolation? Why? No... you're not afraid of fire."

"Here," Aegislash replied simply to Alder's confusion, holding out the thing it had prepared long ago.

Alder frowned.

"This is... ash?"

Hikaru said, "When ashes co in pairs, the fire rises."

"At the final mont, Caitlin once said that to ... that I had to rely on my own strength, so I needed to make perfect preparations."

"Right now, it's two against two. Maybe you'll win, maybe I'll win. But no matter what, you have to be ready."

"The reason I had Aegislash carry it is because only Aegislash could successfully use this item. With King's Shield, overwhelming defenses, and a god-blessed form, Aegislash will not fall easily no matter how many attacks it takes."

"My Pokémon and I weren't born together, and we didn't grow up together either. But we are still very happy, and we will keep being happy."

"All stories have endings, but now is not the ti for this one to end!"

"Do you know the Legendary Pokémon Ho-Oh?"

"In Johto legend, one hundred and fifty years ago, the Bell Tower in Ecruteak City caught fire. Three naless Pokémon died in the flas. After the fire burned for three days and three nights, Ho-Oh appeared in the sky above the tower and used sacred power to revive the three fallen Pokémon!"

"The lightning that split the tower, the fire that burned it, and the rain that extinguished it. Ho-Oh gave those three powers to the three resurrected Pokémon, and they beca Raikou, Entei, and Suicune!"

"Afterward, Ho-Oh left behind sothing in the tower... a force that grants life, born from Sacred Fire. And the ash burned by Sacred Fire ca to be known as..."

"Sacred Ash!"

Back in Generation II, Sacred Ash had first appeared...

As a battle item.

In other words, in its earliest appearance, Sacred Ash could be used during battle. And the effect of that great power from Ho-Oh was simple and brutally direct.

"Use Sacred Ash! The way to use it is to burn it with fire!"

"At the sa ti, it also symbolizes the lives and will of those companions who never got to battle. All of that is gathered within the ashes!"

Before Alder's utterly shaken eyes, the Sacred Ash in the flas began to shine with seven-colored light.

This was the discount version of Sacred Ash made by Armarouge and Entei, but it still had the sa effect as the real Sacred Ash made by Ho-Oh.

Hikaru said, "Sacred Ash can be used in or out of battle to fully restore the life and stamina of all accompanying Pokémon and heal all of their status conditions!"

"Now then... this is round two!"

Phase two.

As rainbow fire suddenly spread outward, all six Poké Balls restored their Pokémon to full health, and Hikaru withdrew Aegislash, which had already fought a brutal battle.

Then he sent out Volcarona.

"The sun rises as always!"

Hikaru said, "I hadn't originally planned to do a Volcarona mirror match, but my little bug got one-shot by Sheer Cold, and it's very unhappy."

"So I'd like to show you the dangerous power you sensed in it."

"Use Tail Glow!"

His Volcarona's eyes flashed twice in succession.

Tail Glow, two stages.

Special Attack 6 in an instant.

It had surpassed Alder's Volcarona imdiately.

"Ohhh! My intuition wasn't wrong at all! A single move capable of defeating my fire god in one blow. So that's the technique!"

"And there's even an item like that. You really are... hahaha! Just what I'd expect from the legendary artisan of items!"

Far from alard, Alder was delighted. Looking at the enormous power exploding out of Hikaru's Volcarona, he imdiately gave his own command.

"So the one who was cornered wasn't you. It was !"

"Magnificent. Absolutely magnificent! Truly peerless!"

"Then let the final blow decide it!"

Both Volcarona used their moves at the sa ti and leaped into a dazzling, terrifying dance of light.

"Fiery Dance!"

A civil war between the sun god and the fire god. A Volcarona from 3,000 years ago against a Volcarona from 3,000 years later, each making its final stand.

In the explosion of fla, both Volcarona fell into the sea of fire at once.

Alder stared at the sight in shock.

Then he opened his final Poké Ball.

His original Accelgor, his original speed attacker.

Seeing Hikaru's agile Lilligant opposite him, Alder drew a deep breath.

Even now, never use Final Gambit.

That was Alder's way of life.

Life was magnificent beyond words.

"Let's settle this!"

Accelgor's Speed rose sharply.

Then rose again.

And rose again.

Agility, Agility, Agility.

And then...

"Mind Reader!"

Accelgor locked onto Lilligant.

A Pokémon that had been locked onto could not avoid the next hit.

The supre secret art of Unova, the eye of the heart.

Alder had mastered it too.

Against an opponent that fast, Lilligant simply could not outrun Accelgor no matter what. Even using Psych Up would not change that.

So there was only one answer left.

Lilligant used Spotlight.

Accelgor's motion abruptly faltered.

Once again.

If you pride yourself on the supre art of Mind Reader, then keep looking at us.

"Lilli."

She had trained with many Fighting-type Pokémon.

She knew the startup tell of Mind Reader better than anyone.

Your move will absolutely hit .

Maybe it will even defeat in one shot.

But right now...

"Seal that supre secret art away!"

"Acrobatics!"

The storm beca a vicious slicing current of wind.

The dance of the wind rose above Accelgor, and with Lilligant's movents, wind and rain suddenly swept across the battlefield.

Rain Dance.

And then she summoned the Hurricane from her holand.

The storm snuffed out the flas, the breeze carried away the heat, and after the rain ca clear skies. Even the two Volcarona, fallen in battle, seed to regard each other with newfound respect.

And all that remained was...

"The sky cleared."

Alder looked at the ruined hall, montarily dazed.

[Alder has no Pokémon left that can fight!]

On Hikaru's side, five Poké Balls opened, and five fully restored Pokémon cried out in celebration of victory.

Alder muttered softly, feeling sothing strange stir in his heart.

"When ashes co in pairs, the fire rises."

"Trainers work tirelessly every day to climb to the Champion's throne, the symbol of ultimate strength."

"But Champion is only a road one must pass through. It is not the destination."

"The journey of walking beside Pokémon is not only profound, it is endless! There are still so many worlds I do not know!"

Hikaru let out a long breath as well.

"Thank you for the match... I had been waiting for this mont all along. In any case, I still managed to bring it out."

"Fire has accompanied Unova throughout its history. The sun-flas of the ancient city three thousand years ago. The lightning and fire of the Black and White dragons twenty-five hundred years ago. The great fire in the Moor of Icirrus one thousand years ago. Different flas brought different results. And because you too are a user of fire... I thought using Sacred Ash might be necessary."

"When the fire has burned everything away, the ashes that remain can give rise to new life."

The astonishing old man scratched his head, full of emotion.

"Well done! This was the victory of you and your partners!"

"Life is so magnificent and so fleeting. You gave my Volcarona new life, and then used that sa power to defeat ... After the battle ended, a refreshing breeze passed through my heart."

"So then, co with ! Let us head for the Hall of Fa!"

(End of Chapter)

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