Pokémon: Breeding Simulator Chapter 178 178: Pokémon: Breeding Simulator [178]

Elias hadn't expected to stumble upon a second Plate so easily.

And it just so happened to be a Fighting-type one.

From what he knew about the Plates, they enhanced the power of Pokémon of the corresponding type.

Before handing this Plate over to Regigigas, maybe he could let Lucario use it to boost his strength a little first.

"What about the Champion's prize?" he asked, after handing the Plate back to the clan chief.

"Oh, the Champion?"

"Gold coins, gold nuggets, a supply of food, and… a relic shard said to have been left behind by the great deity of Sinnoh."

The old chief, seeing Elias's interest, didn't hesitate to lay it all out.

Elias rubbed his temples.

That completely flips what Cynthia and I want.

"Thanks, old man."

With a polite nod of thanks, Elias turned and made his way toward the battlefield, Lucario at his side.

No big deal. He could always trade the Champion's prize with Cynthia afterward.

There was no way she could resist the mystery of a relic shard.

One way or another, he was going to win that title.

---

[Right on ti, Elias stepped onto the battlefield platform.]

[This being the final round, both clan leaders were serving as referees—a rare sight.]

[Cynthia stood opposite him, Garchomp by her side.]

Though the stage was rustic and primitive in construction, Cynthia's excitent was anything but dulled.

It had been years since a battle had made her feel this genuinely fired up.

With a flick of her wrist, she signaled Garchomp forward.

"Raaaar—!"

The deep growl rumbled from its throat, the pressure in its breath rippling across the battlefield.

Lucario, already in place, had flas of battle burning in his eyes.

This was the kind of opponent he craved. Compared to that Eevee from earlier, this was the real deal—the kind of fight worthy of his ti.

With both sides ready, the crowd erupted in cheers.

Even more notably, the Pearl and Diamond Clans had, for once, united—in mutual speculation over who would co out on top.

In the stands, Volo stood at a vantage point, looking down at Elias.

He had originally entered the tournant himself, intending to use the matches to better gauge Elias's true power.

But yesterday, he'd received astonishing news—

—The Pearl and Diamond Clans had found a Fighting-type Plate on the beach and were planning to offer it as a prize.

Two Plates, appearing so close together.

Wang Luo almost wondered if he was dreaming.

Taking a deep breath, he gave Elias one last lingering glance, then turned and left the arena.

He was going to take both Plates.

Fortunately, just the day before, with help from his Spiritomb, he had uncovered one of Elias's secrets.

If used well, getting Elias away from the protection of his clan wouldn't be difficult.

And with that thought, Volo couldn't help but smile.

On the battlefield, Elias instinctively frowned.

He had just felt a very unfriendly gaze directed his way.

But when he looked up, he couldn't pinpoint anyone suspicious in the crowd.

A mistake?

He didn't think so.

Still, now wasn't the ti to dwell on it.

With Lucario and Garchomp both in place, the Pearl Clan chief raised his flag.

"Both Trainers, take your positions."

At his cue, the Diamond Clan chief raised his own flag.

"Lucario versus Garchomp—the final match begins now!"

"Garchomp, use [Dragon Claw]!"

Cynthia was the first to act.

Few Pokémon would dare to challenge a Lucario in close combat—but Cynthia wasn't giving commands on a whim.

Their years of training had created perfect synchronization.

Before charging in, Garchomp whipped its tail behind it, casting [Sand Tomb] in one sweeping motion.

Instantly, swirling sand kicked up around Lucario, and the ground beneath his feet softened into a pit of shifting sand.

His mobility—sealed off.

Boom—

Flying low, Garchomp glided around the trap zone, closing in on Lucario with impeccable speed.

Glowing green claws extended from its arms—[Dragon Claw] activated.

Lucario raised his bone staff just in ti to block the incoming slash.

Crash!

Using the impact's force, Lucario propelled himself out of the sand pit in a clean backward arc.

"Lucario, [Aura Sphere]!"

Seeing an opening, Elias gave the next command.

While retreating midair, Lucario charged two—no, three—[Aura Spheres] in quick succession, then spun with a sweeping strike, hurling them all forward at once.

They tore through the air, forming a blazing trajectory toward Garchomp.

But for a Ground-type like Garchomp, evading those was child's play.

With a swift movent, it burrowed into the earth and vanished underground, completely dodging the attack.

Lucario tensed. Annoying.

As a Ground-type, Garchomp had too many ways to bypass his moves.

Taking it down was clearly going to be difficult.

"Lucario—[Earthquake]!"

Without hesitation, Elias shifted tactics.

Lucario slamd his bone staff into the ground with a powerful swing.

But in the sa mont, the earth beneath him also shifted—suddenly loose, unstable.

Scorching-hot sand erupted from all directions, surging toward him.

[Scorching Sands].

Ssshh—!

The searing hiss echoed as steam rose from the air. Lucario frantically swept his staff to block the heated sand from hitting his body.

But it also ant he had to cancel the [Earthquake] entirely.

Boom!

Right then, Garchomp burst up from the ground again.

Its expression twisted into sothing almost smug, filled with brutal glee.

When it ca to battle experience, Lucario couldn't compare to soone like Garchomp—an old warhorse who'd fought countless tournants.

"Elias, go [ga]."

Lucario's voice was tight with restrained anger.

As soon as the words left his mouth, a brilliant, evolution-like light enveloped him.

The light surged and transford him—his posture straighter, his aura sharper.

When the radiance finally faded, ga Lucario re-erged, standing proud in the open field.

The second appearance of that form sent the stands into an uproar—cheers bursting like firecrackers.

[ga Evolution], with its elegant appearance and raw power, clearly thrilled the crowd.

Garchomp let out a snort of disdain.

His advantage hadn't co from raw strength alone.

It was years of grinding experience in real combat.

Unless this form of Lucario could overwhelm him outright, the result wouldn't change.

With that in mind, he resud his steady, relentless assault, following Cynthia's next command with cold precision.

As expected, despite Elias's sharp calls, Lucario gradually began to falter under the barrage of burrow-and-strike tactics.

To be fair, Garchomp wasn't unscathed—thanks to Elias's smart predictions, it had taken several hits.

But anyone watching could see that Lucario's situation was growing increasingly precarious.

Worst of all… the field was now riddled with craters and tunnels.

There were fewer and fewer stable spots for Lucario to even stand.

"Looks like the Champion's about to be decided," said the Diamond Clan chief cheerfully from the side.

Thank goodness it's a neutral competitor.

If Elias—a mber of the Pearl Clan—actually won, he'd have to bow lower every ti they crossed paths from now on.