Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [273]

The thought of a comeback rooted itself in Yuma's mind, growing like wild grass.

If he could defeat Mimikyu and give his Mega Altaria a chance to recover with Roost, the match could still be salvaged.

Bolstered by this notion, Yuma, who moments earlier saw only despair, now felt a surge of determination.

The allure of a comeback led him to abandon his initial strategy of using Altaria's height advantage to harass Mimikyu and stack buffs for a decisive blow.

Now that Mimikyu's Disguise was seemingly broken, this was the perfect opportunity to retaliate.

However, Yuma didn't completely throw caution to the wind. Before launching his attack, he ordered one more Hyper Voice to deal additional "damage" to Mimikyu.

Then, with a wave of his hand, he shouted, "Mega Altaria, Brave Bird!"

The command traveled through the air, carried by sound waves, reaching Altaria's ears. From there, the signal transmitted through its nerves to its brain, where it was quickly processed.

Without hesitation, the Mega Altaria took action.

With a powerful flap of its wings, it accelerated, tucking them tightly to its sides before diving straight down in a high-speed attack.

The force of its descent created visible shockwaves that rippled through the air.

"Can you take it, Mimikyu?" Luo Yuan asked through psychic communication, his tone calm but curious.

Though he knew Mimikyu's Disguise could absorb one hit, Luo Yuan preferred to confirm.

"Chaaa~!"

Mimikyu reassured him with a thought of unwavering confidence.

Its Disguise wasn't just for show.

Satisfied with Mimikyu's response, Luo Yuan allowed himself a brief, knowing smile before quickly masking it.

Adopting the demeanor of a seasoned actor, he feigned alarm, layering his expression with a blend of shock, panic, and concern.

And then…

Boom!

Mega Altaria struck Mimikyu head-on with the force of a meteor.

The impact shattered the ground in a three-meter radius around Mimikyu, sending chunks of debris flying and a cloud of dust billowing into the air.

"An incredible Brave Bird! Mega Altaria's high-speed dive has landed directly on Mimikyu! Combined with the previous Hyper Voice, which broke Mimikyu's Disguise, it seems like Mimikyu may be in serious trouble. Could this be the moment Luo Yuan faces his first loss?"

The commentator, Kyosuke, delivered a rapid analysis.

"It has to be down!" Yuma thought, his heart pounding as he assessed the situation.

Mimikyu wasn't known for its stamina. After enduring two rounds of Hyper Voice followed by the devastating Brave Bird, it was almost impossible for it to still be standing—or at least, that's what Yuma believed.

Even if it managed to hang on, it surely wouldn't have enough strength left to counterattack.

Seizing the opportunity, Yuma commanded, "Mega Altaria, Roost! Recover now!"

With more battles ahead, he couldn't afford to let Altaria remain weakened.

But just as Mega Altaria was about to land, two shadowy claws shot out from the dust cloud, gripping its wings tightly.

"What?!"

Yuma's eyes widened in disbelief.

A gentle breeze dispersed the dust, revealing Mimikyu, seemingly unharmed except for the drooping head of its costume. The faux neck appeared to have been snapped, leaving the head tilted unnaturally to one side.

Beneath the costume, the shadowy claws extended from Mimikyu's true form, holding Mega Altaria firmly.

Mega Altaria struggled desperately to break free, but Mimikyu, as a Pokémon of equal strength at the Elite Four level, showed no signs of yielding.

"It's over…"

Yuma's heart sank as the realization hit him.

The dramatic highs and lows of this battle were almost too much for his heart to bear.

As his hand hovered over his belt to retrieve Mega Altaria's Poké Ball and switch it out for another Pokémon, he noticed something odd.

Mimikyu didn't immediately finish off Altaria.

Instead, it struck an unusual pose…

"What is it doing?" Yuma muttered, puzzled.

As he racked his brain, a radiant orange glow emanated from Mimikyu's body.

The realization hit him like a truck.

"Swords Dance!?"

The move dramatically increased Mimikyu's offensive capabilities.

If it was given enough time to stack its buffs, it could theoretically take down even Champion-level Pokémon.

For the first time, Yuma found himself desperately wishing his Pokémon would faint.

Leaving Mega Altaria on the field any longer would not only fail to threaten Mimikyu but also turn it into a mere tool for Mimikyu to stack Swords Dance.

Seeing Mimikyu complete one round of buffs and prepare for another, Yuma couldn't hold back any longer.

"Mega Altaria, Sing! Put it to sleep!"

If Mimikyu was going to use Altaria as a buffing dummy, then he'd use Sing to incapacitate it!

A soothing melody began to drift from Mega Altaria's beak, filling the battlefield with its calming tune.

Under normal circumstances, such a move could have spelled trouble for Mimikyu.

But Luo Yuan had anticipated this from the moment Hyper Voice was used earlier.

With his psychic abilities, he completely isolated Mimikyu's hearing.

The Fairy/Ghost Pokémon didn't hear a single note.

Feigning drowsiness, Mimikyu swayed unsteadily, luring Yuma into a false sense of security.

Satisfied that the attack had landed, Yuma thought he finally had a shot at victory.

But Luo Yuan wasn't planning on dragging this out any longer.

With a simple gesture, he signaled Mimikyu to end the match.

Boom!

Mega Altaria crashed heavily onto the ground.

The referee raised his flag.

"Mega Altaria is unable to battle. Luo Yuan wins!"

The loss of Mega Altaria was expected, but Yuma couldn't help feeling frustrated that Sing had failed to affect Mimikyu.

He began to suspect that Luo Yuan's Mimikyu might be equipped with an item that negated sound-based moves, though he didn't consider the possibility of psychic interference.

With Altaria down, choosing his second Pokémon was a daunting task.

It needed to counter Mimikyu effectively while still holding its ground against Luo Yuan's other Pokémon.

After careful consideration, Yuma made his choice: Golurk.

The towering Ghost/Ground Pokémon, with its glowing red eye and fortress-like body, exuded an intimidating presence.

The moment it entered the battlefield, Golurk locked onto Mimikyu, sensing its fellow Ghost-type's spectral energy.