Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [275]

What's the most important trait for a Pokémon Trainer?

The strength of their Pokémon? Their ability to strategize?

These are all valid answers.

But in Yuma's view, the most critical aspect of a trainer's success lies in controlling the pace of the battle.

He firmly believed that as long as a trainer held the initiative, they were already halfway to victory.

Take his previous match between Altaria and Mimikyu as an example. Yuma attributed his quick loss not solely to the type disadvantage of his lead Pokémon but also to his own mistake of obsessively trying to switch out Altaria.

That single-mindedness had allowed Luo Yuan to see through his plans and seize control of the battle's tempo.

This time, however, Yuma resolved to act differently. Right from the start, he took the offensive, commanding Golurk to use Will-O-Wisp.

Now, with the flow of the battle firmly in his grasp, Luo Yuan's Mimikyu was being steadily pressured into retreat.

"The situation doesn't look good for Luo Yuan!" commentator Kyosuke said, his voice tinged with concern.

Even so, he refrained from jumping to conclusions. After all, Luo Yuan's past performances in this tournament had been extraordinary. Surely, he wouldn't fall so easily… right?

Just as Kyosuke had this thought, Golurk took a sudden, decisive step forward.

"Shadow Punch!"

Golurk's massive fist, wreathed in ghostly energy, slammed into Mimikyu.

The blow sent Mimikyu flying like a ragdoll, tumbling through the air before crashing into the ground.

Before being struck, Mimikyu had managed to launch a Shadow Ball in retaliation. Unfortunately, Golurk deftly dodged it, suffering only minor damage from the residual shockwave.

The audience watched the exchange intently, many holding their breath.

"Is Luo Yuan really about to lose?"

But just as this thought crossed their minds, something unexpected happened.

The airborne, seemingly defeated Mimikyu suddenly dissolved into particles of light, vanishing into thin air.

"What?! Was that… a Substitute?!"

The revelation hit Yuma like a ton of bricks.

Golurk had been fighting a decoy this entire time.

"Then… where's the real one?"

Yuma's gaze darted across the battlefield, quickly locking onto the crater left behind when Altaria's Brave Bird had struck earlier.

His mind raced.

"Golurk, watch your back!" he shouted urgently.

Golurk spun around immediately.

But it was already too late.

From the crater, an enormous spectral claw emerged, lunging at Golurk with terrifying speed.

Swoosh!

Caught off guard, Golurk had no time to react.

The claw grabbed Golurk and hoisted it into the air, holding it nearly two meters off the ground.

The audience erupted in astonishment.

Even Kyosuke, who had speculated that Luo Yuan might pull off a comeback, hadn't anticipated such a dramatic turn of events.

"Was that… Shadow Claw? Did Mimikyu just lift Golurk?!"

Only Gary Oak, seated in the front row with a smug grin, remained unfazed.

He'd seen Luo Yuan in action far too many times to be surprised by this.

"Did you all really think Luo Yuan was that easy to deal with?" Gary muttered, tossing another piece of popcorn into his mouth.

For as long as Gary could remember, every battle he fought against Luo Yuan ended in the same result—Gary's defeat.

But hey, if Luo Yuan made it to the Indigo League finals without losing a single match, didn't that technically make Gary the runner-up by proxy?

Buoyed by this convoluted logic, Gary felt inexplicably cheerful, completely forgetting about his own elimination in the quarterfinals.

Back on the battlefield, Mimikyu tightened its grip on Golurk with its spectral claw before slamming it forcefully into the ground.

Boom!

The impact shook the entire arena.

"Shadow Sneak!"

From within the rising cloud of dust, a shadow darted forward, emerging behind Golurk.

The phantom struck without hesitation.

Already weakened, Golurk staggered under the blow before collapsing in defeat.

The referee raised his flag decisively.

"Golurk is unable to battle! Luo Yuan wins!"

Yuma silently retrieved Golurk's Pokéball, his mind racing.

Now it all made sense—the Substitute, the delayed Swords Dance, and the timing of Mimikyu's counterattack.

Luo Yuan's entire strategy unfolded in Yuma's mind like a puzzle clicking into place.

After a long pause, he finally asked, "When… when did it use Swords Dance?"

Before, Mimikyu's Shadow Claw had never been this powerful. Its sudden increase in strength could only mean one thing—Mimikyu had been steadily boosting itself all along.

Luo Yuan, gracious in victory, answered his opponent's question, explaining his tactics in detail for both Yuma and the captivated audience.

"It happened right after your Golurk moved in close to use Shadow Punch. The smoke from the impact provided perfect cover.

"My Mimikyu used that opportunity to set up a Substitute, which your Golurk fought while the real Mimikyu continued using Swords Dance.

"When the Substitute fell, it was time to strike."

Yuma fell silent.

The strategy sounded straightforward when Luo Yuan explained it, but he knew the execution was anything but simple.

For starters, coordinating such a plan without verbal commands required an exceptional bond between trainer and Pokémon.

And the timing—pulling off a flawless switch under Golurk's relentless assault—was nothing short of masterful.

But Yuma didn't have the luxury of dwelling on this realization.

A far more pressing issue loomed before him.

Mimikyu, now boosted by at least two—possibly three—uses of Swords Dance, stood ready for its next victim.

Yuma hesitated, his hand hovering over the four remaining Pokéballs on his belt.

None of his remaining Pokémon seemed like a good choice.

In truth, every option felt like sending a lamb to the slaughter.

For a fleeting moment, Yuma considered surrendering.

Luo Yuan still had five fresh Pokémon waiting in reserve. Victory seemed utterly unattainable.

But then he remembered his earlier arrogance in the trainers' lounge, mocking Jan for his defeat.

If Yuma gave up now, he'd never live it down.

Gritting his teeth, Yuma made his decision.

"Go, Gliscor!"

A flash of light revealed a gray, scorpion-like Pokémon with large pincers and a long, venomous tail. Its wings buzzed as it hovered in midair, eyes gleaming with determination.

"Gliscor, huh?" Luo Yuan mused, nodding slightly.

It was well-trained, no doubt.

But no amount of training could save it from a Mimikyu empowered by triple Swords Dance.

"Mimikyu," Luo Yuan commanded, his voice calm, "Phantom Force. Then… Play Rough."

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T/N: No charizard for the finals it seems, good they aren't worth it.