Chapter 357: Armament Technique – Heaven Punisher

"Machamp, Armament – Heaven Punisher*!"

Ron's voice rang out sharply as Machamp began channeling its inner power, spreading it meticulously throughout every fiber of its body.

Under the effects of Life Return, subtle yet profound changes began taking place in Machamp's physique, strengthening it further with each passing second.

A rising mist of heat surged around it—before anyone noticed, Machamp had already entered Gear 2.

And that wasn't all.

Armament Haki—a liquid-like black aura—began to swirl around Machamp's frame. With Life Return granting perfect control, not a single strand of this aura went to waste. Every bit of it reinforced Machamp's power.

Moments later, a shadowy layer cloaked Machamp's body. In key areas—its shoulders, elbows—Armament Haki had condensed into visible armor plating.

The black patterns writhing along its skin formed a fearsome visage—a grimacing demon's face hidden within the markings.

Heaven Punisher, a figure from ancient myth, known for indomitable spirit and defiance even after decapitation—Ron had chosen this name precisely for what it symbolized.

Grasp. Punch.

Even the simplest movements now generated shockwaves—proof of the sheer power Machamp had achieved.

"Let's test how strong you've truly become. Armament – Daytime Tiger!"

Ron gave the command before the last word had left his lips—Machamp was already airborne.

The Daytime Tiger roared forth, a ferocious black-and-white beast hurtling toward the ground with unstoppable force.

A moment later—boom—the earth trembled violently. The furious shockwave ripped through the battlefield in every direction.

Even Salamence had to shield Dwight behind its wings to protect her from the oncoming surge of wind.

"That's the way, Machamp! Now—Armament: Evening Elephant!"

With Moonwalk beneath his feet, Ron soared into the air, shouting down with barely contained excitement.

Sensing Ron's exhilaration, Machamp felt an uncontainable surge of energy. Its body brimmed with endless strength.

Evening Elephant was unleashed—an earth-shattering explosion detonated before their eyes, eclipsing even the last blast in intensity.

When it was over, the entire testing ground lay in ruins. The area looked as if a natural disaster had struck.

Yet Ron had precisely measured the limits—he now understood Machamp's new power state and how long it could be maintained.

From the current reserves of Armament Haki, this form—Armament: Heaven Punisher—could last no more than ten minutes.

After ten minutes, the Haki would be depleted. Machamp's stamina would plummet, and even its usual strength would falter. It would be completely vulnerable.

But with Ron by its side, that weakness could be mitigated. After all, this move was meant to be a last resort, not something to be used lightly.

And if even a trump card like this couldn't turn the tide, then it was likely no other strength would be enough either. That very logic reduced the drawbacks of Heaven Punisher mode to near insignificance.

"You've done well, Machamp. Your next goal is to shorten the time it takes to activate Heaven Punisher. Also, you need to boost your Armament Haki reserves so you can stay in the form longer."

Ron knelt beside Machamp, speaking seriously while simultaneously restoring it using Fighting Aura.

"You're already operating at a Mid Elite Four level. And you'll only keep growing stronger. As your power increases, so will your Haki."

"And once you've mastered these fundamentals, the real training begins—combining Armament Haki with your moves."

Ron's words were half technical, half heartfelt. He couldn't risk Machamp recklessly experimenting again just because it got stronger.

So rather than forbid it, he gave it a clear path forward—milestones to strive for. That way, by the time Machamp reached its next breakthrough, it would truly be ready to experiment again, and likely gain a deeper understanding of its powers in the process.

Though Ron sounded nagging, Machamp felt deeply comforted. It nodded earnestly, promising it wouldn't act impulsively again without Ron's approval.

With Machamp calmed, Ron resumed his journey to track down new wild Pokémon.

Given Machamp's current strength, even Magnezone was starting to fall behind.

To give Machamp a real challenge—and to measure the new peak of its power—he would need to find stronger opponents at the Mid Elite Four level or beyond.

Especially since Persian and the others were also preparing for their breakthroughs. With everything coming together, Ron suddenly realized that even the full month he'd set aside might not be enough.

Meanwhile, Steven and Wallace had reached an agreement after careful consideration.

Since Steven, as the Champion of the Hoenn League, had an easier time contacting Ron, he'd be the one to initiate missions or friendly matches to strengthen their relationship.

Wallace, on the other hand, decided to play the emotional angle—he'd remind Ron that Gardevoir had once saved his life, to deepen their bond.

Strangely enough, despite their sincere intentions to recruit Ron as the next Hoenn Champion, Steven and Wallace couldn't shake the feeling that they sounded more like villains.

Shrugging off that odd sense of irony, the two Champions began preparing in earnest.

When Ron finally left the Hoenn Region, the plan was set in motion—to let him experience firsthand the stark contrast between how the Hoenn League and the Kanto League treated him.

If it were someone else, Steven Stone would likely have gone straight to him, hinting that he had high hopes and thought the person had what it takes to be Champion.

Unfortunately, Ron had been so blunt in rejecting the idea earlier that Steven wasn't sure how he'd react if the offer were brought up again.

After all, the whole thing sounded like an empty promise. To inherit the Champion title, one needed undeniable strength and performance. Only then would Steven and Wallace even consider passing the title to Ron.

But Steven and Wallace didn't have the sole authority. For Ron to truly claim that position, he would still need to earn the respect of the rest of the Hoenn League through sheer ability.

That's why Steven and Wallace came up with this roundabout approach—to slowly win Ron over.

What Steven didn't realize, though, was that if he had just hinted at the opportunity, Ron would've accepted on the spot.

A fast-track to the Champion's seat? Ron would never pass that up.

With enough strength at his disposal, things would get a lot easier for Ron.

He could even leverage the Hoenn League's power to work toward merging with the Kanto League—ultimately achieving his long-term plan.

What a pity. Steven's misreading of Ron had cost him the chance to crown Hoenn's next Champion.

"Persian! Martial Form!"

Ron's voice rang out. Under the combined effects of Life Return and Paper Art, Persian rose from the ground.

It flexed its limbs slightly, preparing itself for combat.

"Go, Persian! Use Instant Step Slash!"

As Persian's body morphed into a more humanoid form, Dwight stood there dumbfounded.

Persian can stand up now?

Then doesn't that mean Meowth can do it too!?

But unlike Dwight, who was caught up in the implications, Salamence only wanted to ask one thing:

"Persian... doesn't that feel drafty between your legs?"

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T/N: Heaven Punisher" is originally based on Xing Tian, a figure from ancient Chinese mythology. For readers familiar with xianxia novels, the name likely rings a bell. I chose to use the English translation, Heaven Punisher, instead of the original Chinese name for localization purposes.

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