Chapter 149 — Cynthia's Tragic Memories

Ten seconds later.

When Tropius collapsed powerlessly on the ground.

The entire arena fell into dead silence.

After witnessing one instant defeat, before everyone could even react, another one happened!?

At this moment, Erin was the first to rise from her seat and start applauding.

Lucario was the partner Pokémon of Aaron, the hero she admired most.

Thus, this masked female knight unknowingly gained the Queen's favor.

Other spectators also joined in with applause.

Marnie finally snapped out of her shock and said incredulously:

"Will Serena be... okay?"

Who would have thought that in this third-rate battle tournament, they'd encounter such a skilled trainer.

Marnie recalled Lucario's clean and precise movements from earlier.

Even she wasn't completely confident she could defeat that opponent.

Sun squinted his eyes and thought to himself:

"As expected, that woman feels familiar."

[I sense it!]

Just then, Hoopa Unbound suddenly jumped out of Marnie's Poké Ball, crying out through telepathy.

"Didn't I tell you not to come out randomly?"

Marnie quickly hugged Hoopa to avoid drawing too much attention.

[Hoopa can sense it, it's Mew's aura!]

Hoopa said, peeking out its small face from Marnie's embrace.

Sun's expression shifted, then he revealed a slight smile.

His guess was indeed correct.

At times like these, Mew would always return home to join in the festivities.

...

...

The battle festival continued.

Serena and the masked female knight demonstrated overwhelming strength.

Almost every battle ended in one move.

Even the amateur spectators in the stands could tell that today would culminate in an exciting final match.

Originally, the battle festival began at 3 PM to accommodate the evening royal ball.

It was scheduled to end around 5 PM to smoothly transition to the ball.

But due to those two's dominant performances.

The finals arrived before 4 PM.

"The last battle is up to you, Greninja!"

Serena, dressed as a princess, threw her Poké Ball.

The female knight opposite her, perhaps tired of easily defeating weaker opponents, finally encountered a worthy opponent and felt excited.

As she threw her Poké Ball, she spoke her first words of the day:

"Dance upon the stage, Lucario!"

Her voice sounded rough through the armor.

But even so, one could faintly tell that beneath that helmet must be a beautiful woman.

"So it really is her..."

Sun said, resting both hands on the railing.

"You know her?"

Marnie hadn't figured it out yet.

"You know her too. Our first meeting wasn't particularly pleasant."

Sun said with a smile.

"Then... who will win?"

Marnie changed the subject.

"At their current levels, she has the advantage, but with my training and the awakening of the bond evolution... heh, there's no reason to lose."

Sun said with a smile.

Just as he finished speaking, the final battle began.

"We have a reason we can't lose this battle! Greninja, Water Shuriken!"

Serena commanded with a wave.

Greninja displayed amazing jumping power, leaping ten meters into the air.

Its hands moved at extreme speed, releasing dozens of small shuriken that fell like a storm of plum blossoms.

In previous battles, when Serena had Greninja use this move, opponents were basically helpless.

Mainly because the difference in power levels was too great.

"Bone Rush!"

The female knight gave her command.

In previous battles, she hadn't spoken at all, just exchanging glances with her Lucario before instantly defeating opponents.

Hearing the command, Lucario clasped its paws together.

When they separated, a meter-long bone staff had appeared between them.

It leaped up, deflecting all the falling Water Shuriken.

This was like a battle between a martial artist and a ninja!

"Power-Up Punch!"

Under the female knight's command, Lucario rushed forward continuously toward Greninja, its right arm's iron fist glowing white, precisely striking the opponent's abdomen just as Greninja landed!

What masterful battle experience!?

Less than two exchanges into the battle, Serena could feel that her opponent's battle experience and control far surpassed her own.

The next moment, Serena and Greninja exchanged knowing glances, then simultaneously nodded.

Marnie's expression became somewhat complex as she said:

"I never thought Serena would need to use this in this kind of competition."

Sun calmly smiled and said:

"The opponent is considered one of the top trainers on the Pokémon continent, it's normal."

Marnie pouted, "Shouldn't you tell me who she is by now?"

Just then, Serena and Greninja's bodies simultaneously emanated an indescribable aura that quickly merged together.

Then, before everyone's astonished eyes, blue energy enveloped Greninja.

About three seconds later, the blue energy burst from within like a water balloon.

And Greninja emerged in a completely new form.

Ash-Greninja!!!

"What!?"

The female knight couldn't help but cry out.

What, what is that?

E-evolution?

But isn't Greninja already Froakie's final evolution?

Could it be Mega Evolution?

But she hadn't seen this girl take out a Key Stone!

The opponent wasn't the only one surprised.

Queen Erin and the many spectators in the stands all stared with widened eyes.

However, without anyone explaining, Serena had already raised her hand to command again:

"Water Shuriken!"

More numerous, more powerful, and faster Water Shuriken filled the sky.

This time, the female knight didn't choose to have Lucario take the hit directly.

"Protect!"

Hearing this, Lucario raised both paws, paw pads facing outward, creating a semi-transparent light green barrier that completely blocked the Water Shuriken.

However, even so, the impact force of the continuous strikes on the barrier made Lucario retreat step by step.

"In every aspect, it's incomparable to before!"

The female knight thought in shock.

"Now's our chance! Greninja, Water Blade!"

Serena called out again.

Water Blade!?

Hearing this unknown move name, the female knight's eyebrows furrowed beneath her helmet.

Then, she saw Ash-Greninja's right arm become enveloped in flowing water, transforming into a massive water blade in less than half a second as it rushed forward, slashing toward Lucario.

And at that moment, Lucario's Protect barrier dissipated.

Splash!

Struck by the blade, Lucario was instantly sent flying.

It was exactly like when Greninja had been hit by a punch earlier.

This was giving them a taste of their own medicine.

"I never expected such a young child to push my Lucario this far, but it's still far from enough to defeat us."

The female knight waved her hand:

"Lucario, Aura Sphere!"

The knocked-back Lucario quickly got up, took a horse stance, then suddenly stepped forward with its right foot, holding both paws at its side with palms facing each other.

Dark blue energy rapidly gathered between its paws.

"That stance looks familiar."

Marnie muttered to herself on the stands.

Indeed, the stance looked exactly like Sun's special technique—

The Kamehameha.

"Greninja, Water Dragon!"

Water Dragon!?

Once again hearing an unknown move name from the girl's mouth.

The female knight suddenly remembered a man from a year ago who had left her with unpleasant memories.

He too was very skilled at using strange special moves.

Ash-Greninja rapidly formed hand signs, and before everyone's shocked and confused eyes.

Surging water rose around Ash-Greninja's feet and rapidly climbed up, transforming into a roaring water dragon.

"Go!"

"Go!"

Both sides shouted these words almost simultaneously.

Lucario swung both paws, releasing an azure energy sphere.

While the water dragon above Ash-Greninja's head let out a roar, heavily biting toward the Water Dragon.

BOOM!!!

Unlike professional competitions with official energy barriers around the arena.

How could a small town like Rota have such things?

As Queen, Erin would never have imagined that their family's third-rate battle festival.

Would be blessed with two champion-level trainers battling here.

Therefore, when these two moves collided.

The resulting shockwave rippled outward, more than this small arena could handle.

About a thousand spectators felt the floor violently shaking beneath their feet.

At this moment, they all had one thought—

This place was going to collapse.

"Diancie."

Sun suddenly uttered these words softly.

Hum!

Instantly, an enormous pale pink energy dome enveloped the battle area of the arena, containing the shockwaves from both sides.

"That's... the legendary Diamond Domain princess—Diancie!?"

Seeing the beautiful floating figure, Erin exclaimed in amazement.

At this time, the shockwaves inside the pink barrier gradually subsided.

Lucario knelt on one knee, not yet having lost its ability to battle.

Ash-Greninja maintained its standing posture.

And that tall female knight's helmet had been blown off her face by the earlier shockwave, revealing her true identity.

"Ch-Champion Cynthia!?"

The moment they saw her face, spectators recognized her name.

"I can't believe it's Champion Cynthia!"

"She's so beautiful! Even more beautiful than in photos!"

"That outfit suits Miss Cynthia so well! Both gallant and beautiful!"

"Why is Sinnoh Champion Cynthia appearing in Kanto?"

The revelation of Cynthia's true identity undoubtedly pushed the battle's atmosphere to a new climax.

"Thank you to Champion Cynthia and Trainer Serena for bringing us this wonderful battle."

At this moment, Erin, the ruler of this castle, suddenly stood up and announced to everyone:

"Please give them both a round of applause for their spectacular performance."

Clap clap

After speaking, Erin led the applause.

And the spectators, without exception, joined in with enthusiastic applause.

"Heh~ Bit of an anticlimactic ending."

Sun took out a Poké Ball and recalled Diancie.

He was clearly unsatisfied with Erin stopping the battle.

But it was understandable, after all, if the Sinnoh Champion lost in public... dealing with the online public opinion would be quite troublesome.