Pokemon: Spiritual Master

Losing two Pokémon put some pressure on Kabu.

He hadn't expected that in a direct exchange, Scovillain would ultimately fail to take down Kubfu.

However, just as the audience had noted, Kubfu's condition wasn't great.

On top of that, after using Close Combat, its defenses were lowered—this was the perfect time to finish it off!

This time, Kabu was a little more cautious.

Finally, he threw out his third Poké Ball, summoning his third Pokémon.

"Kabu's third Pokémon—Arcanine!"

A large canine Pokémon with a thick, flaxen-colored mane, a body covered in tiger-like black and orange stripes, and an expression that exuded majesty.

Arcanine, the Legendary Pokémon, Fire-type!

Arcanine was a Pokémon of ancient Eastern legends, once said to have fought alongside a great warrior to govern a nation.

Back in the day, Arcanine truly existed as a Legendary Pokémon.

"Oowoo—!!"

A long howl echoed, carrying an intimidating presence.

Intimidate Ability, activated!

Kubfu tensed up, its fur bristling under the overwhelming pressure of Arcanine's roar, but it gritted its teeth and refused to take a step back.

"Ku!!"

In fact, Kubfu roared back at Arcanine.

A faint aura of Aura energy surged around Kubfu, rippling through its body.

Hmm?

Noticing this, even Johan was slightly surprised.

Arcanine's presence had actually further awakened Kubfu's Aura?

Though Kubfu's physical condition seemed poor, Johan could sense that its mental state was exceptionally strong—stronger than ever before!

"Arcanine, Extreme Speed!"

Kabu barked his command.

Whether or not Arcanine's Intimidate had worked, its role was clear—to finish off Kubfu as quickly as possible.

A white glow enveloped Arcanine as it lunged at Kubfu with the wind at its back.

Aura!

Johan's eyes gleamed faintly, syncing with Kubfu's Aura.

To them, Arcanine's movements seemed significantly slower.

"Detect! Block it!"

BAM!!

From the audience's perspective, all they saw was Arcanine turning into a streak of white light—then came a muffled impact as Arcanine's front paws clashed with Kubfu's hands.

More precisely, Kubfu had caught Arcanine's front paws.

Kabu and Johan's expressions turned serious at the same time.

"Arcanine, Flare Blitz!"

Shhh!!

Intense flames erupted from Arcanine's body, engulfing it instantly. Given their close proximity, Kubfu couldn't avoid being affected.

"Focus Punch!"

Kabu and Arcanine sought to use their close range to deal damage—but Johan had the same idea.

Kubfu let out a low growl, ignoring the flames licking at its body. One paw held Arcanine's leg tightly, while the other clenched into a fist and drew back.

A dazzling white glow enveloped its fist.

Power surged within, gathering to a peak before Kubfu hurled its punch forward!

"Ku!!"

Kubfu's Focus Punch crashed down like a tidal wave, drawing gasps from the audience.

"Yes!!" Flint clenched his fist tightly, as if he were the one battling instead of Kubfu. "Holding the opponent in place so it can't dodge—this Focus Punch is guaranteed to hit!"

Lucian and the others, despite their excitement, couldn't help but feel a bit worried.

Flint's strategy was exhilarating, but… Kubfu was likely at its limit.

BAM!!

The punch struck Arcanine square on the head. With a whimper, it was sent flying, its flames extinguished in an instant.

Arcanine flinched, its head dazed from the impact.

Kubfu staggered slightly but didn't hesitate to chase after it.

Johan furrowed his brows slightly but still commanded firmly:

"Close Combat!"

A flurry of relentless attacks rained down on Arcanine, giving it no chance to dodge or counter.

By the time Kubfu's assault ceased, Arcanine had already collapsed, unable to battle.

Kubfu, breathing heavily, plopped down onto the ground.

"Arcanine is unable to battle!"

Woah—

"That was a comeback kill?!"

"Other people's comebacks are flukes, but when it's Johan, it's real?"

"Still, Kubfu looks completely exhausted."

"There's no way it can survive this too, right?"

Kubfu truly was at its limit.

Unlike Charcadet, which could sustain itself with its Life Fire and practically acted like it had a Leftovers item, Kubfu had no means of recovery.

And Kabu was no joke—he was a Gym Leader, after all. His Pokémon posed a serious threat to Kubfu.

Kabu recalled Arcanine and wiped his forehead with a towel.

The pressure was intense.

He hadn't expected Kubfu to survive that exchange.

Taking a deep breath, Kabu calmed himself. He realized he had been too impatient, too eager to finish off Kubfu, which had disrupted his usual battle rhythm.

With this realization, Kabu quickly adjusted his mindset.

Regardless of Kubfu's current state, he would treat it as if it were still at full strength.

With that in mind…

Kabu pulled out his fourth Poké Ball and tossed it forward.

A Pokémon with a crimson body, burning flames along its tendril-like appendages, and a menacing presence appeared—Centiskorch!

Centiskorch, the Radiator Pokémon, Fire- and Bug-type, and Kabu's signature Pokémon!

Upon entering the battlefield, its flame-like tendrils flared up intensely.

"Centiskorch, Will-O-Wisp!" Kabu commanded.

Since Kubfu was a physical attacker, burning it to lower its offensive power was the safest and most effective strategy!

"Ssshh—"

Centiskorch hissed, its heater-like abdomen glowing as it launched a ball of eerie blue flames toward Kubfu.

At the same time, Johan pulled out a Poké Ball.

He knew Kubfu's condition better than anyone—there was no need to force it to keep fighting just to satisfy the crowd's desire for a one-on-six performance.

Kubfu had already done more than enough. He was proud of it.

However…

Kubfu braced itself against its knees and stood up, shaking its head firmly at Johan.

Huh?

Kubfu grinned, revealing a goofy smile.

"Ku~!"

What kind of general runs from battle?!

If I fight, I fight until the last moment! If I fall, I fall on the battlefield!

Johan: ...

Yeah… He should probably stop telling Kubfu about Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Maybe switch to Makka Pakka stories instead.

But Kubfu's eyes were resolute.

Panting heavily, its thick eyebrows and sharp eyes burned with the desire for battle.

Why should Tobias and Darkrai be the only ones allowed to sweep teams? Am I not just as good as them?!

After all my training, after all the "blessings" I've received from nature—

Who isn't a Legendary Pokémon at this point!!

"Ku!!"

Ignoring its injuries, Kubfu twisted its body and delivered a powerful kick.

BAM!!

The Will-O-Wisp was shattered on impact, its embers scattering around Kubfu like falling stars.

Standing tall amidst the flickering flames, Kubfu made its stance clear.

"This Kubfu…"

Kabu muttered, his gaze sharpening. Even he could feel Kubfu's unyielding determination.

It reminded him of himself.

Once, he had been a renowned Gym Leader, respected by many—only to lose it all due to his own arrogance. But he never gave up. He persevered and climbed back up.

No wonder Kubfu had fought this far.

"You are a worthy opponent. So—Centiskorch, Inferno Overdrive!!"

Centiskorch's fiery tendrils blazed, its heater glowing red-hot as a tidal wave of flames surged forward.

Then—

Facing the roaring inferno—

Johan exhaled softly, a relaxed smile forming on his lips.

Kubfu, staring straight into the flames, wore the exact same smile.

The fire swallowed Kubfu whole.

But if anyone with Aura vision were present, they would see it—Johan's and Kubfu's Auras intertwining.

Johan's Aura poured into Kubfu like a raging river.

"Then let's fight—

Urshifu!!"

BOOM!!

From within the inferno, an explosion of energy erupted—followed by a radiant white glow.

The crowd erupted.

"Wait… is it—?!"

"Holy crap, it's evolving!"

"Kubfu evolved at the most critical moment?!"

A battlefield evolution!

As the brilliant light enveloped Kubfu, its small frame expanded rapidly.

The years of relentless training, the honed muscles—now fully realized.

Standing over two meters tall, its chiseled physique exuded raw power.

Its gray fur rippled in the wind, its headband fluttering.

The embodiment of strength and elegance—Urshifu had arrived.

"Garruu!!"

With a mighty roar, Urshifu's aura skyrocketed, dispersing the surrounding flames.

"Holy crap, it really evolved!"

"I see it now! Joha

n used evolution to restore Kubfu to full strength!"

"Wait… that's allowed?!"

"Who said Kubfu couldn't recover? Evolution solves everything!"

"…"

Staring at the now towering and battle-ready Urshifu, the audience fell into stunned silence.

"Garruu!!"

Urshifu has entered the battlefield!!

To continue where we left off:

After the previous battle, I contacted another victim through Officer Jenny and the former owner of the breeding house.

I figured that since we were both victims, we could discuss how to take down that damn Pokémon hunter together.

So, we decided to meet up for a meal first and then talk things through.

And guess what?

I had no idea before, but when I saw them in person, I was shocked.

The other victim turned out to be a stunning, fair-skinned, wealthy beauty! And if there was one thing that stood out about her—it was this:

Rich, rich, and rich!

She told me that while she was upset about getting scammed, she had no real way to recover her losses, so she just wrote it off—after all, it was just a small sum to her.

I immediately thought, Man, if only I could have that kind of "small sum" too... Ahem.

I told her that we couldn't just let criminals roam free, so…

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Powerstones?

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