Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command!

Some battles are planned, others are unexpected—but a true Champion embraces them all. Consider this bonus chapter one of those surprises.

---

"Is that so..."

Hearing Luo Yuan's explanation, Misty looked doubtful.

Still, she couldn't believe Luo Yuan would deliberately stand her up.

"How are things going at the Cerulean Gym?" Luo Yuan asked.

"My sisters," Misty sighed. "They received an invitation for a world tour and decided to leave the gym to me for a while."

Her tone was weary.

Misty was increasingly convinced that accepting the role of Cerulean Gym Leader had been a mistake.

Now, her plans to travel with Luo Yuan would have to be postponed yet again.

She really shouldn't have expected anything from her sisters in the first place.

"If you're not enjoying it, take a break. I'll take care of you," Luo Yuan said casually.

"A break..." Misty gave him a look that screamed, Yeah, right.

Ever since she, Sabrina, and Luo Yuan had laid all their cards on the table, her time with Luo Yuan had been anything but relaxing.

On second thought, staying as a Gym Leader at Cerulean didn't seem so bad after all.

---

The Top 16 matches weren't particularly exciting.

As the final round of 3v3 battles, most trainers relied on Pokémon they had used in earlier rounds.

Luo Yuan only paid attention to Ash and Gary's matches.

Currently, Ash was battling a trainer from the Unova region.

The opponent had sent out a Ferrothorn, while Ash... had chosen his Kingler after Pikachu was defeated.

The commentators, the audience, and even Gary on the sidelines were baffled by Ash's choice.

"Didn't Ash read the info we gave him?" Gary muttered, his eye twitching.

Earlier, Luo Yuan had shared the opposing trainer's details with them.

This trainer, Nock, had multiple Grass-type Pokémon on their team.

Gary couldn't comprehend why Ash would send out Kingler under these circumstances.

"Maybe a miracle will happen," Luo Yuan said.

If it were any other trainer, using Kingler against Ferrothorn would almost certainly end in defeat.

But Ash? As someone dubbed the Reverse-Type Master, saying he had no chance might be too harsh.

Who knows—Ash might actually pull off a miracle.

Under Ash's command, Kingler fought with everything it had, unleashing a relentless barrage of attacks on Ferrothorn.

But it wasn't working.

Kingler's Water-type moves were ineffective against Ferrothorn, and most of its remaining attacks were close-range physical moves.

Meanwhile, Nock, being an experienced trainer, had built Ferrothorn specifically for countering melee fighters.

With its Iron Barbs ability and a Rocky Helmet equipped, Ferrothorn punished every physical attack Kingler landed.

Its Grass/Steel typing further compounded the problem, leaving Fire as its only major weakness.

Earlier, Pikachu had failed to make a dent and was drained by Leech Seed.

The battle dragged on.

For over ten minutes, Kingler's attacks barely scratched Ferrothorn, while it accumulated more and more damage.

To make matters worse, Ferrothorn had poisoned Kingler with Toxic, putting the crustacean on the verge of collapse.

"Kingler!" Ash shouted, urging his Pokémon to push through.

Ash mentally ran through Kingler's moveset.

Other than Crabhammer, its strongest physical move, there was only that attack left.

After a moment of hesitation, Ash looked at the still-sturdy Ferrothorn and made his decision.

"Kingler, use Hyper Beam!"

Dragging the battle out any longer would only lead to Kingler's exhaustion. It was time for an all-or-nothing gamble.

Understanding its trainer's intent, Kingler distanced itself from Ferrothorn despite the effects of the poison sapping its strength.

A brilliant light began to gather in its claw.

In less than a second of charging, a powerful Hyper Beam shot out, heading straight for Ferrothorn.

The beam was incredibly fast, and Ferrothorn—its tendrils anchored in the ground to withstand Kingler's earlier attacks—had no chance to dodge.

Boom!

The Hyper Beam exploded on impact.

"Kingler's Hyper Beam lands a direct hit on Ferrothorn! Although it's not very effective, Ash has used this move to defeat several opponents in the past."

"Will he manage to pull off another miracle this time?" the commentator exclaimed, excitement rising in the crowd.

As everyone stared intently at the battlefield, Luo Yuan shook his head. "Ash lost."

Misty, who was holding onto Luo Yuan's arm, looked thoughtful, while Gary frowned in confusion.

Ash was at a disadvantage, but surely he hadn't lost yet... right?

Before Gary could voice his doubts, the dust cleared.

Ferrothorn stood firm, its body gleaming with a metallic sheen.

A shimmering blue energy barrier surrounded it, perfectly blocking the Hyper Beam.

"It's Protect! Protect blocked the Hyper Beam! Ash is in serious trouble now!"

Before Ash could react, Ferrothorn seized the opportunity.

"Gyro Ball!"

Nock's voice rang out as Ferrothorn's tendrils glowed with blue energy.

The Pokémon began spinning rapidly, creating a ring of glowing blue energy around itself as it charged toward Kingler.

The timing was perfect.

Kingler was still recovering from the recoil of Hyper Beam, leaving it completely vulnerable.

Gyro Ball, which gains power the slower the user's opponent, hit Kingler like a truck.

Despite Ferrothorn's slightly higher level, its base Speed stat of 20 compared to Kingler's 75 created a massive gap, maximizing the move's damage.

Bang!

Ferrothorn's spinning attack collided with Kingler, sending it flying like a ragdoll.

Its spiked body left deep gashes on Kingler's shell as the crustacean crashed into the ground.

"Kingler is unable to battle! Nock wins this round!"

In the end, Ash couldn't activate his fabled reverse-type comeback buff.

Luo Yuan chalked it up to Ferrothorn being too restrictive, leaving Ash with almost no room to maneuver.

"Ash still has one Pokémon left. Can he turn this around?"

The commentator's words fired up the audience.

Ash, now backed into a corner, wasn't about to give up.

Abandoning his usual reverse-type antics, he opted for a more conventional choice.

Releasing his final Poké Ball, a flash of white light revealed Charizard.

"Roar!"

Charizard let out a powerful roar, flames erupting from its mouth as it prepared for battle.

---

T/N: welp Ash wins now

A true Champion knows that every battle, every choice, and every unexpected twist shapes the path to mastery. Consider this bonus chapter a rare encounter—one that wouldn't be possible without the right support.

That's why you should support WiseTL at [patreon.com/WiseTL]—where every pledge helps bring more high-quality translations to life, staying true to the original while flowing naturally in English. After all, excellence is in the details.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have more to prepare for. But you? You should take this opportunity—you never know what rare finds await.

—Cynthia