Just as Luther had done with 'Roar' earlier, Hiroshi tried desperately to call his Ninjask back before the move could take effect, hoping to choose his next Pokémon strategically.
But a split second of hesitation was all it took. A flash of red light enveloped Ninjask's body, forcibly dragging it back into Hiroshi's Poké Ball.
In its place, a soft, pudding-like, and wonderfully elastic Swalot appeared on the field.
"Sludge Bomb."
Since the Pokémon had been dragged out, there was no choice but to fight. In a straight type matchup, Swalot and Houndoom didn't cancel each other out, neither had a type advantage against the other's strongest moves. What's more, Houndoom was visibly winded after using 'Roar'. This was a chance they couldn't miss.
'Sludge Bomb' struck true. Houndoom bit back a cry, raising its head, still looking ready to press on.
The move 'Roar' took a brutal toll on a Pokémon's stamina, and Luther knew it. He wouldn't let Houndoom push itself any further, recalling it without a word.
Espurr appeared once more. This time, her mission was completely different.
Due to the new type disadvantage, Hiroshi immediately decided to switch again. The moment Ninjask returned to the field, it shot forward, activating Agility.
"Still not giving up on that, huh…"
Luther sighed, shaking his head.
Even Hakuya couldn't bear to keep watching. Sure, Houndoom was off the field, but that didn't mean Luther had no answer for Hiroshi's 'Baton Pass' and 'Speed Boost' strategy. Hakuya knew of at least two ways to deal with it.
One was to swap Abilities, directly exchanging Espurr's with Ninjask's, effectively giving Espurr a massive burst of speed.
But Luther chose the second method, the same one he had used when he battled Hakuya:
"Trick Room."
Hiroshi froze, mentally scrambling to recall the details of the move.
Luther gave him no time to think, immediately ordering Espurr to use Thunder Wave, hoping to paralyze Ninjask and limit its actions.
"My Ninjask's faster than--"
Hiroshi stopped mid-sentence as the true effect of Trick Room slammed into his memory, speed conditions reversed. A flicker of sheer panic crossed his face. He hastily commanded Ninjask to use Double Team.
But under the reversed speed, Ninjask barely saw a gray bolt of lightning dart through the air before it was struck by Thunder Wave and paralyzed.
Struggling for movement, Ninjask managed to unleash a desperate Bug Buzz, colliding with Espurr's Dark Pulse. The impact waves sent Ninjask tumbling through the air; it fought through the pain, riding the gust to steady itself. That was the most it could manage.
"Sunny Day."
The bright sunlight above the field began to fade, but Luther followed up immediately, reinforcing his weather control.
This is it! This was Hiroshi's chance!
After two uses of Sunny Day, and having taken some damage already, Espurr had to be exhausted. This single strike would decide the match.
"Fury Cutter!"
Hiroshi yelled, pouring his hope into the command, willing Ninjask to break through the paralysis.
As if inspired by his voice, Ninjask successfully executed Fury Cutter. It darted up to Espurr in an instant, its scythe-like arms slashing furiously.
The successful hit made Hiroshi clench his fist, a rallying cry, the start of his comeback. All the damage he had taken before hadn't been in vain. Houndoom was injured, and once Espurr was defeated and Trick Room ended, Ninjask could finally unleash its devastating damage.
Espurr was battered through the air like a tossed ball, struck again and again by Ninjask's furious blades. But Luther only smiled, arms crossed, watching Hiroshi calmly.
To Hiroshi, that expression looked like a bluff, false composure.
Espurr was clearly barely conscious. That calm face was just a trick to shake his resolve, a way to buy her time to recover.
"Dark Pulse."
Spinning in midair, Espurr fired a Dark Pulse straight at Ninjask even as she lost balance, then quickly adjusted her stance to land firmly on her feet.
"Fury Cutter is a super-effective move. Espurr has taken so much damage, and she's already used two Sunny Days… Hakuya, how is she still standing?"
"It's not surprising. My Ursaring could manage that much."
Hakuya waved his notebook, motioning for Officer Jenny to keep watching the action.
Hiroshi felt his mind shutting down. His Ninjask was clearly flinching, completely unable to move, yet Hiroshi stood there, unreacting.
Luther calmly switched Pokémon. Houndoom took the field once more.
This time, there was no need to aim. A roaring Fire Blast scorched the battlefield, sweeping straight toward the paralyzed Ninjask.
The moment the attack struck, the referee let out a quiet sigh and raised his flag. It was too brutal. He simply couldn't watch anymore.
"You seem to have given up on Ninjask," Luther said, gently patting Houndoom before recalling it. "Wasn't that supposed to be your trump card?"
Hiroshi's fists creaked as he clenched them tight, his face dark with suppressed fury.
"It shouldn't have been like this. Ninjask and Metang were both evaluated by experts. Perfect aptitude Pokémon! Every one of my Pokémon is the best of the best. I've pursued perfection in all of them!"
"So what are you trying to say?" Luther replied, pulling out his Pokédex and scanning the fainted Ninjask lying on the ground. The data did, in fact, show near-limitless stats and top-tier potential.
Luther hadn't used that function in a long time. When he first arrived in this world, he'd cared deeply about those so-called "aptitudes," those neat columns of numbers.
But he had since realized that obsessing over paper statistics was a poison. People who did so treated Pokémon like mere tools. Pokémon are living beings, not precision machines to be tuned and optimized.
He finally understood why Ash valued bond so much, because that is the true strength of a Pokémon Trainer. A Trainer who can connect with their Pokémon from the heart can easily defeat an opponent, even if their Pokémon's natural potential is far lower.
"Tell me," Luther asked quietly, "what does that excellent data have to do with you?"
"Ninjask's natural power has nothing to do with you as its Trainer. You've only basked in the superiority that comes from owning strong Pokémon, deluding yourself with fantasies of being unbeatable, dreaming that one day you'll become a so-called Master-class Trainer."
Neither side had turned off their microphones. Their conversation echoed through the entire arena.
The section of the crowd supporting Hiroshi erupted in outrage, accusing Luther of bullying a younger trainer.
"If Naoto hadn't been a Trainer for longer than you, and if he hadn't had so much family support, do you really think you'd be standing here?"
"You've been a Trainer longer than me, too," Hiroshi sneered. "If I were an official Trainer already, do you think I'd lose to those others, or to you?"
"Wake up," Luther's voice cut through the noise, calm but sharp. "You don't actually want to become a Pokémon Trainer. What you want is the spotlight, the cheers, the praise. You crave the feeling of superiority that comes from fame, from making others kneel and worship you."
"At first, I thought you truly liked Mai, that you were smitten at first sight and genuinely wanted to pursue her. But now I'm certain, you just lust after her body. You think you're exceptional, and that everyone else should flatter you, should throw themselves at your feet."
"And as for your Pokémon? You've never shown them an ounce of respect."
"Even now, you haven't recalled Ninjask to its Poké Ball, or checked on its condition. I used Fire Blast on purpose, to see if you were really a Pokémon Trainer at heart. And the truth is clear."
"You're not."
"Right now, you're unworthy."
(End of Chapter)
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