As a Gym Leader, Fantina's best attribute was Ghost-type, but that didn't mean she couldn't handle other types.
Many trainers with mono-type teams would still choose a few Pokémon with outstanding secondary typings to patch up weaknesses in their lineup, and Fantina was no exception.
And her choice was even more outrageous.
In order to deal with Ghost-on-Ghost mirror matches, where same-type Pokémon could deal double damage to each other, she had deliberately raised a Dark-type Pokémon.
Coincidentally, this Dark-type Pokémon also carried a Steel typing.
Not only could it resist Ghost-type moves, it was also completely immune to Poison-type moves.
'What is Gengar supposed to fight with?'
The moment she held the Poké Ball, Fantina's body once again radiated strong confidence, her flustered, furious look vanishing without a trace.
'A challenger speedrunning a Gym Leader?'
'Impossible!'
She stared seriously at Platinum, her whole demeanor carrying the air of a mature, older-sister senior figure, "Even though your Gengar is indeed strong, I still haven't seen that spark of brilliance in him."
"To let you understand the importance of raw strength, I feel it's necessary to make something clear to you."
"Tactics are important, yes, but in the end, a trainer must rely on strength as the foundation.'
"This round, I won't be holding back anymore!"
Saying that, Fantina took a deep breath. The Poké Ball in her hand flashed with a beam of white light.
A Pokémon covered in red armor, with eyes cold beyond reason, appeared before Gengar.
The only Dark+Steel type Pokémon in the Pokémon world, a true and undeniable powerhouse, Bisharp.
Sensing the tyrannical aura radiating from this Pokémon, Platinum instinctively stepped back a step.
But soon, in her mind, Axel's initial teachings echoed.
("Fantina is a Ghost-type, there's a big chance she'll raise Dark-types. When the time comes, don't panic, just use this method.")
Thinking of the Pokédex's evaluation of that skill, the young lady who had been flustered suddenly clenched her fist tight.
"Fantina-oneechan, I know this is a little too much."
"But… but for Axel's sake, I will not lose!"
Hearing Platinum's words, Fantina almost laughed in fury.
In her mind, an image automatically filled itself in.
An innocent, pure, white-haired, ditzy beauty stumbling into the arms of some no-good, evil trainer, and then obediently listening to everything he said.
Even raising her noble Ghost-type Gengar into this filthy state.
'Girl, you've practically become this man's puppet.'
As the Ghost-type Gym Leader of this region, Fantina had to set things right.
The strength of Ghost-types lay in eerie, sinister offense, absolutely not in playing status games like Poison-types or some Dark-types.
At that moment, Fantina's desire to win reached its peak.
This battle was not just about saving one young lady, but about saving every Ghost-type trainer in this region.
"Let me see, just how that kid has trained your Gengar into this."
"Gen-gah!"
The Gengar Axel and the others had just caught, hearing how Fantina looked down on him, and thinking of how his own ideals aligned with Axel's, immediately gave a fierce cry.
The next second, the opponent's Bisharp had already raised its steel blade high.
That blade overflowed with thick Dark-type energy, heavily suppressing Gengar.
Whether in level or typing, Gengar had no advantage at all.
But Gengar didn't back down in the slightest, the crimson reflection in his eyes growing even fiercer.
After all, for a thousand years, even if he'd never had a proper trainer to nurture him, that didn't mean he hadn't fought plenty.
Without a couple of tricks up his sleeve, how could he have guarded a place for a thousand years?
'Come on, Master, I'm ready!'
Platinum gave a firm nod, looking toward Axel's direction, recalling the tactics he had taught her.
Finally, the young lady's lips curled into a determined smile.
"Gengar, use Perish Song!"
"Gengah!"
Gengar nodded heavily, gave his trainer behind him a big thumbs-up.
At the same time, he opened his mouth, baring his big white teeth, putting on a blissful expression.
"Doo-dee-lee-la~ Doo-lee-na, Doo-doo-dee-laa~"
The moment Fantina heard that singing voice, she was instantly dumbfounded.
'This little girl, she looks so pure and spotless, how did she end up learning such things from Axel?'
'Perish Song, and you actually taught your Pokémon that?'
The learning difficulty of this move was no less than Dragon-type Draco Meteor.
But using it came with extremely heavy restrictions.
First of all, it needed a very long time to take effect, nearly enough for a Pokémon to use three whole moves.
Second, the essence of this move was to wear down the opponent's will to battle.
As long as the opposing trainer recalled their Pokémon before their will to battle was consumed, then the move was wasted.
All these restrictions made this seemingly broken move not that practical.
In fact, in most cases, its effectiveness wasn't even as good as a simple Toxic.
If you've got the energy, wouldn't it be better to raise a dragon?
"Hu-Doo-doo-laa doo-lee-na, Doo-doo-lee-waa~"
Gengar's singing continued on, even after Bisharp slashed him with its blade, he didn't care at all.
When the song ended, Platinum immediately shouted out the command she had already decided on long ago.
"Gengar, use Protect and charge into Fantina's shadow!"
"Gengar!"
Gengar nodded heavily, his body flashing with a white shield, charging at Fantina without hesitation.
Fantina froze in place, dumbstruck, as she saw Gengar throw her a cheeky grin, then dive into her shadow.
Seeing their opponent vanish, Bisharp was stunned.
Clearly the enemy trainer was less than two meters away, yet it couldn't attack the trainer.
Even more ridiculous, the opposing Pokémon had disappeared.
How the hell was this supposed to be fought?
If this were put on Into the Science, this move could at least make a three-episode feature.
Watching Bisharp grow increasingly restless, looking ready to forfeit the battle, Fantina sighed helplessly, then gritted her teeth and glared at Axel.
'Damn it, it's all because of this guy!'
'If not for him, this little girl would've definitely been a cute, adorable junior.'
'But now everything has changed!'
Thinking this way, Fantina gnawed her teeth, glaring at Axel.
"I… surrender!"
"But I want to fight you, with no restriction on attacking trainers, a real field battle."
"Me?", Axel pointed at his own nose, stunned.
He had thought he could finally get through this Gym without needing to make a move, but in the end it had still come to this.
He didn't feel like he had offended Fantina, so why was this woman always clinging onto him like this?
This didn't match his 'living off women' lifestyle at all.
'Wait!'
A sudden thought flashed in Axel's mind.
'Could it be… this Miss Fantina is actually broke?'
With that thought, Axel cautiously asked Fantina, "If I sweep your team too, will you reward me with a TM just like Gym Leader Crasher did?"
Hearing Axel's words, Fantina nearly laughed from rage.
'How could someone be so shameless?'
'Not satisfied with brainwashing a naive young lady, and now he wants to PUA me too?'
"You can kill me, but you absolutely cannot swipe my credit card!"
Axel: "Credit card…"
'Crap, I have really become a walking capital verification machine!'
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