Pokemon: Spiritual Master

Rumble rumble—

A tremendous thunder crashed down, and the already Terastallized Kingambit suffered a heavy blow from the golden lightning.

The appearance of Mega Dragonite had shocked everyone's jaws.

No one expected that after the League had announced almost all Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution, Dragonite's Mega Evolution would still appear!

Moreover, it seemed to be a Mega Evolution that didn't rely on Mega Stones.

Scattered golden arcs of electricity danced on the arena barriers like blooming fireworks—beautiful but dangerous.

"Kingambit, this isn't over yet, Stone Edge!"

Nemona's face flushed slightly red.

Even she felt the tremendous threat from Mega Dragonite, but as a Champion, she wouldn't choose to give up at this moment, nor was it time to give up yet.

Even against Mega Dragonite, the current Kingambit still had a chance of victory!

"Gam!!"

From the charred crater with jumping arcs of electricity, Kingambit raised its arms with a clang, striking the ground. Sharp rocks appeared from thin air, piercing toward Mega Dragonite in the sky like spears.

"Dragonite! Extreme Speed!"

Johan called out softly.

"Draaa—"

The massive wings atop Mega Dragonite's head flapped gently.

After Mega Evolution, Dragonite finally gained wings that matched its body size.

Although... this appearance did make Johan feel somewhat strange.

But with larger wings and having completed Mega Evolution, Dragonite displayed even faster speed.

It sped through the air, and facing the dense barrage of sharp rocks like a forest of spears, it actually managed to avoid Kingambit's Stone Edge through sheer speed.

Ultimately, Mega Dragonite's aerial advantage was its greatest advantage against Kingambit. Before Kingambit's attacks could reach Dragonite, Dragonite always had some reaction time—the only difference was how long that time was.

Before Mega Evolution, Dragonite might have been half a beat slow, but after Mega Evolution, Dragonite regained the advantage.

The Dragonite that had avoided Kingambit didn't continue staying in mid-air but took the opportunity, wrapped in white light, to charge toward Kingambit!

Dragonite wasn't one to like hiding—it preferred attacking, especially after Mega Evolution when it had gained tremendous power. Dragonite wanted to test its current strength!

Otherwise, Dragonite wouldn't be so fond of Dragon Rush.

"Dragonite, Thunder Punch!"

Lightning gathered around Dragonite's body once again.

Seeing Johan and Dragonite's intentions, Nemona and Kingambit naturally showed no sign of backing down.

A frontal clash?

This was exactly what Kingambit excelled at!

"Kingambit, Kowtow Cleave!"

Bang—

Kingambit suddenly knelt on the ground, the massive golden blade atop its head glowing with intense metallic luster as it rose to meet the descending Dragonite.

Boom!!!

The next instant, lightning and silver light intertwined. With Kingambit at the center, the entire ground rippled in waves, spreading wildly in all directions, leaving the field in complete chaos.

"Kingambit, Sucker Punch!"

The collision was far from over. Nemona knew she couldn't give Dragonite another chance to take flight, or Kingambit would have little opportunity to counterattack.

But Johan and Dragonite had no intention of "kiting" again.

We've already Mega Evolved, and this is Dragonite's first Mega Evolution on stage—if we're still dodging at this point, wouldn't our Mega Evolution be wasted?

Let's see Dragonite's upper limit then!

"Dragonite!" Johan's gaze was piercing as his aura power rippled in waves.

He waved his hand and shouted sternly: "Out-rage!"

"Draaa!!"

In the swirling dust clouds, Dragonite's body immediately surged with terrifying dark red airflow as violent aura spread wildly.

All the dust immediately scattered explosively as if at the center of a blast.

The tremendously violent Mega Dragonite displayed the tyrannical aura and proud dominance of a great dragon to the fullest.

But within the violence, Dragonite retained the necessary rationality.

Therefore, when Kingambit's fist wrapped in dense black aura swung toward it, Dragonite raised its hand.

Bang!!

"Gam?"

Kingambit looked in amazement at its fist caught by Dragonite.

Mega Dragonite after Mega Evolution had reached genuine legendary levels.

And when Mega Dragonite activated "Outrage state"...

"Draaa—"

Dragonite grinned, revealing a fierce smile.

The next second, Kingambit felt the world spinning around it.

Boom boom boom!!

Continuous thunderous roars, accompanied by ground tremors and flickering arena barriers, spread throughout the venue.

Crack—

When the final Terastallization crystals shattered, it announced the end of this battle.

At the same time, it basically announced the end of this round of battle between Nemona and Johan.

Because after losing Kingambit, and more importantly losing Terastallization as an enhancement method, even though Nemona still had two Pokémon left, it would be difficult to turn the tide.

Even though Johan's Urshifu could no longer battle, even though Dragonite, which had defeated Kingambit, was nearly exhausted after canceling Mega Evolution.

Because Nemona only had one Espathra left, plus her ace Glimmora in poor condition.

Setting aside Glimmora for now, the Psychic-type Espathra couldn't possibly defeat Johan's Tyranitar in this desert field.

And Glimmora... the rumored two strongest Pokémon of Johan's team, Gengar and Ninetales, hadn't even appeared yet.

However, Nemona didn't announce surrender, but the final result... didn't deviate much from expectations.

Espathra couldn't create much of a stir against Tyranitar, and Glimmora... although its poison made Tyranitar suffer somewhat, with its quadruple weakness to Ground-type and already poor condition, it ultimately only managed a draw with Tyranitar.

After all, although Tyranitar was a Rock and Dark-type Pokémon, its Ground-type moves hadn't weakened much after evolution and losing the Ground-type. The Earth Plate and countless diamonds had provided Tyranitar with sufficient nourishment.

Plus the intimidation of Precipice Blades... being able to draw with Nemona's ace Glimmora, even a Glimmora with less than half stamina, Tyranitar's strength was worthy of praise from Johan and everyone else.

In the end, Johan VS Nemona ended with a score of 6-1!

At least she wasn't swept...

When the referee raised the flag and announced the final result, Nemona secretly sighed in relief.

She had already clearly felt the strength gap between herself and Johan.

Not only because she was beaten 6-1, but also because she hadn't even forced Johan to send out either Gengar or Ninetales!

Anyone who knew Johan understood that Gengar was the ace among Teacher Johan's aces.

As League Chairman and Champion, Nemona knew even more clearly that Johan's Gengar had already reached legendary levels in its normal state, and not just ordinary legendary—she didn't dare imagine how strong Gengar would be after Mega Evolution.

In any case... not being swept was already not a loss!

"Congratulations, Teacher Johan."

"Thank you."

After the match, the two shook hands at center field, both wearing smiles to varying degrees.

"Mega Dragonite is truly amazing," Nemona recalled the moment she first saw Dragonite Mega Evolve.

Setting everything else aside, Dragonite's Mega Evolution would definitely change, to some extent, the current "ecological" order of families mainly focused on Dragon-type Pokémon across regions in the Pokémon world.

"An unexpected discovery," Johan said vaguely.

He wasn't sure whether others could replicate Dragonite's Mega Evolution.

Nemona smiled: "Remember to tell others the same thing."

As she spoke, her gaze moved past Johan to the contestant tunnel behind him.

The contestant tunnel, which should have only had League staff, was now crowded with people.

Those reporters seemed to have "broken through" the organizers' blockade.

If it were just these reporters, it would be fine... but Johan saw Lance, saw Clair, and saw those members of Lance's "support group"—the Dragon Tamers from the Dragon Clan.

Under Nemona's somewhat teasing smile, a drop of cold sweat appeared on Johan's forehead.

This situation... seemed a bit overwhelming.

"Calm down, calm down Lance!"

"I'm very calm! You're the one who needs to calm down, Johan!"

With his cheek pressed against the sofa, Lance struggled to speak while Teacher Johan held him in a very standard restraint position, controlling his arm.

Nearby, Clair's face was cold and even radiated "killing intent" as she gripped her whip tightly, but... couldn't get past Gengar even one step.

The others around looked at Lance being pinned to the sofa by Teacher Johan, unable to move, then at Teacher Johan telling Lance to calm down but not letting go, and broke out in cold sweats.

Is this the strength of a "Fighting Master"?

Lance, who came from a Police background, was taken down by Teacher Johan in one move...

From now on, if Teacher Johan ever claims he doesn't know how to fight, nobody should believe him!

"Johan." Cynthia looked at Johan and Lance's situation, wanting to laugh but feeling it wasn't quite appropriate, so she could only tug at Johan, signaling him not to be so tense.

"Teacher."

"Teacher."

Steven and N also hurriedly stepped forward to "mediate."

"Have them calm him down, and I'll let go," Johan said clearly while restraining Lance and setting conditions.

Everyone: "..."

"Cough, well, Teacher Johan, I think Lance is probably quite calm now."

As the host, Leon had to speak up.

If he didn't speak up soon, there would be trouble!

Tomorrow's newspaper headlines might not even give Mega Dragonite first place. News like "Shocking! Teacher Johan Beats Up Champion Dragon Master Lance in Rest Room!" might be more exciting than Mega Dragonite.

Johan looked at the "obedient" Lance, then at Leon, Cynthia, and others, and exhaled lightly.

"Alright then."

He released Lance.

The next second, Lance immediately flipped over and grabbed Johan's clothes, showing no anger about being pinned down earlier, just asking urgently:

"Johan, does Dragonite really have Mega Evolution?"

Lance wasn't being overly excited without reason.

Others, even those who also specialized in Dragon-type Pokémon like Clair, old man Drake, or other trainers, had at most one Dragonite.

Even most trainers in the Pokémon world who were enthusiastic about Dragon-type Pokémon didn't have a Dragonite, but Lance... had three!

Three Dragonite!

Plus three Dragonair!

And numerous Dratini...

Others might not know why Lance trained so many Dragonite, Dragonair, and Dratini, but Johan was one of the few who guessed Lance's thinking.

He wanted to cultivate his own "Dragon Legion"!

Just like Elite Four Agatha's "Ghost Legion."

The appearance of Mega Dragonite would undoubtedly make Lance's "Dragon Legion" even stronger, and naturally boost his own strength to another level.

It could even elevate the overall strength of the entire Dragon Clan of Blackthorn City!

That's why Johan had to pin Lance down and make him calm down—this concerned not just him, but their entire Dragon Clan.

"Cough."

Johan struggled to break free from Lance and coughed lightly: "I don't really know how to explain the specifics, but... as you can see."

As I can see?

Dragonite could indeed Mega Evolve.

But...

"Why have I never seen Dragonite's Mega Stone?" Lance frowned.

"Actually, I haven't seen one either," Johan spread his hands.

Then he briefly recounted what had happened with Dragonite and what Rayquaza had said.

After hearing this, everyone fell silent.

Dragonite's Mega Evolution was related to Rayquaza?

How could others replicate that?

Seeing Lance's helpless expression, Johan thought for a moment and said:

"However, it's not necessarily true that Dragonite's Mega Stone doesn't exist—we just haven't found it yet."

Haven't found it?

The League had practically turned the Hoenn and Kalos regions upside down.

Actually, Johan's thought was... perhaps Dragonite's Mega Stone existed in a parallel universe of another Pokémon world?

Even in that parallel universe, the Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution might be completely different from those in his current world.

But the Pokémon themselves were the same.

So Dragonite could Mega Evolve.

Strictly speaking, Johan and Dragonite's Mega Evolution wasn't the same kind of bond evolution as his and Gengar's, but rather borrowed Rayquaza's power.

Lance shook his head.

He understood that replicating what happened with Johan and Dragonite would be very difficult.

But Lance quickly regained his spirits.

Since Johan had proven that Dragonite could Mega Evolve, then... even without relying on Mega Stones, he and his Dragonite could achieve it someday!

At least now there was a clear direction!

Lance's reaction didn't represent just him alone.

In a short time, the news that Dragonite, a pseudo-legendary Pokémon, could Mega Evolve swept across the internet.

Even the news of Johan beating Champion Nemona with a 6-1 record was overshadowed.

However... the two pieces of news could actually be combined into one, so there wasn't much difference.

But this was still during the Master Tournament, so even though Mega Dragonite's appearance was shocking, it was still just one Pokémon.

So after "causing a commotion" for a while, everyone quickly refocused their attention on the upcoming matches.

After Johan became the second to advance to the semifinals, the Eight Masters Tournament continued.

Next up was the clash between Cynthia and Steven!

One was his girlfriend, the other his most accomplished student.

On his way to watch the match, Johan was intercepted by reporters.

"Teacher Johan, who do you think will win between Ms. Cynthia and Mr. Steven?"

To this "death" question, Johan answered very decisively with a slight smile:

"Of course, the victor will be the one who wins."

Reporter: "?"

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Powerstones?

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