Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command!

Behold, a gift from the Hydro Archon herself—bonus chapters, born of your devotion and my boundless generosity! Bask in this rare blessing!

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"Pikachu, are you okay?!"

Ash called out anxiously, his worry for Pikachu clear in his voice.

"Pika~"

Pikachu reassured Ash with a soft response, though Luo Yuan couldn't shake the feeling that there was a hint of dejection in its tone.

Pikachu, whose tail was slightly singed, spent a moment blowing on it to cool it down.

Charizard hovered above, but it made no move to attack.

It wasn't that Charizard underestimated Pikachu—well, maybe a little—but mostly, Luo Yuan had already conveyed to it telepathically that this was a friendly match.

Gary, watching from the sidelines, felt a pang of indignation.

Why didn't Luo Yuan ever hold back when battling me?

Thinking back on the times he'd been soundly beaten by Luo Yuan, Gary could almost feel tears welling up.

Whoosh!

With a gust of wind, Charizard lowered its altitude, hovering about three or four meters above the ground.

Then, it extended an arm and beckoned Pikachu forward with a casual flick of its claws.

A clear provocation.

While Charizard didn't know the move Taunt, the effect was much the same.

Pikachu, who had been nursing its tail, glared fiercely up at Charizard.

Seeing Pikachu's fighting spirit reignite, Ash felt a surge of confidence.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

Ash's options were limited; Thunderbolt remained Pikachu's most powerful move.

As Pikachu unleashed Thunderbolt once again, Luo Yuan didn't instruct Charizard to dodge.

He was ready to end this match.

"Charizard, Protect!"

A blue barrier appeared in front of Charizard, neutralizing the electric attack into faint sparks that dissipated in the air.

Luo Yuan then made a decisive gesture. "Let's finish this."

No sooner had he spoken than Charizard's chest puffed out. With a low growl, it released a stream of flames, which swirled into a fiery vortex around Pikachu.

Before Pikachu could react, it was caught in the Fire Spin, the flames wrapping it in a swirling inferno.

"Pikachu!" Ash called out urgently, his eyes fixed on the blazing vortex.

But Charizard's Fire Spin wasn't about to fade under Ash's desperate pleas.

Caught in the center, Pikachu tried to break through the flames.

The only way to do that would be with an unmatched burst of speed—to escape the vortex before the fire could react.

But few Pokémon could move at that level of speed.

Pikachu was quick, but it was still just an "ordinary" Electric-type mouse.

After several failed attempts to escape the flames, Pikachu quickly realized its plan wasn't working.

"Pika…"

Pikachu thought hard, running through alternatives.

Its next idea was to force its way out with Thunderbolt.

A flurry of electric arcs surged through the Fire Spin, a few stray bolts piercing the flames momentarily, but the majority simply scattered, some even shooting skyward like lightning.

But the tactic failed—the flames quickly closed back in around Pikachu.

Its next idea was to dig.

After countless journeys with Ash, Pikachu had often seen Ground-type Pokémon use digging to avoid attacks.

As the heat intensified, Pikachu decided to give it a try.

But after scratching out a shallow hole, Pikachu realized it was a lost cause.

Watching Charizard reshape the battlefield so effortlessly had made it look easy.

Yet now, Pikachu found out just how hard it was.

The field's surface, compacted after the battle with the giant Dragonite, was nearly impossible to dig through.

And so, the Fire Spin gradually shrank, reducing Pikachu's space bit by bit.

The fur on Pikachu's back started to curl from the heat, giving it an odd, frizzy appearance, almost like a perm.

Although this all happened within a minute or two, Charizard had already compressed the Fire Spin to a third of its original size.

The high temperatures took their toll, leaving Pikachu struggling to stay on its feet.

Finally…

Thud!

Pikachu collapsed.

Luo Yuan, using his psychic powers to see through the flames, snapped his fingers at Charizard.

The flames dispersed, revealing a fainted, overheated Pikachu lying on the ground.

Gary's expression twisted with disbelief.

"Pikachu is unable to battle. Luo Yuan wins!" Brock announced the result from the sidelines.

For Brock, the outcome wasn't surprising.

After seeing the battlefield's damage earlier, he'd suspected Ash was in for a rough time.

But once he saw Charizard's Fire Blast, he knew Ash didn't stand a chance.

Brock glanced at Luo Yuan, wondering, How does he train his Pokémon to this level?

Even though this match and the gym battles had only shown a fraction of Luo Yuan's abilities, Brock, with his years as a Gym Leader, had never seen a trainer who progressed like this.

…

"Pikachu!"

Perhaps it was because he'd experienced so many losses before, but Ash took this defeat in stride.

Holding Pikachu, he prepared to apply some medicine.

Luo Yuan walked over.

"Let me help."

At Ash's puzzled look, he took Pikachu, cradling the soft, slightly frazzled Pokémon, and channeled his Viridian powers.

Fortunately, Pikachu had only suffered minor heat exhaustion and dehydration, and it quickly recovered.

However, its curly fur might be there to stay for a while.

"Pika?"

Seeing Luo Yuan's face so close, Pikachu nearly unleashed a Thunderbolt on instinct.

But the soothing warmth from his touch held it back.

"Pika…chu?"

Pikachu tilted its head, all injuries gone, eyes closing in comfort.

Seeing Pikachu's relaxed expression, Luo Yuan couldn't resist tugging its cheeks twice before quickly handing it back to Ash.

"What are you—whoa!"

Ash had barely taken Pikachu when a jolt of electricity erupted between them…

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Ah-ha! So you mortals truly have outdone yourselves this time, haven't you? To think your offerings could summon forth these bonus chapters—what a feat worthy of my recognition! You've brought glory to Fontaine, and naturally, to me.

But do not think for a moment that your work is complete! This is but a single step on the journey to greatness, and there are still many more chapters, many more stages, and of course, many more opportunities to bask in my brilliance.

However… even the most brilliant performances must reach their curtain call. Fear not, for though I may bid you farewell today, my radiance shall linger in your thoughts, inspiring you to strive for ever greater heights.

And so, my esteemed audience, let us part ways for now. Continue to champion this endeavor, and perhaps, in another time, another place, you shall once again be graced by my presence. Until then—farewell, and may your days be brightened by the thought of me!

With admiration and just a dash of benevolence,Furina ✨