Pokemon: Spiritual Master-Chapter 565: The Final Showdown!

Leon finally managed to seize back the advantage of counter-switching his Pokémon.

But truthfully—

There weren't many options left for Leon.

Aside from Cinderace, he only had two Pokémon remaining.

Still, from Leon's perspective, as long as he could deny Johan the counter-picking advantage, it was a win.

Because Johan's familiarity with Pokémon was too thorough, and he was a master at exploiting type matchups.

Letting him have counter-switching was just too dangerous.

But despite all the maneuvering, even though Leon successfully switched out Cinderace...

Gengar now possessed the Libero ability.

As Cinderace's trainer, Leon knew exactly how powerful Libero was, how it could turn the tide of battle.

And worse—

It was now in the hands of a Pokémon as tricky as Gengar.

"But..."

Leon's expression turned grave.

"Gengar isn't the only tricky Pokémon out there."

"Go, Mr. Rime!"

"The fifth Pokémon from Leon: Mr. Rime!"

The announcer shouted excitedly.

A Pokémon, dressed like a dapper gentleman, leaning on an icy cane, complete with a Charlie Chaplin mustache and tap shoes, slid onto the battlefield.

Mr. Rime, a Galar-region evolution of Mr. Mime —

a Pokémon unique to Galar.

In other regions, Mr. Mime could not evolve.

"Hum~"

Because of the earlier influence of Ninetales, the field was still covered in ice and snow —

essentially turning the battlefield into an icy stage.

And this—

gave Mr. Rime his stage.

He skated smoothly across the field, turning the ground he touched into slick ice.

On one side, Gengar, wearing shades, was bouncing and taunting — "I'll take on ten!"

On the other side, Mr. Rime tap-danced across the ice, twirling his cane like a circus act.

Anyone watching might have thought they were at a circus show.

"Ka-kaah?"

Gengar lifted his shades slightly and squinted at the figure skating Mr. Rime.

Rival detected.

A spotlight-stealer!

Gengar licked his lips, dangerous red glint in his eyes.

"Mr. Rime, the Comedian Pokémon, Ice and Psychic type.

A master of tap dancing and comedy performances—Rotom!"

Rotom faithfully delivered the info —

but against Johan's instinctive reading, it didn't add much.

Johan looked at Gengar with a strange expression.

No one understood Gengar better than Johan.

One scratch of its backside and he knew whether it was plotting to steal food.

One look at its face and he knew what it was thinking.

And now—

Gengar was serious!

For the first time in the entire Youth Masters World Championship,

Gengar had gotten serious.

Leon probably never imagined:

The Pokémon he sent to deal with Gengar...

had fired up Gengar instead.

The battle resumed.

"Gengar, Dark Pulse!"

Johan issued the first command.

"Ka-kaah!"

Gengar narrowed his eyes, rapidly rubbing his hands together.

A wave of concentrated malicious energy formed between them, crackling ominously.

At the same time,

thanks to Libero,

Gengar's type changed to Dark!

A Dark-type Gengar!

Perfect against Mr. Rime's Ice/Psychic typing.

Dark moves were immune to Psychic attacks and weren't weak to Ice either.

Gengar also had many Dark-type moves in his arsenal.

And being Dark-type now—

meant Taunt wouldn't hinder him either!

Mr. Rime twirled his cane rapidly, conjuring a transparent Light Screen to block the Dark Pulse.

Meanwhile—

"Mr. Rime, Role Play!"

Leon ordered.

"Hum—"

Mr. Rime's face briefly morphed into Gengar's likeness.

Its ability copied Libero too!

Although Role Play was a Psychic move, it could bypass type interactions.

However—

Gengar gaped, turning to Johan.

"Ka-kaah! (Д)σ"

"He's copying me?!"

Normally it was Gengar imitating others.

This was the first time someone copied Gengar!

Johan twitched at the corner of his mouth.

What could he even say?

At the moment Mr. Rime finished copying Libero,

Gengar's Dark Pulse shattered the Light Screen,

continuing its surge toward Mr. Rime.

Leon swung his arm urgently.

"Mr. Rime, Misty Terrain!"

Before the strange mist could fully expand,

Mr. Rime, thanks to Libero,

shifted into Fairy type.

Fairy types resist Dark attacks!

BOOM!

Mr. Rime was blasted back —

but the damage was greatly reduced.

The pink mist spread, covering the battlefield.

"Ugh—my head can't keep up anymore,"

moaned a spectator.

"It's simple!"

someone else explained.

"Gengar became Dark type, Mr. Rime became Fairy type,

both now have Libero,

and Libero only applies when using the first move!"

Simple?

Yeah, right.

Everyone's brains were twisted into knots.

Misty Terrain expanded, suppressing statuses like poisoning, paralysis, and confusion.

Another blow to Gengar.

Gengar was furious.

He had been enjoying his Libero tricks—

and now Mr. Rime copied it.

And now Misty Terrain shut down his debuffs?

Rage.

Pure, bubbling rage.

Johan adjusted his monocle.

Can't overwrite the terrain?

Who said we needed to?

"Gengar," he said quietly.

"Maximum power — Sludge Wave."

"Ka-kaah!!"

Gengar inhaled deeply—

his body swelling grotesquely.

THOOM!

A filthy, viscous tidal wave of sludge erupted,

spreading outward in all directions.

Snow, ice, leftover rocks—

everything corroded away into stinking, toxic sludge.

Leon's face changed instantly.

Such intense poison!

He knew Gengar had scary Ghost powers—

but this?

This toxic power hadn't been revealed until now!

"Mr. Rime, Light Screen! Watch out for poison!"

Even if Misty Terrain blocked status effects,

getting directly hit by such sludge still hurt.

Mr. Rime barely raised another Light Screen.

But—

the sludge tsunami was relentless.

The arena's protective barriers even hissed and sizzled.

Spectators started pulling their feet back instinctively.

Staff rushed to reinforce the shields.

But inside the field—

Mr. Rime's Light Screen was melting.

Hissing.

Crackling.

Breaking.

"唔!!"

Mr. Rime frantically raised a second barrier.

But the corrosion was relentless.

Purple toxic mist began rising around Mr. Rime.

Mr. Rime was poisoned!

Wait—

wasn't there Misty Terrain?!

"Look!"

someone cried out.

"The terrain disappeared!"

How?

Sludge Wave—

at this scale,

was powerful enough to sweep away terrain effects.

In short:

Mr. Rime: poisoned.

Misty Terrain: gone.

Field: devastated, full of pits and holes.

"Ka-kaah!!"

Gengar bounced gleefully.

"My domain again!"

Leon grimaced.

When things went south against Johan,

it really went south.

"Mr. Rime, Safeguard!"

Maybe prevent further poison?

But—

Gengar wasn't going to let him.

Dark energy boiled from Gengar.

Not Shadow Ball this time—

but a deeper darkness:

"Dark Void!"

WHOOOOM—

The black orb enveloped Mr. Rime—

before it could finish Safeguard!

THUD—

Mr. Rime collapsed, deeply asleep.

Gengar grinned evilly, rubbing his hands.

Normally he avoided sleep attacks—

too cruel.

Johan discouraged it.

But today—

Gengar was pissed.

And Mr. Rime was going to pay.

Thud—

Mr. Rime's portrait on the scoreboard dimmed.

"Mr. Rime is unable to battle!"

the trembling referee announced.

Leon had lost his fourth Pokémon.

Now—

Aside from Cinderace, only one remained.

The real threat was coming.

Johan murmured:

"The real monster appears."

Infernape could steamroll three of Cynthia's Pokémon when going berserk.

Charizard, compared to that, was even stronger.

Their bond, no less deep.

Even with a numbers advantage,

Johan didn't dare relax.

A careless mistake could let Leon's Charizard sweep his whole team!

"Ka-kaah!!"

Gengar thumped his belly.

"I'm angry! I'm not stepping down!"

He was still fired up to fight all ten!

Leon clutched his final Poké Ball.

Eyes gleaming with fiery determination.

"No more hesitation."

"Go—my partner! Charizard!"

"RAAARRGH!!"

A blast of heat erupted as Charizard appeared,

its wings stirring fierce hot winds.

Gengar squinted against the gusts.

"Ka-kaah..."

So strong.

He turned to Johan, pointing at Charizard:

"Ka-kaah?"

"Can we count this one as nine Pokémon?"

Johan blinked—

then chuckled and nodded.

"Sure."

It wasn't just any Pokémon.

It was the ace.

A true clash of titans:

Gengar vs Charizard.

Ace vs Ace.

Bring it on.

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Powerstones?

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