“Because you have a rival, you gain the possibility to keep growing.”

“And I, Rika-nee, want to keep growing too!”

Rika laughed, as if a dream that had never existed before had suddenly been born inside her. Geeta, however, abruptly turned thoughtful.

“Rika, are you planning to take the Champion Assessment?”

Geeta’s tone was rather strange.

Rika said, “Ahaha, who knows. I’ll wait until I get a little stronger first.”

But even if Rika became a Champion-class trainer, her daily life wouldn’t really change.

The work she had to do would not decrease, and she would still keep doing her Elite Four job on the side.

Of course, for Rika herself, it would be a leap of growth.

Geeta would be delighted to see it.

“What a wonderful proposal. Rika has found the will to keep moving forward. She’s always been full of drive, but this state is clearly even better.”

“Becoming rivals will benefit your mutual growth too. Strong trainers should compete and improve together, after all.”

Geeta smiled warmly. Even though she wasn’t that old, she carried herself with an oddly old-fashioned air.

Facing Rika’s blazing, eager request, Hikaru raised a hand in helpless surrender. “If you mean battles, I don’t mind being your opponent, but I’m not in Paldea all the time.”

“Besides, your workload won’t decrease because of this. So there won’t actually be many chances to battle, right? Does having a rival really matter?”

“Of course it matters.” Rika pressed a hand to her forehead, then suddenly gave a strange grin.

“You need a target to move forward better. And as for the Top Champion… I’ve been with her for too long. I’ve already lost that sense of competition.”

“So I need someone to push me, even if it’s only in name!”

Hikaru sighed.

Her personality, honestly, really was a bit battle-crazed.

Not quite like most Paldeans, and she emphasized the concept of “victory” more than most. You could see it in the games and the anime, too.

“If you lose, it has no meaning,” was something she had said before.

Hikaru said, “If you think this will help you improve, I don’t really care.”

Rika said, “Yay. Then it’s a deal! I feel like I’m overflowing with motivation!”

At the same time, Geeta suddenly made a suggestion:

“Oh, right. Even though you and Rika already decided the win and loss, as the League’s Top Champion, I still think it’s necessary for me to battle you once, to further confirm your highest level of strength.”

“How about a one-on-one? Use your ace.”

Geeta seemed genuinely interested, and she clearly wanted to see what Hikaru’s Aegislash could do.

Hikaru said, “No problem. If it’s just a test, that’s simple. I still have a lot of partners who want to take the field too. The battle rules are…?”

“1v1.” Geeta smiled. “The strength of the Black Tower Area 10 boss needs no introduction. And since you already defeated Rika, you’ve proven your power is in no way inferior to legend. So this match will simply be a straightforward…”

“A one-on-one contest.”

“Please do use your full strength. When it comes to Pokémon battles, I cannot compromise.”

Cannot compromise?

Hikaru wanted to laugh.

Among all Champions, you were the one who held back the most, and you’re talking about “no compromise.” Are you sure you’re not just building confidence for challengers?

After all, if they beat a you who talks tough, deep down they’ll get that exhilarating feeling of “I really did it.”

And one of Geeta’s aces, Kingambit, had only just evolved and was being researched. It wasn’t with her right now.

So the Pokémon she sent out would naturally be…

“I’m saying, Commander-in-Chief…”

Rika leaned close to Geeta and whispered about Brassius wanting to file a complaint with the League, including the fact that she’d wrecked part of Artazon’s streets before. She told Geeta immediately that they absolutely could not fight outside.

Fight at the Gym test grounds. Otherwise, Brassius would probably jump off a windmill.

“I understand.” Geeta nodded. “Then let’s begin now.”

Geeta issued the invitation. At that moment, Hikaru noticed Mela casting a hesitant look from the distance, so he waved at her.

“It’s fine. I’ll be right back. We can paint together again after.”

“O-okay!” Mela answered nervously, then found it strange that Iono still wasn’t leaving.

This huge a hotspot, and you’re not going to chase it?

“Hehe, there are some things you can’t film.” Iono waved a hand. “Besides, the Top Champion didn’t approve it.”

Even though a test match between a Champion and an Elite Four member was incredible content…

If there was another sudden upset, wouldn’t that be awkward?

“Besides, the program’s already in the second half!” Iono clapped her hands. “Our next focus is filming the artwork!”

————

Artazon. The Gym test grounds.

Geeta tightened her gloves. With that mysterious smile of hers, she sent out her “ace.”

Glimmora.

Glimmora was a strange-looking Pokémon, with an abstract, absurd vibe to it. It resembled a massive floating blue flower. Deep within its sharp, transparent “head” were two eyes that gleamed with golden light, and if you stared too long, it started to feel a little terrifying.

Like a bronze blossom.

Overall, it didn’t feel like a Pokémon that evolved naturally. When it sensed danger, it spread its crystalline petals and fired beams from its conical body.

At the same time, the petals formed when its poisonous energy crystallized were similar to Tera jewels.

And this species only appeared where Terastal energy gathered, meaning it existed only in Paldea, and at Kitakami’s Crystal Pool.

“But you’re sending this out now?”

“So you really aren’t planning to battle seriously, are you?”

Geeta maintained her smile. “Oh my. Why would you say that? I’m prepared to Terastallize, you know.”

“And don’t underestimate my Pokémon. You’ve never seen it before, have you?”

Hikaru shook his head. “Glimmora, the Ore Pokémon. Rock and Poison typing. Its Abilities are Toxic Debris and Corrosion.”

“Are you running Corrosion, then? But even if it’s Corrosion, all that does is let Steel be poisoned. Poison-type attacks still do nothing to Steel regardless.”

“Oh my.” Geeta’s expression turned serious.

In her eyes, Glimmora was a Pokémon that existed only in Paldea. And whether it was Toxic Debris or Corrosion, those should both be exceptionally rare Abilities.

Toxic Debris, at present, had only been found on Glimmora’s line.

And Corrosion was said to have been discovered in a faraway region, but only in a single case. More details were still under investigation, making it an exceptionally mysterious Ability.

So when ordinary Pokémon faced Glimmora, it was easy to slip up badly.

“Rika-san hasn’t seen Aegislash, but you definitely have,” Hikaru said.

“Its typing shouldn’t be able to fool you either. Against that Pokémon, you should be sending out something with better resistance.”

Rika was young. She’d never seen a ghost sword.

But Geeta was the Top Champion and the region’s chairwoman. There was no way she hadn’t seen it.

In theory, aside from Kingambit, even if Geeta didn’t have something that resisted Steel, she had several options that weren’t weak to Steel.

Especially Dragapult. At a time like this, shouldn’t that little punk dragon be taking the field?

Geeta laughed.

“Even if I ‘can’t compromise’ in Pokémon battles, Glimmora really is one of my aces.”

“And to observe your strongest strength, if I sent out a Pokémon that was immune to your corresponding attacks, it would lose the meaning of observation.”

“Besides, Tera Types can be changed.” Geeta’s smile deepened. “Mine isn’t a Rock Tera, you know.”

“Shine with the light that guides your Trainer, Glimmora!”

With Geeta’s laughter, the Tera Orb flew. Crystal light flared, and Terastallization completed.

Fire Tera.

A Terastallization Geeta had never shown in-game.

A flame-like crystal chandelier, a Fire-type Tera jewel, bloomed above Glimmora’s head.

“Do you remember the TM I gave you? Tera Blast.”

Geeta kept that gentle smile.

“Terastallization is about avoiding your disadvantages, then using Tera Blast to leverage your new attribute advantage.”

“Now then, can you finally believe I’m using my full strength?”

“So that’s how it is.” Hikaru considered it. “If it’s Fire Tera, then sure, no problem.”

“Since you want to see it, then look closely!”

At Hikaru’s signal, Aegislash’s enormous blade floated into the field. The moment it appeared, Glimmora felt an immense pressure bearing down on it.

And then!

Crack.

Golden lightning surged from Aegislash. The instant it unleashed its full strength, Aegislash entered its King’s Stance.

“A golden sword?!” Geeta’s pupils shrank hard, and Rika was stunned as well.

Rika remembered what Hikaru had said before.

This Aegislash was a Pokémon called a King, possessing power no ordinary member of its kind could match.

She had originally assumed “King” was just a title for a species leader, but now…

Rika clicked her tongue in amazement.

“It really has a King’s Stance?! What kind of power is that?”

“King’s Stance…” Geeta felt the pressure. “That aura is overwhelming. That golden body even seems to have made the blade larger.”

Without hesitation, she acted.

“Tera Blast!”

At last, the true centerpiece of this battle began.

Glimmora spun violently. Massive Terastal power gathered, shaping into a blazing ocean of fire.

With a thunderous boom, it erupted forward.

“Aegislash has a move called King’s Shield, so the first hit will definitely be blocked.” Geeta calculated in her mind, pre-reading Aegislash’s next action. “But Tera Blast doesn’t have a usage limit, so the second hit will inevitably land.”

However…

Aegislash, fighting at full power, had no intention of dodging.

“Geh…”

It’s just Terastal fire, that’s all.

I’ll cut it back.

Fire is useless against me.

The blade swelled. Golden radiance mixed with Ghost and Steel hues, forming a glittering greatsword of light.

The greatsword rose, then swung down hard.

“Sacred Sword!”

A fire-cleaving sword.

Just like Cobalion had once displayed.

The true secret of Sacred Sword lay in pure clarity of heart. Without that secret, Sacred Sword was merely a slash with slightly higher power.

But once that clarity was fused in…

Even an explosion of attribute energy could be split in two.

The flame that guided me… so you were with me all along.

Now, I have a reason I cannot lose.

The Fire Tera Blast was split down the middle by Sacred Sword. The greatsword surged forward, and the violent sword pressure kicked up sand and stones.

Then… those erupting flames were abruptly wrapped up by the greatsword.

Thus, I have a flaming greatsword.

Today’s strike, I will unleash my full power, and for now I will not use Soul 5, the art that brings suffering.

Please bear witness.

To circle it and not take it, that is the way of a knight!

The blade smashed into Geeta’s Glimmora with unimaginable speed and force, releasing a power that broke through all resistance like a battering ram.

Hikaru said, “Ferocity. The might of King’s Stance, releasing a power no ordinary Pokémon can block.”

“Also, a Sacred Swordsman acknowledged by the legendary dragons has the ability to land Sacred Sword on the vital point.”

And.

Cutting moves gain +1 priority.

Under Geeta’s shocked gaze, Glimmora was blasted straight out of the battle space. With a deafening crash, it slammed into the windmill behind the test grounds.

One slash, a critical hit.

And critical hit damage was modified to ×2.

Geeta’s pupils tightened.

Hit by that lethal blow.

Hovering on the steep edge of annihilation.

The situation truly…

Took a sudden turn for the worse.

“Damn it! Glimmora, Rock Polish!”

That slash just now, even watching it, you could tell how much damage it would do. Fire had neither advantage nor resistance against Fighting-type moves.

Rock Polish, polishing the body to reduce air resistance, sharply increasing speed.

Using it now was a forced move. Glimmora scrambled out of the windmill’s wall, spinning in midair, beginning its self-buff.

Hikaru sighed in admiration. “Worthy of a Champion’s Pokémon. After taking a slash from King’s Stance, it can still keep fighting…”

High levels really did let you do whatever you wanted.

“Your words make me feel uneasy,” Geeta rubbed her brow. “Power beyond imagination. Far, far beyond what I imagined.”

“If I hadn’t Terastallized, Glimmora would’ve lost to the first hit. It’s been a long time since I’ve encountered something like this!”

A wave of fear truly passed through her.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t accept losing. It was only a 1v1 test match.

But losing this fast was a bit too fast.

This could become the “fastest defeat” of her battle career.

Right now, the most important thing was speed. So Glimmora raised its speed again, maintaining a high-speed posture to evade the next attacks.

Large-bodied Pokémon often had slower attack speed, but that Aegislash’s sword speed just now was absurdly fast.

An attack that carried both speed and power, how could she block it?

She had to find an opportunity to use Tera Blast, and drop it in one decisive blow with a super effective strike, while also…

“Toxic!”

Because of Corrosion, even though Poison-type moves still did nothing to Steel-type, Toxic could still take effect. In other words, it could poison Steel-types and Poison-types alike.

Glimmora sprayed venom. Aegislash burst out of the dust, the blade twisting sharply.

Air Slash.

Furious north winds gathered into rotating wind blades, blasting the toxins away in an explosive burst.

Boom.

The golden greatsword swept in.

Geeta snapped her hand. “Spiky Shield!”

A green, grassy barrier formed around Glimmora. Sharp grass spines sprouted along the shield’s surface, blocking the opponent’s attack while shaving down the HP of any foe that made contact.

How is it so fast?!

She was shocked, and then saw Aegislash throw its heavy shield away.

“Body lightweight!”

The greatsword slammed into the grass shield. After a violent shockwave, Glimmora still stood firm.

But at that moment, the golden heavy shield, clearly thrown away, was pulled back by spiritual force and smashed hard into the green grass shield.

At this close distance…

It was waiting for Spiky Shield to end.

Glimmora was shoved back by Aegislash. The greatsword carved across the earth, dust billowing. Silver radiance overflowed from the golden shield.

“For the Steel-type test, we’ll end it with this move.”

“Same-type attack bonus, Steel Gem amplification, a guaranteed critical hit with ×2 damage correction, and the strongest Steel-type move.”

Steel Gem, activate.

This Steel-type move’s power increases by 30%.

A pulse of star-like power surged up from Hikaru, massively boosting Steel-type energy.

Even into a resisted matchup, with such monstrous amplification, this Steel Beam’s effective power had already reached a terrifying level, well over 500.

A silver-white beam that pierced the sky detonated forward in the fiercest possible blaze.

The strongest Steel-type finisher.

Base power 140, Steel Beam.

Beautiful.

A powerful strike, a destructive strike, precise and forceful.

The earth trembled.

And then.

It returned to dust.

Geeta stared blankly at her fallen Glimmora. After the Terastal burst ended, her ace had lost the ability to battle and slipped into unconsciousness.

And that golden greatsword did not waver in the slightest.

“Hah… how did this happen?” Geeta rubbed her brow.

She wanted to say the other side had accomplished something incredible, and so on…

But in truth, it was her alone who had been forced into disadvantage and passivity.

She had thought Fire Tera plus Corrosion would make this Steel Elite Four member suffer at least a little.

In the end, was I the one suffering?

“What a fatal blow. It deserves a standing ovation.”

“The Black Tower Area 10 boss truly lives up to the name. Far beyond my imagination!”

(End of Chapter)

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