March 29th. Sunday.
Today marked the finals of the Psychic-type Master Tournament.
After countless thrilling battles, the highly anticipated tournament finally reached its climactic finale.
In terms of raw power, many competitors had left profound impressions. Unlike the previous Dragon-type tournament dominated by veterans, this event featured exceptionally young talent—even the two finalists were freshly adult newcomers with bright futures.
Among these prodigies, Aiden undoubtedly shone brightest.
His five consecutive 1v3 sweeps in group stages, followed by dominant performances in eliminations, had captivated audiences. His already substantial fame grew further, attracting countless new fans.
Especially his Mewtwo and Ogerpon—Pokémon absent from the Pokédex—delivered uniquely fresh experiences to viewers.
Today's finals pitted Aiden against Sabrina, the newly appointed Gym Leader from Kanto's Saffron City—a half-local competitor.
What sparks would fly between these two brilliant young talents?
"Whoa! No wonder this Ultra Ball-tier event is packed—even the Poké Dome, rumored impossible to fill, is bursting at the seams..."
After squeezing through the entrance tunnel into the stands, Gold adjusted his ruffled bangs while surveying the nearly full seats.
"Just getting to battle here once—I'd even shake hands with Miss DJ Mary offline!"
"But I'll achieve this through my own strength eventually!"
"Still—today's match matters more than Miss DJ Mary. Missing it means waiting who-knows-how-long for the next local Ultra Ball event..."
Shaking his head, Gold navigated the crowd, finally claiming a corner seat.
"What Pokémon will Teacher Azure use today? I can't wait!"
"Starting today, I'm officially his old-school fan!"
As the entire Poké Dome buzzed with pre-battle excitement... a plain, well-known live-stream room suddenly went live on Pokémon TV.
[??? HOLY CRAP—WHAT AM I SEEING? THE HOMEPAGE RECOMMENDED TEACHER AZURE'S STREAM? AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO BE PLAYING THE FINALS?]
[TEACHER AZURE STREAMING DURING THE MASTER TOURNAMENT—SO CONFIDENT?]
[SURPRISE! ISN'T IT JUST CYNTHIA STREAMING???]
"Hello everyone~"
Viewers who'd clicked instinctively—muscle memory kicking in—saw Cynthia smiling at the camera before realizing:
[OH! IT'S JUST CYNTHIA SUBBING! PERFECT—I'VE ALWAYS DISLIKED TEACHER AZURE. SUPPORT CHAMPION CYNTHIA'S PERMANENT STREAM TAKEOVER!]
[Aiden? Never heard of him! (Merciless)]
[PROFESSIONAL COMMENTATOR PLAYING THE MATCH OFF-FIELD WHILE CHAMPION CYNTHIA COMMENTATES IN-STREAM—I'M DREAMING!]
Since the battle hadn't started, Cynthia—holding her Rotom Phone—saw the scrolling comments and smiled.
"Exactly! Aiden asked me to share his championship joy with viewers today."
"So I'm temporarily hosting his stream."
"Tsk..."
Beside her, Caitlin clicked her tongue, muttering silently:
"Already predicting victory before the match even starts? So high-handed—he clearly doesn't see other competitors as real threats!"
"But... I have to admit he has the right to say this. Damn him!"
As Caitlin spoke, the stream audience heard her voice:
[IS THIS MISS CATLIN? STILL BITTER AFTER LOSING TO TEACHER AZURE LAST TIME? BUT SO CUTE~]
[WHY... WHEN SHE'S BADMOUTHING TEACHER AZURE, I HEAR... DEFEATED DOG ENERGY?]
[TEACHER AZURE SPECIALIZES IN KILLING CUTE THINGS—TRULY EVIL!]
After Cynthia went live, viewers unable to attend gathered in the stream. Viewership soared as pre-match discussions grew heated.
This vibrant atmosphere lasted minutes before DJ Mary appeared on the big screen—signaling the finals' official start.
...
The competitors soon emerged from the player tunnels.
As Aiden stepped onto the field, locking eyes with Sabrina, he sensed her intense focus.
Though old stream friends—both online and offline—collaborating against Team Rocket—they'd never faced each other as opponents before.
"Teacher Azure—I sense this battle will be grueling. Even my glimpses of future fragments warn me of this."
Before Aiden could speak, the usually reserved Sabrina spoke first, her expression earnest:
"But even so, I wish to occasionally defy 'fate's arrangement.' I'll contribute to a regret-free match at my best."
"Since meeting you, Teacher Azure, I've grown much. So..."
Pausing mid-sentence, Sabrina's stern face suddenly softened—melting into a warm smile.
"Witness my all-out tactics, Teacher Azure!"
Aiden nodded gravely.
'Truly Sabrina... her presence earlier felt so powerful, almost like facing a Mewtwo-level Pokémon…'
'Also, Gym Leaders really do love saying high-status lines before battles—clearly a professional habit.'
Since she set the bar, he couldn't fall short!
"No tactic matters against me—not even yours, Future Sight Sabrina."
"No matter how many times reality is recalculated, only one outcome exists."
Aiden finished, flashing an aggressive smile utterly unlike his usual calm demeanor.
"Then... try to defeat me, Sabrina."
They shared a smile before turning away in sync.
"Competitors ready!"
"Battle begin!"
At the referee's whistle, both threw Poké Balls—except for the referee's hasty retreat.
"Go get 'em, Teacher Azure—championship today!!!"
"Sabrina must stop Teacher Azure! Show us hope against him..."
"HYPE Seeing such an explosive clash—even becoming a Ghost-type now would be worth it!"
Roars and cheers erupted from the stands.
"Aiden's choice is standard—he deployed Indeedee, his surprise ace from eliminations."
"Same strategy as before: Indeedee's Psychic Surge activates on entry, spreading psychic energy that boosts Psychic moves and blocks priority attacks."
"Sabrina chose... one of Eevee's evolutions—Espeon!"
Lance's commentary suddenly sharpened:
"Before the finals, Sabrina never used this Pokémon. Saving it as her final trump card????"
Lance's surprise was understandable.
Who actually reserves a core Pokémon until finals—using it as a surprise starter?
Truly Teacher Azure's student... already playing dirty mind games pre-battle. Clearly 'trained by the master.''
Even Aiden—master of information warfare—was caught off guard, blinking at the Espeon.
But seeing the faint blue glow in Sabrina's eyes, he understood.
'Right—Sabrina can briefly glimpse the future…
'Though probably only fragments of possible timelines, it gave her crucial intel.'
'Like my starter being Indeedee.'
Espeon's pure Psychic typing posed no real threat.
The problem was—Aiden's carefully crafted Indeedee strategy had already been exposed. Opponents studied it thoroughly.
Indeedee's uniqueness came from absorbing opponents' emotions mid-battle—requiring constant psychological pressure.
Best method?
Dirty move combos to the face—annoying opponents into generating negative emotions until Indeedee gathered enough energy for Last Resort.
Sadly—against Espeon, these tactics failed.
Espeon's Hidden Ability, Magic Bounce, reflected most status moves—rendering Aiden's entire strategy useless.
A troublesome opponent for Indeedee.
"Clever move..."
Aiden spoke—but his eyes burned fiercer.
"Exactly what I want in a finals opponent—makes it interesting!"
"Indeedee—Shadow Ball!"
Aiden commanded instantly, testing Sabrina's reaction.
"Espeon—Thunder Wave!"
Sabrina anticipated Indeedee's move. Smirking, she ordered Espeon to paralyze with electric waves.
"Tsk..." Aiden clicked his tongue.
'Magic Bounce is so broken in singles—blocking all our status moves while she spams hers freely!'
Interrupting Indeedee's Shadow Ball to use Protect was pointless—Espeon's speed advantage guaranteed Thunder Wave would land eventually.
So he chose mutual damage.
As Indeedee formed Shadow Ball, Espeon flicked its tail—releasing speedy Thunder Wave. Neither dodged—both clashed head-on.
Taking super-effective Ghost-type damage, Espeon gritted through the pain—remaining fiercely battle-ready.
Indeedee absorbed the electricity, its body sparking. Paralysis set in.
Now, erratic currents inside it made the situation uncontrollable.
Bad timing could trigger spasms mid-move—disrupting attacks and missing opportunities.
"Why didn't Aiden start with the invincible Mewtwo? Mega Mewtwo should've OHKO'd this Espeon, right?"
In the stream, viewers heard a young lady's puzzled voice—realizing it was Caitlin muttering.
Clearly, Mewtwo's earlier dominance left deep impressions. She already craved Aiden's "ace" Pokémon at match start.
Viewers agreed:
[Yeah! Mewtwo could 1v3—why isn't he starting?]
[Maybe to let other Pokémon play? It's the finals—teammates deserve participation!]
[Uh...Teacher Azure can't be that confident. pulling gimmicks in finals disrespects opponents—losing would be lifelong shame...]
"Aiden has his reasons."
Cynthia shook her head, pointing at Sabrina's Espeon.
"Sabrina likely anticipated this. If this Espeon holds a Focus Sash, it could survive Mewtwo's hit."
"Paralyzing Mewtwo would drastically reduce its threat. Her Mega Gengar might sweep clean..."
"In such situations, caution is wise. Aiden's decision is sound."
Caitlin understood, nodding:
"True... that Mega Gengar is terrifying. No one's found counters yet. Once Shadow Tag locks you in—fight to the death."
"But if it starts early, Aiden might wear it down first—reducing its pressure later."
"So both chose cautious openings. Truly a finals-level match... competitive quality is excellent!"
"Exactly—the real test is Aiden's next move."
Cynthia nodded, refocusing on Aiden below.
Critical moments like this tested a trainer's instincts.
'What would Aiden do?'
"Are you okay, Indeedee?"
"Umm!"
On the field, Aiden worriedly checked on Indeedee. Seeing its firm reply—and the V-sign secretly flashed behind its back—he relaxed slightly.
Switching now would disadvantage him.
Paralysis lasted long—retreating to the Poké Ball wouldn't heal it. Re-entering later meant facing the same issue.
So he had to push forward. Trust Indeedee's will to win!
"..."
Aiden, fired up moments ago, suddenly fell silent after thinking.
'Wait—hasn't Indeedee been dragged into this battle from the start? Can I really trust its competitive spirit...?'
'No—wrong time for this!'
With no emotional energy from opponents, only one option remained—
'Simple. Let Indeedee push itself!'
"Indeedee—use Shadow Ball again!"
Aiden commanded decisively, adding quietly:
"I didn't want to use this... but today, I must go all out!"
"If you win—anything you want to eat afterward. Picnics with everyone at the gym!"
"Umm?!"
Picnic... with everyone??
Indeedee's eyes cleared instantly. Its electricity-twitching body straightened with resolve.
Aiden's promise—a victory reward—held massive appeal.
Just imagining endless sandwiches and rice balls on sunset grass made it feel happiness calling... thoughts drifting to paradise.
'Like Snorlax... endless food within reach…'
'So happy…'
Lifting its head, Indeedee's gaze turned ironclad. Its drooping horns rose—power surging from them.
It raised its hands again. Despite arm spasms, it gritted teeth—forming a rapidly growing black energy sphere.
'No battle experience? But for victory (to keep my Sunshine Gym meal ticket), this determination won't lose to any Pokémon!'
'Whoever tries to stop me from eating—I'LL SMASH YOU!!!'
"Ooooh! Aiden's Indeedee suddenly radiates awe-inspiring willpower—is it the type that thrives in adversity?!"
"With such spirit, mere paralysis is nothing!"
DJ Mary, noticing Indeedee's fierce eyes, exclaimed passionately.
Sabrina, too, sensed its changed aura—frowning slightly.
'This wasn't in my future glimpses…'
'Did Aiden's whisper do this?'
'Just one sentence igniting a Pokémon's fighting spirit—truly Teacher Azure…'
'But my desire for victory burns equally bright!'
'The outcome won't change!'
"Espeon..."
Hesitating briefly, Sabrina gritted out:
"Use Morning Sun!"
Both Espeon and Umbreon had unique recovery methods.
Before weather changes, the modest sunlight became Espeon's strongest support.
Plus—Thunder Wave's speed boost let it outpace Indeedee.
Basking in sunlight, Espeon sighed contentedly. Wounds faded as HP restored to healthy levels.
Her intention was clear.
As the Sun's favored, Espeon couldn't learn Dark-type moves. Shadow Ball—even super-effective—wouldn't work on Indeedee.
So victory required slow attrition.
Morning Sun allowed endless recovery—maintaining full HP, avoiding instant KO.
Just wait for Indeedee's paralysis to disrupt its moves—then strike relentlessly, whittling its HP to secure victory.
As Espeon's HP recovered, Sabrina exhaled in relief—Indeedee's maxed Shadow Ball failed to KO it.
'This strategy feels... like I've already lost to Teacher Azure. But it works.'
'And... weirdly satisfying?'
Seeing Aiden's furrowed brow, Sabrina glimpsed why he used absurd tactics against opponents in streams and gyms—
'Because it feels THIS GOOD!'
"..."
Unlike Sabrina's joy, Aiden wore a "suffering mask."
'Isn't this classic stall team strategy? Why do all my chat have secret skills this tournament?!'
Expecting Indeedee to exhaust Espeon's Morning Sun was unrealistic.
Delaying risked disaster—a paralysis slip could reverse momentum.
Breaking through this annoying Espeon? Aiden had no direct counters. 'Should've had Mew teach it Future Sight…'
Only one option remained.
Following this thought, Aiden's eyes sharpened—finding a solution.
"Indeedee—Skill Swap!"
Aiden commanded decisively.
"Ah! He's using Skill Swap to bypass Espeon's likely Magic Bounce ability!" Lance slapped the commentary desk, erupting in passion.
"Worthy of Aiden—genius move! Skill Swap targets both Pokémon, bypassing Magic Bounce's trigger condition!"
"Pity it's too late. Using this before paralysis would've been devastating!"
Finishing, Lance paused—cooling down, shaking his head.
"No—predicting opponents' moves from the start is nearly impossible. Espeon outspeeds Indeedee anyway. Aiden would've eaten Thunder Wave regardless..."
"Sabrina probably calculated this too."
Audience members were impressed by Lance's self-debate.
[Though I don't understand—Lance is amazing!]
[Aiden and Sabrina's layered mind games—I only grasp the first layer...]
[That's already impressive!]
Hearing Aiden's command, Sabrina reacted instinctively:
"Protect!"
But this near-instinct made her realize a harmless mistake...
Protect only blocks one move. Her Espeon would still take Skill Swap's second hit.
Better to use attacking moves—saving precious move slots.
'Hope this isn't foreshadowing…'
Sabrina felt unease, forcing herself to calm down.
As expected—after blocking Skill Swap's first attempt, Espeon endured the second hit.
Low-damage, but it drained Indeedee's HP.
Espeon's last usable move was Wide Guard. Without attacks, its threat vanished.
To weaken opponents, Sabrina used the fading Psychic Terrain—unleashing a powerful Expanding Force. Though mediocre, it visibly damaged Indeedee.
Thunder Wave. Morning Sun. Protect. Expanding Force.
Espeon's moves were now fully exposed. Skill Swap also gave Indeedee temporary Magic Bounce.
Currently, Magic Bounce was useless against known moves—Indeedee's status options remained limited.
But for Aiden—this sufficed.
"Indeedee—Calm Mind!"
Seeing Psychic Terrain fade, Aiden smiled confidently—ordering Indeedee to boost itself.
"Ah..."
Cynthia's pupils shrank in realization, smiling as she understood.
"Such an Aiden-style tactic—he tricked everyone."
"Tsk—he's a bad guy!"
Caitlin echoed, equally impressed.
Stream viewers were confused by their "encrypted chat":
[STOP GIVING FKN RIDDLES! OUT OF THE STREAM!!!]
[SOMEONE TRANSLATE WHAT THIS MEANS]
[Eh—I kinda get it... but not fully...]
[Are you messing with me?]
As chat panicked, Caitlin explained:
"When everyone assumed Aiden wanted Skill Swap for Magic Bounce—to reset the playing field with dirty moves—he made a bold choice."
"Skill Swap was always a decoy. Goal: force Espeon to reveal all moves."
"Sabrina made a minor error using Protect early—wasting a move slot. But it didn't matter."
"Aiden would've baited this move anyway—just swapping other techniques."
Pausing for breath, Caitlin continued:
"Only after locking Espeon's moves did Aiden dare let Indeedee use Calm Mind."
"Most Psychic Pokémon can't learn Taunt to stop opponent boosts—but they have a simpler solution—"
"Psych Up!"
Psych Up—Normal-type status move. Inflicts a hypnotic suggestion on self, copying the opponent's stat changes.
This could nullify Aiden's boosts—stalling the match again.
"But through deliberate baiting—even Sabrina never expected..."
"Aiden's true goal: using Masters Rules (Max 4 moves) to regain control for Indeedee!"
Caitlin's expression turned awestruck—staring at Aiden like a monster.
"Is this really his first official Master Rules tournament? How is he already exploiting rules to create advantages?"
"His learning speed is terrifying!"
'Compared to him... I feel like the beginner…'
"Exactly."
Cynthia smiled, adding:
"Sabrina did excellently. She predicted countless scenarios pre-match."
"But her opponent is Aiden. For him, unconventional tactics are normal. The current situation clearly exceeded Sabrina's predictions."
"Now Sabrina has two choices."
"With Psychic Terrain gone, Expanding Force's power dropped. Even with Calm Mind's Sp. Def boost, two more hits might KO Indeedee."
"Alternative: switch out—giving Indeedee a free Calm Mind boost."
"In her place, I'd choose the former—avoiding passivity."
As Cynthia spoke, Sabrina—after deep thought—reacted before Indeedee completed its first Calm Mind:
"Espeon—Expanding Force!"
Matching Cynthia's prediction, Sabrina chose to wear down Indeedee.
With moves locked, Espeon's threat had weakened. Better to burn it here than let teammates get worn down later.
At least she still had Gengar as her ace—victory wasn't decided yet.
What followed was a brutal offense.
After one Calm Mind boost and no Psychic Terrain amplification, Espeon's Expanding Force weakened significantly.
Indeedee—low HP but healthy after the hit—could endure more.
But attrition worked both ways. Indeedee's Shadow Ball now packed terrifying power. Morning Sun—once restoring Espeon's health—became useless.
Continuous Shadow Balls rained down. Even when paralysis disrupted one attack—giving Espeon a counter chance—Indeedee barely flinched.
Finally—after tanking another Expanding Force—Indeedee stood firm. Mustering its last strength, it unleashed a finishing Shadow Ball.
Drained of HP, Espeon had no energy to dodge. It closed its eyes—unwilling but resigned.
BOOOOM—!
Espeon collapsed.
"Just as expected—Aiden prevails."
Seeing Sabrina's first Poké Ball icon darken on-screen, Cynthia sighed.
"But... the cost is high. Victory wasn't as effortless as before."
Caitlin and stream viewers agreed:
[Sabrina made Teacher Azure sweat—she's no ordinary stream fan...]
[Both gave their all. never thought battles could be played this way—so addictive! This finals is amazing!]
[When tacticians meet each other belike:]
"Umm..."
Relieved as its opponent fell, Indeedee plopped to the ground. Exhausted but upright, it turned back—gazing expectantly at Aiden.
"Good work, Indeedee."
Aiden smiled, giving a thumbs-up before whispering:
"Don't worry—when we get back to Sunshine Gym, I'll keep my promise!"
"Rest now."
Recalling the near-burned-out Indeedee, Aiden chuckled helplessly.
'For Indeedee, food obsession > everything. Even targeted, it powered up this much.'
'In a way... admirably pure.'
"..."
Unlike Aiden's relaxed mood, Sabrina showed no depression. The loss hadn't cracked her spirit.
'It's Teacher Azure—I did well to last this long…'
Though no 1v1 trade, the effect was similar. Indeedee's near-limit HP made re-entry impossible.
Still—not enough.
Recalling the swirly-eyed Espeon, Sabrina pulled out her second Poké Ball—staring at Aiden with razor focus.
"Teacher Azure—I'm going all out now."
"If possible... please show your full strength too."
"Let me see... the gap between me and a true genius like you."
Before Aiden could respond, Sabrina threw her second ball.
Her choice was obvious from her words—
Her team's absolute core. A Mega-Evolved Shadow Tag user with absurd firepower—crushing opponents through brute force.
Gengar!
Seeing Sabrina grasp the Key Stone necklace at her neck, Aiden understood instantly.
'She wants me to use Mega Mewtwo—for a head-on collision…'
Naturally, he wouldn't refuse.
Under Sabrina's eager gaze, he smiled:
"Ruining this atmosphere would make everyone annoyed, right?"
"So... Sabrina, please hold on as long as possible. Don't let this end too quickly~"
Pulling out his second Poké Ball, Aiden mimicked Sabrina's motion—right hand raised, left index and middle fingers forming a V on the Key Stone wristband.
As red light flashed—Mewtwo appeared—both trainers roared in unison:
"Show your strongest power/Answer my expectations!"
"Gengar/Mewtwo!"
"MEGA EVOLUTION!!!"
Instantly, dual evolution glows flooded the battlefield—blinding spectators.
Ten seconds later—
The blinding light faded. Mewtwo and Gengar stood reborn—locking eyes with burning battle spirit.
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