Chapter 0813: Wild Battles! VS Guzzlord!(Two-in-One)

Natsume was very familiar with this kind of “attack-the-trainer-is-allowed” format.

In card player’s terms, it was the equivalent of a “dark duel.”

Gold, Red, and Blue Oak were all prodigies in this format.

Ash would be a natural for this format too—if only he’d been born in another era.

Faced with Blue Oak’s sudden battle invitation, Natsume hesitated for a moment before asking:

“What made you suddenly choose a format like this?”

“It’s because I’ll be heading to the Johto Region soon, to train with Gold, and wanted some warm-up first,” Blue Oak answered calmly.

Natsume understood immediately and decided on the spot:

“I accept!”

Gold, this is for your upcoming training—don’t let it go to waste!

Getting ready to train Gold was one reason.

Blue Oak also wanted to get a taste of Natsume-sensei’s skill in a no-holds-barred battle.

As for Natsume, after reviving and enhancing his physique with “Sacred Ash,” he’d never truly tried such a battle in earnest.

A fight with Blue Oak would also let him truly measure his own strength.

“Then, let me be the referee,”

Red, with his cap pulled low over his black hair, stepped between them and explained the rules:

“As soon as both Poké Balls hit the ground, it’s a one-on-one battle. Pokémon can be switched, until any one Pokémon is unable to battle or a Trainer loses the ability to strategize. The location is this beach—any objections?”

Green shook his head. “Are you sure the two of them won’t just destroy this whole beach?”

“Tourists rarely come to this spot,” Yellow said with a smile. “Plus, Vee and Sylveon can set up Light Screen and Reflect.”

‘Vee’ was Red’s Espeon—it once possessed the ability to self-evolve and devolve as an Eevee, but since “switching evolution forms” was painful, Red fixed it as Espeon.

At that moment, Espeon’s red jewel glimmered, casting a transparent spherical barrier over the beach, creating a battle zone.

Blue Oak and Natsume walked to the center, each clutching a Poké Ball, hands crossed at the wrists, eyes locked in challenge.

“Three, two, one!”

They released the Poké Balls simultaneously, the spheres hitting the sand, splitting open with a burst of red light as Natsume and Blue Oak both retreated quickly.

“Alakazam, Future Sight!” Blue Oak shouted.

Alakazam’s two long whiskers billowed as it brandished both spoons, eyes flaring bright blue.

Ripples of energy pulsed in all directions, and Natsume could immediately sense an energy lock-on. Even with movement, the psychic energy would hit him.

Future Sight wasn’t an instant attack. It predicted the opponent’s position several seconds in the future and unleashed its strike then—it was a terrifying move touching the boundaries of time, especially fearsome in wild battles.

In other words, Future Sight had already “seen” a future where Natsume would be struck.

“Ten seconds left,” Blue Oak’s eyes were sharp as he watched for Natsume’s choice of Pokémon.

In front of Natsume, a tiny, adorable Togepi stared at the bearded Alakazam with big, serious eyes.

“Toge-pee!┌|*´∀｀|┘ ”

“Togepi, use Substitute!” Natsume ordered.

With a pop, Togepi split off a Togepi-shaped doll. The two little ones stood hand in hand, guarding Natsume’s front.

Blue Oak narrowed his eyes. With Future Sight targeted at the Trainer, Natsume-sensei likely wouldn’t be knocked out by just one.

I’ll need to strike fast!

“Teleport, bypass Togepi, and use Psybeam!” Blue Oak issued.

Psybeam could deal damage and cause confusion—if the Trainer lost the ability to strategize, that would mean defeat too!

Alakazam blinked out of existence, suddenly reappearing right in front of Natsume, cold gaze locked from feet away.

“Togepi doo-ee!!” Togepi twisted its head back and forth, waving its little arms in distress, but without a command, didn’t dare act.

Teleport had the effect of a flash step—the short distance more than enough to decide the match in a wild battle!

Alakazam’s eyes spun with a swirling gleam as Psybeam charged, but suddenly, a burst of dazzling light exploded—its vision completely washed away in white.

“Rainbow Wing—!”

Natsume raised the Rainbow Wing high, unleashing an “Aura of Ripple” in a fierce sweep toward the sky.

“Flash!”

Rainbow Wing: (•﹏•)

A torrent of light erupted, blindingly bright in all directions.

Blue Oak shielded his face, stunned,

Rainbow Wing… you can use it like that!?

Green and Yellow, both familiar with the Rainbow Wing, wore complicated expressions.

Too sly, Natsume-sensei!

At this rate, won’t Ho-Oh come knocking?

The Rainbow Wing glowing in “Natsume-sensei form” flooded the field, lowering Alakazam’s accuracy rating.

At near point-blank range, Alakazam’s Psybeam lost its target, instead blasting the sand in two sandy lines.

He may have dodged Psybeam, but Blue Oak had already set the trap.

Ripples unfolded in the air. The charged-up Future Sight unleashed a psychic scythe, slicing straight ahead!

Natsume dashed aside, Blue Oak’s icy voice in his ear:

“It’s useless. Future Sight is a guaranteed hit!”

“You’re right, but I trust in luck—”

With Serene Grace as his blessing, even the future could be rewritten.

Natsume’s eyes hardened. “Togepi, use Follow Me!”

“Togepi doo-ee~ヾ(┌|*´∀｀|┘)”

Togepi waggled its finger, and instantly became the center of everyone’s focus, body sparkling, almost as if it bent the light toward itself.

The Future Sight aimed at Natsume swerved like a tracking arrow—now flying toward Togepi!

“Even attacks set in advance are affected by Follow Me?” Green questioned in surprise.

“Follow Me draws in every attack—not just a coordination trick, but gravity itself…” Red said seriously. “Controlling gravity to divert the enemy’s strike and make yourself the target!”

BOOM!

Psychic force smashed into the beach, sand exploding, Togepi hid behind its doll, escaping harm—but then looked down, crestfallen at the ruined toy:

“Toge-pee… (┌|*´∀｀|┘)”

“Tch… dodged it,”

Blue Oak muttered, his expression turning grim as he looked toward where the brilliant light had faded.

Even Natsume, faced point-blank with Alakazam, couldn’t possibly escape…

WHAM!

Blue Oak’s eyes shot open.

It wasn’t Natsume who went flying—but Alakazam!

Alakazam, eyes screwed up in pain, a clear fist-shaped dent in its face, whiskers twitching, launched helplessly backward, tumbling along the beach and moaning on its back to the sky.

What happened?

Blue Oak’s mind reeled.

Natsume-sensei hadn’t swapped in another Pokémon.

Where did that sudden attack come from!?

As he lifted his gaze he saw Natsume’s fist still outstretched, Blue Oak’s pupils contracting.

Fingerless gloves embedded with a Key Stone, now pulsing with translucent blue light.

Natsume’s glove flickered azure, a faint wisp of white smoke curling up from the wrist like aura overload.

An impossible thought washed over Blue Oak.

Just now, Natsume had personally sent Alakazam flying!

Green and Yellow had seen it with their own eyes, jaws dropped.

That was Blue Oak’s Alakazam—a champion-level “master of the beard”!

Red murmured blankly:

“I remember Natsume-sensei is a martial artist, like Bruno…”

And after the “City of Wastes” incident, Natsume had been reborn with Sacred Ash—maybe his close combat capability had gone even further!

Blue Oak’s look was complicated.

A champion-tier Alakazam nearly obliterated in one aura-charged punch!

It wasn’t “Aura Sphere”—it was a full-on “Aura Fist!”

Natsume shook out his hand and eyed the suffering Alakazam, understanding fully.

He already possessed the “Close Combat” skill from the system, was a true aura wielder, and after further physique enhancement from Sacred Ash he could defeat even Bruno bare-handed without trouble.

Furthermore, these fingerless gloves were whetted for amplifying aura—just like the “Sir Aaron” model Ash once used to throw an Aura Sphere.

An “Aura Sphere” punch made perfect sense!

Alakazam may boast astronomical Special Attack, but its body was as frail as dry noodles—no chance at a straight-up fight.

Natsume’s win count: +1!

A single punch took down Blue Oak’s champion-level Alakazam!

Blue Oak drew a deep breath, then shook his head.

Although shocked, he’d battled Bruno before.

Bruno’s power was elite-four level, and Natsume was at least his equal, if not stronger.

Casting a glance at his Alakazam, collapsed on the beach and in dire shape, Blue Oak recalled it, then sent out his next Pokémon:

“You’re on, Charizard!!”

Blue Oak’s starter Pokémon, and his ace partner: Charizard!

“Blue Oak is bringing out Charizard!” Green exclaimed.

“He’s been waiting a long time for a wild duel with Natsume-sensei,” Red’s eyes flickered.

Charizard spread his wings, tail blazing, eyes keen as he circled in the sky.

“Togepi doo-ee~” Togepi looked up, tilting his head, and realized he didn’t have a way to hit a flying target.

Natsume realized it too and called out, “Metronome!”

When in doubt, wiggle a finger!

Togepi stretched out a tiny hand and earnestly waggled a finger:

“Togepi doo-ee~(┌|*´∀｀|┘)”

Suddenly, the entire beach began to rumble!

Underground, brilliant white light burst, sending up rows of rocky spires. One razor-sharp stone spike shot up from below—striking Charizard right in the stomach!

“Charizard!!” Charizard’s eyes bulged, frozen in shock as the spike blasted, knocking him from the sky.

“What’s that…”

Red’s eyes widened, “It’s Stone Edge—a quadruple weakness for Charizard!”

“Talk about luck!” Green exclaimed.

“Mhm,” Yellow nodded, her eyes shining. “Togepi’s so adorable, too.”

Charizard steadied himself for landing, but looked a little dazed.

A “Battle Legends” level Charizard, but up against Togepi… he couldn’t do a thing!

“Can you keep going, Charizard?” Blue Oak called, hand in his pocket.

“Charizard!” Charizard nodded firmly.

Blue Oak nodded back, and said in a low voice, “Use Heat Wave!”

Charizard took to the air, whipping up a torrent of heat with sand flying toward Natsume.

The wide area Heat Wave was nearly impossible for even a Trainer to dodge.

With Togepi’s Special Attack, he wouldn’t be able to finish Charizard quickly…

Natsume bathed himself in a ripple of aura, gritted his teeth against the searing heat, and quickly recalled Togepi, then threw a Dive Ball:

“Blastoise, Water Pulse!!”

“Blastoise!”

Blastoise materialized sturdy and strong on the beach, wearing sunglasses, cannons angled as he fired two jets of water skyward.

Missed—or…

Blue Oak paused, looking up—only to see the water jets merge, forming an enormous water orb high above before crashing down like a thunderous waterfall, engulfing both him and Charizard!

RUMBLE!!

Charizard bore the brunt overhead, swamped by the tidal deluge, tumbling again from the sky.

Blue Oak recalled Charizard, sending out Exeggutor.

“Light Screen!” he ordered.

All three Exeggutor heads flared blue, creating a barrier to block the plunging waterfall of Water Pulse.

Shwaaa!!

The water streamed off, and Exeggutor’s mouth pulsed with a white beam—Giga Drain!

Judging from the distance, it would take three seconds to reach.

Blue Oak’s sharp eyes reflected Natsume recalling Blastoise, brow furrowed.

He means to switch Pokémon!?

But before he could throw the next ball, Giga Drain would strike first!

Unless… unless his Pokémon could leap out of the ball automatically!

Blinding light streaked closer. Natsume narrowed his eyes.

Blue Oak’s stare sharpened.

Was he relying on that Gengar behind me?

Gengar had been lurking behind the coconut tree, waiting to try Hypnosis—Alakazam had already checked it out.

No use. Too late now to switch in Gengar!

“Sirfetch'd!”

Natsume gripped the Dive Ball, not switching in Gengar, but instead shouted at the top of his voice:

“It’s on you!!”

“Sirfetch’d! (′︿‵)”

You can’t depend on me, human~~!

A beam of red light shot from the Premier Ball—Sirfetch'd emerged, grasping his leek and shield, eyes lighting up as he frowned fiercely, then gave his leek a mighty swing!

Detect!

Sirfetch’d could see through the attack’s path, and with a single blade flashed, split Giga Drain clean in two!

BOOM!

An explosion rocked the beach, smoke billowing.

Blue Oak hesitated.

So the Gengar behind me was just a bluff.

This Sirfetch’d may actually be Natsume-sensei’s true ace!

Natsume smiled, approving of Sirfetch’d’s skill.

You can always trust Sirfetch’d… probably!

“Use Meteor Assault!!”

But before the words were out, the entire island rumbled with an Earthquake; the ground cracked beneath everyone’s feet as the island’s very aura seemed to shatter.

“Sirfetch’d?!”

Sirfetch’d, despite not knowing what happened, stood perfectly still.

Red glanced at Sirfetch’d in surprise, then around, only to realize—the Earthquake came from the ocean.

Natsume and Blue Oak stopped their duel, both turning their gaze to the distant horizon above the sea.

A huge Ultra Wormhole, crisscrossed with white beams, suddenly shattered open. The rift gaped like an endless black hole, sucking in seawater, coconut trees—even ships.

Then, a massive, sky-darkening silhouette crawled out of the Ultra Wormhole, looking just like a colossal black pumpkin!

Ultra Beast, Codename UB05: Glutton, Guzzlord!!

“Uaaaaaahhhhh!!”

Guzzlord roared to the heavens, crashing down into the water and throwing up a mountainous wave.

Natsume glanced at Blue Oak, then at Red, and finally raised his head to stare at the rampaging Guzzlord in the surf.

Red lowered his cap brim: “……”

Blue Oak tossed his Poké Ball: “……”

Natsume opened his notebook: “……”

You chose not to take the road to heaven—so now you’ll taste hell itself!