Pokémon, you're not allowed to expel me from human form!

boom!

The terrifying roar was like thunderclaps exploding from the ground.

It exploded very close to the stadium, causing the ground to tremble violently.

The massive torrent of energy filled the entire space inside the protective barrier within a second of erupting.

The thick smoke, like dark clouds, completely obscured the sun-like radiance emanating from the Volcano moth.

After waiting for a while, when everything dissipated, the high temperature and sparks and scales inside the venue were blown away, leaving only warm air and the lingering smell of the explosion.

There were no Pokémon active.

At the bottom of the large crater in the center of the arena, Ditto has reverted to its original form and has completely lost its ability to fight.

The fire moth, meanwhile, was perched on its body, its eyes also transformed into spiral shapes.

Two beams of red light shot from the trainer's platform into the arena.

Luo Ke and Ning Ya both recalled their partners.

"Thank you for your hard work, Ditto. You've done a great job. Leave the rest to us."

One Elite Four-class monster was traded for four Elite Four-class monsters.

Even with Ditto's Z-Moves and Aura Sphere, this is still a terrifying record.

Ningya was left with only one Pokémon.

After considering it for a moment, Luo Ke finally made a decision.

"Victini, you're the one to end this match."

'Tini!'

......

23. Immortality plus unlimited power

Ning Ya's expression turned serious when she thought of Luo Ke and his four elves.

but...

Ditto was Roko's trump card, right? Now that Roko's trump card Pokémon is gone, I still have a chance!

With this in mind, Ningya took out a Poké Ball that was different from the others. It looked like it had a wooden texture and was very old. Together with Luo Ke, they put the Pokémon into the arena.

Two beams of red light landed on Luo Ke's side of the field. Bictini was floating in mid-air, his big eyes looking at Ning Ya's side, full of fighting spirit.

The Pokémon that landed on Ningya's side was one that wasn't recorded in the League's Pokédex.

Its fur is mostly black, except for the chest area where gray fur forms a unique pattern.

His wrists were wrapped in vines, and he sat cross-legged on the ground with his eyes closed, as if he were meditating.

After this ape-like elf appeared, Ningya's group lost all their solemnity and instead exuded absolute confidence!

Luo Ke recognized the elf based on its features.

This is Zarud!

It's a Grass/Dark type mythical Pokémon!

Once he realized this, Victini immediately received the data belonging to Zarude through a mental connection.

This made Bictini take it seriously.

At this moment, Sarud opened his blood-red eyes, stared at Bictini for a while, and then, as he got up, he actually spoke in human language.

“Victory... I can feel that power in you. Compared to that Ditto from before, you are the ace.

Ningya already knew that Zarude could speak human language, and Roco wasn't surprised either. Only Biktini was a little surprised, but because they were on the field, it didn't show its surprise and kept its eyes fixed on Zarude.

Sarud watched Bictini's reaction and slowly nodded, a human-like smile appearing on his ape-like face.

"Not bad. Although you look like you haven't been born for very long and are still a child, you have a strong will and mature thinking... It seems you've chosen the right trainer."

'Tini!'

When Sarud mentioned Rocco, Bictini showed a smug expression.

Seeing Bictini's state, Sarud knew that there was nothing for him to worry about.

So it opened its arms.

Then the vines wrapped around its wrists glowed green and began to extend rapidly as it moved.

"Alright, let's begin!"

As Sarud spoke these words, the vines then pierced the earth.

Seeing it do this, Roc narrowed his eyes. The power of Aura, which is better at penetrating, went straight into the ground and clearly sensed the movement of Zarude's vines underground, and transmitted it to Victini, who was rising rapidly.

That's how the two of them discovered it.

Sarud thrust its vines into the ground, not to attack Bictini from underground, but to spread its vines in all directions to cover the entire underground arena!

Meanwhile, Sarud's gaze followed Bictini upwards.

Once it had accomplished its purpose and severed the vines, it no longer spoke in human language, but instead roared to the sky.

'roar--!'

Accompanied by its commanding sound, grass, trees, flowers, and immense vitality began to sprout from the ground.

Green grass field!

'Tini!'

Victini also immediately went into stealth mode, then increased its altitude and began to amplify itself.

Even when it became invisible, Zarude's eyes always followed its position without the slightest deviation.

Clearly, such tricks are ineffective against this Zarude.

Bictini remained cautious, while Rocco continued to focus on the vines underground.

He had seen the illustrations of Zarud and knew that after Zarud's vines detached from their bodies, they would become nutrients in the soil, helping plants grow.

This combination, paired with a grassy field...

This must be part of the tactics, right?

As Luo Ke was thinking this, many parts of the grassy field began to sprout, and then, supported by enormous vitality, giant trees rose from the ground at a visible speed, encroaching towards the sky.

Luo Ke looked at the locations where these giant trees appeared. Although he couldn't remember them all, remembering just a part of them was enough for him to make a judgment.

These are the locations where Ning Ya twice cast green dots of light onto the field!

Are those light spots seeds?

But if it's a seed, waveguide power can't detect it before it grows. How tiny and how hidden does it have to be?

Um......

This situation gave Luo Ke some ideas.

If we're talking about a seed so small it's almost undetectable, yet incredibly resilient, that a Pokémon can throw it out like a special move... then it's a parasitic seed!

When Whimsicott first learned that it was about to leave the field, it injected a lot of grass-type energy into these things so that they could continue to exist.

The subsequent grassy terrain also allowed these parasitic seeds to continue to exist, and even allowed them to store grass-type energy.

When the campfire tactic was activated, the reason those dead trees looked the way they did was probably because, while they were growing, their life force was being absorbed by these seeds.

That's why the campfire tactic was executed so successfully.

Thus, the parasitic seeds, which contain a large amount of vitality and grass-like energy, can grow so rapidly after being nourished by Zarude's vines!

The characteristics of parasitic seeds...

Luo Ke sensed this as soon as he thought of it.

After these giant trees transformed the arena into a small forest, a connection was established between the entire forest and Zarude!

Normal parasitic seeds can draw power from the enemy's body to restore the stamina of the seed's caster.

After Zarude takes over these seeds, the forest will draw power from the earth, the sky, the grassy fields... in short, from all sorts of places, using the characteristics of the parasitic seeds, to restore Zarude!

This forest is so vast that it practically possesses immortality and endless power within it!

If the core of this tactic is a common elf, then it's not so bad.

Kal'zald is a mythical beast...

Its use to carry this tactic directly elevates the tactic's intensity to an unbelievable level.

A mythical beast that can recover instantly as long as it's not instantly killed, and whose stamina is unlimited for a long period of time...

With this tactical buff, even if you let it fight five unbuffed Zarudes, it should still be able to crush them and win.

So... we can't leave this forest behind!

Luo Ke understood this, while Ning Ya smiled.

She certainly didn't think Roc couldn't see through this tactic, but to break this life-saving tactic, one had to either kill Sarud instantly or destroy the forest.

The former is almost impossible. Zarude has lived in Eagle City for so many years, and the predecessors have proven that even champion-level Pokémon cannot do this.

Moreover, she also equipped Zarude with a sash of power, which greatly increased the margin for error.

As for the latter...

It's worth noting that this tactic was developed a long time ago.

After so many years of experience collection and adjustments, and considering various situations, it is not so easy to break through.

The only variable is the recently introduced Z-Move.

but...

You've already used your Z-Move!

So, Rocco, even if you still have four Pokémon, you'll still lose here today.

......

24. I've become a superstar!?

While it's uncertain whether Rayquaza can use V-Blast like the one given away in the event, Victini actually has a hidden exclusive Z-Move.

That's the fire Z propelled by the V-flame!

Although it's still a Fire Z-Move, the V-Blast Z-Move has a power of 220 in the game!

Even more powerful moves like Explosion, which has a base power of over 200, only have a Z-Move power of 200 when used.

The power of 220 surpasses the exclusive Z-Moves of Hat Pikachu and Snorlax.

So...

Power, come forth!

With Rocco's will, the fire Z carried by Victini burst forth with power, resonating with the energy erupting from within Victini's body!

Flames instantly engulfed it, suppressing even the other lights in the sky, as if a second sun had been ignited in the heavens.

Seeing this, Zarude could no longer laugh.

It climbed onto the branches of the giant tree, looked up at the sky under the protection of the forest, its face solemn. Ningya saw this familiar power, her eyes widened, and she looked at Luo Ke.

All she saw was Luo Ke smiling slightly at her.

yes...

If you were to ask who in the world knows Z-Moves best, it would be him.

Based on his understanding of Z-Moves, perhaps there really are tactics or plans that can change the way Z-Moves are used, allowing them to be used multiple times in a single battle...

Phantom Trainer—ah, even that title is a 'phantom' deception!

Even with his illusionary tactics restricted, his Ditto displayed exceptional martial arts proficiency, and now he's unleashing a barrage of Z-Moves, along with that abnormally powerful Aura Sphere...

His tactical reserves are even richer than mine, a top-tier tactical trainer!