I caught a Pokémon

After creating distance again, the Cursed Doll used Phosphorus Fire again, trying to force Squirtle out of its shell. But how could it be so easy to catch a turtle shell that was spinning at high speed?

The phosphorescent flames swept across the surface, but failed to burn even a fraction of the tortoise shell.

With no other option, Musashi had to change his strategy again, trying to stop Squirtle with an electric shock. Unfortunately, when the spinning shell bounced wildly and erratically on the stage, even the electric current couldn't keep up with its speed.

Conversely, when the tortoise shell flew onto the cursed doll's head at a certain moment, Xiaoyao's eyes narrowed, and she gave the order to counterattack.

The rapidly spinning turtle shell began to spray powerful jets of water, and in the midst of this rotation, the turtle shell crashed directly into the cursed doll.

Normal-type moves wouldn't be able to damage Ghost-type Pokémon, but the 'Jet Shell' with added water flow was like a spell, giving Cursed Doll a hard time.

Compared to the cursed doll's venting of its anger, this kind of attack is undoubtedly more visually appealing and significantly reduces the cursed doll's glamour!

This made Harry even more heartbroken.

Damn it...

The current situation is clearly unfavorable for Cursed Doll, as can be seen from the remaining Splendor Points of the two Pokémon on the big screen.

Moreover, time is running out.

Although he could tell that Musashi had some tricks up her sleeve, she was completely lacking in strategy when it came to commanding, only knowing how to keep attacking. If it were him, he would never have managed to coordinate so poorly with the Cursed Doll. But there was nothing he could do at the moment, so he could only place his hopes on the Cursed Doll and Musashi, this unreliable trainer.

Give it your all!

Unfortunately, things didn't go as he hoped.

Since traveling with Xia You, Xiao Yao's style has changed, and even her battles have become like those of a true trainer. Although she hasn't experienced any major battles yet, her vision and thinking have improved, she can command more skillfully, and she can also find the weaknesses of her opponents.

For example, right now, after several minutes of intense fighting, she keenly seized the opportunity.

Once again, Squirtle was ordered to use Bubble. As the bubbles continued to fly out, Jessie could only order Cursed Doll to dodge. Little did she know that this was just May's trap. Just as Cursed Doll was focused on dodging the bubbles, Squirtle unexpectedly used Ice Beam again, instantly freezing Cursed Doll into an ice block once more.

This time, before the cursed doll could be freed from the ice, Squirtle used its water gun to hit the ice squarely, sending it flying out of the arena!

Coincidentally, the cursed doll broke free from the ice the instant the water gun hit it.

However, it had just broken through the ice when it was hit squarely by a water gun, causing it to fall off the ice and crash into Musashi.

Although the cursed doll was not defeated by the attack, it was already destined to go out of bounds, and at the same time, its splendor value was completely depleted.

No one expected that the outcome would really happen in just a moment.

Seeing this, not only was Musashi on stage furious and stomping her feet, but Harry in the audience also slammed his chair down.

What on earth is Musashi up to?

Such a great opportunity, I even lent her my Pokémon, and she still managed to lose to May!?

But just then, before Lillian could announce the results of the competition, the lights on the entire stage suddenly went out.

The entire venue was plunged into darkness. Although the audience was confused, Harry felt that this scene seemed...familiar.

Startled, but before he could think further, two searchlights shone down on Musashi.

The next second, with music playing from somewhere, Kojiro, dressed as a Team Rocket member, jumped to Musashi's side and stood back to back with her.

At the same moment, Musashi threw off his decorations and instantly changed his outfit back to his usual Team Rocket attire. In fact, the two of them not only looked different, but they also had a rose in their mouths, making them look quite flamboyant.

“I heard someone ask, ‘What’s going on?’”

"Let us tell you!"

"From the other side of the horizon!"

"From the other side of the Great Thunderbolt!"

"We hear a voice calling us!"

"Sorry to keep you waiting, meow!"

"The devil's flower blooms bravely!"

"A cute yet strong villain!"

"Musashi!"

"Kojiro!"

"I am the meow meow meow! Meow!"

"Wherever Team Rocket is!"

Oh, world!

"The universe!"

"Everyone is waiting for you!"

“So~nansi~~~”

The complete trio of Team Rocket was fully revealed to the public at the Woodcraft Convention venue.

Compared to her appearance at the last Golden Tournament, Musashi showed no sadness or surprise after losing the match; instead, she laughed loudly.

"Although we didn't achieve victory, which is a little regrettable, it's alright. The mission objective has been achieved, so... goodbye!"

With that, Musashi took out the Poké Ball from the Cursed Doll and put it away, while Kojiro pressed the detonator in his hand, blasting a large hole in the sky above the venue.

As the rubble continued to fall, people felt the chilly night wind. Just then, the Team Rocket trio grabbed the rope, climbed onto the roof in an instant, and disappeared without a trace.

Harry stared in disbelief amidst the crowd.

The familiar scene, the familiar way of leaving, it was as if the scene had been recreated.

The memory of the Golden Gathering seemed to sting him again.

He was completely stunned, utterly bewildered as to why Meowth was here. Wasn't it locked in the storage room by him? Why were these guys leaving again with their Pokémon?

When the night wind blew on Harry, it sent a shiver down his spine and jolted him awake.

"Dream Song Cactus!! Cursed Doll!!!"

This time, the departure of the Rockets trio caused Harry far more damage and was far more unacceptable than before.

Harry was heartbroken, feeling that he had misplaced his trust in someone.

He didn't even have time to glare at Xiao Yao again before he hurriedly ran towards the venue entrance and chased after her once more.

Right after he left, the lights in the venue were restored after adjustments by the staff.

The audience was completely baffled by the disappearance of Musashi and the large hole in the ceiling, having no idea what had happened.

Fortunately, as a participant in the last Golden Conference, Lillian quickly regained people's attention.

"It seems that Musashi chose this way to exit after her defeat. Although it was somewhat unexpected, it's quite in line with her flamboyant reputation." She first made a small joke to downplay Musashi's impact, then pointed to Haruka, "Now the result is obvious. Let's congratulate Haruka on winning this year's Woodworking Tournament!"

The audience cheered and applauded enthusiastically for Xiaoyao, who immediately waved back with a bright smile on her face.

Although the process was somewhat bumpy, she still managed to get her fifth ribbon medal, which meant that she had finally caught the last train and could participate in the magnificent celebration that would be held soon!

……

After the awards ceremony, Xiaoyao left the venue through the contestant entrance and found Xia You waiting outside.

At this moment, in her hand, besides the ribbon medal she had just received, she also held a booklet.

Xiao Yao waved the two items in front of Xia You, her face beaming with excitement.

"Congratulations!" Xia You praised, "You're performing better and better. If you keep it up, you might even have a chance to win the championship at the Grand Celebration!"

"This is all thanks to you, Brother Xia You," Xiao Yao said with a smile. "I've learned so much from you. And when I was fighting Musashi just now, I put myself in your shoes and imagined how you would fight the cursed doll. I didn't expect to win the fight!"

Hearing Xiaoyao say this, Xia You felt both gratified and very accomplished.

Being regarded as a role model by Xiaoyao shows that the path he has taken is undoubtedly successful.

Xiaoyao then said, "But I still feel something is strange."

"Strange?" Xia You asked, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

“Of course it’s those three from Team Rocket,” May said matter-of-factly. “When I traveled with Ash before, they were always causing trouble, but this time at the tournament, they didn’t do anything at all. They didn’t cause any trouble or damage anything, and when they lost, they just slunk away. It’s really not like them!”

This was indeed novel for Xiao Yao, but for Xia You, it was already commonplace.

And didn't they cause any trouble?

Although he wasn't the target, it was obvious that Harry was probably running around like crazy, chasing after those people.

Harry schemed and plotted for so long, only to be outmaneuvered by the Rockets trio, twice in fact!

It goes without saying that, behind their backs, the two sides will inevitably fight again.

But all I can say is that this is truly a case of the wicked being free to torment the wicked.

Shaking her head, Xia You focused her gaze on the manual.

What is this?

"It's an introduction booklet for the grand celebration. Mr. Conkenstein gave it to me right after the awards ceremony."

"I see." Xia You nodded. "With this, it seems you're officially preparing for the Grand Celebration!"

Chapter 857 The Aurora Incident

For Xia You and Xiao Yao, there are only two things left to do in Guandu.

This refers to the final battle in the Battle Frontier and the grand celebration that everyone is eagerly anticipating.

Both of these battles or matches are very difficult. As the strongest in the Battle Frontier, Shinji is known as the Pyramid Pharaoh. His Pokémon are known for their unparalleled strength, and he has defeated countless confident challengers. The Grand Festival is also destined to be full of experts, and all of his opponents are strong individuals who have obtained five Ribbon Medals. Each of them is very difficult to deal with.

Xia You is alright, with so many powerful Pokémon at her disposal, she's unlikely to lose. So, as long as Xiao Yao can get past that hurdle, even if she only makes it to the top four, it will be a huge step forward for her.

Because it was late, the two rested in Goumu Town for the night.

However, because there were so many trainers, they couldn't get a dormitory at the Pokémon Center. With no other option, Xia You had to endure the scrutiny from the front desk and take Xiao Yao to a nearby hotel to book a room.

Fortunately, aside from being a little shy, Xiaoyao didn't say anything about it. Instead, she slept even more soundly on the comfortable and soft bed, and by the next morning, all her recent fatigue had vanished.

Starting from Goumu Town, the two headed west again.

It is worth mentioning that the grand festival in the Kanto region is not held in a major city, but rather on the Quartz Plateau.

This also changed the order in which Xia You and Xiao Yao set their goals.

Xia You originally planned to accompany Xiao Yao to the Grand Festival before challenging the Battle Pyramid, but now that he has learned that the Grand Festival is held in the Quartz Plateau, he immediately made finding the Battle Pyramid his main goal.

Xia You took out the real-time map that Yashida had sent her, and just as she had thought, the location of the battle pyramid had changed again.

This time, it left Evergreen City and ran to the vicinity of Dark Grey City.

"Is Dark Grey City Xiao Gang's hometown?" Xiao Yao couldn't help but ask after hearing Xia You mention this.

“That’s right.” Xia You nodded. “You also know that he used to be the gym leader, and the gym is located in Dark Grey. His father is currently acting as the gym leader.”

"So, do you think he'll ever go back to the gym?" Following Xia You, Xiao Yao hopped over a small puddle and asked without turning her head, "After all, he's now a Pokémon breeder, and he's no longer a trainer, right?"

Thinking back to the Sun & Moon era in the anime, when Brock was still the gym leader and his strength had greatly improved, Xia You shook her head.

"I will definitely go back. After all, I can be both a breeder and a trainer. Moreover, the position of gym leader enjoys a high social status and comes with a salary and subsidies. How could I give it up so easily?"

As they spoke, the two had already left Goumu Town and arrived at a plain.

After crossing the plains and rounding a small hill, the view suddenly opened up, revealing snow-capped mountains in the distance and vast forests below. The azure lake reflected the clear light, making it not only beautiful but also refreshing.

"What a wonderful view!" Xiaoyao couldn't help but exclaim.

The two stood there admiring the scene for a long time, and then took out their phones to save it forever.

Just then, a dozen or so bluebirds flew by in the sky, adding to the picturesque scene.

Just then, two beams of aurora suddenly shone down from the sky.

The two aurora beams, one blue and one red, were very beautiful, but also so abrupt.

"Huh? The aurora?" Xiaoyao was taken aback at first, but felt like she had seen this scene somewhere before. "Why would there be an aurora in a place like this? And why did it appear so suddenly?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Xiaoyao suddenly remembered that she had seen a similar aurora before, it was like... it was like...

A thought struck her, and she quickly looked at Xia You, only to see Xia You nod gently.

"That's right, it's the aurora, and it's the aurora emitted by Deoxys."

"Deoxys?" Haruka exclaimed in surprise, "Is it here too?"

“There’s nothing strange about that.” Xia You chuckled. “Including my Deoxys, I’ve already seen three, and that’s only in the Hoenn region. Besides, they’re not restricted by region; they move around by flying, so they can be found in other regions as well. It’s not too surprising that they’re here. But anyway, since we’ve encountered them, let’s go there and see what’s going on.”