"What?!"
Olivia's charming face registered pure shock. She had just emerged from the bedroom when the news hit her like a Hyper Beam.
"President... you're going to BATTLE Ms. Cynthia?!"
The Sinnoh Champion. The woman who crushed the Elite Four at twenty. The undisputed strongest Trainer in the region.
Olivia's eyes darted desperately toward Gardevoir.
Aren't you going to STOP him?!
Last night's memories flashed—her valiant attempts to "drain the President," her humiliating defeat, Gardevoir taking over while she lay completely spent. She'd learned the truth about Pokémon Girls in the most exhausting way possible.
Surely Gardevoir would intervene now?
"Gar~"
The serene Gardevoir simply shook her head. Her expression clearly said: If the Trainer commands, I alone can fight ten.
Garchomp, standing nearby, felt suddenly assessed.
...Why are you looking at ME?
"However." Cynthia tucked a strand of golden hair behind her ear, her tone shifting. "This isn't an ordinary battle."
Olivia blinked. "Then...?"
"An unlimited battle."
The Secretary Miss's confusion deepened. She turned to Wade.
Understanding dawned on his features.
"That means..." He met Cynthia's eyes. "Pokémon can attack the Trainer directly."
"Correct."
In the Pokémon world, battles divided into two categories.
Restricted battles—the common form. Trainers stood opposite each other, commanding Pokémon in 1v1, 3v3, or 6v6 format. The side whose Pokémon all fainted lost. This governed Gym challenges, League conferences, and wild Trainer encounters.
Unlimited battles—an ancient style. No rules. Any means necessary for victory. Including targeting the opposing Trainer directly.
"Ms. Cynthia..." Olivia's voice was small. "Wasn't that banned decades ago? Too bloody?"
True. Leagues worldwide had prohibited direct Trainer attacks to standardize battles.
"Indeed." Cynthia nodded, then continued. "But in the wild? Following restricted battle rules isn't enough."
She explained: Pokémon had diverse personalities. Most were benevolent, yes. But many ferocious ones attacked Trainers directly. And criminals? They didn't follow laws—countless cases of commanding Pokémon to target opponents.
But this wasn't about wild travel.
This was about Darkrai.
The Nightmare Goddess didn't follow rules. Historical records painted her as temperamental, acting purely on whim. Yesterday's restraint—not destroying the cabin—was likely just a good mood. Next time, a bad mood might mean a direct [Dark Pulse] to Wade's face.
Preparation saves lives.
"I understand, Senior Sister."
Wade walked to the left side of the clearing, warmth blooming in his chest.
She's doing this for me. Preparing me for that yandere's attacks.
The outwardly cold, inwardly warm rich blonde Senior Sister was simply too lovable.
"This match is 3v3. No battle rules. Victory when one side surrenders."
Olivia raised her hand, referee-style.
Wade considered his options. Delcatty for speed and disruption. Tinkaton for raw power and priority moves. Gardevoir as his ace.
Cynthia selected Spiritomb, Milotic, and Garchomp.
"Battle... START!"
"Milotic! Hydro Pump!"
Cynthia transformed.
The gentle, friendly woman vanished. In her place stood a warrior—amber eyes sharpened to blades, every molecule of her being focused on victory.
"Milo~!"
Milotic arched gracefully, a blue light gathering in its throat. The ground trembled. A spiraling water column began forming—a water tornado of devastating power.
"Tinkaton! Fake Out! Interrupt it!"
Wade's response came instantly.
In real life, moves had variable speeds. [Hydro Pump] was powerful but slower. [Fake Out] ? Priority. Always struck first, even when used later.
Perfect counter—
But Cynthia was already moving.
The moment she saw that descending giant hand, she raised Milotic's Poké Ball and recalled.
Red light flashed. Milotic vanished.
Another ball flew forward. Spiritomb materialized.
Tinkaton's [Fake Out] connected—with nothing.
Spiritomb rotated lazily, its red fan-like appendages swaying. Seven or eight pairs of glowing green eyes all opened at once, fixing on Tinkaton with unmistakable mockery.
Heh. Normal-type move. Against a Dark/Ghost-type.
Useless.
Wade's eyes narrowed.
Type advantage. Move priority. Rotation.
This is Champion-level battle.
"Spiritomb. Continuous Shadow Ball."
Cynthia's command fell like a guillotine blade.
Spiritomb—the Pokémon known as living misfortune—glowed with crimson Will-O-Wisp. Its ethereal form twisted into a grotesque, grinning mask, and from that nightmarish visage, Shadow Balls launched like cannon fire.
[Shadow Ball] : Hurls a shadowy blob at the target. May lower Sp. Def.
But these blobs weren't aimed at Tinkaton.
They were aimed at Wade.
"Tinka—!"
Tinkaton spun, eyes widening. Trailing shadows screamed toward her Trainer like machine-gun fire—
BOOM!
Dark explosions engulfed the battleground. Dust and smoke spiraled upward.
Olivia's heart stopped.
Then—a familiar voice cut through the chaos.
"I'm fine."
Wade emerged from the smoke, having barely rolled clear. But before he could breathe—
Another wave of Shadow Balls followed close behind.
Unlimited battle. No rules. No mercy.
Until one Trainer falls, this continues.
"Rotation?"
Cynthia's brow furrowed. She'd seen something unexpected.
Right before impact, a feline Pokémon had burst from Wade's Poké Ball—Delcatty—and perfectly intercepted the unavoidable barrage.
Using my own tactics against me. Normal-type Delcatty to block Ghost-type Spiritomb.
Impressive.
But this is far from over.
"Garchomp! Dragon Rush—DIRECTLY!"
The already cratered battleground shuddered.
Garchomp exploded from its Poké Ball—not flying, but cleaving through air currents like living battle-axes. Sonic boom clouds shattered across the sky.
"GARCHOMP—!"
Its roar sundered clouds. Its body became a golden meteor.
[Dragon Rush] : A horrific, powerful charge. May cause flinching.
Olivia's cherry lips parted helplessly. Though the move wasn't aimed at her, primal fear clenched her heart.
This is... this is Champion-level power...
"Gar~"
A graceful figure rose to meet the meteor.
Gardevoir floated upward, serene and untouchable. Where lesser Pokémon would have frozen in terror, she crossed her arms—and her fair skirt solidified into ice-blue silk ribbons.
[Fairy Body (Red)] : Fairy-type move power +40%
[Rosa's Blessing (Rainbow)] : All attribute move power +70%
The sky changed.
Three lunar rings materialized overhead.
The entire battleground transformed into a domain of pure white. Silver moonlight poured down like liquid metal—unstoppable, inescapable.
MOONBLAST.
The golden meteor slammed into the earth.
"G-gulp..."
Olivia swallowed hard.
A forbidden thought crept into her mind:
Did the President retire from being Champion because he was too strong?
Before Wade could command further—
Cynthia's gaze locked onto him. Not resentful. Accusing.
"Junior brother." Her voice dripped with theatrical hurt. "Did you forget something?"
He blinked.
She continued, enumerating on elegant fingers:
"You used Fake Out to interrupt first. Excellent. You used Delcatty to block Spiritomb's assault. Brilliant. Gardevoir's Moonblast overpowering Garchomp's Dragon Rush? Impressive."
Her eyes narrowed.
"But not once—not once—did you look at me."
...Oh.
Wade's mind raced.
She'd been having Garchomp and Spiritomb attack him repeatedly. And he'd been so focused on tactical excellence, so lost in the joy of battling a real Champion, that he'd completely ignored the Trainer behind the Pokémon.
In an unlimited battle. Where attacking the Trainer is the whole point.
She must feel like a clown.
"Ah..."
He rubbed his neck sheepishly. "Sorry, Senior Sister. Got a bit carried away with the tactics."
Her expression said: Obviously.
Alright. If she wants wild...
In unlimited battles, Trainers had options. Command Pokémon to attack opponents. Or engage in direct fisticuffs.
Wade chose neither.
He didn't command Gardevoir.
He didn't throw a punch.
Instead—
Cynthia felt her plush, snowy mounds suddenly drop, trembling into a surging wave of sensation.
"Eh?!?!"