Pokemon: Psychic Master

The second day of the Indigo League Tournament had arrived, and the excitement was at an all-time high.

Certain standout trainers had already garnered significant attention, with the spotlight shining on those who showcased exceptional skills. Johan was among them, his name now well-known after his first-round performance.

So, when he arrived at the grass battlefield early that morning, he was met with a crowd of fans waving signs in support.

In the Trainer's Lounge

"Gengar, do you have something you want to say?" Johan asked, raising an eyebrow at the mischievous purple Pokémon.

To be fair, even without being a Pokémon psychologist, Johan knew Gengar so well that he could discern its intentions just by watching it shift its posture.

"Ka-kah~~" (I'll tell you after this match!)

Gengar grinned, twiddling its stubby fingers. It clearly understood that keeping secrets from Johan was nearly impossible.

Johan narrowed his eyes.

What kind of trouble has this rascal caused now?

Despite its mischief, Gengar had good judgment when it came to serious matters, so Johan figured it was probably nothing catastrophic.

As Johan mulled over Gengar's antics, the side door to the lounge creaked open, and Little Blue slipped inside.

Upon spotting Johan, she puffed her cheeks in mild irritation before pulling out another trainer card.

"This is for today's opponent," she said, handing it over.

"Thanks."

Johan accepted the card and handed her 20 Pokédollars in exchange.

Blue's uncharacteristic compliance caught him off guard, though she still pouted slightly before turning to leave.

At the door, she paused and added, "By the way, your opponent today had a bye in the first round, so there isn't much information on them."

With that, she vanished to "assist" another trainer.

"A bye, huh?"

Johan sighed, shaking his head.

"Why does luck like that never come my way?"

Every year, due to an uneven number of participants, a few trainers got to skip the first round and advance automatically.

Frankly, trainers who get a free pass like this shouldn't even be allowed in the tournament…

Johan adjusted his glasses, a determined gleam in his eyes.

It's up to me to restore justice to this tournament!

At the Grass Battlefield

After a thrilling first match, the arena buzzed with energy. Johan and his opponent, Kaplan, stepped into the stadium to the roar of the crowd.

Thanks to Blue's intel, Johan knew Kaplan hailed from Nimbasa City in Unova and had once reached the top 32 in the Lacunosa Conference.

While not a complete rookie, Kaplan still lacked the experience to match Johan's composure.

"Johan-sensei, go get 'em!" Ash shouted from the stands.

"Battle preparations are underway!" the commentator announced.

"Kaplan from Unova has chosen the high-pressure Pokémon, Gigalith!"

"And Johan has sent out… one of Kanto's most iconic Pokémon, Dragonair!"

Though Dragonair was a pseudo-legendary, it hadn't yet evolved into Dragonite, the form that made pseudo-legendaries truly fearsome.

Right now, it's strong but not overwhelming.

"Begin!"

The referee's flags dropped.

"Dragonair, Dragon Dance!"

Johan wasted no time, starting with a setup move.

"Draaa—!!"

Dragonair's white wings flared as it soared into the air, shimmering with a faint glow.

Kaplan gritted his teeth and countered quickly.

"Gigalith, Stealth Rock!"

The two commands were issued almost simultaneously, but the results couldn't have been more different.

While Dragonair's stats began to rise, Gigalith's Stealth Rock became effectively useless against a trainer like Johan, who rarely switched Pokémon mid-battle.

Kaplan paled.

I just handed him a free setup…

"Gigalith, Rock Slide!" Kaplan shouted, determined to regain control.

The air filled with the sound of crumbling stone as Gigalith conjured a barrage of rocks above Dragonair.

"Draaa!"

But Dragonair's enhanced speed from Dragon Dance allowed it to dodge with ease, zigzagging through the falling debris.

"Dragonair, Extreme Speed!"

Johan's calm voice cut through the chaos.

"Draaa!!"

With blinding speed, Dragonair charged forward, striking Gigalith squarely and shattering its Sturdy ability.

"Gigalith, Stone Edge!" Kaplan roared in desperation.

"Dragonair, Aqua Tail!" Johan responded coolly.

Water swirled around Dragonair's tail as it spun gracefully, weaving through the cloud of dust and rock fragments.

Crack!

Dragonair's Aqua Tail slammed into the ground, shattering the jagged stones of Stone Edge before sweeping directly into Gigalith.

BOOM!

The massive Pokémon toppled over, unconscious.

"Gigalith is unable to battle!"

The crowd erupted in cheers, mesmerized by Dragonair's powerful yet elegant performance.

"That was amazing!"

"So graceful! That Aqua Tail could win a Contest!"

Kaplan recalled Gigalith, his hands trembling slightly as he sent out his second Pokémon: Swanna.

"The next Pokémon is Swanna, a symbol of grace!" the commentator exclaimed.

Kaplan winced.

Why does the commentary keep jinxing me?!

"Swanna, Feather Dance!" Kaplan commanded.

White feathers fluttered down from Swanna's wings, aiming to lower Dragonair's attack.

Johan smirked.

"Dragonair, Thunder!"

Kaplan's eyes widened.

"No way it'll hit—!"

But as Swanna tried to dodge, a golden bolt of lightning struck it mid-flight.

Swanna plummeted to the ground with a charred cry.

"Swanna is unable to battle!"

The audience roared again.

"He got lucky with that hit!"

"Wait, wasn't Dragonair's accuracy boosted by the rain?"

"Johan-sensei's luck is insane!"

Kaplan clenched his fists, sending out his final Pokémon: Seismitoad.

"Seismitoad, Rain Dance!"

Rain began pouring across the battlefield, activating Seismitoad's Swift Swim ability and doubling its speed.

"Dragonair, Dragon Dance again," Johan said.

Dragonair's glow intensified, its speed and power reaching frightening levels.

Kaplan gritted his teeth.

"Seismitoad, Ice Punch!"

"Dragonair, Draco Meteor!"

With its speed boosted to the limit, Dragonair spiraled upward, cloaked in blazing purple energy. It dove toward Seismitoad like a fiery comet, the rain parting around it.

BOOM!

Seismitoad collapsed, leaving the battlefield silent except for the sound of falling rain.

"Seismitoad is unable to battle! Johan is the winner!"

The commentator's excited announcement was drowned out by cheers from the crowd.

"Another sweep? Johan-sensei is too ruthless!"

"He's not playing fair—but I love it!"

Kaplan stared at his fallen Seismitoad, muttering bitterly, "He didn't even give me a chance…"

Dragonair soared triumphantly, flicking off the remnants of Seismitoad's Ice Punch like it was nothing.

There's no way I'm letting Kubfu outshine me.

Back in the stands, Ash's eyes sparkled.

"Draco Meteor is so cool!"

With his flawless victory, Johan advanced to the Top 32.

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Powerstones?

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