5 bonus chapter's coming out at 11 AM EST. So I ask that you save you're powerstones until then.
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Discussions about the Battle Frontier were still trending online.
Charcadet's Flamethrower that melted the battlefield and Kubfu's display of masterful combat technique were the hottest topics among the fanbase.
Familiar names added fuel to the fire, amplifying the hype even further.
Bruno: "Indeed, Johan is a highly skilled martial artist. If I were to face him, I wouldn't be confident of winning."
Mustard: "Little Johan is amazing! Kubfu has improved so much—makes this old man want a rematch to redeem some dignity, haha!"
Professor Oak: "Judging by the temperature of that Flamethrower, it likely exceeded 2,000 degrees Celsius. Such terrifying passion!"
As Johan scrolled through these comments on his phone that evening, his expression turned both amused and slightly awkward.
"Have you all been bribed by Scott?"
From just these comments, Johan felt as if people might actually believe he could challenge a regional Champion on his own.
In fact, someone had already taken this seriously: Archie's right-hand man, Shelly.
When Shelly saw the statements by Bruno and Mustard, he broke out in a cold sweat.
"Good thing I ran away in time," Shelly thought, relieved.
Who would've thought this seemingly skinny, mild-mannered man was also a top-tier martial artist? A true hidden master.
For Shelly, the realization explained Johan's incredible skill in wild Pokémon battles—people like him probably trained by wrestling Machamp or grappling Steelix daily.
The next day marked the fourth day since Jirachi's awakening and Johan's third day in the Battle Frontier.
This time, he made an unexpected decision:
Split up his team!
He planned to simultaneously challenge the Battle Palace and the Battle Factory.
The Battle Palace had a peculiar rule: trainers could not give commands to their Pokémon during battles. They could only send out three Pokémon and let them fight on their own instincts and capabilities.
"No trainer involvement? What's even the point of battling?"
For Johan, this felt like a lose-lose situation:
Lose, and the Pokémon might lose confidence in their trainer. Win, and the trainer feels irrelevant.
Luckily, Johan was already used to this kind of arrangement. His Pokémon were more than capable of handling battles independently—they often organized their own midnight "missions" to scavenge for food, after all.
He entrusted this mission to his "Ghost-Bear-Hammer" trio: Gengar, Tinkaton, and Kubfu.
"Ka-kaah! (■_■)"
Gengar, wearing a pair of sunglasses, waved its hand dramatically and marched toward the Battle Palace.
Behind it, Tinkaton followed with its oversized hammer slung over its shoulder, its twin pigtails bouncing with each step.
Kubfu, wearing an unusually serious expression, saluted Johan solemnly.
To Kubfu, this was a critical mission—proof of their trainer's trust.
"I shall slay the enemy, claim their symbol, and return victorious!"
Johan's face twitched.
"...Just don't get lost."
Kubfu snapped back to reality, chasing after Gengar and Tinkaton in a hurry.
"Kuu!! ε=ε=┌(>_<)┘"
The three Pokémon soon vanished from sight, walking in step like a small but mighty army.
Watching them leave, Johan sighed deeply.
"I hope this doesn't end in disaster."
"Don't worry, teacher," Steven reassured him.
"Yeah," Flannery chimed in. "Your Pokémon are strong and experienced. They'll be fine!"
Johan gave her a sidelong glance and replied dryly, "I'm not worried about them. I'm worried about the Battle Palace."
Steven and the others exchanged glances.
Fair point.
"Let's hope the Battle Palace survives," Roxanne muttered awkwardly.
After seeing off his "Ghost-Bear-Hammer" trio, Johan turned his attention to the Battle Factory.
The rules here revolved around rental Pokémon. Trainers could borrow three random Pokémon and use them to battle against similarly equipped opponents.
Upon winning, the trainer could swap one of their Pokémon with one from their opponent's team. After achieving a series of victories, they would face the Factory Head, Noland.
The Factory's emphasis on randomness didn't lower its popularity. If anything, the unpredictability made it even more exciting.
Pokémon were randomized. Opponents were randomized. Held items were randomized.
"It's all about strategy... and a little luck."
When Johan arrived at the factory, he noticed something missing.
"Where's Jirachi?"
"Probably went off with Gengar and the others," Steven guessed.
Johan sighed. "Let it play, then."
Inside the Battle Factory, a staff member handed Johan six Poké Balls and a summary sheet.
"Here are your six randomized Pokémon. Please select three for your team."
Johan glanced at the Pokémon lineup and immediately felt like the universe was trolling him:
Magikarp Volbeat Shroomish Raticate Grimer Zigzagoon
The live chat erupted in laughter:
"HAHAHAHA, there's actually a Magikarp!"
"At least it's just one!"
"Johan's luck stat is officially cursed!"
Even Johan's expression faltered.
He strongly suspected that Scott had rigged this as a prank, but with Scott watching from the corner, Johan could only sigh.
Johan reviewed the limited information provided about the Pokémon and soon narrowed down his choices.
"I'll go with these three."
He chose Volbeat, Shroomish, and Zigzagoon.
The chat immediately exploded again:
"Volbeat, Shroomish, and Zigzagoon? What is this, a beginner trainer's team?"
"Johan's about to teach us how to make the best of a bad situation."
However, once the battles began, viewers started noticing something unusual:
"Wait... is that Volbeat's Prankster ability?"
"Volbeat knows Tail Glow?! That's a +3 to Special Attack!"
"And he's Baton Passing it to Shroomish?!"
The crowd was floored. The seemingly weak Shroomish suddenly became a powerhouse, tearing through the opposing team.
When asked how Shroomish could sustain such relentless attacks, Johan casually explained, "Zigzagoon's ability is Pickup."
Zigzagoon kept recovering leftover berries from the battlefield, ensuring the team never ran out of resources.
"HE'S ACTUALLY DOING IT!"
"Shroomish is going on a rampage!"
"This is the most inspiring underdog story I've ever seen."
With his unique team strategy, Johan blazed through the Battle Factory, leaving both his opponents and the audience stunned.
"And that's how you speedrun the Battle Factory," Johan concluded smugly.
The chat was flooded with comments:
"Teach us, sensei!"
"I'm catching these three Pokémon right now!"
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Powerstones?
For 20 advance chapters: patreon.com/michaeltranslates