Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command!

Bruno watched Luo Yuan raise three fingers, his mind racing.

The situation had grown dire.

With four Pokémon against Mewtwo, he'd managed to hold a slight advantage in head-on combat; even with three, his team's combined defense could hold its own.

But now, with only Machamp and Primeape remaining—even with Poliwrath to cover Luo Yuan—just defending against Mewtwo's attacks was no simple task.

He glanced around at the fallen League trainers… As one of Kanto's Elite Four, there was no way he could abandon his team.

"We've got to hold out!"

He had already contacted Lance and Agatha; if he could just hold on until they arrived, the three of them together would surely prevail.

His expression hardened with determination.

But Bruno's resolve did nothing to improve the battlefield.

Against Mewtwo, a Psychic-type Legendary Pokémon, his Fighting-types—Machamp and Primeape—were already at a severe disadvantage.

Boom!

Mewtwo slammed its spoon into the ground.

A tidal wave of psychic energy rippled out from Mewtwo.

Primeape, who had just scrambled back to its feet, stumbled and nearly fell again. Already prone to anger, the sensation made it seethe with fury.

But Mewtwo ignored Primeape, focusing instead on Machamp.

"Use Psycho Cut!"

At Luo Yuan's command, Mewtwo swung its spoon, preparing to unleash the Psychic blade.

Seeing this, Bruno's heart tightened.

He'd seen the power of Mewtwo's Psycho Cut before.

With only three Pokémon left, Bruno couldn't afford to lose another.

He cast aside any illusions and called out firmly, "Machamp, use Protect!"

A blue barrier formed in front of Machamp.

As his ace, Bruno trusted Machamp's Protect would shield it from Mewtwo's Psycho Cut.

He also signaled to Primeape, instructing it to attack Mewtwo the moment its strike was blocked.

The invisible psychic blade sliced through the air.

Its spectral outline shimmered, barely visible.

But in a shocking twist, Mewtwo's target wasn't Machamp at all.

The Psycho Cut whizzed past Machamp, hurtling towards the back.

Machamp's Protect was wasted.

And the blade's true target was none other than Poliwrath, standing at Bruno's side.

"Poliwrath, it's aiming for you! Use Protect, now!"

Caught off-guard, Poliwrath hurriedly raised a barrier.

Thanks to Bruno's rigorous training, even under sudden pressure, Poliwrath managed to form a defensive shield just as the Psycho Cut reached it.

Crack!

Psycho Cut sliced deep into the barrier. Although Protect was the ultimate defensive move, Mewtwo's Psycho Cut was powerful enough to partially pierce through, barely sparing Poliwrath from further harm.

But… was that really Mewtwo's only move?

Though Mewtwo hadn't formally trained under Luo Yuan, it had adopted some of his aggressive tactics.

Luo Yuan preferred to seize every chance to finish an opponent decisively.

Seeing Poliwrath stagger under its Psycho Cut, Mewtwo vanished, reappearing directly in front of it.

"Aura Sphere!"

An Aura Sphere slammed into Poliwrath's chest, right on the spiral pattern.

The explosion sent Poliwrath flying.

Mewtwo wasted no time.

It Teleported to where Poliwrath was about to land, striking it with its spoon to send it airborne once more, only to teleport again and repeat the assault.

On and on it went.

Mewtwo appeared and disappeared in midair, with Poliwrath like a sandbag caught in an endless cycle of blows, unable to touch the ground.

"Poliwrath!"

Every hit that landed on Poliwrath seemed to strike Bruno's heart just as hard, each impact sending a shock through him.

Finally, after a full minute of continuous attacks, Mewtwo released Poliwrath, and it dropped to the ground.

Dazed and defeated, Poliwrath's eyes spun in the same spiral as its stomach, totally incapacitated.

"Two."

Luo Yuan lowered another finger.

With only two fingers remaining, Bruno felt as though they were pressing into his chest, each one a steel spike that stole his breath.

The smile on Luo Yuan's face seemed twisted and demonic to Bruno.

Luo Yuan knew exactly what Bruno was thinking.

But Mewtwo's assault showed no signs of slowing.

Seizing the moment as Bruno faltered,

Mewtwo launched another Aura Sphere from above, forcing Machamp and Primeape to dodge aside.

In a flash, Mewtwo teleported between the two remaining Pokémon.

It pressed one hand onto Primeape's head, swinging its spoon-wielding hand towards Machamp.

Machamp was knocked backward, rolling across the ground as though hit with a Seismic Toss.

Then Mewtwo turned its gaze to the Primeape it had pinned.

Glare—

Under Mewtwo's stare, Primeape forgot even its rage, feeling only a paralyzing fear that seized its entire body.

In every sense, Primeape was frozen.

Mewtwo was using its Mean Look.

Locked in place by the move, Primeape could only float helplessly as Mewtwo held it in place.

Mewtwo extended a single finger.

At its tip, a Aura Sphere formed, silently and ominously.

In Primeape's terrified eyes and its incoherent cries, Mewtwo flicked the Aura Sphere with a casual motion.

Boom

The Aura Sphere detonated on Primeape's head.

Like a toy spinning top, Primeape was flung through the air, tumbling dozens of meters until it crashed into the trunk of a massive tree.

The tree split cleanly in half.

A Farfetch'd, clinging to the top of the tree and holding its leek, shivered as it tumbled down.

Amused to see such a rare Pokémon here, Luo Yuan glanced at it but kept his focus.

"One."

Only one finger remained.

Primeape had been defeated.

Luo Yuan's voice rang out like a hammer, pounding Bruno's spirit.

Instinctively, Bruno glanced around the battlefield.

Hitmonlee, Hitmontop, Hitmonchan, Poliwrath, Primeape…

The only Pokémon he had left to fight with was his battered Machamp.

---

T/N: Changed Shadow Ball to Aura Sphere :D (NO SHUT UP U STUPID TRANSLATOR U DIDNT EVEN KNOW GHOST AFFECTS FIGHTING TYEPS ARA) (morax transferred to scribble hub!)

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