"Lucario, use Shave to close the distance and bind your opponent's movement with Aura!"
Ron's voice rang out clearly in Lucario's mind. The next instant, Lucario vanished from its position using Shave—the high-speed movement technique from the Six Powers.
Ripples of Aura radiated from Lucario's body, coalescing into several glowing ropes that lashed forward. They struck first, entangling Swellow before it could even react.
The ropes yanked tight. Swellow stirred as if waking from a dream, instinctively trying to resist—but it was already too late.
Closing in with Shave, Lucario sprang into the air and drove its palm into Swellow's wing using Aura.
"Lucario, Aura Sphere! Condense your Aura into short blades and bring that Swellow down!"
Ron showed no mercy, his command following without pause.
The glowing blue Aura Sphere took shape instantly. At the same time, several Aura-forged daggers erupted from Lucario's aura and pierced through Swellow's wings, pinning it to the ground.
The Aura Sphere followed, erupting in a brilliant explosion that swallowed Swellow whole.
After nearly two weeks of intense training, Lucario had reached a breakthrough in his mastery of Aura.
He could now incorporate Aura into auxiliary attacks—like those daggers—during standard moves, though it still took effort and concentration.
Reaching the level of someone like Katakuri, who could mold his Devil Fruit's power with that much precision, was still far off. Without long and arduous cultivation, replicating that kind of Mochi Mochi Fruit-like mastery over Aura wasn't possible.
Still, what Lucario had achieved now was more than enough to give him a significant power boost.
"Lucario, finish this with another Aura Sphere! Eliminate the opponent completely!"
Sensing that Swellow still hadn't fully lost its combat capabilities, Ron gave the final command.
A second Aura Sphere descended. The aftermath of the explosion spread outward in a shockwave, and the Mid Elite-class Swellow finally collapsed, unable to battle.
"Well done, Lucario. From here on, you'll continue refining the Aura control techniques I've taught you while advancing in the Six Powers."
While using Fighting Aura to help Lucario recover his stamina, Ron offered him encouragement.
Lucario, who had just displayed calm precision in battle, now nodded with the shyness of a child, no trace of that battlefield composure remaining.
"Alright, it's your turn now—Gengar."
At Ron's call, Gengar floated up from his shadow with a mischievous grin, letting out a low, sinister laugh. All he needed now was a hooked nose to complete the villain look.
Thanks to the power of the Nether Crystal, Gengar had reached an astounding level 58—surpassing even Blaziken. He was on the brink of breaking into the Quasi-Elite Four class.
Lucario extended his Aura outward, probing the forest with a sensory net.
Ron, cloaked in Shave-aided camouflage, moved deeper into the woods with Lucario. Gengar, still nestled in Ron's shadow, waited quietly, eager for his first opponent.
...
"Another Pokémon corpse… Looks like that Ghost-type has become a real threat."
A young man with pale blue hair examined the remains with a sharp gaze.
"Let's move out, Metagross. We need to find that Ghost-type before it does more harm."
He gave Metagross a firm pat. The steel giant nodded before lifting into the air, carrying the man with ease.
Metagross's deep, ocean-like psychic energy spread through the forest, effortlessly scanning every movement in its radius.
...
"Devour him, Gourgeist!"
A crazed voice pierced the silence—Bert's.
Dark mist surged forth and swallowed the unsuspecting Ursaring in seconds.
Even with quasi-Elite Four strength, Ursaring was like a helpless infant before the overwhelming darkness. He didn't stand a chance.
Gourgeist, now focused on absorbing the life energy of Pokémon like Ursaring, had already claimed several victims as it stalked the forest. Their energy was especially rich—irresistible to it.
Completely unaware he was being watched, Bert recalled Gourgeist into its Poké Ball and moved deeper into the forest.
...
"Let's go, Gengar! Time to break into the quasi-Elite Four!"
Ron's voice exploded inside Gengar's mind as the black veil of night descended, swiftly shrouding the surrounding terrain.
Floating just ahead of Ron, Gengar received the command and instantly unleashed his power—summoning a web of dark-purple chains from the Netherworld that shot forward like spectral javelins.
The sudden turn of events left Exploud momentarily dazed, his mind buzzing—yet instinct took over, and he retaliated with a barrage of Boomburst. But Ron and Gengar exchanged knowing grins.
The spectral chains condensed rapidly, forming barrier-like walls in front of Gengar to absorb the brunt of the attack. Simultaneously, tendrils of chain sprouted from beneath Exploud's feet, coiling tightly around his legs and yanking with force, making the Sound Wave Pokémon stumble.
Seeing an opening, Gengar's Ghost Chains surged forward like they cost nothing to cast, enveloping Exploud in a spectral onslaught.
As Gengar's power grew, so too did his mastery over the Netherworld's forces. With the momentum lost, Exploud was quickly overwhelmed—his entire body draped in chains.
Desperate, Exploud unleashed a counterattack with Echoed Voice and another Boomburst, trying to stabilize the field and prevent himself from being completely immobilized—because once the chains locked in, it would mean the end of the battle.
"Gengar, restrain it with Ghost Chains! Envelop the field with Phantom Ambush!"
Following Ron's command, Gengar split his focus. While maintaining his offensive barrage, a pitch-black ghostly shadow—the Phantom Ambush—coalesced and surged forward with an ominous ripple.
Caught off guard, Exploud's offensive rhythm broke.
"Now, Ghost Chains again—follow up with Ghost Wave Pulse!"
As Exploud faltered, chains once again whipped out toward him, and a creeping darkness began to spread across the ground beneath his feet.
Before Exploud could react, the shadow surged like a wave—rippling and striking him repeatedly.
The overwhelming impact hurled Exploud through the air, and the moment he lost control, the chains, like an intricate web, wrapped tightly around him, rendering him completely immobile.
Then came another Phantom Ambush, crashing down on the unguarded Exploud like divine punishment.
At that moment, Gengar looked less like a playful ghost and more like a grim warden from a forgotten era, delivering merciless judgment upon his bound foe.
As the shroud of night began to lift, Exploud—no longer able to battle—lay sprawled on the ground.
And then it happened.
The aura around Gengar flared—his presence sharpened and deepened. He had broken through to the level of a quasi-Elite Four.
Feeling the surge of energy coursing through him, Gengar's eyes gleamed with renewed vigor and thirst for battle.
"Don't worry," Ron said with a chuckle, stroking Gengar's large head. "Your fight isn't over yet."
With a Pokémon like this by his side, how could he not become a powerful Trainer?
...
Elsewhere in the forest, Bert was resting against the trunk of an ancient tree after a long journey. Beside him stood his watchful companion—Gourgeist, silent as a sentry.
But something wasn't right.
Whispers of shadow seeped from Gourgeist's body, curling into a thin mist of darkness that gently settled over Bert.
Yet Bert's face was all smiles, as if he were dreaming of something beautiful.
...
High above, a Metagross soared through the night sky, carrying a young man with pale blue hair. His eyes searched the horizon with quiet intensity.
Unseen and yet inevitable, fate seemed to weave its threads—drawing all three closer and closer, until their paths were destined to meet.
-------
Want to read ahead of schedule? Head over to my Patreon ——— patreon(.)com/Madbot635 [remove the parentheses ( )]