Chapter 1248: Kieran—Powerless

"What a terrifying Pokémon!"

"It couldn't even withstand a single exchange, and even Protect had no effect!"

"A Champion is a Champion, after all!"

"This is my first time seeing a Champion's battle this close. I used to only watch them on TV or the internet; it's so thrilling!"

"I kind of feel sorry for Kieran..."

The students of Blueberry Academy whispered among themselves, their eyes filled with uncontrollable shock and excitement.

Being able to watch the hottest Champion of the moment battle in person truly made their blood boil.

It was just a pity that the opponent...

The battle was so one-sided that everyone almost forgot Kieran was the Blueberry Champion.

The massive gap was clearly presented before their eyes, stirring deep emotions.

How is he supposed to fight this?

Pecharunt hadn't even made a move yet!

The "rotten peach" that hadn't fired a single shot wasn't ignored, even though Ogerpon was the only one who had been fighting from start to finish.

Shrunken into a peach shape and lying motionless on the ground, it was seen as giving Ogerpon the chance to take on Kieran's entire team alone.

So arrogant! So domineering!

The strong should humiliate the weak!

That's the culture of our Blueberry Academy!

Countless students cheered; many of them had been humiliated by Kieran in the past, and now they felt as if their great revenge had been served! How the tables had turned!

It was a pity they couldn't livestream it.

Many students holding their phones high felt immense regret; some wanted to gain traffic, some wanted to show off, and others wanted to publicize the crushing defeat of the Blueberry Champion.

Amidst the lively atmosphere, Crispin pouted and said, "These guys, they're all cheering for All Baimu!"

Drayton laughed, "Who told our Champion to be so unpopular, while All Baimu is just too popular!"

Although Kieran hadn't been in office for long, the club rules he changed had caused varying degrees of trouble for many students, yet they had no way to protest.

He would always say—"Beat me, and you can do whatever you want."

If they could win, would they still be negotiating with him!?

In short, the League Club had been turned into a mess by Kieran's many rules, and even the Elite Four missed the atmosphere of the past.

Carmine was heartbroken, almost turning into a statue of a worried sister.

On the other side, Arven clicked his tongue and said, "All Baimu is really ruthless! Taking on the whole team with one Pokémon, and even specifically letting Pecharunt watch!"

"He must have his reasons."

Penny firmly believed All Baimu wasn't that bored, even though the brat Kieran was indeed very annoying.

Nemona said nothing, only lost in thought.

She put herself in Kieran's shoes, considering how she would break the deadlock if she were battling Ogerpon in a similar situation.

The only way was to stall for time, until Perish Song took effect!

Her eyes sparkled as she watched the arena, hoping this Blueberry Champion could bring her some surprises.

On the screen's scoreboard, the time elapsed was recorded next to Kieran's avatar, and in his Pokémon slot, three Pokémon had already lost their ability to battle, turning a dim gray-black.

Dragonite, Politoed, and Poliwrath.

Each one had fallen under the "light and airy" Ivy Cudgel of the Terastallized Ogerpon.

Without a shred of resistance.

Dark clouds shrouded the arena, and the continuous curtain of rain obscured the light, making the overall environment exceptionally gloomy, yet it also made Ogerpon's giant mask stand out even more brilliantly.

"..."

Kieran powerlessly recalled Poliwrath.

Why was it like this?

They were both Loyal Three members, so why was Ogerpon so much stronger! They weren't even on the same level!

He recalled the ancient legends of Kitakami—

The masked emissary led the Loyal Three to descend, putting an end to the evil Pecharunt's conspiracy.

The specific process involved Pecharunt controlling a portion of the Loyal Three, with the masked emissary and Ogerpon awakening their companions and turning the tables to defeat it.

But looking at the current situation, Kieran had reason to suspect the other Loyal Three members had been "finished off" together!

And this mask, it never appeared in the legends! Wasn't it said there were only four masks: Grass, Water, Fire, and Rock?

Kieran didn't know that the Teal Mask Ogerpon was currently using was crafted by his ancestors later on, with the purpose of giving Pecharunt something to show for its return.

The Kitakami legends mainly recorded the four masks used when Ogerpon participated in the Harvest Festival and subsequently beat up Pecharunt.

When his grandfather helped All Baimu repair the mask, Kieran happened to be hiding in his room sulking, successfully missing it.

"Come back, Poliwrath!"

He tried his best to suppress the surging waves in his heart, as well as the fighting spirit extinguished by the rain.

The three cudgel strikes hit not only his Pokémon but also his heart, leaving Kieran clear-headed and sharp-eyed.

He suddenly realized that even without All Baimu, he didn't seem to have the conditions to capture Ogerpon. After all, the power he had gained through his efforts until now was like thin paper in front of Ogerpon...

It would break with a single poke.

As for gaining Ogerpon's trust through other means, he didn't have that in his skill set.

Now, the only thing he could count on was 【Perish Song】.

Surrender?

Impossible!

Kieran remembered what All Baimu had told him: even if he still couldn't understand the so-called bonds, at least he had learned never to give up until the very last moment.

He had to win!

Two Poké Balls were thrown.

Bang! Bang!

"Grimmsnarl!"

"Incineroar!"

Two sturdy Pokémon entered the field.

On the left was the Dark/Fairy-type Grimmsnarl, and on the right was the Fire/Dark-type Incineroar.

"Incineroar!!"

As soon as the latter appeared, it let out a low roar at Pecharunt and Ogerpon.

In an instant, blue light lit up on both Pokémon.

All Baimu raised an eyebrow, "Hidden Ability?"

What had just taken effect was clearly Incineroar's 【Intimidate】 ability, which had the effect of lowering physical attack.

Of course, how much it lowered depended on Incineroar's own power and Ogerpon's resistance; there was no such thing as a percentage discount like in the games.

"Grimmsnarl, Reflect! Incineroar, Fake Out!"

Kieran ordered quickly.

The rainy weather was extremely unfavorable for Fire-type Pokémon, but Kieran wasn't counting on Incineroar for output; he just needed to stall until the time for Perish Song to trigger.

Grimmsnarl acted first; it had the 【Prankster】 ability, and since it was using a status move, it had every chance to pull it off with Incineroar's cover.

In fact, its Reflect was successfully used.

Because Ogerpon didn't launch an attack.

"Swords Dance."

The moment All Baimu saw Grimmsnarl, he decisively had Ogerpon use a boosting move.

And when Incineroar rushed toward it with glowing palms, it nimbly dodged backward, mimicking Mawile's posture to boost its attack power with a dance.

Hum! Hum!

Transparent sword blades swirled around Ogerpon, the orange-red light masked by the Terastallized fluorescent glow.

Incineroar, with a crystalline barrier appearing in front of it, pursued relentlessly, but it could never keep up with Ogerpon's movements.

"Incineroar!"

Slap!

An angry clapping strike!

A visible translucent air wave surged toward Ogerpon, but it dodged by leaping up suddenly.

Although Fake Out was changed to a contact-type move in the fourth generation, the anime still retained the non-contact usage, just with a relatively lower hit rate.

Just like now, Ogerpon only needed to jump to dodge it.

"Incineroar!?"

Incineroar quickly raised its head, only to see its opponent, wearing a giant mask, suddenly spin around, the long cudgel in its hand emitting a brownish-red radiance!

Kieran hurriedly shouted, "Protect! Grimmsnarl, Parting Shot!"

"Brick Break."

"Ogerpon!"

Bang!

The crystal wall supported by Grimmsnarl shattered easily!

Incineroar raised its arms to try and defend, but the opponent's movements were simply too fast; after smashing the Reflect, the cudgel, covered in spikes, slammed into the top of its skull!

Thud!

A heavy, muffled sound!

The exaggerated force even sent out a faint shockwave.

The ground cracked open, countless rocks flew, and the sturdy Incineroar buried its fierce face deep into the ground without a word.

Nari raised her right hand, "Incineroar is unable to battle! Ogerpon wins!"

Another of Kieran's Pokémon on the screen went dim.

Ogerpon landed lightly, its gaze passing through the pastel-colored mask, fixed on Grimmsnarl and Kieran.

"Grimmsnarl!?"

Grimmsnarl retreated half a step in fear, then quickly turned to look at its trainer, whose throat was bobbing.

With its companion unable to battle, it couldn't use Parting Shot to exit; this was a double battle.

Kieran clenched his fists, "Don't be afraid of it! Swagger! Hang in there! It's almost time!"

"Grimmsnarl!"

Grimmsnarl gathered its courage and used a status move.

The time for Perish Song to take effect was about six to seven minutes; from the time it was used until now, about three minutes had passed—

Ogerpon's battle itself didn't take much time, but the referee's judgment and the players' substitutions also took time.

It can be done! It's possible!

Kieran kept cheering himself on.

"Ogerpon~"

Ogerpon walked calmly toward Grimmsnarl. Facing the Swagger used by the latter, it raised its Ivy Cudgel and released countless glowing green vines, twisting and winding to form a circular shield.

"Spiky Shield."

Hum!

The black light of Swagger was blocked by Spiky Shield.

Grimmsnarl looked at Ogerpon approaching step by step, appearing increasingly panicked.

When had it ever encountered such a battle? The pressure in its heart made it feel a bit breathless.

"Grimmsnarl!"

Support! I need support!

Amidst Grimmsnarl's cries, Kieran recalled Incineroar and released his final Pokémon.

On the other side of the field, the peach-shaped Pecharunt peeked out through a narrow gap, catching sight of Ogerpon's retreating back, while some kind of scene flashed crazily in its mind.

It was hiding behind a Dragonite, and Ogerpon was walking slowly toward it with an Ivy Cudgel in hand.

Was it its own lost memory?

Sure enough, its relationship with this guy was terrible!

Pecharunt gritted its teeth in hatred; ever since it woke up, it couldn't stand Ogerpon, yet the other party treated it quite well.

As evil as a rotten peach, it couldn't help but feel a bit ashamed to be treated like this.

It even once thought about forming a friendship with Ogerpon.

Until today, when it saw the other party knock out Dragonite with one cudgel strike, the memory hidden deep in its mind suddenly surfaced.

Ahhhhhhh—

"Pecharunt!"

Pecharunt turned to look at All Baimu, who also existed in the memory, standing next to Ogerpon.

Were they enemies?

Honestly, Pecharunt was quite disappointed.

"Why are you looking at me?" All Baimu noticed its gaze and asked, "Want to join the attack?" "Pecharunt!"

Pecharunt shook its head hurriedly; it didn't want to go up and get beaten!

All Baimu replied, "Then just wait, it'll be over soon."

Not far away.

The Terastallized Ogerpon approached Grimmsnarl, the pastel-colored mask bringing terrifying pressure to the latter.

"Grimmsnarl~"

Kieran's last Pokémon was the Dipplin that All Baimu was very familiar with.

He took out his Terastal Orb and threw it forward.

Hum!

Colorful light enveloped Grimmsnarl, turning it into a Fairy-type Terastal!

The students were in an uproar.

Not choosing to Terastallize Dipplin, but instead Terastallizing Grimmsnarl? What was the idea?

In fact, this was Kieran's helpless move. He certainly wanted to Terastallize Dipplin, but its Terastal type was Fighting!

It was originally intended to deal with the Cornerstone Mask Ogerpon might use, but who knew it would pull out a Fairy Mask!

However, Kieran didn't count on Grimmsnarl posing much of a threat to Ogerpon after Terastallizing.

Stalling for time was enough!

Interestingly, Ogerpon didn't attack either, only raising its thorn-covered cudgel after Grimmsnarl finished Terastallizing.

"Ivy Cudgel."

"Ogerpon!"

"Dipplin, Syrup Bomb! Grimmsnarl, Endure!"

Kieran shouted.

It was hard to imagine he would have a day where he'd have Grimmsnarl use Endure; usually, it was others using it.

Dipplin heard its trainer's call, and five heads popped out at once, cheeks bulging high, spraying a large amount of sticky syrup at the cudgel-wielding Ogerpon!

Bang! Pfft!

Two sounds, one heavy and one light.

Grimmsnarl raised its arms high to resist the pastel-colored cudgel, successfully preserving a sliver of stamina thanks to the advantage of Prankster.

Dipplin's syrup also successfully stuck to Ogerpon, making it unable to move as it pleased.

"Ogerpon!"

Ogerpon twisted its body in annoyance, raising the syrup-covered Ivy Cudgel.

Kieran ordered crazily, "Continue! Syrup Bomb! Endure! It's almost time!"

Endure was a move that was difficult to use consecutively, like defensive skills such as Protect, but in the current situation, he could only give it his all.

Hang in there! Hang in there!

Seemingly infected by its trainer's spirit and will, Grimmsnarl successfully used Endure again.

"Grimmsnarl!"

Exhausted, it roared loudly, trying its best to catch the cudgel swung by Ogerpon!

Boom!

The pain twisted Grimmsnarl's ugly face, forcing it to half-kneel on the ground, but it hadn't been defeated!

Dipplin hissed sharply, like a fixed turret, crazily spraying syrup continuously, covering the opponent in layer after layer, hindering its movements.

Everyone watched this scene, their hearts hanging in their throats.

Was this a comeback?

How much longer until Perish Song takes effect? Isn't Pecharunt going to make a move? Ogerpon needs support!

"Hang in there! Kieran!"

Crispin and Amarys shouted, Carmine's face was a mix of melancholy and anticipation, and Drayton stopped laughing.

Pecharunt was full of conflict, "Pecharunt..."

Should it make a move?

"Alright, it can end now."

Without waiting for Pecharunt to ask, All Baimu said calmly, "Tera Blast."

Hum!!

Pastel-colored energy suddenly roared!

The giant mask emitted a dazzling radiance, a beam of light shooting straight into the sky, instantly shattering the syrup on Ogerpon's body, allowing it to regain its freedom!

It turned out that under the irrigation of the rain, the syrup sprayed by Dipplin gradually cooled and hardened; even if it was thickened layer by layer, it was enough to be broken!

"Ogerpon—"

Ogerpon held the terrifying beam of light high, suddenly leaping up and sweeping across the two Pokémon below, who were full of disbelief!

"Grimmsnarl! Dipplin!"

Kieran's voice was drowned out by the terrifying explosion!

Boom!!

Soaring smoke and dust shrouded everything, making the noisy arena quiet again.

One second, two seconds, three seconds...

The sea breeze blew.

The avatars of Dipplin and Grimmsnarl on the screen went dim instantly.

Kieran looked at this scene in despair, staggering backward, muttering dizzyingly, "How could it be like this? It shouldn't be like this!"

He knelt down powerlessly. ===== CHAPTER 1249 =====