Chapter 858: Leek Knight

"Yi tai!"

Six round golden dwarves shouted loudly.

Their rhythmic left-right-left stomping in place made the crowd's cheers fall into the same rhythm.

The shiny Gengar squinted, its fat paw shielding its forehead from the sun: "Gn?"

Looks familiar…

It turned to look at its Trainer; All All Baimu reminded it: "Formation Soldiers—don't tell me you forgot."

Ah!

Gengar remembered.

"Formation Soldiers," a pure Fighting-type.

Composed of one leader and five followers, a six-in-one formation Pokémon.

So it's this guy!

It instantly understood its opponent.

Gengar had seen this Pokémon in Fighting Arena games, but its stats were so mediocre no one used it, so it slipped its mind.

In real life, it's this small?

Its own bulky frame cast a look of pity—Formation Soldiers' single-body structure was like roadside boulders meant to block cars; the leader was only slightly larger than the followers, so the Pokédex's listed height of three meters was their stacked total.

Doo—!!

The match began with a whistle!

Confident Dainipola swiftly ordered: "Formation Soldiers, shift formation! Head-On Strike!"

"Yi tai!!"

Formation Soldiers roared in unison, instantly transforming from a straight line into a triangular assault formation.

The leader's forehead horn extended sharply, its twin shields covering its face as green sparks flickered.

In an instant.

Six spherical Spartans charged forward with fierce determination, wrapped in emerald light, like a speeding arrow aimed straight at Gengar!

Fast!

Extremely fast!

Their charge resembled a cavalry unit racing across a plain—the grass beneath them trembled violently, sending up clouds of shredded blades.

In barely a blink, they covered more than half the Grass Field.

Just from this mobility alone, it was easy to understand why she had ordered Formation Soldiers to use Bug-type moves, ineffective against Gengar.

Pure high-speed repositioning!

Absolutely essential for close-range Pokémon!

Yet Gengar, facing this furious assault, neither leapt away nor countered—it simply kept its grin, while its Trainer All All Baimu stood silent.

This pair's unnervingly calm demeanor puzzled many spectators and commentators.

"Why isn't Trainer All All Baimu commanding Gengar? Is he—"

Before he could finish.

The roaring Formation Soldiers had closed the distance to Gengar's face—Head-On Strike's priority effect made them blur into near-invisibility, leaving only a brilliant green streak!

All All Baimu: "Now!"

In the split second.

A blinding white light erupted from Gengar's body—and the green streak pierced straight through its center, as if stabbing through paper!

"Yi tai!?"

"What!?"

Confused Formation Soldiers couldn't stop in time—they kept charging, pushing forward with Gengar's face impaled on their horn.

What a horrifying sight!

True, Gengar's body was made of shadow—no blood spurted like a fountain, no internal organs flew everywhere in gory scenes.

But for mainstream audiences, the sight of Gengar's face torn open yet still cackling sent chills down their spines, violently shaking their psychological comfort.

And the aerial Rotom gave it a close-up!

Dainipola and Formation Soldiers' shock, however, differed entirely from the crowd's—they knew this Gengar wasn't the real one!

It was a Substitute!

Then where was the real one?

Suddenly.

The commentator cried out in realization: "The one hit was only the Substitute! Gengar hid inside its shadow!"

Before everyone's eyes, another Gengar—identical grin—peeked out from beneath the feet of the pierced Substitute, its formerly gray-black body now swirling like chaotic color chaos!

Dainipola turned pale.

"Protect! Formation Soldiers, re-form! Raise shields!"

"Yi tai!"

The exhausted Formation Soldiers quickly raised their side shields to form a defense—but too late.

The ambushing Gengar moved far faster.

"Magic Shine."

"Gn~ Ga!"

A dazzling rainbow burst exploded like a stun grenade!

Whir—

Boom!!

After the blinding light faded, a dull explosion echoed in every spectator's ears; they rubbed their eyes and looked into the arena—thick smoke now obscured most of the Grass Field.

The commentator marveled: "Magic Shine landed fully! That was devastating! Wow! Trainer All All Baimu is truly skilled and bold—what a risky tactic!"

Had Gengar used Substitute even a moment earlier, "risky" wouldn't have been the word.

This pair just had to wait until the attack was already at their doorstep.

They love walking the tightrope!

The commentator, of course, didn't know that in the distant Hoenn region, there existed a tactic born from battles and Super Contests: 【Attack as Defense】.

Trainers who mastered this tactic were the very best at seizing timing.

In short.

When the smoke cleared, the defeated Formation Soldiers lay clearly exposed before all spectators—while nearby, Gengar stood smugly, awaiting cheers.

"Hehehehe!"

Cheers! Screams! Rise up!

Gengar looked up eagerly—but met only deathly silence. After a long pause, scattered clapping finally came.

The aerial Rotom's announcement of Formation Soldiers' incapacity easily drowned it out.

"Match continues."

"Gn…"

Gengar was disappointed.

The Galar audience wasn't very enthusiastic—it still preferred Hoenn.

How loud had the crowd cheered during the League Championship?

The fat gray one didn't realize its earlier performance had been too horrifying to earn roaring applause—it simply thought Galar was a terrible place.

The commentator cleared his throat, dropped his initial condescension toward All All Baimu, and chuckled awkwardly:

"The Battle Festival has truly drawn many outstanding Trainers. Let's see what power Trainer All All Baimu and Gengar will show next!"

Meanwhile.

Dainipola took a deep breath and recalled Formation Soldiers.

She had originally entered the World Championships to relieve the psychological pressure from League Challenges, hoping to battle Trainers outside Gym Leaders just to reset her mood.

She never expected to be stunned in her very first match!

Where did this person come from?!

No time to think—amid the aerial Rotom's countdown beep, she sent out her second Pokémon, clasping her hands together and speaking quickly:

"I'm counting on you! You always save me! Sorry!"

Thud!

"Gaa maa!"

A deep, resonant cry rang out.

Out stepped a duck with pure white down, eyes bright as if glowing with spirit, right wing holding a leek stalk like a longsword, left wing holding a leek leaf like a shield.

The odd pairing somehow felt strangely harmonious.

No Trainer prompt needed—Gengar instantly recognized this frequent fighter from the arena games.

"Leek Knight," pure Fighting-type.

A yellow-billed duck Pokémon wielding leek stalk and leaf as weapons.

To encounter so many unfamiliar Pokémon in one day was truly a delightful surprise!

Gengar knew these were invaluable battle experiences—there were so many Pokémon in the world, with countless techniques; even if nine out of ten could be crushed by raw power, that one using an unknown move could still give it serious trouble.

So such opponents were best met in unimportant matches—even if it lost, it would still gain precious experience.

It cried out: "Geng ga!"

Then All All Baimu responded.

"Alright. Ghostfire, watch its shield."

Huh huh huh~

Nine flames bloomed out of thin air, spinning around Gengar as it cackled and charged toward Gengar, like dancing little spirits.

Right in front.

Gengar planted its duck-like feet, refusing to dodge as it advanced toward Gengar wreathed in You flames.

"Swords Dance Slash!"

"Yam!"

It roared, and the blade of its right-wing scallion sword hummed—suddenly engulfed in blinding crimson light, its body twisted like a spinning top, whirling wildly!

Huh huh!

A torrent of crimson swordwind surged upward, and the You flames hurtling toward Gengar swayed precariously, as if about to be blown apart.

The commentator cried excitedly: "What a brilliant Swords Dance Slash—Blade Storm! Now Gengar's You flames can't get close!"

Can it really not get close?

"Ji xi xi xi!"

Gengar charged headfirst into the icy bladewind, grinning maniacally from ear to ear—but the You flames swirling around it struck the crimson glow first, the two elemental energies colliding like gunpowder meeting a spark—BOOM!

Boom boom!

Thunderous crashes echoed.

Thick, choking smoke rose into the air.

Dennipola shouted: "Hell Stab!"

"Yam!"

From within the smoke came Gengar's crisp reply, followed by a piercing whistle—a black-red light flared bright, instantly clearing the dust!

But what stunned everyone—

Gengar was gone again!

In front of Gengar, not a single Pokémon, not even a hair!

Dennipola felt a chill run down her spine.

The commentator shouted passionately: "Hell Stab missed! Dennipola has lost sight of Gengar again!"

"In the shadows! Jump and use Slam!"

The Trainer's scream jolted Gengar—it leapt straight up, trying to block beneath itself with its left-wing scallion shield while swinging its right-wing scallion sword.

But Gengar had been waiting long enough.

With a "Rue!" it shot out a bright red tongue, and a lingering You flame at its tip slipped past the scallion shield, searing the very center of Gengar's duck foot.

In an instant.

The You flame surged!

Gengar was engulfed in flames; Gengar dodged and crashed to the ground, kneeling in pain, its scallion sword plunged into the earth.

"Yam!"

It let out a muffled groan.

Then a violent tug came from its right wing—Gengar had seized the moment, wrapping its tongue around the scallion sword, trying to rip it away!

"Smash it with your shield! Slam!"

Dennipola knew she couldn't let the scallion sword be stolen—she shouted orders at once.

But All All Baimu and Gengar had been watching for this.

There's an opening!

"Black Gaze."

"Geng!"

Gengar widened its eyes—its jet-black searchlight beam instantly engulfed Gengar, freezing it mid-motion as it had just thrown its scallion shield.

Now it had its chance.

Hey—shoo!

Gengar's right-wing scallion sword was yanked clean from its grip like a radish pulled from soil, then swallowed whole.

Before the match ended, it wouldn't be getting it back.

Gengar stared in stunned disbelief at this shameless thief.

The commentator nearly spat out his tongue: "Gengar—Gengar has hidden Gengar's sword! How will Gengar fight now?"

Fight? Forget it!

Without its scallion sword, Gengar couldn't even function as a Camerupt—it couldn't even break free from the Black Gaze's paralysis.

All All Baimu would never let Gengar miss this golden chance to end the battle in one blow.

"Misfortune Never Comes Alone!"

"Ji xi xi xi!"

Gengar laughed wildly, its eyes glowing purple-red, a bizarre giant eye wreathed in black mist hovering above its head, continuously firing You purple waves into Gengar's body!

"Yam!!"

Gengar screamed uncontrollably, and flames erupted again.

Burned plus Misfortune Never Comes Alone's doubled effect—even a Galarian Sunflora would be cooked alive.

Honestly, if not to practice Shadow Hide,

Gengar thought it could've just used a Shadow Ball and killed this Pokémon outright.

"Geng ga…"

With its back turned to the roaring flames and smoke, it gave the empty-shot Rotom a cool, ghostly silhouette—true ghosts never look at explosions.

The commentator's voice echoed over the stands.

"A decisive Misfortune Never Comes Alone! Under burn, Gengar's damage is amplified! Can it withstand this blow—"

Diiii!

The match-ending whistle blew.

Empty-shot Rotom: "Gengar is unable to battle. Gengar wins!"

The commentator sighed: "Won! Gengar wins two-on-one! Its shadow-hide technique is breathtaking! Let's congratulate All All Baimu for the final victory!"

Compared to the first half, applause finally grew louder after Gengar defeated Gengar.

Everyone stared curiously at this All All Baimu from Huang Tie.

So…

"Where's Huang Tie?"

The dark-skinned youth with the orange headband asked curiously.

The burly youth wearing a giant straw hat said: "I know—it's in the Orei Region. The grain the boss took from Grass Path Town was sold there recently."

"Orei Region? Another place I've never heard of."

Chibana grinned, revealing his trademark tiger fangs, "But this guy's Pokémon are quite interesting. Secretary, could I ever meet him?"

To his left floated a red mobile phone.

On the screen was Olivia, wearing glasses: "Matches are random, but higher win rates unlock higher-ranked opponents—you'll meet him eventually."

"Oh—then I'll wait with bated breath."

Chibana chuckled, then turned to the burly straw-hat youth: "Alo! Ready for the Dragon Storm?"

"Understood~"

Alo smiled gently and nodded.

This farm boy always carried a calm, gentle aura.

Meanwhile,

A beautiful dark-skinned girl with blended deep blue and light blue hair—part braided into a bun, the rest flowing down—arrived at the Battle Festival counter.

A crowd nearby stopped and stared, murmuring in awe.

The girl said: "Please match me with an opponent."

The staff member smiled and nodded: "Of course, Miss Luliana. Please wait… Match complete. Your battle is at Water Arena, opponent: All All Baimu from Huang Tie, currently ranked 1121."