Chapter 138: Provoking to Gain Merit, a Perfect Showdown!

Before everyone's eyes,

Super Lucario's figure shot straight through Staraptor's body!

"Did it go through?"

"What's going on?"

Just as everyone was puzzled,

As the attacker, Super Lucario was well aware,

At the critical moment, it was Staraptor bursting with astonishing speed to dodge the attack.

That speed—

Even the Bonded Greninja had never given her that.

While feeling panicked inside, Super Lucario conjured a bone club in his hand and started swinging wildly around.

Unfortunately,

Staraptor had no intention of attacking Lucario at all,

shown outwardly,

just as Super Lucario had once again fallen into madness.

"Swords Dance!"

As Ash's words fell,

Staraptor, who had somehow arrived at the battlefield corner, instantly began Swords Dance to strengthen itself.

And the sight of Super Lucario suddenly conjuring a bone club and swinging wildly also made Keerni extremely worried.

"Calm down, Lucario!"

Although it's unclear how Ash managed to give Staraptor such exaggerated speed,

But those,

compared to keeping Lucario calm, are no longer important.

"Lucario!"

Lucario quickly responded, proving his consciousness was very clear.

"So what exactly just happened?"

While Keerni showed doubt, she quickly issued an attack order.

"Aura Sphere!"

If close combat won't work, then go for ranged attack,

Aura Sphere, as a move driven by Waveguide Power, is an unavoidable technique that the opponent cannot dodge no matter what.

"Lucario!"

Super Lucario casually tossed aside the bone club in his hand, and with both hands gathered an azure energy ball.

Swish!

The Aura Sphere shot out suddenly, bringing with it gusts of wind,

During this, Staraptor persisted in completing this Swords Dance, without any dodge at all.

Boom!

A loud bang rang out!

Staraptor's body was hit by the Aura Sphere, but Staraptor gritted its teeth and endured, continuing to use Swords Dance until the Swords Dance strengthening ended.

Fortunately, as a Fighting/Flying type, Staraptor resists Fighting‑type moves, so the Aura Sphere only has half effect on it.

Even so, the relaxed Staraptor's body was instantly blown away by Super Lucario's violent Aura Sphere,

like a cannonball fired from a barrel, it slammed hard into the high, wide rock wall on the side of the battlefield, creating a dent,

accompanied by a deafening boom, smoke and dust spread, blocking Super Lucario's view.

But the blocked view did not affect Super Lucario, who mastered Waveguide Power, in his perception.

Keerni well understood this, and decisively issued an attack order again.

"Aura Sphere!"

"Flying Knee!"

The two orders were given almost simultaneously,

In Super Lucario's hand, the azure Waveguide energy quickly condensed once more into a spherical shape.

"Lucario!"

With a roar, Lucario suddenly released the Aura Sphere from his hand, shooting it at Staraptor at extreme speed.

"Koo‑kah!"

In the smoke, the already thirst‑starved Staraptor shot out like a bolt of lightning.

At the instant it reached the Aura Sphere's attack range, the knee covered in thick brown energy shot up!

Tens of tons of force suddenly exploded at a single point,

Boom!

The Aura Sphere, like a soccer ball, was kicked away by Staraptor,

turning into an anti‑air cannon, it blasted through the ceiling, taking with it the Team Rocket trio that had been peeking from the ceiling.

"What a horrible feeling!"

Team Rocket's voice came from the roof, and grew fainter.

Sunlight streamed through the broken ceiling onto the battlefield, and Ash's face flashed with a confident expression.

His arm reached forward, making a grasping motion.

End it, provocation, fly and press down!

Kuchakucha!

Under the gaze of everyone,

Having landed steadily, the Staraptor disdainfully made a "come here" taunting gesture at Lucario, then proceeded to trash-talk.

Lu—!

Lucario's eyes instantly turned red, you bastard—what a harsh scolding.

After the taunt, the Staraptor didn't wait for Lucario to act, its legs suddenly bursting with power.

The next moment,

The Staraptor's body spread out like a flag, instantly shifting to the vicinity of the ceiling above the battlefield.

Its rear talons hung from the ceiling support frame.

The Staraptor, looking down from above, struck a flamboyant pose to show off its muscles.

It dove straight down from the air.

Extreme Speed, dodge!

Facing this fatal blow, Lucario, which had no unusual moves, naturally the best choice was to use a defensive skill to block it.

But unfortunately,

Ash's earlier command for the Staraptor to use Taunt played a crucial role.

Although Keerni's reaction was already very quick, she issued the relatively most correct command.

But it was useless,

Even using Extreme Speed, Mega Lucario's speed still couldn't match the Staraptor.

Visible to the naked eye,

The Staraptor gradually caught up to Mega Lucario's running path.

It's over...

Kekebu'er sighed.

Two Sword Dances, plus the Staraptor's earlier performance of knocking away the Aura Sphere.

This attack deals double effectiveness, plus the same-type attack bonus—Mega Lucario couldn't withstand it.

Boom!

Accompanied by a huge roar, the ground suddenly burst open a giant pit.

Amidst the smoke, a dazzling reversion light shone, and everyone understood.

After the smoke cleared,

In the crater filled with cracks, Lucario had already exited its Mega state, its eyes taking on a mosquito-coil shape.

Lucario is unable to battle, first match, challenger wins.

Despite the defeat,

but Keerni's complexion remained normal, keeping her usual lively mindset.

It seemed losing to Ash caused no burden at all.

Indeed, that is indeed the case.

Wow, amazing! Ash, how exactly did you and this Staraptor achieve such exaggerated speed?

It's the ability Light Gear.

Ash didn't hide it, revealing the answer.

Keerni, whose personality is a bit rough, nodded, but didn't notice the abnormality.

Light Gear—doubling speed is indeed impressive.

But Keerni didn't notice, while the experienced Kekebu'er did.

Light Gear... I recall its effect triggers only after losing an item, right?

This is because... my Staraptor is a special individual; you can regard its Light Gear trait as Super Light Gear.

Ash spoke earnestly, spouting nonsense.

Super Light Gear! It feels about the same as my Mega Lucario.

Keerni expressed that she fully believed it.

Good, truly a carefree athletic girl.

Truly, one dares to speak, one dares to believe!

Unfortunately, it didn't live up to the old saying 'big-breasted, brainless'.

The judges' bench,

Kekebu'er's gaze fell upon the Staraptor, and he fell into contemplation.

Super Light Gear?

No wonder it's no surprise Ash recognized and captured it.

Should we say it's no surprise as an Aura Guardian?

Such a special individual, if placed on someone else, they'd likely never encounter one in a lifetime.

But with Ash, the Staraptor isn't even considered that strong, truly making people envious and jealous.

Fortunately...

Such an Ash is already his granddaughter's husband.